Ukraine's FM terms military aid given to Kyiv a 'key investment' for Europe's security

Amid the ongoing Moscow-Kyiv war, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that the military assistance provided to his nation is not "charity." In a guest essay published by The New York Times, Kuleba termed the military aid given to Ukraine "a necessary investment" for Europe's long-term security. He asserted that Ukrainian armed forces will emerge from the conflict with Russia as one of Europe's "most capable" military forces and work to safeguard the security of Europe after "repelling Russian invasion."

Dmytro Kuleba in the guest essay reiterated his call on Ukraine's partners to strengthen their support for his country and reject Russian "fake peace proposals". He urged the US and European allies to ramp up the deliveries of advanced artillery, armoured vehicles and financial assistance to Ukraine. He underscored that Ukrainian forces had "lost some ground" in Luhansk due to Russia's "overwhelming advantage in artillery." Kuleba added that they were now "steadily" closing the gap with the help of heavy weaponry provided by the US and other nations. Ukrainian FM Kuleba noted that Russia has not been able to make any "significant gains" in recent weeks and asserted that Ukrainian troops remain "determined" to push back Russian forces from their country. 

Russia wants to 'ruin Ukraine': FM Kuleba 

Ukrainian FM Kuleba emphasised that Russia remains focused on war and it seeks to "ruin Ukraine" and "shatter the west." He claimed that Russia's ceasefire would allow Moscow troops to take a break from aggression before resuming the offensive again. He asserted that they should not accept Russia's "unfavourable ceasefire proposals" and remain determined to defeat Russian forces, according to his guest essay published in The New York Times. Kuleba claimed that Russia is not "serious" about ending the war in Ukraine. He called on Ukraine's allies to impose sanctions against Russia and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "weaponising" energy and food. Notably, Ukraine has been accusing Russia of blocking its ports and halting the export of Ukrainian grains.   

Ukraine claims Russia lost 40,670 soldiers since war began 

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues for more than 150 days, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that around 40,670 Russian troops have lost their lives since the onset of the military conflict. The weaponry losses of Russian forces include 258 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), 117 anti-aircraft warfare, 222 aircraft, 190 helicopters, 2889 vehicles and fuel tankers. Apart from these, Russian troops have lost 15 ships or boats,174 cruise missiles, 733 unmanned aerial vehicles and 78 special equipment. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry further revealed that the Russian army has lost 1,759 tanks, 3,995 armoured combat vehicles and 906 artillery systems. 

Image: AP