Taiwan views international support for Ukraine as a deterrent to a hypothetical Chinese invasion, while China attempts to discourage public support for Ukraine. Ukraine claims to have shot down the majority of the Russian missiles, causing fatalities and damage.
Ukraine’s air force claims to have shot down 29 out of 30 Russian missiles, including cruise missiles. However, Russia denies this and insists that all intended targets were hit. The missile strikes resulted in damage to buildings in the city of Odesa, causing the death of one civilian guard and injuring two others. China’s envoy for the Russian invasion met with Ukraine’s top diplomat, but no breakthroughs were reported as Ukraine expressed its unwillingness to lose territory to Russia. Three Russian hypersonic missile scientists are being investigated on charges of treason, leading to concerns about discouraging young scientists from working in Russia. Russian investigators are also searching universities for signs of extremism among staff and students. The G7 leaders are meeting in Hiroshima to discuss peace in Ukraine and China’s regional ambitions. China has requested that nations with embassies on Chinese soil stop publicly supporting Ukraine, referring to it as unwanted propaganda. Taiwan’s top lawmaker believes that international support for Ukraine deters a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Source: https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2023/05/the-d-brief-may-18-2023/386517/
