US-NATO Prepare Escalation in Desperate Bid to Turn the Tide (again) in Ukraine

Update on the conflict in Ukraine for January 18, 2023.

– Bakhmut faces encirclement by Russian forces;

– The Netherlands is considering sending Patriot missile systems after West blames Russia for residential building strike;

– Ukrainian presidential adviser Arestovich has resigned after suggesting the building was hit because of a failed Ukrainian interception of a Russian cruise missile;

– The building strike appears to be serving as a pretext for a planned escalation by the US and its allies;

– Ukraine also lost its interior minister to a helicopter crash;

– The Western media admits current aid to Ukraine is not sufficient, although suggested increases will unlikely turn the tide;

– The US and its allies are preparing for their monthly meeting discussing expanded military aid to Ukraine on January 20, 2023;

References:

NYT – Netherlands Considers Sending Patriot Missile System to Ukraine:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/17/us…

BBC – Ukraine War: Zelensky adviser resigns over Dnipro remarks:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe…

CNN – Biden reaches a vital new tipping point on Ukraine:
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/18/po…

BBC – Ukraine war: Who was Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky?:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe…

The Atlantic – Western Aid to Ukraine Is Still Not Enough:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/arc…

US Department of Defense – Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Travel to Germany for Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meetings Jan. 17, 2023:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases…