War entering ‘protracted phase’: Ukraine’s defence ministerMay 18, 2022 - 10:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The war with Russia is entering “a protracted phase”, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has said, as Moscow’s troops are now trying to take full control of the east and south of the country, Al Jazeera reports. “Russia is preparing for a long-term military operation,” Reznikov told EU defense ministers and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Al Jazeera reports. “The war is entering a protracted phase,” he added in the speech, the text of which was published on his Facebook page. According to Reznikov, Russian troops are currently building fortifications in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in order to “move to defense if necessary”. In a recent intelligence briefing, the UK defense ministry said that despite Russian troops having circled the port city of Mariupol for more than ten weeks, Ukraine’s stiff resistance delayed them gaining full control of the city. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |