Britain, which prides itself on being ahead of its Western allies in introducing new weapons systems to Ukraine, has already sent long-range missiles to Kiev, something the Biden administration has long denied.
However, US lawmakers are urging Biden to send long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Ten members of the US Congress - representatives of both the Democratic and Republican parties - called on President Joe Biden to provide military assistance to Ukraine by supplying it with long-range missiles. This is reported by Politico, citing anonymous sources.
Representatives of both parties working in Congress insist on the need to increase military support to Ukraine in light of the current situation. They are sure that sending long-range missiles can be an effective mechanism to ensure the security and sovereignty of the country.
However, the White House said earlier that it has no plans to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles. This position is probably due to the difficult geopolitical situation and the desire to maintain diplomatic balance.
Deputies, despite Biden's statement, continue to actively discuss this issue, looking for options to increase support for Ukraine. This action, in their opinion, will not only help Ukraine to strengthen its defense, but will also become a message to other states "about the steadfast position of the United States, in the protection of democratic values and the sovereignty of countries partners".
It will have its own missiles
A missile program has been approved in Ukraine, and there are good prospects for the country to have its own missiles, with a range of over a thousand kilometers.
This was stated by Defense Minister Reznikov, who spoke at a forum in Kiev on the restoration of Ukraine.
"We have very good prospects of having Ukrainian missiles with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers," the minister said.
According to the minister, the missile program has been officially approved and funds have already been allocated from the budget for this purpose. The actors participating in the program are Ukrainians, the minister emphasized.
Reznikov also recalled the successful Neptune missile project, thanks to which the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation was sunk last year.
He also recalled the operational-tactical missile system Sapsan, which should have become the most powerful Ukrainian weapon. It could hit a target at a distance of up to 500 km. For example, the distance from Moscow to the Ukrainian border is about 480 kilometers.
Ukraine began manufacturing the Hrim-2 TBM in 2016, on orders from Saudi Arabia. In February 2021, then-Defense Minister Andrea Taran stated that the operational-tactical missile system was 80% ready and "it is necessary to take the final step" and complete it.
In March 2023, Reznikov noted that there is a "realistic plan" to complete the creation of the missile system as early as this year.
Danger of disaster for the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant
The situation surrounding the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant has caused concern not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Particular attention is focused on the Zaporizhia region, where the Zaporizhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, is located in the city of Enerkondar.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said that the water level in the ZNPP reservoirs is decreasing by 5-7 centimeters per hour. However, according to him, the supply of water needed to cool the station is guaranteed for one month.
The water level in the Kahovka reservoir, according to Grossi, reached 18 meters, that is, it fell by about 2.8 meters after the dam was blown up. If the water level drops below 12.7 meters, the ZNPP will not be able to pump water from the Kahovka Reservoir into its reservoirs.
If the current rate of decline in the water level in the reservoir is maintained, this critical threshold may be reached in a few weeks. However, it is difficult to give accurate predictions in this situation, due to the uncertainty of the scale of damage to the dam.
