It seems that the pressure from the United States is having an effect on the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has expressed willingness to push for a legal reform to be able to organize elections without the need for the war to end, as long as the US and European allies of Kiev guarantee the security of the process. This comes after his US counterpart, Donald Trump, stated the day before that it is time to hold elections.
Zelensky assumed office as president in 2019, and his five-year term was set to end on May 20, 2024, automatically extended by the Ukrainian Constitution, which prohibits holding elections while martial law is in effect. The Ukrainian president and most opinion leaders and political parties in the country have so far agreed on the legal and organizational impossibility of conducting an electoral campaign and voting amid the war.
On the military front, Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 32 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory last night, with four of them heading towards the city of Moscow. Most drones were intercepted in the Bryansk region (21). The rest were shot down while flying over the regions of Moscow (six), Kaluga (four), and Belgorod (one).
Ukraine Neutralizes 50 Russian Drones, 29 Others Hit Seven Locations in the Country
Ukrainian air defenses have shot down 50 of the 80 long-range drones launched by the Russian Army against territory under Kiev's control since last night, according to Wednesday's report from the Ukrainian Air Force, as reported by Efe.
The other 29 drones, all of them attack drones, were not intercepted and hit seven different unspecified locations in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
Russia uses attack drones and their imitations in these attacks to confuse Ukrainian defenses.
Poland May Provide MiG Fighters to Ukraine in Exchange for Drone Technology
Poland is negotiating the transfer of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine in exchange for access to Ukrainian drone technology, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated on public radio on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
"In some time, the MiG-29 aircraft will no longer serve in the Polish Air Force due to the expiration of their service life," the minister noted.
"We are negotiating with the Ukrainian side on the transfer of the MiG-29s, but we are also discussing the transfer of technologies to Poland, such as drones. This solidarity must be mutual."
The Polish Army's General Staff indicated that the potential transfer is linked to the lack of prospects for further modernization of the aging Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighters.
Danish Military Intelligence Agency Warns of Growing Threats
Denmark faces more external threats than in many years, amid increasing geopolitical conflicts and doubts about the US commitment to European security, the country's Military Intelligence Agency (FE), a NATO member, stated on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
"The world's major powers are increasingly prioritizing their own interests and using force to achieve their goals," the FE mentioned in its annual report, citing Russia and China as nations posing challenges to Denmark.
Moscow's war against Ukraine is particularly influencing the evolution of security, the agency added.
Russia Pressures the US on the New START Nuclear Arms Treaty
Russia is awaiting a response from the United States regarding its proposals for the New START nuclear arms control treaty, stated Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia's Security Council, as cited by Interfax on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to voluntarily maintain the treaty's limits, which expire in February, as long as the US does the same.