Ukrainian air force already used 'Storm Shadow' cruise missiles to attack Luhansk (Lugansk) in the Russian-held Donbass region. There are two foreign press reports from Al-Jazeera الجزيرة (Qatar) and Hangzhou Network 杭州网 (China) coming in this morning. In the afternoon of May 14, the independent European newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung NZZ came with a more complete report of this weekend's military proceedings in Eastern Ukraine. Latest is a news video launched by Al-Jazeera and covering this weekend's political and military developments.
All interpretation of latest proceedings has to take into consideration the tense and confused situation in Eastern Ukraine and, as well, 'the need of the culprits to lie .....'
Al-Jazeera الجزيرة (Chinese language service):
....., the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Saturday [May 13] that Ukrainian aircraft bombed two industrial sites in the Russian-held city of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine using long-range 'Storm Shadow' cruise missiles acquired from the United Kingdom. .....
..... The Russian Ministry of Defense said that on Friday, the missiles hit a 'polymer materials production plant' and a 'processed meat factory' in Luhansk. .....
..... "The Storm Shadow air-to-[air?] missiles supplied by the UK to the Kiev regime were used in air strikes, contrary to London's statement that the weapons would not be used on civilian targets," the ministry added.
Hangzhou Network 杭州网:
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on May 13 that the Ukrainian Air Force used the 'Storm Shadow' cruise missiles provided by the United Kingdom to attack local civilian facilities in Luhansk on the 12th, causing civilian casualties including six children. This is contrary to the British side's previous statement that "[Ukraine] will not use the missile to attack civilian facilities". The Russian Ministry of Defense also stated that the Russian Air Force has shot down the Su-24 fighter jet and the MiG-29 fighter jet that provided cover for the Ukrainian air strike mission. .....
Neue Zürcher Zeitung NZZ:
On the unprecedented downing of four Russian military planes in the border area:
Most likely, the Ukrainians brought one of their anti-aircraft systems – possibly even a recently supplied Western Patriot battery – near the border without being detected and fired from there into Russian airspace. The crashes took place about 35 to 50 kilometers behind the border, so the Ukrainian air defense is likely to have taken up position somewhere in the Chernihiv area for a short time.
So far, there has been no official reaction from Moscow; there, too, they are apparently still struggling to find an explanation for this unprecedented attack. But the crashes are well documented by eyewitness videos. In addition to the two Sukhoi fighter jets of the types Su-34 and Su-35, a military helicopter of the type Mi-8 converted for electronic warfare is also said to have been destroyed, i.e. a particularly valuable, rare aircraft. All crews, a total of nine men, were killed, according to Russian media reports.
On the guided missile attack on industrial facilities in Luhansk:
This time, confirmation came from Moscow where the Ministry of Defense presented debris from Storm Shadow guided missiles and made serious accusations against the British. However, the claim that civilian factories were hit is not very credible. The cruise missiles, equipped with a triple guidance system, are considered very precise, and Luhansk is known as the location of important command and logistics centers of the occupiers. President Vladimir Putin recently visited an underground facility there and held a council of war with his generals from the Donbass Front.
Chinese news release on Twitter (May 14) reporting Ukraine's downing of four Russian military planes: Asia Finance is comparing Putin to Saddam Hussein who lost Iraq to a US alliance in 2003. Their report is accompanied by what looks like the private video of a downed plane in flames. Some Chinese person who retweeted that information compared Putin even to Hitler.
The original news report of May 13:
Yesterday, May 12, SOHU 搜狐 network reported: According to Reuters press agency, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace should have confirmed to parliament on May 11 that the United Kingdom has begun to supply Ukraine with 'Storm Shadow' cruise missiles with a range of more than 250 kilometers, making the United Kingdom the first country to supply long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. .....
The same day, TENCENT 腾讯 network added:
据称，英国收到了乌克兰的保证，这些导弹只会在乌克兰领土内使用，不会在俄罗斯境内使用。暴风影导弹这种导弹售价约为220万英镑，可以打击硬化掩体和关键设施，并有超过155英里（250公里）的射程。
The UK is said to have received assurances from Ukraine that the missiles will only be used on Ukrainian territory and not on Russian territory. The Storm Shadow missile, which costs around £2.2 million, can hit hardened bunkers and key installations and has a range of more than 155 miles (250km).
Today, May 13, TENCENT quoted White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby:
白宫重申：美方不会提供远程导弹
White House is stressing: U.S. will not provide long-range missiles.
Maybe the US have not finally made up their minds up to now.
No comments:
Post a Comment