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world news Diamars 21 Juni 2022

Despite Western arms, Ukraine is outgunned in the east

(AP) — Holed up in a fire. ramping up the production of a fight.”
bombed-out house in rate means that you have to
eastern Ukraine, Ukrai- Ukrainian authorities say first build industrial facilities. Part of the problem, too, is
nian troops keep a careful the West’s much-ballyhooed … This is a defense-industri- that the Ukrainian forces,
accounting of their am- support for the country is not al challenge which is of a very whose country was once a
munition, using a door as sufficient and is not arriving great magnitude.” member of the Soviet Union,
a sort of ledger. Scrawled on the battlefield fast enough are more familiar with Sovi-
in chalk on the door are for this grinding and highly The Kiel Institute for the et-era weaponry and must
figures for mortar shells, lethal phase of the war. World Economy in Germa- first be trained on the NATO “What the Ukrainians have
smoke shells, shrapnel ny last week reported that equipment they are getting. got to do is conduct what
shells, flares. While Russia has kept qui- the U.S. has delivered about military people tend to call a
et about its war casualties, half of its pledged commit- An untold number of Ukrai- counter-battery operation” to
Despite the heavy influx Ukrainian authorities say up ments in military support for nians have traveled abroad to respond to Russian artillery
of weapons from the West, to 200 of their soldiers are Ukraine, and Germany about get training on the Western fire, said Ben Barry, a former
Ukrainian forces are out- dying each day. Russian forc- one-third. Poland and Britain weapons. director of the British Army
gunned by the Russians in the es are gaining ground slowly have both come through on Staff who is senior fellow for
battle for the eastern Donbas in the east, but experts say much of what they promised. Of the $1 billion pledge from land warfare at the Interna-
region, where the fighting is they are taking heavy losses. the U.S., only slightly more tional Institute for Strate-
largely being carried out by Many foot soldiers say they than one-third of that will be gic Studies. “To do this, you
way of artillery exchanges. The United States last week can’t even begin to match rapid, off-the-shelf deliver- need accurate weapons with
upped the ante with its larg- the Russians shot for shot, or ies by the Pentagon, and the a high rate of fire and a range
While the Russians can keep est pledge of aid for Ukraini- shell for shell. rest will be available over that allows them to keep out
up heavy, continuous fire for an forces yet: an additional $1 a longer term. The pledge, of the way of the other side’s
hours at a time, the defenders billion in military assistance Earlier this month, Ukraine’s which includes 18 howitzers artillery.”
can’t match the enemy in ei- to help repel or reverse Rus- ambassador in Madrid, Serhii and 36,000 rounds of am-
ther weapons or ammunition sian advances. Phoreltsev, thanked Spain — munition for them, addresses “The Ukrainians are saying
and must use their ammo which trumpeted a shipment Ukraine’s plea for more lon- they don’t have enough long-
more judiciously. But experts note that such aid of 200 tons of military aid in ger-range weaponry. range rockets to adequately
deliveries haven’t kept pace April — but said the ammu- suppress Russian artillery,”
At the outpost in eastern with Ukraine’s needs, in part nition included was enough That’s still far short of what he said. “I think they’re prob-
Ukraine, dozens and dozens because defense industries for only about two hours of the Ukrainians want — 1,000 ably right.”
of mortar shells are stacked aren’t turning out weaponry combat. 155 mm howitzers, 300 mul-
up. But the troops’ com- fast enough. tiple-launch rocket systems, As it now stands, Ukrainian
mander, Mykhailo Strebizh, Ukrainian filmmaker- 500 tanks, 2,000 armored have to use “shoot and scoot”
who goes by the nom de “We’re moving from peace- turned-fighter Volodymyr vehicles and 1,000 drones tactics — fire, then move be-
guerre Gaiduk, lamented that time to wartime,” said Fran- Demchenko tweeted a video — as President Volodymyr fore the Russians can zero in
if his fighters were to come cois Heisbourg, a senior ad- expressing gratitude for guns Zelenskyy’s adviser Mikhail on them.
under an intense artillery viser at the Paris-based Foun- sent by the Americans, say- Podolyak tweeted last week,
barrage, their cache would, dation for Strategic Research ing, “It’s nice guns, and 120 before the latest big Western Better NATO hardware,
at best, amount to only about think tank. “Peacetime means bullets to each.” But he la- pledges. even in small quantities, is
four hours’ worth of return low production rates, and mented: “It’s like 15 minutes often welcome.

Israel to dissolve parliament, call 5th election in 3 years

(AP) — Israel’s weakened corruption charges, ended in it made history by becoming Parliament was to vote to
coalition government de- deadlock. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid the first Israeli coalition gov- extend the laws earlier this
cided Monday to dissolve will take over from Bennett ernment to include an Arab month. But the hard-line op-
parliament and call a new In a nationally televised news on an interim basis in an party. position, comprised heavily
election, the country’s conference, Prime Minister agreement they announced of settler supporters, para-
fifth in three years. Naftali Bennett said it wasn’t together. The alliance made a series of doxically voted against the
easy to disband the govern- accomplishments, including bill in order to embarrass the
The vote, expected this fall, ment, but he called it “the Bennett listed a series of ac- passing the first national bud- government. Dovish mem-
could bring about the return right decision for Israel.” complishments and prom- get in several years and navi- bers of the coalition who
of a nationalist religious gov- ised an “orderly” transition. gating a pair of coronavirus normally oppose the settle-
ernment led by former Prime The fragile coalition govern- outbreaks without imposing ments voted in favor of the
Minister Benjamin Netan- ment, which includes parties Lapid thanked Bennett for any lockdowns. bill in hopes of keeping the
yahu or another prolonged from across the political spec- putting the country ahead of government afloat.
period of political gridlock. trum, lost its majority earlier his personal interests. But eventually it unraveled,
The previous four elections, this year and has faced rebel- in large part because several By dissolving parliament, the
focused on Netanyahu’s fit- lions from different lawmak- “Even if we’re going to elec- members of Bennett’s hard- laws remain in effect. Ben-
ness to rule while on trial for ers in recent weeks. tions in a few months, our line party objected to what nett, a former settler leader,
challenges as a state cannot they felt were compromises said that if he had allowed the
wait,” Lapid said. made by him to keep the laws to expire, there would
coalition afloat and his per- have been “grave security
Bennett formed the eight- ceived moderation. perils and constitutional cha-
party coalition in June 2021 os.”
after four successive incon- The immediate cause for
clusive elections. Bennett’s decision was the “I couldn’t let that happen,”
looming expiration of laws he said.
It included a diverse array of that grant West Bank settlers
parties, from dovish factions special legal status. If those The dissolution threatened
that support an end to Israel’s laws were to expire, settlers to overshadow a visit sched-
occupation of lands captured would be subject to many of uled by President Joe Biden
in 1967, to hard-line parties the military laws that apply scheduled for next month.
that oppose Palestinian inde- to the territory’s more than 2 The U.S. Embassy said it as-
pendence. Often described million Palestinians. sumed that the visit would
as a political “experiment,” take place as planned.