Interesting points by President Zelenskyy from the interview with WaPo:
- Strikes on oil refineries
"The reaction of the U.S. was not positive on this but we used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t.” 1/8
"If there is no air defense to protect our energy system, and Russians attack it, my question is: Why can’t we answer them? Their society has to learn to live without petrol, without diesel, without electricity. … It’s fair.” 2/8
- Long-range capabilities:
Zelensky wants to use ATACMS-300s not to attack Russian territory but those airfields in Crimea. 3/8
"When Russia knows we can destroy these jets, they will not attack from Crimea. It’s like with the sea fleet. We pushed them from our territorial waters. Now we will push them from the airports in Crimea.” 4/8
- US aid package:
“If there is no U.S. support, it means that we have no air defense, no Patriot missiles, no jammers for electronic warfare, no 155-milimeter artillery rounds,” he said. “It means we will go back, retreat, step by step, in small steps.” 5/8
“We are trying to find some way not to retreat. we have stabilized the situation because of smart steps by our military.” If the front remains stable, he said Ukraine can arm and train new brigades in the rear to conduct a new counteroffensive later this year. 6/8
Ukraine is running short of interceptors and other air-defense weapons to protect its cities and infrastructure. Without the support of Congress, we will have a big deficit of missiles. 7/8
- On drones:
Zelensky touted his program for a domestically produced “army of drones, including some that can reach 1,000 kilometers or more into Russia.” But he cautioned that “drones are not enough for winning the war. Drones are not missiles" 8/8
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Profound insights by Robert Brovdi, Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces:
Today, the exchange rate in tactical combat exceeds 100:1. One dollar invested in drones translates into more than $100 in Russian losses. 1/15
USF spend approximately $40 million per month on drones while inflicting around $4 billion in damage on the enemy — a ratio of roughly 1:100. Over a 10-month period, the cost of eliminating a single Russian infantryman is estimated at about $882. 2/15
In 10 months, USF has surpassed 85,000 confirmed enemy personnel eliminated. It is a significant portion of the enemy’s army, destroyed using systems made of plastic and metal costing from $300 to a few thousand dollars. 3/15
General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and current Ambassador to the UK:
Due to scientific and technological progress, it has become impossible, regardless of what others may claim, to carry out operational-level tasks. 1/12
An operational task is not a fight for two houses or even for a small town over the course of a year. Operational execution means achieving large-scale results within a short period of time, advancing 150, 200, even 250 kilometers. 2/12
Today, that is no longer possible. Because of technological developments, such outcomes are effectively unattainable. 3/12
Very telling remarks from Elvira Nabiullina, Russia's Central Bank Governor:
We have truly never, in the history of modern Russia, lived with such a shortage of labor until now. 1/6
We have never had anything like this before, and it is affecting the entire economic situation as well as our decisions. 2/6
The phenomenon has become abnormal for the current economic cycle. The labor shortage is directly affecting economic indicators and is a key factor the regulator takes into account when making decisions on the key interest rate and other monetary policy measures. 3/6
Interesting remarks by senior Western military leaders on the Russia–Ukraine war at the Kyiv Security Forum:
Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee:
Russia has not achieved a quick victory, in fact, no victory at all, and this is important. 1/18
Ukraine has preserved its sovereignty, and this is a powerful example of adaptability. In the West, we are learning a great deal, learning about drones, distributed capabilities, and resilience. 2/18
Have we truly awakened? I would say yes, we have. Are we working on it? I believe the West is on the right path, with significant achievements. 3/18
The red line is straightforward and widely understood. First, nothing will be recognized. That will not happen, regardless of any pressure or attempts to force it. 1/10
As for Donbas, a solution will be found that, above all, serves Ukraine’s interests, because it is Ukrainian land, and no one has the right to trade it. No one in Ukraine, I believe, would agree to recognize the loss of even a millimeter of our territory. 2/10
A new technological leap is required, particularly in artificial intelligence and advanced signal transmission and control systems. With current technologies, both sides appear to be approaching their operational limits. 3/10