Moscow masses more troops on Ukraine’s border, jams its US weapons

(Originally published May 27 in “What in the World“) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated warnings that Russian forces are massing near the northwestern border to launch a new prong in their latest offensive.

Ukraine’s intelligence chief warned earlier this month that Moscow was preparing an offensive into Sumy province north of Kharkiv province. As Russia presses its attacks in Kharkiv, it has been able to use GPS-jamming systems to disrupt the targeting systems of U.S.-supplied, guided weapons. Russia’s GPS-jamming systems have apparently been successful in blocking both 155mm guided artillery systems and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or Himars, rocket launchers that helped Ukraine turn the tide earlier in the invasion.

Russia has also been able to disrupt Ukraine’s use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network for its communications. Earlier this month, Moscow put a satellite into orbit the Pentagon says is designed to attack other satellites and give it the ability to deprive enemies of access to Starlink and other space-based communications.

Kyiv is now using newly delivered, long-range U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems, or Atacms, to hit targets well behind the front lines, including the use last week of Atacms with cluster munitions to take out Russian air-defense batteries deep in Donetsk. But Zelensky is still working with key White House supporters, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to convince President Joe Biden to reverse his refusal to let Ukraine use the Atacms to hit artillery and missile sites across the border inside Russia.

The White House last week approved $275 million in fresh ammunition and other weapons to Ukrainian troops still suffering from shortages of artillery and other weaponry. It was the fourth installment of military aid since the Congress allowed the flow of American weapons to resume when it approved a foreign aid bill late last month. Ukraine’s forces have had to resort to using domestically built drones to drop explosives on invading Russian forces and destroy targets inside Russia.

The latest package includes more rockets for Ukraine’s Himars launchers, as well as anti-tank weapons and desperately scarce 155mm and 105mm artillery shells. It brings U.S. aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion to more than $51 billion.

Hamas, meanwhile, fired rockets at Tel Aviv, resulting in no casualties, while an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in southern Gaza killed 35 people. Hamas’ attack, the first against the capital in four months, underscored its continued threat six months after Israel invaded Gaza in retaliation for its Oct. 7 attack. The Israeli military said its attack on the camp in Rajah killed two Hamas leaders. Israeli forces also launched counterstrikes against Hezbollah several southern Lebanese villages.