Mitch McConnell and three other Senate Republicans visited President Zelensky Saturday in Kyiv as Congress is trying to complete passage of President Biden's $40 billion mili
tary and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine. The NY Times notes that the visit "highlight[ed] the widespread bipartisan support for Ukraine in Washington as the country tries to fend off Russia’s invasion" (emphasis added).
Said McConnell: "Helping Ukraine is not an instance of mere philanthropy. It bears directly on America’s national security and vital interests that Russia’s naked aggression not succeed and carries significant costs." He went on to say that "if Ukraine fails to repel Russian aggression, there is no question that the threat to American and European security will grow."
There was, however, no need for the Senate minority leader to tell us that. Rather, Sen. McConnell needs to firmly instruct Sen. Rand Paul — teach him about Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine and how that aggression adversely affects the United States and all of Europe. Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of a neighboring, democratic nation could, if not thoroughly repelled, lead to invasions of other European nations, with which the U.S. is militarily aligned. The old Cold War could become a nail-biting hot war, causing untold deaths, including those of American soldiers and citizens.
Yet Sen. Paul has objected to an immediate Senate vote on the aid bill — which is certain to pass by an overwhelming margin — absent a provision establishing an inspector general's supervision of funds dispersement. His objection has delayed the bill's passage by several days. It will pass, but, one must ask, What next? What other objections will Paul raise to other Ukrainian assistance bills out of ideological intemperance? There are sure to be several more proposed by the White House, and each one will bear the urgency of today's.
And today's is especially urgent. Having routed Russian forces from the Kharkiv region, as of Saturday Ukrainian forces began centering a counteroffensive in the area around Izium, from which Russia hoped to advance southward and then encircle Ukrainian troops in the Donbas. Russia's "advance" is not going well. And the disgruntled reaction back home, writes The Institute for the Study of War, might well spread throughout the population. This, from the institute, is a newly breathtaking revelation about the Russian military's utter ineptitude:
The Ukrainian destruction of significant elements of a Russian motorized rifle brigade that tried to cross a pontoon bridge over the Siverskyi Donets River [near the Izium front] on May 11 has shocked prominent Russian milbloggers [military bloggers]. Those bloggers have begun commenting on the incompetence of the Russian military to their hundreds of thousands of followers. The attempted river crossing showed a stunning lack of tactical sense as satellite images show (destroyed) Russian vehicles tightly bunched up at both ends of the (destroyed) bridge, clearly allowing Ukrainian artillerymen to kill hundreds and destroy scores of vehicles with concentrated strikes. The milbloggers who have hitherto been cheering on the Russian military criticized Russian armed forces leadership for failing to learn from experience in the war. They also expressed the concern that the constant pushing of Russia’s propaganda lines was making it hard for them to understand what was actually going on.
The effects of this change in tone and discourse by these milbloggers are uncertain but could be potent. People living under tightly censored regimes often trust individuals who seem to be independent of but generally aligned with the government more than the government line (even more than do citizens of democratic societies). The commentary by these widely read milbloggers may fuel burgeoning doubts in Russia about Russia’s prospects in this war and the competence of Russia’s military leaders (at least).
The destruction of the motorized rifle elements may also severely disrupt Russian efforts to isolate Severodonetsk and Lysychansk from the north. Russian troops made no attempts to advance in that area in the last 24 hours.
The very latest military analysis is that Russia has once again reduced its objectives, this time to only the Luhansk province.
What was it that allowed "Ukrainian artillerymen to kill hundreds and destroy scores of vehicles with concentrated strikes"? What was it that has slowed Russia's advance to the south and has now caused the aggressor to reset its territorial sights? What was it, fundamentally, that portends Russian citizens' discontent? It was military aid from the West — heavy equipment such as artillery that came substantially from the United States. And this, Sen. Paul has impeded just when Ukrainian soldiers need it most; that is, as they counterattack Russian forces trying to move southward to the Donbas.
Rand Paul has betrayed not only Ukraine, but the U.S. and all of Europe. President Putin would pin a medal on him if he could. Hence McConnell needs to have a long and exceptionally serious talk with Paul. Maybe slap him around a bit. Or a lot.