US assisting Ukraine with intel for defence operations in Donbass, says Lloyd Austin

In the midst of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the United States, which has been assisting the war-torn country since the start of the conflict has stated that it is helping Ukraine with intelligence. On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that the US is supplying intelligence to Ukrainian forces conducting operations in the Donbas region, which Russia has vowed to 'liberate.' However, Austin's statement had no mention of Cremia, which Russia annexed back in 2014.

Austin made this statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee. As per the reports of CNN, a senior defence official stated that some of the intelligence sent to Ukraine is "near real-time." The official further said that they continue to offer important information and intelligence to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their combat and as the conflict moves closer to the Donbas region, they will adapt their communication.

Russia's fight with Ukraine would be a "hard grind"

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said on Thursday that Russia's fight with Ukraine would be a "hard grind" as Ukraine continues to defend its land. He also stated that they have managed to counter the Russian onslaught in Kyiv but there is still a huge struggle ahead in the southeast, around the Donbass, Donetsk region, where the Russians want to gather mass forces and continue their assault.

Austin and Milley both stated that the Pentagon was doing everything it could to support Ukraine's anti-Russian campaign, according to CNN. Austin said that US security support is pouring into Ukraine faster than most people would have ever imagined possible, with aid arriving in Ukraine as soon as days after receiving authorisation.

'Battle in Donbass will be reminiscent of World War II'

In the meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytri Kuleba stated during a press conference following NATO Headquarters meetings that the war of Donbas will not be a small-scale operation and that it will involve tens of thousands of tanks, armoured vehicles, planes, artillery, and will be reminiscent of World War II. He further said that based on what they have seen of Russia's preparations, this will not be a regional operation. He then asked for assistance from the allies stating that either they help Ukraine now, or they will be too late. He claimed that many people will perish, many civilians will lose their homes and many villages will be destroyed precisely if the aid arrived too late.

In a Global Mega Exclusive, the Republic Media Network interviewed the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday. Making a big statement in the interview, the Ukrainian President put the ball in President Putin’s court by even expressing his willingness to discuss Crimea and Donbass at the Presidential level. President Zelenskyy said, “I am ready to discuss any topic but I would like to do that with the President of the Russian Federation”. President Zelenskyy also made it abundantly clear in the interview to Mr. Goswami that he was only ready to talk at the level of President Putin, and nobody else. President Zelensky said, “the faster the meet with President Putin, the better”.

Image: AP