Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A batch of incendiary balloons were launched towards settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
Turkey's Defense Ministry: 5 Kurdistan Workers Party members killed in an airstrike in northern Iraq.
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry says its forces raided several terrorist hideouts in Tehran and Western Azerbaijan and arrested 28 elements.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry says the terror attacks were aimed at undermining Iran's state security and showing Iran as a destabilized nation.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry says it foiled a terrorist plot being planned for Tehran, with all the culprits getting arrested.
Iranian Defense Ministry says has missiles designed with the intention of striking the Israeli occupation, namely the Hajj Qassem Soleimani missile.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Israeli occupation forces raided Birzeit University and arrested three young men in its vicinity.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Israeli occupation forces raided the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm for several hours, with snipers deployed on the rooftops.
China inaugurates the Asian games in Hangzhou.
The Israeli soldiers launched smoke and sound grenades at the Lebanese side earlier.

Blinken expected to announce billion dollars in aid for Ukraine

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 6 Sep 2023 14:41
  • 2 Shares

US State Secretary Antony Blinken is expected to announce a billion dollars in aid for Ukraine as the country continues to falter on the frontlines in its much-touted counteroffensive.

  • Ukrainian  Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, right, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, give a statement to media ahead of their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Kiev, Ukraine, Sept. 6, 2023 (AFP)
    Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, right, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, give a statement to media ahead of their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Kiev, Ukraine, Sept. 6, 2023 (AFP)

US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Wednesday arrived in Ukraine on an unannounced visit. He is expected to announce more than a billion dollars in fresh aid for Kiev as Washington continues upping its expenditure for Ukraine.

Blinken landed in Kiev as the government claims to have made some advances against Russia's forces in the east after struggling for months to gain any ground.

"We expect the secretary to be able to announce more than a billion dollars in new US funding for Ukraine during the course of this visit," a senior US State Department official said en route to Kiev.

Check out: How much aid has the US sent to Ukraine?

Blinken was greeted by US Ambassador Bridget Brink upon his arrival in the Ukrainian capital.

The visit comes at a time when Ukraine is changing its strategy on the battlefield, which the State Department official claimed was a "good time" for Blinken to come, months into Kiev's counter-offensive and as energy security fears are on the rise again.

Some reports claim that the Ukrainian counteroffensive has been moving along more quickly lately and achieved some notable victories. The White House's spokesperson, John Kirby, lauded the Ukrainian troops' "notable progress" during the previous 72 hours in a southern offensive near the Zaporizhzhia area after they allegedly took over the village of Robotyne last week. 

Related News

Ukrainian field general says counteroffensive not WWII movie

US sees Ukrainian army demoralized, no chance to win: Seymour Hersh

Read next: Ukraine’s counteroffensive is 'running back into stalemate': Reports

Oleksandr Tarnavskiy, a brigadier general in the Ukrainian army, claimed over the weekend that his nation's forces had successfully breached Russia's first defensive line near Zaporizhzhia and that Moscow had only devoted 20% of its time and resources to each of the second and third lines.

While the recent news seems to be in favor of Ukraine, it appears that its supporters are working on keeping expectations in check rather than boosting them.

Read: US expects Ukraine counteroffensive not to meet goals: WashPo

The counterattack by Ukraine has been moving slowly for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the size of the task. Former British general Sir Richard Barrons pointed out that progress has been made in the south this summer, but there are still 55 miles to go before Ukraine reaches its much-touted aim of reaching the Sea of Azov and severing the land bridge to Crimea. 

The well-established and extensive network of Russian defenses, including minefields, anti-tank ditches, and "Dragon's Teeth" barricades, have also forced Ukrainian forces to engage in combat, UnHerd reported.

Oleksii Reznikov, the recently ousted defense minister of Ukraine, lamented the presence of up to five Russian mines per square meter of land. This has considerably slowed down Ukrainian forces' advancement; according to Tarnavskiy, minefields have been impeding Ukrainian forces for weeks as infantry sappers tried to clear an attack route on foot while Russian forces used drones and shells to target vehicles. 

That is prior to discussing difficulties with the availability of ammunition and training. The US won't begin training F-16 fighter jet pilots until October, and according to Troels Poulsen, the acting defense minister of Denmark, Ukraine won't see results until the beginning of next year. Ukrainian soldiers have reported crippling disconnects between NATO drills and the realities of the front lines, despite the fact that 63,000 of their soldiers have participated in training in NATO countries due to time constraints.

It is worth noting that despite the fact that Ukraine's counteroffensive is moving more slowly than anticipated, Ukraine continues to reject the option of freezing the battle.

  • counteroffensive
  • Russia
  • Kiev
  • Ukraine
  • Antony Blinken

Most Read

Ukrainian soldiers ride an APC on the front line near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, on June 5, 2023 (AP)

US sees Ukrainian army demoralized, no chance to win: Seymour Hersh

  • Europe
  • 21 Sep 2023
Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

  • Europe
  • 23 Sep 2023
British mercenary in Ukraine killed by another Brit

British mercenary in Ukraine killed by another Brit

  • Europe
  • 18 Sep 2023
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 5, 2017, before the House Armed Services Committee hearing: 'Damage to the Military from a Continuing Resolution. (AP)

US should avoid open armed conflict with China: Top US general

  • Politics
  • 17 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Furhan Al-Saud addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, at United Nations headquarters. (AP)
Palestine

Saudi FM tells UN regional stability hinges on 'Palestinian state'

Nearly two weeks later, Libya toll tops 3,800
MENA

Nearly two weeks later, Libya toll tops 3,800

A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, May 21, 2022. (AP)
Latin America

Venezuela boosts oil production amid unilateral restrictive measures

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew
Europe

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS