Warn of conflict in Ukraine dangerously escalated

Spokesman Kremlin Dmitry Peskov yesterday warned Russia is ready to give the most drastic response if any side risks interfering in the operation. military especially Russia in Ukraine.

Unpredictable tensions between Russia and NATO

Commenting on the possibility of a direct Russian-NATO clash, Mr. Peskov said that “all want to avoid” this scenario, including Russia, NATO and the US government with the statement of the President. Joe Biden, according to TASS. On the same day, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned: “The fact that NATO countries are pumping weapons to Ukraine, training soldiers to use Western equipment, sending mercenaries and conducting military exercises by other countries. in alliance near our border raises the possibility of direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia, rather than their proxy war. Such a conflict always runs the risk of turning into a full-blown nuclear war. This is a catastrophic scenario for everyone.”

In a remarkable development yesterday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin issued a joint statement on May 12 in favor of joining NATO. “Finland must apply to join NATO immediately. Membership in NATO will strengthen Finland’s security. As a member of NATO, Finland will strengthen the entire alliance. It is expected that a special Finnish committee will officially announce its decision to apply to join NATO on May 15.

A damaged building in the Cherkaske region, eastern Ukraine on May 11, AFP

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg “warmly welcomed” Finland’s entry, promising that the process would be “smooth and fast”. AFP quoted him as saying that Finland’s accession would increase security for both the country and the alliance. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Switzerland Ann Linde said the country will take into account Finland’s move when deciding whether to apply to join NATO, according to Reuters. Kremlin spokesman Peskov immediately stressed that Finland’s new move was “clearly” a threat to Russia and that expanding the alliance did not make Europe or world more stable. He said Finland’s move was regrettable and a reason for Russia to react accordingly, according to TASS.

Also related to Russia-Western tensions, Moscow has just imposed sanctions on a series of gas companies including Gazprom Germania – once a subsidiary in Germany of Russian gas producer Gazprom. According to Reuters, the companies named on the Russian government website on May 11 are mostly based in countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia over the military campaign in Ukraine.

Exciting new happenings

Meanwhile, fighting continues to heat up in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on May 11 that foreign weapons aid, including from the US and other countries, have been deployed on the front lines. CNN reported on May 12 that the Ukrainian military acknowledged that Russia was making progress in some areas of the east, although it is difficult to accurately assess the specific extent. The news came after the Russian military announced it had reached the border between the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In the daily update, the Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ukraine reported that Russian soldiers crossed the Severskyi Donets river from the direction of Lyman in the Donetsk region. Lyman is a town in northeastern Sloviansk, one of Russia’s strategic targets. Many bridges across the river were destroyed in previous fighting. Russian troops are also assembling to attack Barvinkove and Sloviansk, with tactical battalion groups deployed to reinforce forward units.

Farther east, Russian forces were advancing towards Kudriashivka and were partially successful. Kudriashivka is a village near Severodonetsk and Rubizhne, where Ukrainian forces have held off Russian troops for weeks. In the Chernihiv region, the Russian Defense Ministry said that its forces had bombed two Ukrainian ammunition depots. In Kharkiv, Ukraine continues to resist, while Russia is consolidating forces near the border. Meanwhile in Mariupol, the Ukrainian side said that about 1,000 soldiers were still entrenched in the tunnels below the Azovstal metallurgical plant, of which hundreds were seriously injured and needed urgent evacuation.