Joe Biden announces new Ukraine assistance package as he makes surprise visit to Kyiv

It is the first time US President Joe Biden has visited Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.(Reuters/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service)US President Joe Biden has made an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, days before the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Air raid sirens blared across the Ukrainian capital as Mr Biden visited Kyiv but there were no reports of Russian missile or air strikes.He delivered remarks and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mariinskyi Palace to announce an additional half billion dollars in US assistance and to reassure Ukraine of American and allied support as the conflict continues."One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands," Mr Biden said."[Putin] is counting on us not sticking together. He was counting on the inability to keep NATO united. He was counting on us not to be able to bring in others to the side of Ukraine."He thought he could outlast us. I don't think he's thinking that right now. He's just been plain wrong."Mr Biden said Washington would provide Kyiv...

Read More........ → February 21, 2023

Chinese disengagement in Ladakh is a small lollipop to India!

It is quite possible that the Indian side conveyed to Beijing that with China’s rigid stance on the border standoff, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may consider it difficult to attend the summit, and more importantly, a one-to-one meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping may not be possible unless Beijing shows some progress on further disengagementBy Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) : The 16th round of Corps Commander-level talks over the India-China standoff in Eastern Ladakh held on July 17, 2022, led by the Leh-based 14 Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta, and China's South Xinjiang Military District Commander, Major General Yang Yin, had indicated no breakthrough.During the 15th round of talks, held on March 11, 2022, that lasted for around 13 hours, the Indian side had pushed China for the resolution of remaining intrusion areas (dubbed "friction points") in Ladakh but there was also no breakthrough. India had hoped that a resolution on Patrolling Point (PP) 15 in Hot Springs would be arrived at but the joint statement issued after the talks said that...

Read More........ → September 23, 2022

China officially admits five military officers, soldiers killed in Galwan clash with Indian Army

FEB 19, 2021 Five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in last year's Galwan Valley clash in eastern Ladakh with the Indian Army, the People''s Liberation Army (PLA) officially acknowledged for the first time on Friday. Five Chinese frontier officers and soldiers stationed in the Karakoram Mountains have been recognised by the Central Military Commission of China (CMC) for their sacrifice in the border confrontation with India, which occurred in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, the PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese military reported on Friday. Those killed included Qi Fabao, the regimental commander from the PLA Xinjiang Military Command, state-un Global Times quoted PLA Daily report as saying. A total of 20 Indian soldiers died in the Galwan Valley clash on June 15, regarded as the worst in over four decades at the India-China border. The CMC, the overall high command of the PLA headed by President Xi Jinping,has awarded Qi Fabao, the regimental commander from the PLA Xinjiang Military Command, the title of "Hero regimental commander for defending the border,"...

Read More........ → February 19, 2021