State regulation and financing news

WSJ: Czech Republic buys shells for Ukraine from some of Russia's allies

Some countries allied with Russia are selling shells to the Czech Republic for their subsequent shipment to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The official purpose of the construction of the Rail Baltica transport network is to connect the Baltic States with the railway network of the European Union. The project was originally planned to be completed by 2026. The cost of the project was estimated at 7 billion euros.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.