A group of top Ukrainian officials, including a top military leader, left the government on Tuesday as President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>’s administration grapples with allegations of fraud and corruption.
Some of the departures and resignations included the deputy head of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a>’s Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko. The recent shakeup is the biggest in the Ukrainian government since its war with Russia began in February 2022, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/01/24/world/russia-ukraine-news/the-firings-come-amid-a-ballooning-corruption-scandal-involving-military-procurement?smid=url-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>.
Deputy Defense Minister Shapovalov resigned from office on Tuesday amid a ballooning scandal involving the military acquisition of overpriced provisions. A local Ukrainian outlet last week reported that the Ukrainian military had purchased food supplies at well-over market prices.
The Defense Ministry purchased eggs for the military at a price nearly one and a half times more than the market price for eggs in Kyiv, the Ukrainian <a href="https://zn.ua/eng/paper-pushers-from-the-mod-syphon-off-money-on-food-for-the-armed-forces-more-than-during-peaceful-life-.html">outlet</a> uncovered. The ministry paid 17 hryvnias (Ukraine&#8217;s currency equivalent to $0.46) per unit when the price for the same unit in the Ukrainian capital sits around 7 hryvnias ($0.19).
In another instance, the ministry paid 22 hryvnias ($0.60) per kilogram for potatoes when the price of a kilogram in Kyiv is around 9 hryvnias ($0.24).
The Defense Ministry announced on its Telegram channel that Shapovalov was stepping down. It denied that Shapovalov committed any wrongdoing, but stated that he was leaving his post so as “not to pose a threat to the stable supply of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a result of a campaign of accusations related to the purchase of food services,” according to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-deputy-defense-minister-vyacheslav-shapovalov-resign-corruption-war-zelenskyy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>.
Deputy Prosecutor General Symonenko was dismissed by Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin on Tuesday following revelations that the deputy prosecutor general left Ukraine to vacation in Spain in late 2022. No reason was given for Tymoshenko’s departure from the president’s office, though recent reports suggested he had conflicted with his boss.
Corruption allegations have hit Kyiv as the Ukrainian government is trying to convince Western governments that it has made significant strides in purging corruption. The European Union has tied Ukraine’s potential entry into the European Union to changes in Ukrainian law and its justice system, as well as rooting out corruption and embezzlement from Ukraine’s government.
Ukraine’s corruption problems could also cause problems in its war efforts, as well. The country has relied on significant amounts of military and economic aid from Western governments since the Russian invasion began.
In the United States, Republicans in the House have pledged greater oversight over additional aid to Ukraine. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftists-push-biden-to-rethink-ukraine-strategy-seek-diplomatic-end-with-moscow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that no more “blank checks” should be sent to Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukraine, Dogged By Corruption Allegations, Sees Largest Government Shakeup Since War Began

Ukraine, Dogged By Corruption, Sees Largest Shakeup Of Government Leadership Since War Began

Global Politics

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

World

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainian</a> Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi perished along with more than a dozen others when the helicopter he was on crashed into a kindergarten in a Kyiv suburb Wednesday. 
The victims include at least one child who was on the ground and nine people aboard the emergency services helicopter, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-9ec684edb2af6b7b84e67ab5e984e739?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">reported</a>. Ukrainian officials initially believed up to 18 people had died in the crash, but the death toll was <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/18/europe/helicopter-crash-ukraine-intl/index.html">revised</a> down to 14 people. The helicopter was flying in a dense fog before crashing, but Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation to determine if the crash was an accident or if it was shot down. 
President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “the pain is unspeakable” as he ordered officials to look into the cause of the tragedy. The death toll could still rise as officials continue to identify the remains.   
Monastyrskyi, appointed as minister of Internal Affairs in 2021, oversaw the country’s police and emergency services. One of Monastyrskyi&#8217;s highest priorities was dealing with the fallout of Russian strikes and de-mining, according to political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, who spoke with the AP. 
Those riding with the interior minister on the helicopter included five Interior Ministry officials, a police officer, and three crew members, according to the AP. Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said two of his closest colleagues and friends were among the dead. 
“Tragedy far from the frontline, in Brovary. My condolences to relatives of the victims, especially children. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured. Denys Monastyrskyi and Yevhenii Yenin were close colleagues &amp; friends of mine, true Ukrainian patriots. Huge loss for all of us,” Kuleba <a href="https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1615648250287079426">wrote</a>. 
Ukraine is still reeling from a Russian missile strike that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-apartment-strike-death-toll-1b518f84fc4e70708d56e1a1ea708929">killed</a> at least 45 people, including six children, in a nine-story apartment building in Dnipro last Saturday. The missile strike was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since the start of the Russian invasion last February.

Ukraine Helicopter Crash Near Kindergarten Kills Ministry Leadership

Top Ukrainian Official Among At Least 14 Dead After Helicopter Crashes Into Kindergarten

General

Gen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mark-milley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Milley</a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, traveled to the edge of the ongoing conflict in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a> to meet with President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>’s top military official on Tuesday. 
Milley spoke with Gen. Valery Zaluzhny for two hours, a military spokesman <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/01/17/milley-zaluzhny-poland-ukraine-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Washington Post. The meeting between the countries’ top military officers comes after the Biden administration reportedly made a “substantive” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-sending-zelensky-more-offensive-weapons-create-an-iron-fist-to-penetrate-russian-linear-defenses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">change</a> in its aid to Ukraine, sending more offensive weapons to Zelensky, who is seeking to capitalize on Russia’s apparent setbacks in recent months.
“It’s important that two very important military officials look at each other in the eye when they talk about very important topics. It makes a difference,” U.S. military spokesman David Butler said, according to the Post. 
Milley reportedly left a U.S. base in Poland that American troops use to funnel aid to Ukraine and traveled close to the Ukrainian border for the meeting. The officials kept the meeting a secret until it had concluded, citing safety concerns, and no photography was allowed at the meeting. The rendezvous marked the first time Milley and Zaluzhny met in person.
On Monday, Milley <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-0f6a62a112d71e68712e567d1467edf7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visited</a> the new joint military training program in Germany, where U.S. troops are instructing Ukrainian forces and preparing them for more offensive warfare against Russia. The expanded training of Ukrainian forces began on Sunday, and Milley <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-germany-7ae8c22dfd9379e77f172bd2b3ab5fb7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hopes</a> it will result in 500 Ukrainian soldiers hitting the battlefield in the next five to eight weeks. 
“This is not a run of the mill rotation,” Milley said Monday as he overlooked the training, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-0f6a62a112d71e68712e567d1467edf7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “This is one of those moments in time where if you want to make a difference, this is it.”
The military leaders of the U.S. and Ukraine met as Russia announced that it will increase its military to 1.5 million people and create new structures along its border with Finland. Russia’s move is a response to a “proxy war” the country believes the U.S. and its allies are waging in Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-17/russia-to-boost-troops-in-west-with-army-expansion-shoigu-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
Along with expanded training for Ukrainian forces, the Biden administration announced earlier this month that Zelensky’s forces will receive 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles along with long-range rocket systems. The administration’s announcement came less than one month after Zelensky visited the White House and begged Congress for more aid.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the weapons and vehicles included in the latest aid package will help the Ukrainians shift to warfare in the open farmlands of the Donbas region, the eastern section of Ukraine annexed by Russian President Vladimir Putin last September, Bloomberg reported.

Gen. Mark Milley

Top U.S., Ukrainian Generals Meet Near War Zone After White House Boosts Support For Zelensky

Top U.S., Ukrainian Generals Meet In Person Near War Zone After White House Boosts Support For Zelensky

Conflicts

Mark Milley

Defense Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Tuesday that Ukrainian troops would begin training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma on the Patriot Air Defense System as soon as next week amid ongoing aerial attacks from Russian forces.
Ryder told reporters the training would prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months.
&#8220;Once fielded, the Patriot will continue to contribute to Ukraine&#8217;s air defense capabilities and provide another capability to Ukrainian people to defend themselves against Russia&#8217;s ongoing aerial assaults,&#8221; Ryder said.
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PENTAGON PRESS SEC: &quot;I can confirm that training for Ukrainian forces on the Patriot Air Defense System will begin as soon as next week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gFDK1HbPsL">pic.twitter.com/gFDK1HbPsL</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1612932809944965120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ryder further noted the Patriot would contribute to the air defense capabilities of Ukraine as part of a broader effort by the United States and the international community to provide Ukraine with the air defense capabilities that it needs to defend its population and its armed forces.
&#8220;It&#8217;s something that will enable them to take down &#8230; ballistic missiles, adversary aircraft; [it&#8217;s] really up to them on how they employ it,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3264235/ukrainian-troops-headed-to-us-for-patriot-missile-training/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
The announcement comes less than a month after the Biden administration said it would provide another $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which included the Patriot air defense system that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserts the country needs to defend itself from Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy said in a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/3784508-zelensky-to-us-lawmakers-your-money-is-not-charity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by The Hill that U.S. aid would go towards funding weapons &#8220;crucial&#8221; to help Ukraine against Russia and serve as &#8220;the turning point to win on the battlefield.&#8221;
The Patriot, which stands as an acronym for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, as reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-is-patriot-missile-defense-system-2022-12-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>, is an advanced U.S. air defense system built by Raytheon Technologies Corp with theater-wide surface-to-air missile defense.
While the manufacturers designed the system to intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles, Reuters writes it could also strike down &#8220;kamikaze&#8221; drones Russian forces have frequently used to destroy Ukrainian critical infrastructure.
Raytheon reported Patriot systems have intercepted over 150 ballistic missiles in combat since 2015.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ukraine-russia-training-patriots-air-defense-rcna65142" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Russian President Vladimir Putin called the system outdated last month and said Russia would &#8220;knock down&#8221; the Patriots.
With over 240 systems built by Raytheon and used in 18 different countries, it usually contains a radar, control station, power generator, launch stations, and support vehicles.
Military forces first used the Patriot during the 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel. Officials used it again in Iraq in 2003.
Pentagon officials report the United States has funded Ukraine with more than $24.2 billion in security assistance since its war with Russia began on Feb. 24, 2022.

3-2 Field Operations

Pentagon Press Sec. Says Ukrainian Forces To Start Training On U.S. Air Defense System On American Soil Next Week

Biden Administration

Department of Defense

U.S.

Vladimir Putin

The United States has made a “substantive” change in its aid to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a>, sending more offensive weapons to President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>, who is seeking to capitalize on Russia’s apparent setbacks in recent months.
Two U.S. officials <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/10/politics/us-ukraine-weaponry/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNN that the change in weaponry sent to the European country reflects what Ukraine sees as an opportunity to regain territory. The new batch of munitions and vehicles — courtesy of the U.S. and Germany — gives Ukraine “much more capability,” one official said.
The Biden administration hinted at a change in what kind of weapons would be provided to Ukraine when it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-06/us-adds-offensive-weapons-for-ukraine-in-2-85-billion-package#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Friday that Zelensky’s forces will receive 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles along with long-range rocket systems. The administration’s announcement came less than one month after Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-to-meet-with-biden-address-congress-in-first-foreign-trip-since-russian-invasion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visited</a> the White House and begged Congress for more aid.
“We are positioning Ukraine to be able to move forward and retake territory,” Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Laura Cooper said last week following the announcement of the aid package to Ukraine.
Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a retired commander of the U.S. Army Europe and NATO Allied Land Command, told CNN how the new U.S. package gives Ukraine a more offensive set of weapons in its arsenal.
“What I would imagine the Ukrainians will do is take these 50 Bradleys and put most of them in one battalion or one armored brigade … and create an iron fist that would be used to penetrate Russian linear defenses,” Hodges said.
The U.S. officials emphasized that the Biden administration remains focused on providing the Ukrainians with weapons and aid that help Ukraine follow battle strategies it is developing on its own. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the weapons and vehicles included in the latest aid package will help the Ukrainians shift to warfare in the open farmlands of the Donbas region, the eastern section of Ukraine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vladimir-putin-set-to-claim-wide-swaths-of-ukraine-after-sham-referenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annexed</a> by Russian President Vladimir Putin last September, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-06/us-adds-offensive-weapons-for-ukraine-in-2-85-billion-package#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Ukraine will receive the offensive weapons as Republicans, many of whom want more oversight of aid to Ukraine, take control of the House of Representatives. House Republicans such as Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina have long <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-lawmakers-demand-more-accountability-over-ukrainian-aid-after-cbs-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> the lack of accountability for how Ukraine uses U.S. aid. Newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-donald-trump-humanitarian-assistance-congress-c47a255738cd13576aa4d238ec076f4a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Republicans will not stand for writing Ukraine a “blank check.”
State Department communications obtained by <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/14/us-ukraine-aid-cable-00073803" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> last month showed that the U.S. government is struggling to keep track of the more than $50 billion in aid sent to Ukraine, even relying on Ukrainian forces and staffers to keep tabs on how the money is being used. According to the cable, the Biden administration also depends on Ukrainian staffers — many of whom aren’t even in the country — to coordinate with a senior embassy official and oversee U.S. aid.

U.S. Sending Zelensky More Offensive Weapons: ‘Create An Iron Fist’ To ‘Penetrate Russian Linear Defenses’

U.S. Sending Zelensky More Offensive Weapons: Report

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainian</a> President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> and <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/blackrock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlackRock</a> CEO Larry Fink revealed that the asset management company will coordinate investments to rebuild the embattled nation.
Zelensky and Fink met virtually on Wednesday to discuss the initiative, agreeing to focus on coordinating the “efforts of all potential investors and participants in the reconstruction” and channeling “investment into the most relevant and impactful sectors of the Ukrainian economy,” according to a <a href="https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/prezident-obgovoriv-z-generalnim-direktorom-blackrock-koordi-80105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">readout</a> published by the office of Zelensky, which also revealed that executives from BlackRock are slated to visit Ukraine some time in the new year.
An earlier <a href="https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/volodimir-zelenskij-i-golova-blackrock-obgovorili-zaluchenny-77861" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from Zelensky’s office described aid from BlackRock as “pro bono.” Analysts at the firm will “include advice on the structure, investment process, governance and use of proceeds for a fund” while creating “opportunity for both public and private investors to participate in reconstructing and rejuvenating the market economy in Ukraine by delivering fair and just returns to investors.”
BlackRock Financial Markets Advisory and the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy signed a <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/newsroom/press-releases/article/corporate-one/press-releases/blackrock-financial-markets-advisory-to-advise-ministry-of-economy-of-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memorandum of understanding</a> last month outlining the arrangements.
&#8220;We’ve shown that we know how to win on the battlefield. Another important task for us is to achieve victories in the economy as well, and to be an attractive country for investors,&#8221; Zelensky said earlier this year. “The investment attractiveness of our country is of particular importance. It&#8217;s important to me that a structure like this be successful for all parties involved. We are capable, and we want to restore a normal investment climate.”
Although the extent of damage to the labor force, infrastructure, and natural resources of Ukraine as a result of the invasion has not been officially measured, an <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/04/10/russian-invasion-to-shrink-ukraine-economy-by-45-percent-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimate</a> from the World Bank forecasted that the Ukrainian economy would contract more than 45% this year, while the Russian economy is slated to shrink more than 11%.
“The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the war is staggering. The Russian invasion is delivering a massive blow to Ukraine’s economy and it has inflicted enormous damage to infrastructure,” World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde remarked in a statement. “Ukraine needs massive financial support immediately as it struggles to keep its economy going and the government running to support Ukrainian citizens who are suffering and coping with an extreme situation.”
Zelensky, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky-named-times-person-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named</a> Time Magazine’s Person of the Year and recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/political-theater-trumps-peace-as-starstruck-uniparty-fawns-over-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivered</a> a joint address before the United States Congress, rose to international prominence in February. He has been revered among Western lawmakers and celebrities as he leads the war-torn nation, which many officials originally predicted would succumb to its neighbor within weeks.
BlackRock, which manages more than $8 trillion in assets, has meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blackrock-executive-grilled-by-texas-lawmakers-over-esg-and-climate-agendas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gained notoriety</a> in the United States amid the company’s support of the environmental, social, and governance movement, also known as ESG. State officials and other market actors have pulled investments from the company as critics of the movement say the philosophy pushes social and political causes in a manner that exposes investors to unnecessary risk. BlackRock has implemented “voting action on climate issues” against dozens of portfolio companies, according to a stewardship <a href="https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/publication/our-commitment-to-sustainability-full-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published two years ago.

Collage Maker-29-Dec-2022-11.47-AM

BlackRock And Ukraine Join Forces To Manage Investments For The Country’s Recovery

Ukraine And BlackRock Join Forces

BlackRock

Economy

Elon Musk

<div>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-to-meet-with-biden-address-congress-in-first-foreign-trip-since-russian-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a> plays <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-settled-bruce-willis-daughters-put-an-end-to-long-running-debate-over-die-hard/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John McClane</a> in a new Christmas-themed video posted on Twitter by the embattled nation’s defense ministry.
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The one-minute video is a trailer-style sendup for the 1988 action film classic “Die Hard,” with Ukraine in the role of McClane, the hero NYPD cop played by Bruce Willis who single-handedly bests a gang of terrorists inside LA’s Nakatomi Plaza. Instead of fighting an evil criminal mastermind played by Alan Rickman, Ukraine is in a very real war with Russia, which invaded the country in February.
</div>
<div>
“This Christmas, Ukraine celebrates the festive tale of how an arrogant terrorist&#8217;s special military operation was thwarted by a scrappy underdog,” the video begins.
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An underdog who wins against the bad guys. This is the kind of story we all enjoy. Dedicated to all the die hards on the front line. Ukraine will win! Yippee Ki-Yay…! <a href="https://t.co/JaZzqlOZA7">pic.twitter.com/JaZzqlOZA7</a>
&mdash; Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1607290106242830339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div>
In a twist on an iconic scene from the movie, where Willis’ character scrawls “Now I have a machine gun – Ho Ho Ho,” on a dead terrorist’s sweatshirt, the Ukrainian video replaces the firearm reference with “HIMARS,” the acronym for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers the U.S. is supplying.
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<div>
The video includes a clip of Willis as McClane crawling through ductwork before dropping explosives down an elevator shaft, then cuts to a real bomb going off in Ukraine.
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“It was the perfect plan with nothing left to chance, until it all went wrong,” the narrator states in English. “The war he never wanted, is the one he can&#8217;t afford to lose. This Christmas, the age-old story of David and Goliath hits close to home.”
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<div>
The defense ministry captioned the video with the movie-style tagline, minus McClane’s famous expletive: “An underdog who wins against the bad guys. This is the kind of story we all enjoy.
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“Dedicated to all the die hards on the front line. Ukraine will win! Yippee Ki-Yay…!”
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<div>
Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>, who earlier this month was named <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/time-magazine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Time</a> Magazine’s Person of the Year, visited the U.S. last week to ask for more aid. Congress and the Biden administration obliged him with a $45 billion package, bringing to $100 billion the amount of cash and aid the U.S. has given Ukraine.
</div>

Ukraine Die Hard spoof

WATCH: Ukraine Likens War Effort To ‘Die Hard’ In Film Trailer-Style Video

WATCH: Ukraine Likens War Effort To 'Die Hard' In Film Trailer-Style Video

Bruce Willis

If there’s one thing the Washington political class admires, it’s a shameless fund raiser.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-to-meet-with-biden-address-congress-in-first-foreign-trip-since-russian-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> is currently in the capital, putting on a master class in separating starstruck sycophants from their our cash. It’s no wonder the folks whose careers are paid for with panhandled proceeds are treating him like a rock star. He’s a man after their own hearts, and he’s about to talk them out of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraines-zelensky-to-meet-with-biden-address-congress-in-first-foreign-trip-since-russian-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another $45 billion</a>.
If the latest donation, more than enough to erect a border wall, build 1,000 high schools or 50 hospitals, or buy every man, woman, and child in the U.S. a $130 Christmas present, goes through, it will bring the total we’ve given to help Ukraine turn back the Russian invasion to about $100 billion. You can’t blame Zelensky for asking, but you should be able to question your representatives for writing the check. It’s our money, and we don’t even have it.
In a jaw-dropping display of just how out of touch he is, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/good-grief-mcconnell-claims-sending-ukraine-assistance-is-number-one-priority-for-most-republicans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell</a> declared that funding Ukraine’s defense is America’s top priority. He and a bipartisan pack of lawmakers fawned over the sweatshirt-clad Zelensky on Wednesday like teenagers clamoring for a selfie with their favorite Instagram influencer. Zelensky even endured a <a href="https://twitter.com/jason_meister/status/1605746607118372866?s=20&amp;t=eBsIgRpVgGBDi1qxZPvOjA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kiss from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi</a>, which certainly merits some degree of compensation.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It’s like Pelosi wanted to kiss his hand as if Zelensky was Jesus or a mob boss or a combo of both? <a href="https://t.co/VIPnpVthDM">pic.twitter.com/VIPnpVthDM</a>
&mdash; Lidia Curanaj (@LidiaNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/LidiaNews/status/1605750034749788160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Americans don’t want Russia to annex Ukraine. They detest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-reportedly-tumbles-down-stairs-craps-in-pants-as-health-concerns-spiral/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> and they sympathize with Ukraine. But they also know we have a $30 trillion national debt and are in no position to underwrite the defense of another country in which we don’t have a direct national interest. They know, from the 20-year Afghanistan debacle, what mission creep feels like. And they would prefer to see Zelensky nudged toward a peaceful negotiation with Moscow rather than treated as a U.S. proxy in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nothing-left-of-the-enemy-putin-considers-preemptive-nuclear-strike-doctrine-boasts-russian-cruise-missiles-surpass-u-s-equivalents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prelude to World War III</a>.
Most people keeping score at home can see that the only way this ends peacefully is with Russia keeping Crimea and the two countries reaching some sort of compromise on Ukraine’s ethnic Russian regions along its eastern border. Even if that happened tomorrow, a sympathetic West would no doubt pony up to help rebuild Zelensky’s bomb-ravaged nation. But giving Ukraine more cash and weapons now is a sure-fire way to guarantee this war kills more people, wrecks more cities, and potentially metastasizes into a nuclear war.
Zelensky is not wrong to want to repel Russia. His nation has put up a courageous fight against a more powerful adversary, and his leadership deserves credit. It’s his right to pass the hat around the globe, even if his sense of entitlement can be grating. However, if the television actor now playing Winston Churchill had to rely solely upon Ukraine’s own treasure, he might be more amenable to striking a peace deal.
Showering Zelensky with our grandchildren’s money is nearly as bad for our nation’s future as it is for his. A peace deal would save not only Ukrainian lives, but American dollars. Then again, when has the Washington ruling class ever cared about that?

Political Theater Trumps Peace As Starstruck Uniparty Fawns Over Zelensky

Nancy Pelosi

Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> met with U.S. President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> on Wednesday afternoon and will later address a joint session of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Congress</a> in Washington, D.C., in a gesture symbolizing U.S. support of Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Zelensky traveled to Washington as Congress contemplates sending roughly $45 billion more to Ukraine to support its military and economy as the war enters its 10th month. The trip to the nation&#8217;s capital is Zelensky’s first outside of his country since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
“It’s an honor to be by your side in the united defense against what is a brutal, brutal war that is being waged by Putin,” Biden said from the Oval Office, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/politics/zelensky-biden-washington-visit-ukraine-russia-war/index.html">CNN</a>. “The Ukrainian people continue to inspire the world.”
Zelensky offered thanks to Biden and the United States for its support against Russia.
“I understand that we have very important topics and we’ll discuss them, everything, so many challenges in Ukraine, in Europe, in the world, and from energy to the situation on the battlefield,” Zelensky said. “But first of all, really, all my appreciations from my heart, from the heart of Ukrainians, all Ukrainians, from our nation.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/12/21/statement-by-white-house-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-on-the-visit-of-president-volodymyr-zelenskyy-of-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> late Tuesday that the Ukrainian president’s trip will “underscore the United States’ enduring commitment to Ukraine.”
“Three hundred days ago, Russia launched a brutal assault against Ukraine. In response, President Biden rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Jean-Pierre said.
“During the visit, President Biden will announce a significant new package of security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression. The visit will underscore the United States’ steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes, including through the provision of economic, humanitarian, and military assistance,” she added.
In June, Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-refuses-to-limit-aid-to-ukraine-make-sure-they-are-not-defeated-by-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pledged</a> to continue supporting Ukraine “as long as it takes” to beat Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it will not end with a Russian defeat of Ukraine in Ukraine,” Biden said.
Congress is currently considering giving Ukraine $45 billion in aid as part of a roughly 4,000-page spending package. If the additional funding is approved, the United States’ total aid to Ukraine will be more than $100 billion.

Ukraine’s Zelensky Meets With Biden, Will Address Congress In First Foreign Trip Since Russian Invasion

Ukraine’s Zelensky Meets With Biden, Will Address Congress

Congress

Joe Biden

Washington D.C.

The U.S. government is struggling to keep track of the billions of dollars sent to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a>, even relying on Ukrainian forces and staffers to keep tabs on how the money is being used, according to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/state-department" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Department</a> communications obtained by <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/14/us-ukraine-aid-cable-00073803">POLITICO</a>.
A “sensitive but unclassified” State Department cable reviewed by the news outlet showed that the Biden administration plans to rely on the Ukrainian army to “conduct its own inspections” for how the over $50 billion in U.S. aid is being used. The Biden administration will reportedly rely on a U.S. firm beginning in February to help the government by keeping tabs on how the Ukrainians use American dollars and military equipment for up to three years. 
According to the cable, the Biden administration also depends on Ukrainian staffers — many of whom aren’t even in the country — to coordinate with a senior embassy official and oversee U.S. aid.
The State Department cable mentioned “a commercial smartphone app” it uses in a public-private partnership project that helps the U.S. government track its assistance to the European country, according to POLITICO.
“The app will provide reliable, tangible evidence that assistance is reaching intended recipients, even in locales too dangerous or difficult for program implementer staff to reach,” the State Department cable from the U.S. embassy in Kyiv states.
Ideally, U.S.-trained inspectors would be on the ground in Ukraine to ensure American aid is being used properly, but the State Department cited the unpredictable environment on the ground in Ukraine as a reason it’s pursuing different ways to oversee how U.S. money and weapons are handled by the Ukrainians. Finding contractors willing to go into high-risk areas to help the government’s oversight has also been problematic.
“Above all, kinetic activity and active combat between Ukrainian and Russian forces create an environment in which standard verification measures are sometimes impracticable or impossible,” the cable, signed by U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink, says.
Numerous Republican lawmakers have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-lawmakers-demand-more-accountability-over-ukrainian-aid-after-cbs-report">demanded</a> greater oversight of U.S. spending in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and Russia has labeled U.S. aid to Ukraine an “immediate threat.”
Following a CBS report in August that found that some U.S. aid was not reaching its intended target in Ukraine, GOP representatives blasted Washington elites who continue to send money to Ukraine and expect solutions.
In April, Jonas Ohman, the president of an organization moving aid into Ukraine, told CBS Reports that only “30-40%” of aid was making it to its intended destination. He also said that his group, which does not supply weapons, had to avoid various factions in the country playing “power games” to deliver the aid.
“This news shouldn’t surprise anyone. Like it does with everything else, Congress threw tens of billions of dollars at a problem, patted itself on the back, and called it a day,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) told The Daily Wire. “This way of doing things has to stop. I am willing to consider measures to support our allies, but I was elected by the people of this country, not anywhere else.”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Joe Biden/Volodymyr Zelensky

State Department Struggling To Track Ukraine Aid, Relying On Ukrainian Soldiers, Remote Staffers To Keep Tabs: Report

State Department

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainian</a> President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> has been named <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/time-magazine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Time</a> Magazine’s Person of the Year.
After gaining international prominence in February as the Russian military <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invaded</a> Ukraine, Zelensky has been revered among Western lawmakers as he leads the war-torn nation, which many officials initially predicted would succumb to its neighbor within the first weeks of the invasion. Time Magazine <a href="https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2022-volodymyr-zelensky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> Zelensky’s efficacy in rallying international support using “the weapon of information.”
“Most of the people around him were armed with assault rifles, but this was his weapon, a late-model iPhone that Zelensky has used to wage the biggest land war of the information age,” Time Magazine reporter Simon Shuster said of the president. “His skill at addressing the world through that phone — in his nightly speeches on social media, in his endless calls with foreign leaders and supporters — has been as critical as the number of tanks in his army.”
Member states of NATO sent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nato-takes-unprecedented-action-to-respond-to-russia-putins-objectives-not-limited-to-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thousands of troops</a> to neighboring eastern European countries immediately after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, raising the specter of a worldwide geopolitical conflict. The United States has sent more than $9.8 billion in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sending-5-5-billion-more-in-aid-to-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civilian and military assistance</a> to Ukraine over the past several months. USAID Administrator Samantha Power remarked earlier this year that as the “assault on Ukraine’s public services continues, the United States is rushing in with financial support to help the government keep the lights on, provide essential services to innocent citizens and pay the health care workers who are providing lifesaving support on the frontlines.”
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/readers-pass/read-only-v2?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-6949">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA’S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US.</a>
Zelensky has appeared on the cover of multiple prominent Western magazines and hosted several <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosi-makes-surprise-visit-to-kyiv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diplomats</a> and celebrities in Kyiv. American actor Sean Penn, for example, loaned his Oscar trophy to the commander-in-chief last month.
“He has granted interviews to talk-show hosts and journalists and held live chats with students at Stanford, Harvard, and Yale. He has leveraged the fame of entertainment superstars to amplify his calls for international support,” Shuster continued. “Jessica Chastain and Ben Stiller visited his fortified compound. Liev Schreiber agreed to become an ambassador for Ukraine’s official fundraising platform.”
Time Magazine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/time-magazine-person-of-the-year-finalists-include-desantis-cheney-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed over</a> Person of the Year nominees such as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Elon Musk, the entrepreneur who leads SpaceX, Tesla, and Twitter, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-named-times-person-of-the-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earned</a> the distinction last year.
Among other sea changes in the global balance of power stemming from the invasion, Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-ukraine-applies-for-nato-membership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submitted</a> an expedited application for Ukraine to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Geopolitical pressures from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both of which are significant producers of food and energy, have reverberated across the planet, worsening supply chain and inflationary pressures. Developing nations have been particularly impacted, with farmers in nations such as Greece, Peru, and Sri Lanka launching <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/experts-warn-of-impending-global-food-shortage-that-could-lead-to-social-unrest-riots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demonstrations</a> in major cities, pushing the government of the latter nation to flee abroad.
Putin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vladimir-putin-set-to-claim-wide-swaths-of-ukraine-after-sham-referenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annexed</a> the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine after residents voted to join his nation in September. Local Ukrainian officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/vladimir-putin-set-to-claim-wide-swaths-of-ukraine-after-sham-referenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the election was coerced by Russian soldiers, with results in each region appearing strikingly lopsided in Russia&#8217;s favor.

Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Named Time’s Person Of The Year

Volodymyr Zelensky Named Time's Person Of The Year

Media

Time Magazine

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/volodymyr-zelensky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volodymyr Zelensky</a> sounded the alarm and called upon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nato" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NATO</a> allies to finally, directly, enter the war after an alleged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> missile hit a Polish town, killing two people and causing destruction.
It turns out that Zelensky — who has bilked billions of dollars from the West, especially the U.S. — was wrong in his assessment. Authorities now <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/16/1137085278/polands-president-says-the-missile-strike-appears-to-be-from-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">say</a> that it looks likely that it wasn&#8217;t a Russian weapon at all, but a Ukrainian one fired in self-defense that accidentally landed over the border. Regardless, Zelensky was quick to jump the gun and conclude that it was indeed Russia.
The question, then, is why do we trust this nutcase banging the war drums anymore?
&#8220;Terror is not limited to our national borders. Russian missiles hit Poland — NATO territory,&#8221; the former comedian said confidently on Wednesday. &#8220;This is a Russian missile attack on collective security — a very significant escalation. We must act.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Zelenskyy yesterday: “Terror is not limited to our national borders. Russian missiles hit Poland … NATO territory. This is a Russian missile attack on collective security &#8212; a very significant escalation. We must act” <a href="https://t.co/zylfGdbwzw">pic.twitter.com/zylfGdbwzw</a>
&mdash; Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1592851112654032898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Luckily, cooler heads prevailed.
Since Poland is a NATO country, measures could be triggered that would have forced all NATO allies to defend Poland against Russia — thus starting World War III.
Luckily. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the media that Polish authorities as well as NATO will hold off on initiating any protocol until the full investigation is completed.
&#8220;I spoke with [President Andrzej Duda] last night, we agreed on the importance of awaiting the outcome of the investigation,&#8221; Stoltenberg said Wednesday. &#8220;We don&#8217;t have the final outcome on that, we have no indication that this was a deliberate attack.&#8221;
Zelensky&#8217;s own defense ministry expressed more caution than he did after the incident.
On Wednesday, a Ukrainian defense minister adviser named Yuriy Sak <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/16/ukraine-reacts-as-initial-findings-suggest-it-fired-the-missile-that-hit-poland.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CNBC that the situation was &#8220;very sensitive&#8221; while advocating for a thorough investigation.
&#8220;It is too early to give any definitive answers and it’s very dangerous to jump to any conclusions,&#8221; Sak told the outlet Wednesday morning.
Of course, one would question why Sak is telling the rest of the world that. He should be making sure that his boss, Zelensky, understands that.
For the sake of everybody, Zelensky should be looking for an off-ramp in this war. Thousands have been killed, whole towns destroyed, and lives upended.
Instead, he is being loaned Hollywood star Sean Penn&#8217;s Oscar for &#8220;Best Actor&#8221; and the Biden administration is <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3736724-white-house-asks-congress-for-37-7b-in-new-ukraine-aid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling</a> for $37.7 billion more in U.S. taxpayer support for the Ukrainians. It is obvious he wants this to go on as long as possible.
This isn&#8217;t the first time the Ukrainian president has acted wildly. Zelensky has also called upon the U.S. and other nations to establish a &#8220;no-fly zone&#8221; over Ukraine — which would have required Western nations to shoot down Russian aircraft, thus escalating the conflict even more.
Adding to the problems is that the establishment of both parties is intent on supporting Zelensky in perpetuity. In fact, some Republican leaders have <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2022/09/29/republicans-push-biden-to-use-21-billion-ukraine-aid-set-to-expire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the problem with Biden&#8217;s endless aid to Ukraine isn&#8217;t that we seem to care more about other nation&#8217;s borders than our own, it&#8217;s that we aren&#8217;t doing enough.
But after the reckless comments made by Zelensky on Tuesday, shouldn&#8217;t all of D.C. finally reconsider their support for this war? Or, will we allow it to continue and risk another bumbling, fumbling &#8220;mistake&#8221; that could thrust the entire globe into nuclear armageddon?
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Volodmyr Zelensky

Zelensky Almost Plunged Us All Into World War III — Again. Enough Already.

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