Insight Bureau: The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who visited Kyiv on Thursday, had admitted that the Security Council failed to go far enough in its efforts to “prevent and end” Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Let me be very clear: the Security Council failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war. And this is the source of great disappointment, frustration and anger,” he said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

During the UN chief’s visit, rockets and two blasts hit the central Shevchenko district of Kyiv, with three people taken to hospital with injuries as reported by the city mayor.

While the “Battle of Donbas” remains Russia’s main strategic focus in order to achieve its stated aim of securing control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Britain’s defence ministry said on Friday. (Reuters)

The US House gave final passage Thursday to legislation that would streamline a World War II-era military lend-lease programme to more quickly provide Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with American equipment to fight the Russian invasion. (AP)

The west’s current approach of supporting Ukraine’s war aim of defeating the aggressor,Russia and providing arms for that purpose while pointedly avoiding direct military intervention, is guaranteed to prolong the war. Russia’s progress may be slowed, but it’s highly unlikely to be stopped, far less pushed out of Ukraine, and in the meantime the grinding destruction and hideous war crimes will continue.