CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gov. Roy Cooper announced the North Carolina National Guard will provide support and equipment to Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russian aggression.
"The reports of war crimes perpetrated by Russian forces amid their ongoing attacks on Ukraine are heartbreaking and demand serious action," Cooper said in a statement. "North Carolina stands with the people of Ukraine and is ready to support their fight for democracy and freedom."
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the atrocities committed in towns like Bucha, where evidence of mass killings of civilians was found after Russia retreated in the face of unexpectedly stiff resistance. He called such towns “the epicenter of unbearable heartbreak and pain.”
“Wherever there is a war, the highest price is paid by civilians,” Guterres lamented, reiterating the importance of investigating alleged war crimes.
The Department of Defense requested M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) as part of a large U.S. support package to Ukraine.
In February, Cooper signed an executive order that directed state government agencies to immediately review existing contracts and operations and to terminate any agreements that directly benefit Russian entities.
Moscow's offensive in eastern Ukraine gathered momentum as several areas came under heavy shelling Thursday, amid suspicions Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to score a major battlefield success in time for Victory Day, one of Russia's proudest holidays, on May 9.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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