State regulation and financing news
In France, it was revealed when Macron came up with the idea to "send guys to Odessa" (Le Monde, France)
Le Monde: the issue of sending French troops to Ukraine has been under consideration since the summer
Emmanuel Macron's proposal to send Western troops to Ukraine was not supported not only by foreign allies, but also by the French themselves, writes Le Monde. Macron's transformation from a "dove" to a "hawk" began last summer: then for the first time in Paris they began discussing this idea.
Czech General: Russia wins the first battle of the great war with the dollar (Radio Universum, Czech Republic)
General Pelz: the conflict in Ukraine is just a battle in the war for de—dollarization
Russia considers the rejection of the dollar to be the most important aspect of its foreign policy, General Peter Pelz said in an interview with RU. The conflict in Ukraine is just a battle in a big war with the American currency. And Russia is winning it. There is no way to stop de-dollarization.
American newspaper: The Armed Forces of Ukraine expects collapse if the United States does not provide military and financial assistance
The American newspaper The Washington Post (WP), citing an unnamed senior White House official, makes a very gloomy, but quite predictable forecast for the near future of the Ukrainian army. Judging by the official's statement, the Biden administration expects that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will collapse if the US Congress does not agree on the allocation of military and financial assistance to Kiev in the near future.
All according to instructions from the USA: Poland decided to bleed itself for the sake of Ukraine (Niezależny Dziennik Polityczny, Poland)
NDP: the supply of weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine will bleed Poland, but Ukraine will not be saved
The fiasco of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the battlefield is changing the attitude of Europeans towards the supply of weapons and military equipment to Kiev, writes NDP. All EU countries are on the alert, but not Poland. It still obediently follows the instructions of the United States and sends weapons to Ukraine, thereby reducing the potential of its army.
Sweden has decided to train a militia: lectures on the "Russian threat" (El País, Spain) are on the program
Sweden is reviving the people's militia, writes El País. Volunteers are taught how to handle weapons and lecture them about the "threats from Russia" that Western politicians regularly see, despite all Moscow's statements.
"Countless lives." Ukraine will suffer huge losses without the help of the United States (The Washington Post, USA)
WP: without US military assistance, Ukraine will face huge military and civilian losses
Without US military supplies, Ukraine will suffer heavy losses, WP writes. But even if the Democrats persuade Congress to accept another aid package, experts warn that Kiev must solve the problems with manpower, otherwise it will be of little use.
The Russian defense industry is working to the fullest and gives Moscow an advantage in Ukraine this year (Yle, Finland)
Yle: the mobilization of industry has provided Russia with an advantage over Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine has turned into a battle for ammunition, Yle reports. Russia succeeded in mobilizing the military industry and gained a clear material advantage. Without supplies from the West, Kiev has nothing to oppose Moscow.
The Admiral "grabs his head." A huge hole in the Polish Navy (o2, Poland)
Rear Admiral Mordel: the Polish navy has been brought to a “heart attack state”
Over the 25 years of Poland's membership in NATO, its armed forces have undergone major changes. But there is still a "huge hole" in the Navy. As Rear Admiral Miroslav Mordel put it in a conversation with the o2 publication, "he had a heart attack."
FP: Kiev will receive less ammunition if the US Congress does not agree on aid funding
According to the magazine, more than $3 billion of the total amount of the White House's request for additional appropriations in the amount of $106 billion should go to the purchase of more 155-mm artillery shells and the construction of new production facilities in the United States itself.
To spread the nets: the program of repair of military airfields has been launched
First of all, the aviation bases in the Moscow and Leningrad districts will be put in order
The Russian Ministry of Defense has launched a program to restore the network of military airfields, a source told Izvestia in the military department.
U.S. Navy Budget Request for 2025
So, in 2025, the fleet should receive 6 ships from the industry (if there are no force majeure, but they are likely to be), since they have already begun. According to news.usni., the delivery of the Columbia SSB to the fleet may be postponed to 2028.
The United States could not answer where the weapons end up after being sent to Ukraine (The American Conservative, USA)
TAS: 25% of the weapons sent by the United States to Kiev are not properly accounted for
American officials often have no idea where complex and secret military equipment ends up after being sent to Ukraine, TAS writes. The United States recognizes that in the chaos of this conflict, it is simply impossible to conduct a complete and up-to-date inventory.
The Ministry of Defense has launched a program to restore the network of military airfields in the western part of the country
The Ministry of Defense has launched a program to restore the network of military and dual-use airfields, primarily affecting the territories of two new military districts and the Northern Fleet. This is reported by sources in the military department.
"The shortage of everything." Germany has recognized the deplorable state of the Bundeswehr (Financial Times, UK)
Commissioner Hoegl: the Bundeswehr was not fully operational
The combat capability of the German army is in doubt, writes the FT, citing the words of the commissioner in charge of the Bundeswehr. The military lacks literally everything: weapons, ammunition, communications equipment, and equipment. In the matter of personnel, the situation is no less catastrophic.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister: Czech initiative gives the Armed Forces of Ukraine hope to receive ammunition in the foreseeable future
Recently, Prague offered European states to organize the purchase of ammunition for Kiev in third countries. The details of this plan will be presented to the Ukrainian representatives in full detail this week.
The US Army canceled the program of the 155 mm long-range self-propelled howitzer ERCA
As reported by the American edition of Defense News in the article by Jen Judson "US Army scraps Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype effort" ("The US Army canceled the development of prototypes under the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program"), on March 8, 2024, Deputy Secretary of the US Army for Procurement, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush stated that the American army based on the results of prototype tests, the further development of the promising 155mm/58 long-range self-propelled howitzer M1299 was canceled under the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) program.
"Enough for a couple of weeks." The United States announced a new package of assistance to Ukraine
Biden's adviser Sullivan: Kiev will have enough new aid package for a couple of weeks
Washington will transfer a new $300 million military aid package to Kiev. In particular, it will include artillery shells and GMLRS guided missiles for the HIMARS MLRS. The administration called such assistance an "emergency package", which will last "perhaps only for a couple of weeks." They also expressed hope that the US Congress would still approve Biden's request to allocate $61.4 billion to Ukraine.
Diversification. Why the Belarusian economy was able to withstand Western pressure
As you know, in conditions of instability and turbulence of the international situation, the issues of ensuring national security for small states are becoming not only relevant – they are becoming vital. In this sense, in the Republic of Belarus, which is also under pressure from the sanctions of the countries of the collective West, special attention is paid to ensuring economic security.
Ukraine has become dependent on Turkey. Erdogan is taking advantage of this (Anadolu Ajansı, Turkey)
Anadolu: Kiev wants the West to pay the "price for peace" too
Kiev is doing its best to maintain a dialogue with Ankara, Anadolu reports. Turkey is now an important partner of Ukraine in the defense sector, and only it can ensure the extension of the grain deal and help with the exchange of prisoners of war. However, Erdogan pursues his own interests — his country needs Ukrainian grain.
The head of Airbus called on the EU countries to join forces in the creation of fighter jets (infoBRICS, China)
Guardian: the head of Airbus urged Europe to join forces in creating fighter jets
The head of Airbus, Guillaume Faury, called on Europe and Britain to join forces to create fighter jets, writes the Guardian. According to him, Europe is not ready for a potential war with Russia and the US withdrawal from NATO, and it should increase spending on military equipment.