Biden approves 800 million-dollar military assistance to Ukraine

This new aid package will contain many of the very effective weapons systems we have already provided and new skills adapted to the broader attack we expect Russia to undertake in eastern Ukraine”, said in a White House statement after President Biden called President Yelensky to inform him of his assistance.

A senior U.S. defence official said that Ukrainian forces have received a significant “amount of” of 100 so-called revenge drones equipped with fillheads to crack down on tanks, which have been promised as part of an earlier bailout for security of $300 million.

The remaining Drons are expected to arrive in Ukraine next week, as are additional antitank Yavelin missiles.

US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson “claimed their commitment to continue securing and humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the face of continued atrocities from Russia”, the White House said in a statement Tuesday.

President Beden also escalated the rhetoric against Russia, accusing President Vladimir Putin of organising a <x0-genocide” in Ukraine.

Your family budget, your ability to fill car fuel should not depend on the fact that a dictator declares war and commits genocide on the other side of the world,” said Mr. Biden during a visit to the American state of Arava to promote a programme to help lower gas prices.

The American president later defended his decision to label Russia's actions as genocide while speaking to reporters before boarding the Air Force One plane.

The “E called genocide because it has become increasingly clear that Putin is simply trying to wipe out the idea of being able to be Ukrainian, and evidence is growing”, Biden said.

We're going to let lawyers decide internationally whether to qualify as such, but of course that's what I think,” he added.

President Beden has repeatedly criticised Putin, publicly calling a <x0-crime war” and demanding that he appear in court after evidence of atrocities were discovered in Buka, on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital.

Call things by their names is essential to confronting evil,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Twitter late Tuesday. “We are grateful for the help offered by the US so far and we urgently need more heavy weapons to prevent further Russian atrocities. ”

The Pentagon is holding a classified meeting Wednesday with the heads of major American defence contractors to discuss meeting Ukraine's needs for weapons. Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks told reporters she will participate in the talks.

In Kiev, Mr. Zelensky hosted Polish President Andrze Duda, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Latvian President Egils Levis and Estonian President Alar Karis.

Our “Our countries are showing support for Ukraine and for President Zelenskiy” wrote on Twitter Wednesday Jacob Kumoch, an adviser to Mr. Duda.

For weeks Western and Ukrainian officials have said there is increasing evidence of what they call systematic atrocities and war crimes committed by Russian forces withdrawing from parts of northern Ukraine.

Charges of Chemical Weapons

Putin's comments about the war -- the first in almost a week -- follow new war crimes charges, including charges that Russian forces who tried to invade the besieged southern town of Marioupolis -- carried out a chemical weapons attack.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied the charges and accused the United States and Ukraine of preparing to use chemical and biological weapons.

American officials said on Tuesday they are taking the latest charges against Russia seriously, but warned that confirming a chemical gun attack could take time.

“We cannot confirm the use of chemical agents at this moment”, a senior American defence official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We're still analyzing this. ”

These are hard things to prove, even when you're closer to the scene. We are not there”, the official added. “We want to be very careful about this issue before making a statement”.

Further complicating the situation, American officials warned that some sources of intelligence suggest Russia may try to mask an attack with chemical weapons by mixing chemical agents banned from other substances.

“We have reliable information that Russian forces can use a number of agents (chemical) for control of the riots, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents”, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

The Battle for Marioupolis Control

Russian and Ukrainian troops have been involved in a fierce battle for the control of the city of Marioupolis.

Ukrainian officials estimate that about 22,000 people were killed in Marioupol as a result of air strikes and bombings by Russian forces that have ravaged most of the city.

Despite posts in social media by some Ukrainian-backed forces, where it says the country is running out of weapons, American officials said Tuesday that Russia has not yet managed to take control of the city.

The Moors are still at odds, and Ukrainians are still fighting for their defence”, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Tuesday. “They have not surrendered, and we believe they will continue the war to protect this city. ”

Western military officials have warned that Russian forces have increasingly targeted Marioupolis with air and missile attacks as part of their efforts to expand control in eastern Ukraine.

It is clear that the Russians want Marioupolis because of its strategic location”, said Mr. Kirby. “This would provide them with a permanent earthly path between Donbas and Crime. ”

The US and British armies have warned that they expect an intensification of fighting in Donbas in the coming days and weeks, as Russian forces withdraw from the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and other northern areas, refueling in Belarus and Russia before leaving for eastern Ukraine.

Despite the attack, Ukrainian forces seem to have caused serious defeat to the Russian army. According to estimates made by the United States, Russia has lost about 20% of its fighting power available for the fight against Ukraine since the beginning of the attack on February 24th.

Meanwhile Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces have captured Russia-backed opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk.

Medvedchuk has been under house arrest on charges of treason, but according to Ukrainian officials, he escaped immediately after the Russian attack began.

“Pro-Russian traitors and Russian secret service agents, remember, your crimes have no statuteal and legal restrictions”, the Ukrainian Twitter security service warned, posting a photo of Mr. Medvedchuk in handcuffs. “

Some information on this report was obtained by Associated Press news agencies Agent France-Presse and Reuters.