Free Republic

The Biden administration just promised another $10 billion in economic aid to Ukraine, bringing the to-date sum up around $200 billion, with more likely to roll out in the coming months. But for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenksy, that's just not enough, and he has harsh words for Americans who'd like to keep their tax dollars here at home as opposed to using them to line Ukraine's war chest. The one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of their neighbor Ukraine fell this week. "I would like to thank the American people," Zelensky began, in his sweatshirt emblazoned with a small Ukranian...

This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Small arms, ATGMs, MANPADS, loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles, trailers and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When the...

Recent shipments of U.S. and allied weapons, particularly the Himars multiple-launch rocket systems and 155mm howitzers, have helped to blunt Russia’s offensive in the Donbas and stabilize the situation there, Mr. Zelensky said. The Russians used to fire 12,000 artillery shells daily against 1,000 to 2,000 by Ukraine, he said. Now, he added, Ukraine can fire some 6,000 shells a day while Russia is beginning to feel a shortage of ammunition and troops. This change in the balance of firepower has stemmed Ukrainian casualties, Mr. Zelensky said. At the peak of fighting in May and June, he said, Ukraine was...

KYIV, April 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war on Thursday, declaring the port of Mariupol "liberated" after nearly two months of siege, despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steel works. In a televised meeting with his defence minister inside the Kremlin, Putin said there was no need for a final confrontation with the last defenders who were boxed in after surviving nearly two months of Russia's siege. "I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary," he told Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in a televised...

Russia lost a colonel, yet another death of a high-ranking military official roughly six weeks into Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian Col. Alexander Bespalov was killed during fighting in Ukraine and buried in Ozersk, ... Bespalov was the commander of the 59th Guards Tank Regiment and part of the 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, according to Visegard 24. ... Several top Russian military officials have been killed in combat since the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. At least seven generals have died in the conflict to snipers, close combat, and bombings, according to a March 26 report from the Washington...

Politically connected First Solar also secured $3 billion in loan guarantees from Obama administration.. A solar energy company owned by a Biden megadonor received a $500 million government loan to build a manufacturing facility in India, the Biden administration announced this week, raising questions about whether the company's political clout played any role in the financing decision. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation granted the loan to First Solar, which is owned by billionaire Walmart heir Lukas Walton, to build a solar module plant in India. Walton contributed over $300,000 to President Joe Biden's campaign last year, and over $100,000...