Ukrainian forces fire a French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian frontlines near the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine May 31, 2023 (Viacheslav Ratynskyi)

Thursday’s Coverage: Former Russian President Medvedev — Ukraine Must Be Eliminated

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1152 GMT:

A Ukrainian security official has confirmed that the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense carried out this morning’s drone attack on an oil depot in Russia’s Bryansk region.

UPDATE 0758 GMT:

A Ukrainian drone attack has set an oil depot on fire in Russia’s Bryansk region.

Governor Alexander Bogomaz claimed the aircraft-type drone was jammed by electronic warfare, but dropped its munitions as it fell on the town of Klintsy, about 60 km (37 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Four oil reservoirs with a total capacity of 6,000 cubic meters (1.6 million gallons) were set ablaze.

Ukraine has recently intensified its efforts to unnerve Russians and undermine president Vladimir Putin’s claims that life in Russia is going on as normal before its 17 March presidential election.

Bogomaz said there were no casualties, with 13 tankers combatting the blaze.

UPDATE 0735 GMT:

Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has been indicted on charges of justifying Russia’s invasion and advocating for the overthrow of the Ukrainian Constitution.

The Prosecutor General’s Office announced the indictment on Thursday.

Azarov, who now lives in Russia, was Prime Minister from 2010 until 2014 under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. He resigned amid the EuroMaidan protests over corruption and rights that toppled Yanukovych.

The former Prime Minister regularly appears on Russian State propaganda channels, supporting the Kremlin’s narratives over its 23-month invasion.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: France has launched an “artillery coalition” to support Ukraine’s resistance of the 23-month Russian invasion.

Paris bolstered the announcement with the pledge of up to 78 Caesar self-propelled howitzers in 2024: six bought by Ukraine, 12 donated by France, and dozens to be committed by European partners.

The coalition joins others for Ukraine’s capabilities — air defense, armored vehicles, airpower, and maritime security — with the international Ramstein Group, formally known as the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine. The new group seeks to erode Russia’s superiority in artillery, which has enabled it to hold off Ukrianian liberation of occupied territory.

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced the provision of the Caesar howitzers. He said 78 units will be available, as the manufacturer Nexter has halved production time to 15 months.

Ukraine, which currently has 49 Caesars supplied by France and Denmark, bought six for €3 million to €4 million ($3.3 million to $4.4 million) each.

France will devote €50 million from a fund it created for Ukraine to pay for the further 12 Caesars. It is hoping allies will buy 60 Caesars for about €285 million and send them to Kyiv..

“We want to share the bill and enable European countries to share the financial burden,” Lecornu said.

He added that France will supply 50 AASM Hammer glide bombs to Ukraine per month.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying that Russian artillery fire exceeds that of Ukraine between 5:1 and 10:1.

Ukrainian officials have warned that a combination of shortages in artillery ammunition and delays in the provision of Western assistance is likely causing forces to ration shells.

Ukraine President Vladimir Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude to French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday:

Macron will visit Ukraine in February to complete a deal for Paris to deliver more sophisticated weaponry, including long-range cruise missiles, and to establish long-term political, aid, and reconstruction commitments.