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Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US aid has dropped, main support comes from Europe, Syrskyi says
U.S. military assistance to Kyiv has decreased, with European countries now providing the main portion of aid, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the outlet published on April 9. Washington has been Kyiv's leading military donor throughout the full-scale war, but President Donald Trump's accession to office brought a major shift in U.S. policy on the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump has permitted the continued flow of assistance approved by former U.S. President Joe Biden – except for a brief halt on all military aid in March – but has yet to sign off on any new packages. "Support from partners, of course, plays a crucial role (in changing the strategic situation in the war)," Syrskyi said in the interview. The U.S. provided Ukraine with some $100 billion in military aid since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war in 2022, including $67 billion in arms. "Now, the assistance from the U.S. has decreased, and the main support comes from our partners in Europe," the commander added. A number of European countries have pledged further aid packages for Ukraine amid the growing uncertainty about U.S. support. The Trump administration has also urged Europe to increase its share of aid for Ukraine and take more responsibility for its own security. "But we must also rely on our own strength. We have had success in the production of artillery and quite significant successes with electronic warfare," Syrskyi said. "Drones as well. So many types, models of drones used to strike (Russia) at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels." Aiming to reduce its reliance on foreign support, Ukraine has ramped up its domestic defense production over the past years. The country's 2025 budget allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) for weapons production. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that around 40% of the weapons and equipment Ukraine uses on the battlefield are Ukrainian-made, while the U.S. contributes roughly 30%. Read also: Trump spares Russia from tariffs, but oil price plunge could wreck war economy regardless We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian drone destroys Russia's Tu-22M3 long-range bomber, Syrskyi claims
A Ukrainian drone destroyed a landed Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bomber a "few days ago," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the outlet published on April 9. "A few days ago, our successful operations destroyed a Tu-22M3 bomber plane. Just as it landed, it was hit by our drone," Syrskyi said in the interview when discussing the impact of Ukraine's long-range drone strikes. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claim. The Tu-22M3, a supersonic bomber developed by the Soviet Union worth around $100 million, remains a key component of Russia's Air Force and has been used in strikes against Ukraine. The commander-in-chief did not specify the exact location or date of the strike, and Kyiv and Moscow did not report any Russian fixed-wing aircraft as destroyed in hostilities this month. The Ukrainian General Staff said its forces had destroyed 370 Russian warplanes as of April 9. Russian authorities said on April 2 that a Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in the Siberian Irkutsk region due to an alleged technical malfunction. The pilot was killed in the crash, while four other crew members were forced to eject. Irkutsk Oblast lies almost 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from the border with Ukraine, far beyond the range of any known Ukrainian long-range weaponry. Last year, Ukrainian forces shot down a Tu-22M3 bomber, bringing it down in Stavropol Krai. Other aircraft of the same model were damaged in July 2024 attacks against the Olenya airfield in Russia's Murmansk Oblast Read also: Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia has capacity to mobilize 5 million trained troops, Syrskyi says
Russia can mobilize 5 million troops who have undergone military service and training, while its overall mobilization capacity is as many as 20 million, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with the outlet published on April 9. Syrskyi named the figure to underscore the disparity between Russia's and Ukraine's potential, arguing that Kyiv must keep mobilizing its forces to sustain resistance against Moscow's onslaught. Russia has increased its force in Ukraine "fivefold since the beginning of the aggression," Syrskyi said in the interview, putting the number of Russian troops currently deployed in the country at 623,000. "Every month, they increase it by 8,000-9,000; in a year, it's 120,000-130,000." The disparity of forces is apparent on the battlefield, as the Ukrainian military has said Russian troops outnumber Ukrainian defenders 10 to 1 in some sectors. According to Syrskyi, Ukraine must mobilize 30,000 soldiers every month, a figure previously named by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin implemented only a partial mobilization in the fall of 2022 but has not declared a full draft, replenishing its forces with contract soldiers. Moscow has been largely successful in offsetting its massive battlefield losses in Ukraine, while Kyiv has struggled in recent months with manpower shortages. Russia has been building up its military capacities despite the U.S.'s efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine. On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the regular spring conscription of 160,000 men, the largest number in 14 years. Although Russian conscripts are typically not deployed in active combat, Moscow has relied on financial incentives and other methods to recruit civilians for the war in Ukraine. Syrskyi noted that some battlefield trends are working in Ukraine's favor, namely that Russia's advantage in artillery ammunition dropped from 10 to 1 to 2 to 1 over the past year. The commander-in-chief connected this development to Ukraine's long-range strikes against Russian arms warehouses in the rear. "(Russia) used about 40,000 or more rounds every day. After our strikes, the figure changed dramatically and is oscillating around 23,000; now, it has slightly increased, to 27,000-28,000." Read also: In Kyiv, skepticism about ceasefire reigns as Russia ramps up deadly attacks and US remains mute We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
