Explaining complex things in simple words: Battlefield situation, protecting Ukraine's skies, increasing Ukraine's energy independence

The Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security pursues efforts to provide a brief explanation to foreign audiences on the current topics of particular interest as regards Ukraine.   

SITUATION AT THE FRONT

▪ Intense fighting continues. The Ukrainian Defence Forces are restraining the enemy's assault actions in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Novopavlivske, Orikhiv, and Kherson directions.

▪ Most of all, the Russians focused on storming Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast, because this city could potentially open the way to Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk.

▪ The Kremlin ordered its troops to take Chasiv Yar by May 9 because Russian propaganda is in dire need of a symbolic “victory” at any cost. As before, the enemy does not care about its losses: neither in manpower nor in equipment, although it experiences them on the battlefield every day.

▪ It is crucial for Ukraine to ensure effective defence. Ukrainian defenders are in need of ammunition, air defence systems, and F-16 aircraft. Ukraine is paying a high price for delays in the delivery of allied military assistance. 

PROTECTING THE SKY OF UKRAINE

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy initiates the convening of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on the protection of the Ukrainian sky and the supply of air defence systems and missiles.

▪ Ukraine has the right to convene the NATO-Ukraine Council to address pressing security and defence issues. Today, this is precisely the situation.

▪ The partners' explanations about the difference in approaches to protecting Ukraine and Israel from missile terror are frankly disappointing because in both cases we are talking about human lives. Civilians in all countries have equal rights to protection from terror.

▪ Russia and Iran are closely connected; therefore, it is necessary to approach the problem of protection from their attacks in the same way. Otherwise, this protection will be ineffective, either in Europe or in the Middle East.

▪ Ukraine has clear and realistic requests to partners to increase the capabilities of its air defence. We need at least 7 Patriot systems and missiles. 

INCREASING UKRAINE'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

The construction of new nuclear power units based on the American technology AP 1000 Westinghouse has begun at the Khmelnytskyi NPP. An agreement was reached on the creation of an engineering and technical centre of Westinghouse in Ukraine and the supply of nuclear fuel for all Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

▪ The Russian aggressor seeks to seize or destroy Ukraine's energy-generating capacities to undermine the economy and social sphere and plunge Ukrainians into a humanitarian crisis. Ensuring the energy security of the state in conditions of war is our priority task.

▪ The occupiers seized the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is temporarily lost for the Ukrainian energy sector. Therefore, increasing the capacity of other nuclear power plants is a vital necessity.

▪ Energoatom's goal is to modernize and replenish the nuclear system with new reactors as soon as possible, in particular, given the reduction in thermal and hydroelectric generation caused by destructive Russian missile attacks.

▪ Ukraine has overcome Russia's monopoly position in the nuclear field. Energoatom severed any contacts with Rosatom and intensified cooperation with Westinghouse Electric.

▪ The construction of nuclear reactors AP1000 will be one of the largest infrastructure projects of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, while reactor No. 5 at the Khmelnytskyi NPP will be the first reactor in Europe built using American technology.

▪ The Khmelnytskyi NPP is located in the rear zone, so it can be better protected from the attacks of the Russian aggressor.

Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security