Missiles destroyed in Crimea were to be used against Ukraine
A “mysterious” explosion in occupied Crimea destroyed multiple Russian cruise missiles being transported by rail that probably were being prepared to devastate Ukrainian cities, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry says.
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the minister of internal affairs, posted video on social media of an explosion, apparently in the city of Dzhankoi in northern Crimea. Ukraine hinted at responsibility; military spokeswoman Natalia Humeniuk described the strike as a signal to Russia that it should leave the Black Sea peninsula it took from Ukraine by force in 2014.
Russia has been firing the missiles, which have a range of 1,600 miles or more, from ships in its Black Sea fleet. The defense ministry statement said the blast “continues the process of Russia’s demilitarization and prepares the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for deoccupation.” Russian state media made no mention of the missiles.
Also Tuesday:
⬤ Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida placed flowers outside a church in Bucha, the town outside Kyiv that became a symbol of Russian atrocities, hours after arriving for a surprise visit to Ukraine. Kishida is the last of the Group of Seven leaders to visit the nation since Russia’s invasion 13 months ago.
⬤ China has shipped more than $12 million in drones and drone parts to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, despite Beijing’s claim of neutrality, The New York Times reported, citing Russian customs data from a third-party provider.
⬤ Ukraine received another $1.6 billion from the European Union’s $18 billion aid package, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced.
Russian officials scoffs at ‘American exceptionalism’
The U.S. and its allies are trying to turn the world against Russia by sowing hatred against the country and attempting to discredit it, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said Tuesday. Patrushev said an independent Russia “does not suit the United States, which hides behind its own made-up theory of American exceptionalism.”
Pentagon plans speedier delivery of Abrams tanks
The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine and seeks to get the 70-ton vehicles to the war zone in eight to 10 months, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
The plan was to send 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said it was decided to send the older M1A1.
Russia to begin releasing recruited convicts
Thousands of Russian convicts who have fought with Wagner Group mercenaries are expected to be pardoned and released within weeks. Wagner prisoner recruitment peaked in autumn 2022, and inmates are being offered commutation of their sentences after six months, the British Defense Ministry said. About half of the prisoners probably have been killed or wounded, the ministry said.