Talking Points Ukraine: May 1, 2023 - Details on the Oil Depot Strike in Sevastopol, Russian Food Blackmail, and Russia's failed UN Presidency
Text Edited by: JSgt. Sarah Ashton-Cirillo of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Photo Credit: JSgt. Sarah Ashton-Cirillo of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Did you miss the last Talking Points Ukraine? Read it here and then subscribe below for up-to-date coverage:
1. INSTABILITY ON THE OCCUPIED CRIMEAN PENISULA.
During the fire on April 29 in Sevastopol, the oil depot burned down — more than ten tanks with oil products with a total capacity of 40,000 tons.
■ The oil depot, which was hit and proceeded to burn, was located right next to the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade Guards. Therefore, this target was part of a legitimate military objective.
■ The fuel of the destroyed oil depot was intended for use by the Russian war criminals in their crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
■ The naval infantry and two anti-aircraft missile regiments of Russians located in Sevastopol could not protect the oil depot. Once again, the invaders demonstrated their weakness and unprofessionalism.
■ Unlike the Russian terrorists, Ukraine does not attack civilians. That said, civilians should avoid Russian military facilities in illegally and temporarily occupied Crimea.
■ Russia is incapable of defending and holding Crimea.
■ The upcoming holiday season across Crimea is guaranteed to be disrupted.
2. SABOTAGE OF THE GRAIN DEAL BY RUSSIA.
The Kremlin is blackmailing the world by refusing to extend the grain deal in May.
■ Russia is abusing its powers as part of a grain initiative to deliberately slow ship traffic by maintaining a half-blockade regime.
■ Moscow is putting forward knowingly unacceptable conditions (lifting meaningful sanctions) for extending the grain initiative. This is outright blackmail as they search for a legal reason to withdraw from the deal.
■ Russia seeks to prevent Ukraine from earning money on food exports. Meanwhile, it plunders occupied territories belonging to Ukraine, attempting to make money on stolen goods and off the blood of Ukrainian victims.
■ By undermining the deal, Moscow is disrupting the geo-political arena as one of the signatories to the agreement, President Erdoğan of Turkey is on the eve of the elections, and its alley, the People’s Republic of China, is a consumer of Ukrainian food products.
■ The Russian leadership does not care about global food security. On the contrary, it is ready to sacrifice the lives of millions to satisfy its political ambitions.
3. RESULTS OF RUSSIA'S PRESIDENCY IN THE UN COUNCIL IN APRIL.
In May, the presidency passed to Switzerland.
■ Russia tried to use the platform of the UN Security Council to whitewash the criminal actions of Maria Lvova-Belova, accused by the ICC of kidnapping Ukrainian children, and for other excuses regarding its aggression and terrorism against Ukraine.
■ While presiding over the UN Security Council, Russia struck residential areas in Slovyansk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Uman, and other cities, killing dozens of people, including children.
■ Russia shelled churches on Easter and destroyed the last cultural institution (local history museum) in Kupyansk.
■ The Russian occupiers admitted that they were executing prisoners and civilians and admitted having killed dozens of children. Moreover, horrific footage of the beheading of a Ukrainian POW was released in April.
■ Throughout April, Russia posed risks to global food security by threatening to withdraw from the grain initiative.
■ During the Russian presidency in the Security Council, PACE accused Moscow of genocide. At the same time, Moldova and North Macedonia supported the initiative to create a special tribunal to investigate the crime of Russian aggression.
I don't understand why there are no F16s in the offing. I know Ukrainian fighter pilots have been using commercially available flight simulators to get ahead, in the hopes of getting these planes, very resourceful! Not to mention A10 Warthogs, wonderful ground attack vehicles, they were based near where I live in the UK, you're walking down the road and then suddenly you hear them go over as they snuck up and went. [having previously lived with F4 phantoms going over on patrols twice an hour, it was very nice, but also very stealthy.]