Wed 20 April 2022:
Ukraine has received fighter planes and aircraft parts from the United States, only days after US President Joe Biden announced a $800 million military aid package for the country.
The type and quantity of aircraft, however, have not been specified.
As the US and Europe announced that they would be delivering more aid to Ukraine as it faces Russian soldiers, the Pentagon stated Ukraine now has “more fixed-wing fighter aircraft than they did two weeks ago.”
As Russia said it was concentrating its forces in the Donbas region, President Zelensky has been appealing for more jets and munitions.
President Biden spoke to European leaders including those from Canada, Japan and the European Commission as the US seeks to increase pressure on Russia.
On Tuesday, the US had said the first tranche of military equipment had reached Ukraine’s border with reports indicating NATO soldiers will be training Ukrainian troops on US howitzers.
Russia had already expressed dissatisfaction with the United States’ military assistance to Ukraine. Meanwhile, with the city of Mariupol reportedly surrounded by Russian soldiers, Russia issued an ultimatum to Ukraine to lay down arms.
Russia had ordered Ukraine to surrender in Mariupol on Sunday, but President Zelensky refused, vowing to fight to the bitter end. The governor of Ukraine’s Donetsk region warned that street fighting in the besieged town is still going on.
According to reports, Ukraine forces have held out in several districts of Mariupol despite intense shelling by Putin’s forces, despite the fact that numerous civilians are said to be trapped in the city.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES | FILE PHOTO
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:
TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent
FACEBOOK (CLICK HERE)
https://web.facebook.com/ipindependent
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
