Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Germany to take part in a meeting at Ramstein Air Base. Zelensky is expected to push for more long-range missiles and increased air defence.
The authorities would not be able to pay servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) money for participation in combat operations until 20 September, the head of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) budget committee, Roksolana Pidlasa, stated.
On Friday, 6 September, Zelensky called on allies to help with air defences and to lift restrictions prohibiting Kyiv from using donated weapons for long-range strikes against Russia.
Let’s make sure that this autumn becomes the time when the conflict ends.
The president also said that Ukraine had already started using the transferred F-16 fighter jets, but they were still insufficient. Ukrainian media recently confirmed the crash of one fighter jet, after which Zelensky fired Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk.
Additional aid
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin announced at the start of talks at a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on Friday that the US would provide $250 million in aid to Kyiv.
I’m pleased to say that President Biden will announce today an additional $250 million security assistance package for Ukraine. It will surge more capabilities to meet Ukraine’s evolving requirements and will deliver them at the speed of war. (…) Time is of the essence, especially with winter on its way, and we must all step up our support and quickly.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that Germany, together with Denmark and the Netherlands, would transfer 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Kyiv as military aid. He stressed that Berlin had already delivered 58 tanks of such type as part of a joint project with Denmark.
Germany announced that it would deliver twelve more Panzerhaubitze self-propelled artillery units at a cost of 150 million euros. Pistorius specified that six artillery pieces would be delivered this year to Ramstein Air Base, with the other six to be sent next year.
Frontline situation
Occasional military operations continued in the Kursk region since the AFU launched its incursion on 6 August. According to Ukrainian media, the command is deploying armoured vehicles less often and sending assault units more frequently.
Russian media report that Ukrainian forces have managed to take a minor fortification point in the Kharkiv section. However, in the Donetsk region, Russian forces have taken control of Kalinina west of Bakhmut. This worsens the situation for the AFU in the Chasiv Yar area, military experts say.
Sources note an operational pause near Pokrovsk, giving both parties to the conflict an opportunity to pull up reserves, consolidate, and plan further steps. Russian troops have also seized the Selydove Machine-Building Plant, but have not yet entered the town of Selydove itself.
Previously, global media called the Kursk incursion by the AFU a risky gamble.
