Ukraine war briefing: Eliminate Putin’s ‘last major advantage,’ Zelenskyy urges Washington
Patriots would neutralise ballistic missiles and force Russia to negotiate, says Ukrainian president; half a million Russian dead – GCHQ boss. What we know on day 1,555
TL;DR
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging the US and Congress to supply more air defence munitions, including Patriot missiles, to counter Russia's ballistic missile advantage.
- Zelenskyy stated that neutralising Russia's ballistic missiles would force Vladimir Putin to negotiate.
- Russia launched 30 ballistic missiles against Ukraine on Sunday, with only 11 intercepted.
- Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian ballistic missiles relies on US-made interceptors for the Patriot system, with supplies being a long-standing concern.
- Russia's defence ministry claimed to have captured villages in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, but Ukraine's military and war blogs have contested these claims.
- Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky believes Ukraine has a six-month window to seize the initiative and negotiate peace from a position of strength.
- Analysts suggest Russian forces are becoming exhausted, while Ukraine faces manpower shortages but may be capable of limited mechanised assaults.
- The head of British intelligence, GCHQ, estimates nearly half a million Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine.
- Pope Francis decried the 'sharp intensification' of the war and expressed closeness to the civilians affected by the conflict.
- Sevastopol, in Russian-occupied Crimea, was attacked by over 20 Ukrainian drones and Storm Shadow missiles.