The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 10th, 2024: Russia's Major Escalation Against Ukraine & The Lingering Threat Of ISIS

Episode Date: May 10, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:    In a significant update on the war in Ukraine, it appears the Putin regime is gearing up for a major new ground offensive to break through Kyiv’s front-line defenses and expand their territorial hold within the country. We’ll discuss the Biden administration's efforts to repatriate Americans stranded in war-torn Syria, including a U.S.-born woman who now faces charges in New York City for allegedly receiving training from ISIS terrorists. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin.  Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is brought to you by Beam. Transform your sleep with Beam's dream. It's the secret behind 15 million nights of improved sleep. It's a lot of improved sleep right there. Fall asleep faster, you stay asleep longer, and when you wake up, you're refreshed. Come on, get up to 40% off at shopbeam.com slash PDB and use the code PDB. It's Friday, 10 May. Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin.

I'm Mike Baker. your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First, it appears that Moscow is possibly beginning the long-anticipated ground offensive in Ukraine as Russian forces attempt to break through Ukrainian front lines near the city of Kharkiv in the northeast of the country on Friday. Also, we'll discuss the Biden administration's efforts to repatriate Americans stranded in war-torn Syria, including a U.S.-born woman who now faces charges in New York City for allegedly receiving training from ISIS terrorists. Oh, good. But first, our afternoon spotlight. I want to begin with a significant update on the war in Ukraine, as it appears that Putin regime is gearing up for a major new ground

offensive to break through Kiev's front-line defenses and expand their territorial hold within the country. Russian forces mobilized an armored ground attack in the northeast of Ukraine on Friday near the city of Kharkiv, officially opening up a new front in the war. Officials with the Ukrainian defense ministry said that Russia had bombarded the area with guided aerial bombs and artillery before sending Russian forces over the border in an attempt to break Ukraine's front lines. That's according to a New York Times report. Early reports, though, indicate that the assault did not, at least for now, go very well for the Putin regime. Leaders in Kiev were reportedly expecting the attack and quickly rushed reserve units to the Kharkiv border region to help repel the incursion. Just a few hours after a Russia's attack, Ukrainian officials said that they had repelled the main Russian force,

but noted, quote, battles of varying intensity continue to play out in the region. The Ukrainian regional governor said, quote, The armed forces of Ukraine confidently hold their positions and not a single meter has been lost, end quote. Also, an unnamed sergeant in the Ukrainian military told NBC News that it was some of the most intense fighting he's seen in the area, but added that the Russian forces, quote, got their asses kicked. Ooh, easy fella. We've got kids listening to the PDB. Friday's incursion represented Russia's furthest forer. and to the northeast of Ukraine since the early days of the invasion, as ground fighting has largely

been focused to the south and the east. The Russian military claimed on Friday to have captured two unnamed settlements to the southeast of Kharkiv, but did not directly comment on military activity in the region or their efforts to break through Ukraine's front-line defenses. Ukraine has been preparing for an expected summer offensive by Russia, which has amassed some 50,000 troops along their border in the northeast region. The Kremlin has previously stated their desire to push Ukrainian forces back several miles so they can establish a buffer zone along their border. The Putin regime has been intensifying attacks throughout Ukraine in recent weeks, both on the ground and with regular missile bombardments targeting the country's critical

energy infrastructure. It appears Putin is trying to press his advantage over an outgunned Ukrainian military before international allies can help Kiev restock their weapons supplies. While the U.S. and Europe have both recently approved comprehensive aid packages for Ukraine worth billions, the delivery of weapons is, well, it's a logistical exercise, and that takes time. But an anonymous U.S. official countered that the attack appeared to be geared towards probing Ukrainian defenses rather than a full-scale assault. The official added that a clear picture of Russia's intentions likely won't emerge for several days. All right, coming up after the break, a U.S. born woman recently repatriated from Syria by the Biden administration has been charged in New York City for allegedly being trained

overseas by Islamic State terrorists. I'll be right back. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. I want to turn to the situation in war-torn Syria, which frankly often gets overlooked in the years since the collapse of the Islamic State Caliphate there, as the Biden administration seeks to repatriate American citizens stranded for years in the country. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken revealed that the Biden administration was renewing efforts to return and resettle Americans that are still stuck in Syria, some of which are suspected of fighting for ISIS. They are mostly being held in detention centers and desert camps run by a Kurdish-led militia,

according to a New York Times report. On Tuesday, they announced the repatriation of a family of 10 American citizens, five of whom are minors, along with a nine-year-old non-U.S. citizen, who was reportedly siblings with one of the other minors. It's the first time that the U.S. has accepted a non-American national from Syria. Blinken hailed it as, quote, the largest single repatriation of U.S. citizens from northeast Syria to date. Officials have said the efforts to return stranded citizens are particularly important when it comes to minors,

who they say risk radicalization if they continue to be raised in the war-torn region. For some context, some 45,000 people are effectively imprisoned in northeastern Syria by the Syrian Democratic forces, who for years did battle with ISIS terrorists in the country. Roughly 9,000 are estimated to be third-country nationals, hailing from more than the war. than 60 different countries around the world. U.S. officials have also been encouraging other countries to take back their nationals, in some cases for prosecution. However, many countries remain reticent about letting them back in through their borders. Their anxiety stems from the fact that most of the adult men who travel to Syria from Europe, America, or Asia are suspected of going there

to join the Islamic State. Well, that does seem like a good reason for not taking them back. Even in cases where the adult male has since been killed, officials are concerned about radicalization among their family members. Officials in Europe, in particular, fear they could represent a significant national security threat, as under most laws in Europe, citizens suspected of joining ISIS would only face a few years in prison before returning to society. That fear was punctuated on Tuesday after a U.S.-born woman whose family was part of this week's repatriation effort was arrested in New York City and charged with receiving military training from ISIS in Syria, according to the New York Post.

24-year-old Halima Salman and her family were reportedly brought into ISIS territory in Syria by their father in 2016. Oh, there's some good parenting. He was later killed, but before his death, he appears to have convinced his then-17-year-old daughter to join the terrorist group. A court filing in New York City accuses her of marrying an ISIS militant, and joining the Islamic States' all-female military units. You didn't know they had one of those, did you?

Among the evidence are photos from her phone, brandishing a Kalishnikov assault rifle, more commonly referred to, of course, as an AK-47, while walking around a town with ISIS flags behind her. Yeah, in the investigative world, that's what we would refer to as a clue. Her phone also contained a digital certificate saying she had successfully completed ISIS military training.

Well, this would be the easiest background investigation ever. Her attorney denies all the charges. Dude, have you seen the photos? And notes that she was an impressionable teenager under the thumb of her father. She's currently being held without bond and faces up to 10 years in prison. Her family, whose repatriation was announced by the Biden administration on Tuesday, will reside in New Hampshire and reportedly work with officials from the Department of Health and human services to reintegrate into society.

Including those brought over this week, the U.S. has repatriated 51 American citizens from Syria, including 30 children and 21 adults since the collapse of the ISIS caliphate in 2016. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Friday, 10 May. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And remember, if you want to listen to the show, free, be sure to check out our premium membership at PDBpremium.com. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back on Monday. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.