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US President Joe Biden is expected to announce an additional $1.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House. The significant boost in aid is expected to be headlined by the Patriot missile defense systems that are included in the package, a US official told CNN. Details of the expected weapons deal: There are two key headline deliverables: first, the Patriot missile defense systems. Complex, accurate, and expensive, they have been described as the US's "gold standard" of air defense. NATO preciously guards them, and they require the personnel who operate them – almost 100 in a battalion for each weapon – to be properly trained. The second are precision-guided munitions for Ukrainian jets. Ukraine, and Russia, largely are equipped with munitions that are "dumb" – fired roughly toward a target. Ukraine has been provided with more and more Western standard precision artillery and missiles, like Howitzers and HIMARS respectively. What difference could it make to the war? These two headline packages alone could impact the course of the war. Russia's most potent threat now is the constant bombardment of energy infrastructure. It is making winter colder and unbearable for some, plunging cities into darkness of up 12 hours a day and sometimes longer, in the hope of sapping high Ukrainian morale. Patriot air defense systems could intercept a large number of Russia's missiles and attack drones – although Ukraine already claims a high success rate; on Monday, for example, it said 30 out of 35 missiles had been stopped. The Patriot is also a sign NATO's best technology is on the table to help Ukraine win the war — or at least hold Russia back. Read more — including about Russia's expected reaction — here. 25 min ago US lawmakers may miss Zelensky's speech because of weather and flights, senator says From CNN's Manu Raju Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a rally with health care providers and the March Fourth Coalition outside the U.S. Capitol on December 7. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a rally with health care providers and the March Fourth Coalition outside the U.S. Capitol on December 7. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech may not be well attended by senators who had been planning to leave town later today assuming they can get an agreement to move to final passage on the $1.7 trillion omnibus. If the votes happen before Zelensky's speech, many senators will be racing to catch their flights home to avoid the winter storm barreling into much of the US. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who is co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and is the No. 2 in his caucus, told CNN that he is uncertain if he can attend. Durbin indicated he was not looped into the planning of Zelensky's visit to the Capitol, which was coordinated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "No indication that this would be happening," Durbin said. "And I really feel bad because I admire this man so much and he's coming at a very challenging time." Durbin said it's a "shame" many senators may not be able to attend. "And I'm struggling myself with the reality of getting home and struggling of trying to attend something like this. It depends on the schedule in the Senate more than anything." It's also unclear how many House members will be in attendance. The House has not been in session this week until Wednesday, so many members will either be traveling back to Washington today, may wait to come back to the Capitol tomorrow or may decide to vote by proxy and stay home to avoid the snowstorm. 1 hr 11 min ago How Zelensky's visit to the US will unfold today Here's the expected timing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington, DC, on Wednesday: 2 p.m. ET: Biden welcomes Zelensky to the White House 2:30 p.m. ET: Biden holds a bilateral meeting with Zelensky 4:30 p.m. ET: Biden hosts a joint press conference with Zelensky 6:15 p.m. ET: Zelensky arrives on Capitol Hill 7:30 p.m. ET: Zelensky gives an address to a joint meeting of Congress Zelensky is currently en route to the US on an American military aircraft. It is Zelensky's first overseas visit since Russia invaded his country in late February. 1 hr 14 min ago Putin says Russia's mobilization effort revealed "problems" From CNN's Uliana Pavlova Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that mobilization efforts must be modernized and digitalized after the "partial mobilization" in the fall revealed issues. "The partial mobilization carried out revealed certain problems, it is well known to everyone, which should be promptly addressed," Putin said during a meeting with Russian defense chiefs on 2023 objectives. "I know that the necessary measures are being taken, but still we need to pay attention to this and build this system in a modern way. First of all, we need to modernize the system of military commissariats," he said. Those are regional offices in charge of recruitment. On Tuesday, Putin signed a decree to create a working group that will coordinate various authorities in handling issues related to mobilization. The Kremlin has repeatedly said there is no need for a second phase of mobilization. The initial phase ended in October. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also proposed raising the conscription age for Russian mandatory military service from 18 to 21 years while increasing the limit to 30 years. Currently, Russian men aged between 18-27 can be conscripted for mandatory military service. Shoigu also called for the digitalization of enlistment offices. 1 hr 17 min ago Putin and Russian defense minister outline major investment in military in face of perceived NATO threat From CNN's Tim Lister and Uliana Pavlova Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, attend a meeting of defence chiefs in Moscow, Russia, on December 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, attend a meeting of defence chiefs in Moscow, Russia, on December 21. (Reuters) In a series of announcements on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared there would be substantial investment in many areas of the military — including increasing the size of the armed forces, accelerating weapons programs and deploying a new generation of hypersonic missiles. At an expanded meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry's board, Putin and Shoigu laid out a series of initiatives designed to prepare Russia for what Putin called "inevitable clashes" with Russia's adversaries. Military expansion: Shoigu said that the country's military must be expanded from its current 1 million personnel to 1.5 million, including a target of 695,000 volunteer contract soldiers. Russia has recently deployed an additional 150,000 soldiers to what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine — half the total number of men mobilized in the fall. Shoigu said two additional airborne assault divisions would be created. Both men made it clear that Russia's principal adversary is what they regard as an expansionist NATO that wants to weaken and even split Russia. "Given NATO's desire to build up military potential near the Russian borders, as well as to expand the alliance through Finland and Sweden, retaliatory measures are required to create an appropriate grouping of troops in northwestern Russia," Shoigu said. Shoigu announced the creation of a new Leningrad Military District in northwest Russia to create two "strategic territorial associations of the Armed Forces — the Moscow and Leningrad military districts." Nuclear updates: There were also updates on the improvement and modernization of Russia's nuclear deterrents. Shoigu announced the start of work on the deployment of Russia's latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-28 Sarmat. "Successful launches of a new heavy-class missile of the Sarmat missile system during state tests made it possible to begin work on its deployment," he said. President Putin said the system would be put on combat duty in the near future. In addition, Shoigu said the delivery to the armed forces of a new generation of hypersonic missiles — including the Zircon and the Dagger — would be accelerated. Military repairs: Shoigu also announced a shakeup in the maintenance and repair of military equipment, which has been a persistent problem since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Next year, three repair plants will be formed, and repair units in the military unit will be strengthened," Shoigu said at the meeting. In an apparent reference to corruption in the military procurement process, Shoigu said, "The transition to outsourcing in 2008-2012 led to the practical destruction of military repair bodies, which negatively affected the serviceability of weapons and equipment. Since 2012, measures have been taken to recreate them." Putin also insisted that Russia would not "repeat the mistakes of the past, when in the interests of increasing the defense capability, where it is necessary and where it is not necessary, we destroyed our economy." "We will not engage in the militarization of the country and the militarization of the economy, primarily because the achieved level of development to date, the structure of the economy do not require it. We have everything," the president said. *DEBT*FREE--Ticket Inside--You Are EligibLe!!
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