THEUkraine is currently in the midst of a serious crisis, with theRussian offensive that rages in the region of Kharkiv, where both sides try to gain tactical advantage. In this climate of uncertainty, the US Secretary of State Antony blinken made a visit a surprise a Kiev to reiterate the United States' "unwavering" support for Kiev. Meanwhile, a new US military aid package is arriving on the Ukrainian front, providing crucial weapons such as interceptors, artillery and precision guided missiles. But as efforts to support Ukraine intensify, there is another figure moving onto the geopolitical chessboard: the Russian president Vladimir Putin, invited by the Chinese president Xi Jinping, prepares for a visit to China on May 16 and 17. And in the meantime he carries out his government reshuffle.
Even the tension between Israel e Hamas continues to grow, with the intensification of Israeli troops on the edge of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. According to reports from CNN, there are concerns about a potential launch of a large-scale incursion by Israel in the coming days, which could pose a challenge to the US president's position Joe Biden. “No place is safe – they repeat from UNRWA – The only hope is an immediate ceasefire”. Meanwhile, Hamas sources report an increase in the number of victims, with 82 deaths in the last 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of victims since the beginning of the war to over 35 thousand victims.
Russia-Ukraine war: latest news
Ukraine finds itself in a state of emergency as the Russian offensive continues to hit the region hard Kharkiv. The intensification of bombing led Ukrainian forces to repel 13 Russian attacks on Monday alone, while overall 148 clashes were recorded across the entire front. In this critical context, the US Secretary of State Antony blinken made an unexpected visit to Kiev, where he is met with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
This was Blinken's fourth visit to Kiev since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. His presence in Ukraine came just weeks after the US Congress finally massive aid package approved $61 billion for Ukraine, including approximately $1,4 billion in military aid. Among the aid provided, Patriot and Nasams anti-aircraft systems stand out, fundamental for the Ukrainian defense against Russian aggression, as well as artillery ammunition.
While Ukraine defends itself with determination, Moscow intensifies the pressure by trying to consolidate a "buffer zone" along the Ukrainian-Red border. Although Russian forces have made tactical progress, they appear to be primarily focused on creating a defensive barrier rather than penetrating deep into Ukrainian territory.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Biden signed a law passed by Congress that bans the import of uranium from Russia. This move aims to consolidate the US position in a strategic energy sector, strengthening the country's economic and energy security and progressively reducing dependence on Russia in the civil nuclear sector.
As the situation intensifies, in Russia thearrest of Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry, raised questions about the internal management of the Russian Armed Forces. Kuznetsov is accused of large-scale corruption, highlighting internal tensions in the country.
Further concerns emerge with the derailment of a freight train in the region of Volgograd, presumably caused by a drone attack. While no casualties were reported, nine railcars derailed and two tank cars exploded, raising fears of potential environmental damage.
Estonia considers sending troops but "to the rear"
Estonia, meanwhile, is evaluating the opportunity to send troops to Ukraine, but only in the rear, so as to free up the fighting forces that Kiev could allocate to the counteroffensive in Donbass. National security advisor to the Estonian president Madis Roll told the Breaking Defense portal that the Estonian government is “seriously” discussing the possibility of sending troops to western Ukraine, although he would prefer to do so as part of a NATO mission “to demonstrate greater unity and determination." “Discussions are ongoing. We must consider all possibilities,” said Roll, who underlined how “it is possible” that NATO members who currently oppose a mission conducted by a small number of Alliance countries could change their minds “over time”.
Putin and his government reshuffle: loyalists appointed
Nikolai Patrushev he was appointed assistant to Russian President Vladimir Putin who thus completed his government reshuffle. The news was made official by Tass. Patrushev had been secretary of the Russian Security Council since 2008. However, on Sunday the Kremlin entrusted the position to Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defense Minister since 2012, and placed an economist at the head of the Defense Ministry: the former deputy prime minister with economic duties Andrei Belousov. Patrushev is considered very close to Putin and was also head of Moscow's secret service (FSB). His son, Dmitry Patrushev, was Minister of Agriculture and yesterday was appointed deputy prime minister.
The Russian president has also appointed him among his assistants Alexei Dyumin, until now governor of the Tula region. Dymin, 51, is considered by many observers to be a rising star on the Russian political scene and Putin recently met him for a one-on-one conversation. In his new position, Dyumin will deal with issues related to the defense industry, sports and the activity of the State Council, the Kremlin spokesman underlined, Dmitry Peskov, cited by the agency Interfax.
Israel-Hamas war: what is happening?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued their operations in the Strip, advancing further into the populated areas of the city of Rafah, where around 450 thousand people have fled since the beginning of the month. According to Human Rights Watch, Israeli forces have carried out at least eight attacks on humanitarian convoys in Gaza since October, killing or wounding at least 31 people. A United Nations vehicle was also attacked in Rafah, southern Gaza, resulting in the death of an international employee of the organization. The Israeli army said the vehicle was in an “active combat zone” and that it had not been informed of its location. These attacks raise concerns about the safety of humanitarian workers and the protection of civilians during the conflict. The death toll in Gaza continues to rise. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health confirmed that the total number of victims since the beginning of the conflict is over 35 thousand dead and almost 80 thousand injured.
Il Qatar lashes out at Israel for the Rafah operation. According to Prime Minister Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane Al-Thani, Tel Aviv has “done it regress"I negotiations with Hamas. “Unfortunately, things have not moved in the right direction and we are almost at an impasse at the moment. Naturally, what happened in Rafah made us go back", deplored the Prime Minister of Qatar, mediator in the truce talks in the Strip.
Also 'Egypt It is considering downgrading its diplomatic relations with Israel and may recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv. This comes shortly after Egypt joined South Africa's cause, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
The Italian president Sergio Mattarella renewed its commitment to a peaceful solution to the conflict, expressing concern about the ongoing violence and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip. “In this context, I wish to reiterate Italy's commitment to ensuring that Israel can exercise its inalienable right to exist in peace and security.” The head of the Italian State wrote it on the occasion of the anniversary of Yom HaAtzmaut, sent to the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog. Mattarella also convened the Supreme Defense Council, at the Quirinale Palace, on Tuesday 21 May 2024 at 17pm to discuss the conflicts and possible repercussions on Italy.
