JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Seeks to Deplete Ukraine’s Air Defenses Ahead of Kyiv’s Expected Offensive” – WSJ
“Renewed drone barrage comes ahead of meeting between Ukraine’s Western backers.”
“… The latest drone barrage comes as Russia seeks to erode Ukraine’s air defenses ahead of a planned [Ukrainian] offensive … expected in … coming weeks. … [also] after purported [leaked] Pentagon presentations … show[ing] [that] Ukraine is running out of antiaircraft missiles, predicting Russia could achieve … [localized] air superiority … as early as May. Russia has fired several hundred cruise missiles and … hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed drones since October … [against] Ukraine’s electricity system and to force a [wintertime] humanitarian crisis …. [T]hat effort … failed, [but] the barrages … severely reduced Ukraine’s air-defense ammunition …. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to host … roughly 50 allies to discuss the war and seek fresh pledges of military equipment and nonlethal aid[,] … the so-called Contact Group, meeting at Ramstein Air Base … a regular … focal point of Western efforts to rally support for [Ukraine’s’ efforts to eject Russia’s occupying forces. …”