U.S. Shrugs Off Putin Threat, Ships Missiles To Ukraine

The Pentagon has confirmed the US will send Patriot batteries to Ukraine despite Russia branding the act a red flag.

Photo Insert: US soldiers testing a Patriot missile

Tired of the toothless threats by the Kremlin, the U.S. will be beefing up Ukraine’s defenses against Russian missiles and drones, Ukraine Daily reported. Both the EU and NATO are also ready to issue a long-delayed joint pledge to back Ukraine.

Nine months into the full-scale invasion, the EU and NATO are expected to formally issue a joint statement for Russia to stop its war and leave Ukraine and to pledge full support to Kyiv, Politico reported.

At the same time, the Kyiv Independent disclosed that 96,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since Feb. 24, with 740 of them eliminated on Dec. 15.

The European Parliament has approved an 18-billion-euro aid package to Ukraine after a deal with Hungary, which dropped its veto on Dec. 14.

The Polish parliament, for its part, recognized Russia as a sponsor of terrorism and said that Kremlin is responsible for the plane crash that killed former Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 people in 2010.

The Sejm had initially failed to recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorism because the opposition did not support an amendment by the ruling Law and Justice party saying that Russia was “directly responsible” for the crash in Russia's Smolensk Oblast.

The Czech Republic has recognized Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people. The man-made famine of Ukrainians ordered by the Soviet authorities killed millions in 1932-1933.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic