The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with author, historian, and Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9, which mark the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany in World War II, are one of the country’s biggest public events of the year. President of the Ukrainian Society of Switzerland Andrej Lushnycky who sheds some light on the things Putin would rather you didn’t know about World War II.
Washington’s involvement may also help mitigate political opposition in Europe, while giving the U.S. strategic visibility over future Russian energy flows, sources told Reuters.
The agreement, signed on April 30, establishes a joint investment fund between Kyiv and Washington and grants the U.S. special access to projects developing Ukraine's natural resources.
A pillar of smoke rising purportedly from Balbek airbase shown in a video shared by the Crimean Wind Telegram channel on Jan. 31, 2024. (Crimean Wind/Telegram)
The Balbek airfield in Russian-occupied Crimea was hit in an attack, Air Force Commander General Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram on Jan. 31.
Videos emerged on local Telegram channels earlier in the afternoon showing a series of explosions in Russian-occupied Crimea. The airfield is located a few kilometers north of Sevastopol.
Oleshchuk shared a video showing an explosion and thanked "everyone who participated in the clearing the Russian presence out of Crimea."
"Ukrainian aviators will definitely return home to their native airfield," Oleshchuk said, referring to Ukraine's 204th Sevastopol Tactical Aviation Brigade, which was based at the Balbek airfield before Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014.
Ukrainska Pravda reported that the attack on the airbase was carried out using Scalp/Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, citing a source in the military.
Oleshchuk earlier reported on Jan. 6 that the Ukrainian Air Force had carried out a successful attack against the Saky airbase, 50 kilometers to the north of Sevastopol.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces also reported a successful strike against a Russian command post near Sevastopol and ammunition warehouses near the village of Pervomaiske on Jan. 4.
Kateryna Denisova
