Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid News
Table of Contents 📖
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:27⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to another ATP Geopolitics video, a second part following the previous update on the 17th of November 2024. He apologises for the audio issues in this video, caused by a laptop update and restart.
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Latvia's Military Aid to Ukraine
🎦 00:27-01:13⏩
Latvia has allocated 0.25% of its GDP to assist Ukraine in its war efforts. Jonathan highlights an Estonian report that suggested if all nations contributed the same percentage, Ukraine would have no issues securing the necessary aid and swiftly ending the conflict. Latvian President Egils Levits confirmed the allocation, which has been factored into the nation's 2025 and 2026 budgets. Jonathan praises the strong support shown by Baltic and Nordic countries.
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Estonia's Military Support Package for Ukraine
🎦 01:13-01:24⏩
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur's proposal to send a new military aid package to Ukraine has been approved by the Estonian government. The package includes naval uniforms, surveillance devices, sights, ballistic protection, and various ammunition types.
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France's Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine
🎦 01:25-01:40⏩
France has allocated over €434 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, enabling direct assistance to Ukrainians and supporting projects by international organizations, UN agencies, and NGOs across various sectors.
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Germany's Potential Taurus Missile Supply to Ukraine
🎦 01:41-02:29⏩
Germany's Free Democratic Party (FDP) may put the supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine to a vote in the Bundestag. FDP leader Christian Dürr anticipates potential support from the CDU, CSU, and Greens, despite resistance from Chancellor Scholz. A similar attempt in the past failed as it was perceived as being too partisan. However, the current situation might lead to a different outcome, potentially resulting in overwhelming support for supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles.
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Dutch-Donated Artillery in Service with Ukraine's National Guard
🎦 02:29-02:59⏩
Newly released images showcase Dutch-donated Zuzana 2 155mm self-propelled howitzers in operation with the Ukrainian National Guard. These howitzers, shared by the head of the Ukrainian National Guard, are believed to be Czech-built.
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Ukraine's Technological Advancements in Warfare
🎦 02:59-05:00⏩
Jonathan reads a comment from a viewer named Shakyadev highlighting Ukraine's rapid technological advancements in both private and state sectors. The comment argues that this progress makes Ukraine technologically superior in Europe, especially concerning drones, electronic warfare systems, and long-range weaponry. While acknowledging the ongoing struggle with countering Shahed drones, the commenter believes Ukraine has made significant progress. Jonathan agrees that the format of the interview is good. Jonathan challenges the notion that Ukraine is effectively countering Shahed drones, citing the significant increase in their interception rate as evidence of ongoing challenges. He further mentions the development of Ukraine's domestic missile program, referencing four missile types currently undergoing testing. However, he expresses concern about the program's production capacity, stating that Ukraine needs to significantly increase its output to match the scale of Russia's missile attacks.
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Ukraine's Domestic Missile Production
🎦 05:00-05:39⏩
Jonathan discusses Ukraine's capacity to produce 10 to 15 domestically manufactured long-range missiles monthly. He argues that this output is inadequate compared to their needs, given Russia's monthly missile launch rate of 300. He identifies the Neptune and Palantir drone missiles as examples and stresses the need for Ukraine to scale up its production to effectively counter Russia's capabilities.
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Russia's Development of Counter-Drone Technology
🎦 05:39-06:06⏩
Jonathan highlights Russia's experimentation with counter-drone technologies, specifically showcasing a flamethrower drone designed to neutralise enemy drones. He notes that Russia has been developing various counter-drone systems, including net release mechanisms, in which they hold an advantage over Ukraine.
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Revitalisation of UK's Artillery Barrel Production
🎦 06:06-08:14⏩
Referencing a thread by Twitter user Daniela, Jonathan discusses the UK's efforts to restart artillery barrel production to support Ukraine and bolster its defence sector. He notes that after supplying AS-90s (self-propelled howitzers) and L-118s (towed howitzers) to Ukraine, the UK has been progressively phasing out these systems. The UK Ministry of Defence requested BAE Systems to restart barrel production on 10 April 2024, to replenish donated artillery. After a period of silence, the MoD announced plans for Sheffield Forgemasters to support gun barrel manufacturing, ensuring continued support for Ukraine. In a recent development, BAE Systems confirmed the establishment of a production facility within a Sheffield warehouse, marking a significant step in the revitalisation of the UK's artillery production capabilities. Images reveal groundwork for a dual manipulator radial forging machine, indicating the commitment to restarting barrel production for various artillery systems, including the M777, AS90, and L118. This move is crucial for both supporting Ukraine and strengthening the UK's domestic supply chains, especially given the UK's struggling steel industry.
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Russia's Production of Thermobaric Drones
🎦 08:14-08:59⏩
Shifting focus to Russia's military activities, Jonathan reports on their production of thermobaric drones. These drones, intended for use alongside decoys in Ukraine, possess the capability to inflict significant damage on civilians, as revealed by an Associated Press investigation. The thermobaric warheads generate a high-pressure, high-heat wave capable of penetrating substantial walls, resulting in severe injuries such as collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, and brain damage.
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North Korea's Military Support for Russia
🎦 08:59-09:30⏩
Jonathan discusses North Korea's supply of long-range rocket and artillery systems to Russia, stating that Ukrainian intelligence reports suggest their deployment in Russia's Kursk region for an offensive involving North Korean troops. The Financial Times, citing Ukrainian intelligence, reports that Pyongyang has provided Moscow with 50 domestically produced Koksan M1989 self-propelled howitzers and 20 multiple launch rocket systems.
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China's Drone Production for Russia's War Efforts
🎦 09:30-09:56⏩
Jonathan reveals a concerning development reported by Politico: a Chinese factory exclusively producing drones for Russia's war in Ukraine. He questions the EU's stance on the issue, suggesting that China's lack of freedom implies a conscious decision by its government to support Russia's actions. Jonathan expresses his concern about the lack of action against China's support for Russia.
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Wrap Up
🎦 09:56-10:21⏩
Jonathan concludes the military aid update, expressing gratitude for viewers' support and apologising again for the audio issues in the previous video. He assures viewers that the earlier video will be reuploaded with improved audio, though it might not be perfect due to time constraints preventing a complete re-recording.
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"China has a factory that produces drones solely for the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine."
