US President Joe Biden announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine on Friday after dozens of civilians were evacuated from the besieged steel mine in Mariupol, the last pocket of resistance against Russian troops in the sprawling port city.
At $ 150 million, the latest U.S. security aid for the “brave people of Ukraine” will include artillery and radar, Biden said. A senior U.S. official said he included counter-artillery radars used to detect the source of enemy fire and electronic jamming equipment.
Friday’s new batch brings the total value of US weapons sent to Ukraine since the invasion to $ 3.8 billion – and the president called on Congress to approve an additional huge $ 33 billion package, including $ 20 billion in military aid, “to strengthen of Ukraine on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. “
Here’s what happened last night.
1. The unanimous declaration of the UN Security Council supports the “peaceful” decision of Ukraine
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted its first declaration on Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February, supporting Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ efforts to find a “peaceful solution” to the war.
The declaration, prepared by Norway and Mexico and received by the AFP, did not support Guterres’ mediation efforts, as set out in an earlier version of the text.
“The Security Council is deeply concerned about the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine,” the text said on Friday.
Asked what prompted Russia, which has been blocking the Security Council since February, to approve the latest text, a diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity that “all good things are gone”.
2. Dozens more civilians have been rescued by the Azovstal steel plant
Dozens more civilians were rescued on Friday from tunnels under the besieged steel plant, where Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol are making their final stance to prevent Moscow from taking over the strategically important port city from Moscow.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities say 50 people have been evacuated from the Azovstal plant and handed over to representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Russian military said the group included 11 children.
Russian officials and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk said evacuation efforts would continue on Saturday. The latest evacuees were in addition to about 500 other civilians who have left the plant and the city in recent days.
Add Comment