THE M777 towed howitzer has been effective in stopping Russian advances in Ukraine (Wikipedia/USMC).

Ukrainian forces could roll back Russian invaders in its upcoming counteroffensive and even drive them out of Crimea, the head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary army suggested on Wednesday.

According to USA Today, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that with high-tech arms supplied by the U.S. and its allies, the Ukrainians could “attack Crimea, they will try to blow up the Crimean bridge, cut off supply lines. Therefore we need to prepare for a hard war.”

Crimea was part of the Ukraine until the Russians seized it unlawfully in 2014.

DeSantis announces his White House bid

RON DeSANTIS (Gov. of Florida).

Using a glitchy Twitter platform as his launching pad, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

“American decline is not inevitable – it is a choice,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “And we should use a new direction – a path that will lead to American revitalization.”

The announcement was plagued by an audio system that failed at intervals. 

He did not mention former president Donald Trump, who is considered the front-runner for the GOP nomination in 2024.

Tina Turner, star singer and more, 83

TINA TURNER

Tina Turner, one of America’s leading soul singers, is dead at the age of 83. Her death was announced Wednesday, and she reportedly  passed away at her home in Switzerland.

First as the dynamic lead vocalist of the Ike (her husband) and Tina Turner duo and later as a solo artist, she became an international star for her singing and energetic dancing. She divorced Ike and went out on her own.

She’s best known for “Proud Mary” (with Ike) and “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and “Better be Good To Me” (solo).

Weather: Clouds and sun, clouds and sun

The proverbial “May Gray” should  be hanging around for the next week or two for the West Orange County area. Thursday and Friday are expected to have morning clouds and afternoon sun with daytime highs of 68 (overnight lows of 57).  Saturday is predicted to be partly cloudy with a high of 67 (58), followed by a return to AM/PM patterns on Sunday and Monday with highs of 66 and 65.