Ukraine Russia news – live: CIA director holds secret meeting with Zelensky
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
CIA director William Burns held a secret meeting in Kyiv last week with Volodymyr Zelensky, a US official has said.
The CIA director conveyed the latest US intelligence on Russia’s intentions and acknowledged that at some point soon American assistance will be harder to come by, The Washington Post reported.
In the secret top-level meeting, Mr Zelensky and his senior intelligence officials expressed Kyiv’s concerns about how long Ukraine could expect US and Western assistance to continue following Republicans’ takeover of the House of Representatives.
It comes as Ukrainian forces admitted to “stepping back” from Soledar in what they described as a tactical move.
The Volodymyr Zelensky administration has still not confirmed the fall of Soledar, a strategically located mining town, and maintains that the “battle continues”.
And Russia has warned the West against sending long-range missiles to Ukraine as several countries including the UK pledged more support for Kyiv.
British defence minister Ben Wallace said the UK would deliver 600 more Brimstone missiles as part of a package of support from Western allies.
Key Points
Moscow issues grim warning over long range weapons
Putin ally claims defeat ‘may trigger nuclear war’
Germany sets precondition on sending tanks for Ukraine
US to send $125m to Ukraine to support energy systems
CIA director visits Kyiv, meets Zelensky
04:12 , Arpan Rai
CIA director William Burns visited Kyiv last week to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Mr Zelensky and his senior intelligence officials shared Kyiv’s key concerns about how long Ukraine could expect US and Western assistance to continue following Republicans’ takeover of the House, reported The Washington Post.
The CIA director conveyed to the war-time president about the urgency of the moment on the battlefield and acknowledged that at some point assistance would be harder to come by, The Post reported citing the people aware of the matter.
Mr Burns has briefed Zelensky repeatedly since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last February, passing on US intelligence findings about Moscow’s war plans and intentions.
CIA director visits Kyiv, meets with Ukraine's Zelenskyy
Central African Republic chief in Moscow for talks
04:00 , Liam James
Central African Republic (CAR) prime minister Felix Moloua held talks in Moscow with the leadership of Russia’s Defence Ministry, Russian news agencies reported.
The two sides discussed regional security issues and “noted the importance of Russian-Central African ties in the defence sphere”, Interfax news agency quoted the ministry as saying.
Russia has been jockeying with France in recent years for influence in Francophone Africa, not least in the CAR, a gold- and diamond-rich country of 4.7 million people.
Since 2018 the CAR government, which is fighting several rebel insurgencies, has been assisted by hundreds of Russian operatives including many from the private military contractor Wagner Group, prominent in Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.
West discuss further military assistance for Ukraine
03:49 , Arpan Rai
Western allies are discussing further military support for Ukraine amid intense pressure on Germany to authorise the release of its Leopard 2 battle tanks to bolster Kyiv’s forces in their fight against Russia.
Defence ministers and military chiefs from around 50 nations are expected to take part in the talks convened by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin at Ramstein – the main US airbase in Europe – in Germany today.
It follows the announcement at the weekend that the UK is to become the first nation to respond to president Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for modern western tanks with the dispatch of 14 British Army Challenger 2s.
Western allies discuss further military assistance for Ukraine
US’s military boost for Ukraine: 59 Bradley vehicles, 90 Strykers, 350 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles
03:44 , Arpan Rai
The US has announced a $2.5bn package of military aid including armoured military vehicles, rockets and artillery shells for Ukraine in a major boost for the war-hit country which is losing ground against Russian attacks in the eastern sector.
Ukraine will now receive 59 Bradley fighting vehicles, 90 Stryker armoured personnel carriers, 53 mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles and 350 high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, the US Department of Defence said in a statement.
A staple in the US army, the armoured Bradley carries a powerful gun and has been used to carry Americans troops around battlefields since the mid-1980s.
The latest assistance package also includes additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), eight Avenger air-defence systems, tens of thousands of artillery rounds and about 2,000 anti-armour rockets, the defence department said.
Ukrainian soldiers admit exit from Soledar - report
03:19 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian forces fighting in the Donbas town of Soledar have admitted to “stepping back” from the site of heavy fighting, which Russian mercenary group Wagner claimed to have captured last week.
“It’s quite close. One kilometre,” a Ukrainian unit commander named Andriy told BBC yesterday.
He said his soldiers have withdrawn from the town in a controlled and tactical move before a planned counter-attack.
The Volodymyr Zelensky administration has not confirmed the fall of Soledar yet and has maintained that the “battle continues”.
“We have a tough situation here,” Andriy said, and added that the Ukrainian soldiers are killing “50-100 enemy people” every day.
Sweden jails two Russian spies
03:00 , Liam James
Two Iranian-born Swedish brothers have been given lengthy prison sentences for spying for Russia and its military intelligence service GRU for a decade.
The oldest of the two naturalised Swedes, Peyman Kia, was sentenced to life, while his younger brother, Payam Kia, was sentenced to nine years and 10 months.
They had appeared before Stockholm District Court, where they faced charges of working together to pass information to Russia between 28 September 2011 and 20 September 2021. A life sentence in Sweden generally means a minimum of 20 to 25 years in prison.
Moldova requests air defence systems over Russia fears
02:00 , Liam James
Moldova has requested air defence systems from its allies as it looks to strengthen its capabilities as the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues, but Russian efforts to destabilise the country have so far failed, its president said.
“We have requested air surveillance and defence systems,” Maia Sandu said. “We understand that Ukraine is a priority and should receive that but we [also] hope to receive some.”
Several allies have sent air defence missiles to Ukraine over recent months to shield it from a brutal Russian bombing campaign which has knocked out power for millions across the country.
Moldova, which shares part of its power grid with Ukraine, has also suffered outages.
Kremlin warns Ukraine against bombing Crimea
01:00 , Liam James
The Kremlin warned that Ukrainian strikes on Russian-annexed Crimea would be “extremely dangerous”, after The New York Times reported that US officials were warming to the idea of helping Kyiv attack the peninsula.
Crimea, which is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, was seized by Moscow and declared annexed in 2014. President Vladimir Putin says the peninsula, like much of the Ukrainian land seized since February, is historically Russian.
Ukraine last summer fired a series of missile strikes on Russian airbases in Crimea. An attack on the Kerch Bridge connecting Russia to Crimea in October, which Ukraine never claimed responsibility for, was met by Russia with a devastating bombing campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure.
In a briefing on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “The mere discussion of allowing Ukraine to be supplied with arms that would allow it to attack Russian territory ... is extremely dangerous.
“It would mean taking the conflict to a new level, which would not bode well for global and pan-European security.”
Boris Johnson compares Putin to ‘the fat boy in Dickens’
00:00 , Liam James
Boris Johnson has compared Vladimir Putin to “the fat boy in Dickens” who wants to “make our flesh creep” with threats of using nuclear weapons (Maryam Zakir-Hussain writes).
Speaking about Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the former prime minister insisted that the Russian president would not resort to using nuclear weapons, dismissing the idea as “nonsense”.
He said: “Putin wants to present it as a nuclear stand-off between Nato and Russia. Nonsense. He’s not going to use nuclear weapons, okay. He’s like the fat boy in Dickens, he wants to make our flesh creep. He wants us to think about it. He’s never going to do it.”
“He’s not going to do it. Don’t go down that rabbit hole, stop it,” Mr Johnson added.
Boris Johnson compares Putin to ‘the fat boy in Dickens’
Don’t forget Zaporizhzhia, says nuclear inspector
Thursday 19 January 2023 23:00 , Liam James
The world is at risk of becoming complacement about the dangers posed by the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia atomic plant in Ukraine, the head of a UN nuclear watchdog said today.
Russian forces captured the plant, Europe’s largest, last March and it has repeatedly come under fire in recent months, raising fears of a nuclear disaster. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is working to set up a safe zone around the facility.
Grossi, speaking to reporters in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, said a nuclear accident could happen any day and reiterated the situation at the plant was very precarious.
“I worry that this is becoming routine, that people may believe that nothing has happened so far, so is the director general of the IAEA crying wolf?” he said when addressing reporters during a visit to Ukraine.
“It [an accident] can happen any time and my duty is to do everything I can to prevent that from happening.”
US and Israel talk Ukraine in Tel Aviv
Thursday 19 January 2023 22:00 , Liam James
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan discussed the war in Ukraine with Israeli leaders during a trip to Israel and the West Bank, the White House said today.
In meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and other senior officials, Mr Sullivan discussed US support for Israel’s security and continued threats posed by Iran, according to National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.
“They also discussed Ukraine, as well as the burgeoning defense partnership between Russia and Iran and its implications for security in the Middle East region,” she said in a statement.
While Israel has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has limited its assistance to Kyiv to humanitarian aid and protective gear.
US probes ‘unconfirmed’ reports of Russian spy case against American
Thursday 19 January 2023 21:00 , Liam James
Washington is looking into the matter of “unconfirmed” reports that Russia has opened a criminal case against a United States citizen on suspicion of espionage, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said today.
Mr Patel said Russia does not generally abide by obligations to provide timely notification of the detention of US citizens in Russia, adding that Washington would continue to monitor the situation.
The FSB did not name the person or provide any other details, nor did it say whether the suspect had been arrested.
Nato nations pledge ‘unprecedented’ military aid to Ukraine – but no German tanks yet
Thursday 19 January 2023 20:10 , Reuters
A group of 11 Nato countries, including Britain and Poland, have pledged an “unprecedented” raft of new military aid to support Ukraine‘s war with Russia â – but the big question of whether to send heavy Leopard 2 tanks remains unanswered, with Germany yet to lift a veto.
Speaking during a visit to Estonia, the UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace said the UK will be supplying a further 600 Brimstone precision-guided missiles in addition to its latest support package, which includes 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
“In 2023, it is time to turn the momentum that the Ukrainians have achieved in pushing back Russia into gains and making sure Russia understands that the purpose now is to push them back out of Ukraine and to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty, which is their right under international law,” he said.
“We commit to collectively pursuing delivery of an unprecedented set of donations including main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine’s defence,” a joint statement said.
Nato nations pledge ‘unprecedented’ military aid to Ukraine – but no German tanks yet
Unesco seeks loot blockade on Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 19:35 , Liam James
The United Nations is working to prevent the trafficking of looted cultural objects from Ukraine amid Russia’s war against its neighbour.
Unesco has begun training law enforcement and judiciary officials from countries on Ukraine’s western borders to identify and prevent any artistic treasures looted in the war-torn nation from crossing their borders.
Krista Pikkat, Unesco’s director of culture and emergencies, said that more than 230 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country.
She said that Unesco is working to document lost cultural objects, among them treasures from museums and archaeological sites.
EU ‘must spare no effort’ on Ukraine membership bid
Thursday 19 January 2023 19:00 , Liam James
The European Union “must spare no effort” in helping Ukraine join the 27-member bloc, European Council leader Charles Michel said on a visit to Kyiv today.
Mr Michel met President Volodymyr Zelensky and delivered an address to parliament hailing the country’s resilience amid Russia’s invasion and saying “Ukraine is the EU and the EU is Ukraine.”
Brussels granted Kyiv membership candidate status last June, just months after Russia invaded on 24 February. Mr Michel today said talks on Ukrainian membership should begin this year.
“We must spare no effort to turn this promise as fast as we can into reality,” Mr Michel said, according to a transcript of the address.
“I dream that one day, I hope soon, a Ukrainian will hold my job as President of the European Council, or as President of the European Parliament, or the Commission.”
An EU official told Reuters that Kyiv would need to improve its rule of law before joining the bloc. Last week Ukraine took a step towards reforming its judiciary by restoring an oversight body to function.
Ukraine‘s parliament has passed all the legislation sought by the EU before the start of accession talks, but implementing those laws is expected to be a long road.
Britain pushes for stronger support as Germany blocks tank move
Thursday 19 January 2023 18:20 , Liam James
Britain’s defence secretary said Nato members should be prepared to step up support for Ukraine, as allies remain at odds over sending tanks to fight the Russian invasion.
Speaking during a visit to Estonia, Ben Wallace said the UK will be supplying a further 600 Brimstone precision-guided missiles in addition to its latest support package, which includes 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
“In 2023, it is time to turn the momentum that the Ukrainians have achieved in pushing back Russia into gains and making sure Russia understands that the purpose now is to push them back out of Ukraine and to restore Ukraine‘s sovereignty, which is their right under international law,” he said.
Mr Wallace was meeting defence ministers from eastern Europe ahead of a further meeting on Friday of donor nations hosted by the United States in Ramstein, Germany.
Britain is the only country to have approved sending tanks so far. Poland and Lithuania wish to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks but have been blocked by Berlin, which says it will approve the move only if Washington agrees to send US-made Abrams tanks.
Britain at war with Russia over Ukraine, says former Nato chief
Thursday 19 January 2023 17:51 , Liam James
Britain is at war with Russia over Ukraine, a former Nato chief said.
The stark assessment was made in Britain’s House of Lords by George Robertson as he welcomed the support being provided to the Kyiv government, including the sending of 14 Challenger 2 tanks. In addition to the tanks, Britain is also providing additional artillery.
The Labour former defence secretary, who was Nato secretary general from 1999-2003, said he hoped Berlin would feel the pressure to approve the export of German-made Leopard tanks, which Poland and Lithuania wish to send to Ukraine are seen as vital in the fight against invading Kremlin forces.
Lord Robertson said: “The Ukrainians are defending themselves, but they are also, in defending their country, defending us as well.
“Vladimir Putin has made it clear that he is at war with the West and with us and we must take that extremely seriously indeed.”
Lavrov says Russia will ‘sober up’ NATO and EU
Thursday 19 January 2023 17:10 , Matt Mathers
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow would do all it could to "sober up" the European Union and NATO, which he accused of setting out to weaken and defeat Russia.
His comments came on the same day that former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned NATO that a defeat for Russia in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.
Nearly 11 months after invading Ukraine, Russia is increasingly presenting the war to its own people as an existential battle with the West. In televised comments, Lavrov said Moscow would set out to disabuse Western politicians of their "presumptuous" and "colonial" attitudes to Russia.
"I hope that the sobering up will come," Lavrov said. "We will do everything so that our colleagues from NATO and the European Union sober up as soon as possible."
He was speaking during a visit to Moscow’s close ally Belarus, which is staging air exercises with Russia this week - part of a long series of joint military activities that have drawn concern from Ukraine that President Vladimir Putin may seek to draw Belarus into the war on Russia’s side.
Denmark to send artillery to Ukraine, delaying own build-up
Thursday 19 January 2023 16:40 , Matt Mathers
Denmark said on Thursday it will donate 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery systems to Ukraine, fulfilling the wish of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy but stunting the Nordic country’s own military build-up.
Kyiv last month asked Copenhagen to supply the weapons systems, sparking a debate in Denmark over whether the country could afford to donate much-needed artillery at the expense of its own armament as it seeks to build up depleted stock.
"We have been in continuous contact with the Ukrainians about the Caesar artillery in particular and I am happy that we have now received broad support from the Danish parliament to donate it to Ukraine’s freedom struggle," Defence minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said in a statement.
UK, Poland, others pledge to pursue 'unprecedented' military support for Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 16:14 , Matt Mathers
A group of nine nations including Britain, Poland and the Netherlands on Thursday pledged to pursue providing an "unprecedented set of donations" including main battle tanks to help Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
"We commit to collectively pursuing delivery of an unprecedented set of donations including main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine’ss defence," a joint statement said.
The statement, published on the British government website, was made by the defence ministers of Britain, Estonia, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, and representatives from Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Slovakia following a meeting in Estonia.
Pro-Ukrainian activists in Serbia file criminal complaint against Wagner group
Thursday 19 January 2023 15:50 , Matt Mathers
Serbian and pro-Ukraine activists filed criminal complaints against Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group and its supporters on Thursday, accusing it of recruiting Serbs to fight in Ukraine.
Cedomir Stojkovic, a Belgrade-based lawyer who also leads the October civic group, said that those accused include Russia’s ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, and Aleksandar Vulin, head of Serbia’s state Security and Information Agency (BIA).
“We have reasonable suspicion that Vulin ... gave orders, directives and guidelines that the activities of the Wagner Group in Serbia should not be prevented,” he said.
Stojkovic said that Botsan-Kharchenko, who enjoys diplomatic immunity, could not be prosecuted in Serbia, but that he should be ordered to leave the country.
Once a criminal complaint is filed, it is up to the state prosecutor to decide whether or not to proceed.
Neither Russian embassy to Belgrade, nor the BIA replied to requests for comment.
Group of countries pledges support for Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 15:34 , Matt Mathers
A group of countries has pledged a raft of new military aid for Ukraine, they said in a statement on Thursday ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kyiv scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday.
The aid from countries including Estonia, Latvia and Poland will include tens of stinger air defence systems, s-60 anti-aircraft guns, machine guns and training, according to a statement.
Moscow issues grim warning over long range weapons
Thursday 19 January 2023 15:27 , Matt Mathers
The Kremlin has warned the West against sending long-range missiles to Ukraine as Nato countries come under pressure to intervene in the war.
"Potentially, this is extremely dangerous, it will mean bringing the conflict to a whole new level, which, of course, will not bode well from the point of view of global and pan-European security," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier.
His comments came as Ukraine ramped up its call for Western countries to send more aid as the war fast approaches its one-year anniversary.
Russia's Putin holds second phone call in just over a week with Iranian president
Thursday 19 January 2023 15:15 , Matt Mathers
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone call with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday, the Kremlin said, their second conversation in nine days.
In a brief readout of the call, it said the two presidents discussed the situation in Syria - where both have backed President Bashar al-Assad in a long-running civil war - and cooperation in transport and energy. The statement made no reference to the war in Ukraine.
Iran has taken on greater importance as a partner for Russia since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last February triggered waves of Western sanctions against Moscow. Tehran has acknowledged supplying Russia with military drones, though it says they were sent before the war started.
The United States said last week that Iran could be contributing to war crimes in Ukraine by providing drones to Russia.
Estonia to send $122m arms package to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 14:50 , Matt Mathers
Estonia will send military equipment to Ukraine worth some 113 million euros ($122 million) in its latest package of support for the war against Russia, the Baltic country’s defence minister said on Thursday.
"What Ukrainians need most is heavy weaponry," Estonian defence minister Hanno Pevkur told a joint news conference with his British counterpart and others.
UK to send 600 Brimstone missiles to help Ukraine - defence minister
Thursday 19 January 2023 14:33 , Matt Mathers
Britain plans to send 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia, defence secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday.
"I can say we’re also going to send another 600 Brimstone missiles into theatre which will be incredibly important in helping Ukraine dominate the battlefield," he said from the Tapa army base in Estonia.
Naftogaz ex-CEO suspected of embezzlement, Ukraine anti-graft agency says
Thursday 19 January 2023 14:06 , Matt Mathers
A former head of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz is suspected of embezzling the equivalent of around $10 million, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine said on Thursday.
The person under suspicion was “the Naftogaz CEO (2014-2021)”, the agency said in a statement.
It said it had notified the individual that he was suspected of illegally awarding himself a bonus in 2018 “for extraordinary achievements”.
Andriy Kobolyev, who was chairman and CEO of the company during that time, said in a Facebook post that he had returned to Ukraine from a trip abroad after learning that the investigation was being prepared in order to avoid a perception that he had fled.
“I am definitely not planning to do this (flee), but am planning to prove my innocence,” he wrote.
He has denied any wrongdoing by Naftogaz officials during his administration.
Zelensky calls for urgency in arms supplies to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 13:50 , Matt Mathers
President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine’s allies on Thursday to supply Kyiv with more arms as soon as possible, saying this would help guarantee the security of Ukraine and Europe.
Zelensky made the remarks through an interpreter while speaking in Kyiv at a joint news conference with visiting European Council President Charles Michel.
Earllier, Mr Zelensky said in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos that Western supplies of tanks and air defence units should come more quickly and before Russia mounted fresh missile and armoured assaults.
Moldova requests air defence systems over Russia fears
Thursday 19 January 2023 13:30 , Matt Mathers
Moldova has requested air defence systems from its allies as it looks to strengthen its capabilities as the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues, but Russian efforts to destabilise the country have so far failed, its president said on Thursday.
"We have requested air surveillance and defence systems," Maia Sandu told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. "We understand that Ukraine is a priority and should receive that but we (also) hope to receive some."
Sandu added that the country would need at least the same amount - 600 million euros (around $650 million) - of budget support in 2023 as last year, to help shield its population from inflation. ($1 = 0.9257 euros).
Ukraine urges Jewish organisations to condemn Lavrov Holocaust comments
Thursday 19 January 2023 13:00 , Matt Mathers
Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson urged Jewish organisations on Thursday to condemn comments by Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov comparing Western measures against Russia to the Holocaust.
Lavrov said the United States had assembled a coalition of European countries to solve "the Russian question" in the same way that Adolf Hitler had sought a "final solution" to eradicate Europe’s Jews.
"We call on Jewish organisations to condemn Sergei Lavrov’s shameful statement equating Russians, who are waging a war of aggression against a sovereign nation, with Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Twitter.
"Russia’s state-sponsored anti-Semitism must not be tolerated," he said.
UNESCO tries to prevent trafficking of looted Ukrainian art
Thursday 19 January 2023 12:30 , Matt Mathers
The United Nations’ cultural organisation is trying to prevent the trafficking of looted cultural objects by training police and judiciary officials from countries on Ukraine’s western border.
Unesco joined forces with Poland’s culture ministry to hold three days of workshops in Warsaw this week for officials from Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.
Representatives from Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia last February, also attended the training, which began on Wednesday.
The aim is for the officials to be able to spot and prevent any artistic treasures looted in Ukraine from crossing their borders.
Krista Pikkat, Unesco’s director of culture and emergencies, said more than 230 cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine since Russia invaded.
Lunchtime re-cap
Thursday 19 January 2023 12:00 , Matt Mathers
Ukraine pleaded on Thursday for the West to finally send it heavy tanks as the defence chiefs of the United States and Germany headed for a showdown over weapons that Kyiv says could decide the fate of the war.
DIPLOMACY
* US defence secretary Lloyd Austin met Germany’s new defence minister Boris Pistorius on Thursday to press Berlin to allow the transfer of German-made tanks to Ukraine, US officials said, as the two allies remained at loggerheads over the issue.
* A US official said the Biden administration was set to approve a new aid package to Ukraine, worth more than $2 billion, which would likely include Stryker armoured vehicles for Kyiv, but not M1 Abrams tanks.
* Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos that Western supplies of tanks and air defence units should come more quickly and before Russia mounted fresh missile and armoured assaults.
* The Kremlin said that the sooner Ukraine accepted Russia’s demands, the sooner the conflict there could end.
* The Swedish government announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine that will include armoured infantry fighting vehicles and the Archer artillery system.
CONFLICT
* The Kremlin said Ukrainian strikes on Russian-annexed Crimea would be "extremely dangerous", after the New York Times reported that US officials were warming to the idea of helping Kyiv attack the peninsula.
* Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, warned the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that the defeat of Russia in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.
* The founder of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces had taken the village of Klishchiivka, on the edge of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, but said that Ukrainian forces could not be forced from Bakhmut swiftly.
Ex-UK PM Johnson urges allies to double down on Ukraine support
Thursday 19 January 2023 11:35 , Matt Mathers
Former British prime minister Boris Johnson on Thursday urged allies to double down on sending military equipment to support Ukraine and speed up an end to fighting in the war with Russia.
"There is nothing to be lost by doubling down on the material that we are sending to Ukraine and there is nothing to fear in escalation, and the best thing for the world is to get this thing done, and done fast," Johnson said in an interview as part of the Reuters Impact Arctic Warning series in Davos.
"That is the cheapest solution. It’s the solution that has the lowest in human life and suffering."
Kremlin: Ukrainian strikes on Crimea would be 'extremely dangerous'
Thursday 19 January 2023 11:05 , Matt Mathers
The Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukrainian strikes on Russian-annexed Crimea would be "extremely dangerous"
after the New York Times reported that US officials were warming to the idea of helping Kyiv attack the peninsula.
Crimea, which is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine, was seized by Moscow and declared annexed in 2014. President Vladimir Putin says the peninsula, like much of the Ukrainian land seized since February, is historically Russian.
In a briefing on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters:"The mere discussion of allowing Ukraine to be supplied with arms that would allow it to attack Russian territory ... is extremely dangerous.
"It would mean taking the conflict to a new level, which would not bode well for global and pan-European security."
US defence secretary thanks close ally Germany before tanks talks
Thursday 19 January 2023 10:45 , Matt Mathers
Germany remains one of the most important allies for Washington, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said at his first meeting with his new German counterpart on Thursday before crunch talks on sending German-made tanks to Ukraine.
"Germany remains one of our most important allies ... I’d like to thank the German government for all that it has done to strengthen Ukraine’s self-defense," Austin said at the start of his meeting with new German minister Boris Pistorius. He did not specifically mention the issue of tanks.
Pistorius, sworn in as minister only hours earlier, said Germany was ready to support Ukraine and that Berlin stood shoulder to shoulder with its allies.
"Together with our partners, we will continue to support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and territorial independence and sovereignty."
Sweden to send infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 10:16 , Matt Mathers
The Swedish government announced on Thursday a new package of military aid to Ukraine that will include armoured infantry fighting vehicles and said it had ordered its defence forces to prepare shipment of the artillery system Archer.
The package is worth 4.3 billion Swedish crowns ($419 million) and will also include NLAW anti-tank weapons.
"Military support to Ukraine is absolutely crucial," prime minister Ulf Kristersson told a news conference. "Ukraine’s wishes in terms of what they want carries a lot of weight in our decision."
Sweden will send about 50 of its tracked and armoured Type 90 infantry fighting vehicle. The government did not specify how many Archer systems it would supply.
Ukrainian soldiers get training to clear landmines
Thursday 19 January 2023 09:50 , Matt Mathers
Experts in landmine-plagued Cambodia have been teaching clearing skills to Ukrainian soldiers.
They hope their decades of experience will help the Europeans in their efforts to remove Russian mines at home.
Wearing protective armour, helmets and visors, the group of 15 Ukrainians was walked through a minefield being actively cleared on Thursday.
They were guided along cleared routes through a former battlefield in the north-west Battambang province by trainers with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (Cmac), a government agency overseeing the clearing of landmines and unexploded ordnance in the country.
Captain Arsenii Diadchenko, who led the Ukrainians, said the training has so far been "quick and fast" with some good lessons.
"It will be very helpful in clearing our area of Russian mines," he told reporters on the sidelines of the exercise.
I’ll strengthen army, Germany’s new defence minister says
Thursday 19 January 2023 09:22 , Matt Mathers
Germany’s incoming defence minister said on Thursday it was his job to strengthen the armed forces so that they could do their job at a time of war in Europe with Russia waging war against Ukraine.
"These are not normal times, we have a war raging in Europe,” Boris Pistorius said.
Russia is waging a brutal war of annihilation on a sovereign country, on Ukraine," Boris Pistorius said after a ceremony at the defence ministry, adding that the task ahead was a huge challenge.
"Our task is to make the Bundeswehr strong now, it is about deterrence, effectiveness and readiness. And it is about continuing to support Ukraine, also with materiel of the Bundeswehr," he said.
German president says armed forces must protect nation, pledges support to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 08:56 , Matt Mathers
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier promised further military support to Ukraine on Thursday and warned the incoming defence minister that Germany’s armed forces must once again become capable of protecting the nation.
Social Democrat Boris Pistorius was officially made defence minister on Thursday, at a time when Germany is under growing pressure from Western allies to allow German-made battle tanks to be used in Ukraine to strengthen its defence against Russia’s invasion.
Mr Pistorius is due to meet his US counterpart Lloyd Austin later on Thursday and on Friday defence leaders from around 50 countries and NATO gather at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base to discuss how to supply Kyiv with more weapons.
A German government source has told Reuters that Berlin will only allow German-made tanks to be sent to Ukraine if the United States agrees to send its own tanks.
Russia's FSB spy agency opens espionage case against US citizen
Thursday 19 January 2023 08:30 , Matt Mathers
Russia has opened a criminal case against a United States citizen on suspicion of espionage, its Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday.
The FSB did not name the person or provide any other details, nor did it say whether the suspect had been arrested.
"The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has opened a criminal case against a US citizen on the grounds of a crime under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - ‘Espionage,’" the FSB said in a statement.
"The American is suspected of collecting intelligence on biological topics directed against the security of the Russian Federation," the FSB said.
It did not elaborate on the nature of the allegations.
The US embassy could not be immediately reached for comment.
‘Another terrible day of war'
Thursday 19 January 2023 08:16 , Matt Mathers
Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his sorrow at “another terrible day of war” following the deaths of 15 people as a result of a helicopter crash near Kyiv yesterday.
In his nightly address, the Ukraine president thanked all those involved in the rescue operation in Kyiv’s Brovary region. The aircraft came down near a residential building and a nursery, with several children and Ukraine government officials among the dead.
Read Mr Zelensky’s address in full below:
“Ukrainians!
Another day of this terrible war, these tragedies that our people are going through, is coming to an end. A terrible day that we must go through, must endure. And we will endure.
The rescue operation lasted almost nine hours in Brovary, Kyiv region, on the scene of the crash of a SES helicopter. Hundreds of people were involved in extinguishing the fire, searching and rescuing the injured, carrying out the initial investigative actions. Our rescuers, police officers, National Guard soldiers, doctors, psychologists, employees of the Security Service of Ukraine.
I thank everyone involved in this rescue operation today.
I would like to thank the educators of the kindergarten on the territory of which the helicopter crashed. Mrs. Ruslana, Mrs. Olena, Mrs. Tamara, Mrs. Kateryna and all the employees of the kindergarten - I thank you! Thank you for your bold actions, for taking the children out.
I would also like to thank the ordinary residents of Brovary, in particular Mrs. Diana, Mrs. Nadiya and others who helped both the children and the wounded.
I am grateful to Hlib and Andriy, the guys who also kept self-control and helped.
25 people were injured, including 11 children. 14 people were killed, including one child. My condolences to all those who lost their loved ones!
The Security Service of Ukraine has initiated a criminal investigation into this terrible event. I have instructed the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, in cooperation with all other authorized bodies, to clarify all the circumstances of the crash.
Today, all the necessary decisions were made regarding the management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system. We have lost people who were professionals, patriots and reliable managers. Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, Yevhen Yenin, and their colleagues who died in the crash are not people who can be easily replaced. It is a truly great loss for the state. My condolences to the families.
The Ministry will be temporarily headed by the Head of the National Police of Ukraine. The tasks for which the Minister was responsible in the context of our defense operation and ensuring the security of the state have also been distributed. The border, the situation in the frontline area, the participation of the National Guard and the police in the fighting are under control.
As soon as clear facts are established as to what exactly led to the crash, we will provide this information.
Today, as always, we have been in touch with our military all day long. The situation at the front remains difficult, with the epicenter of the most fierce and principled battles in Donbas.
We notice a gradual increase in the number of shelling occasions and attempts at offensive actions by the occupiers.
I am grateful to all our warriors who are holding their positions! I thank the warriors of the 68th separate hunting brigade and the 36th separate marine brigade for hitting the enemy very effectively and for the resilience we need in Donbas!
I also thank the units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the actions that reduce the chances of the occupiers.
Today it was announced that Canada is preparing a powerful defense assistance package for Ukraine. In particular, it will include armored vehicles. This is very timely and significant. I thank Canada for its continued support and for the fact that we are preparing together for Russia’s attempt to intensify its attacks. No one in the world today will remain unaware of the plans of the terrorist state.
I took part in the Davos Forum. The message from Ukraine is very simple and honest: no one in the free world has the opportunity to dawdle now.
I know that in the near future there will be new and really necessary steps in support of our defense. We will do our best to ensure that there are as many such steps as necessary to defeat the terrorists.
Glory to all our warriors!”
Putin ally claims defeat ‘may trigger nuclear war’
Thursday 19 January 2023 08:03 , Matt Mathers
Russia’s defeat in its war against Ukraine could “trigger a nuclear war”, an ally of President Vladimir Putin has claimed.
Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, reportedly made the comments on Telegram while discussing Nato support for Kyiv.
“Nuclear powers have never lost major conflicts on which their fate depends,” he said. “Defeat of a nuclear power in a conventional war may trigger a nuclear war”
Ukraine urges West to hurry up with supplies of tanks, air defences
Thursday 19 January 2023 07:55 , Matt Mathers
Ukraine urged Western allies on Thursday to hurry up and supply tanks and air defences to Kyiv, saying it was paying with Ukrainian lives at the front for the slow pace of discussions in foreign capitals.
"We have no time, the world does not have this time," said Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
EU president heads to Kyiv
Thursday 19 January 2023 07:30 , Arpan Rai
European Union council’s president Charles Michel has said that he is going to Kyiv today in a show of support.
“On my way to #Kyiv. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for the future of their children. But they are also fighting for our common European values of peace and prosperity. They need and deserve our support,” the top EU official said on Twitter.
On my way to #Kyiv.
Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for the future of their children.
But they are also fighting for our common European values of peace and prosperity.
They need and deserve our support. pic.twitter.com/ewLY4E9udX— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) January 19, 2023
Ukraine helicopter crash kills at least 14 including minister on way to ‘hotspot’ combat zone
Thursday 19 January 2023 06:58 , Arpan Rai
At least 14 people including Ukraine’s interior minister and a child were killed when a helicopter crashed on its way to a combat “hotspot” in the northeastern city of Kharkiv (Thomas Kingsley writes).
Interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi, who oversaw Ukraine’s police and emergency services, is the most senior Kyiv official to die since Russia invaded nearly 11 months ago.
The head of the national police, Ihor Klimenko, said that Mr Monastyrskyi’s first deputy, Yevheniy Yenin, and the interior ministry’s state secretary also died when the aircraft came down on Wednesday morning beside a nursery in Brovary, a suburb to the east of Kyiv.
Child and minister among 14 killed as helicopter crashes in Ukraine
Russia likely bringing its new battle tanks to Ukraine war - MoD
Thursday 19 January 2023 06:42 , Arpan Rai
The British defence minister has assessed that Russia is likely considering deploying a small number of its new T-14 Armata main battle tanks in Ukraine.
“In late December 2022, imagery showed T-14s on a training area in southern Russia: the site has been associated with pre-deployment activity for the Ukraine operation,” the defence ministry said today in its latest intelligence update.
(2 of 6)
In late December 2022, imagery showed T-14s on a training area in southern Russia: the site has been associated with pre-deployment activity for the Ukraine operation. pic.twitter.com/YzUnQ0147p— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 19, 2023
It pointed out that this comes after pro-government Russia media outlets claimed that T-14s were being prepared for deployment. However, it is unclear whether Russia has yet moved the type into Ukraine, the ministry said.
“Any T-14 deployment is likely to be a high-risk decision for Russia. Eleven years in development, the programme has been dogged with delays, reduction in planned fleet size, and reports of manufacturing problems,” it added. An additional challenge for Russia, the ministry said, is adjusting its logistics chain to handle T-14 because it is larger and heavier than other Russian tanks.
“If Russia deploys T-14, it will likely primarily be for propaganda purposes. Production is probably only in the low tens, while commanders are unlikely to trust the vehicle in combat,” the MoD said.
US packing massive security aid for Ukraine, including Stryker combat vehicles
Thursday 19 January 2023 06:31 , Arpan Rai
The US is building up finalise a huge military aid package for Ukraine worth $2.5bn, including weaponry – and in a first – Stryker combat vehicles, reported CNN, citing two sources briefed on the next tranche of aid.
While the package is not yet finalised, one of sources said, it could come before the end of the week.
The latest US aid would also include more armoured Bradley Fighting Vehicles combined with the Strykers. This will mark a significant escalation in the armoured vehicles the US has committed to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, are also on the list, the person said, reported CNN. The US has already committed to sending Ukraine nearly 500 MRAPs.
The state department spokesperson Ned Price said “Two words: stay tuned” when asked by the CNN if the White House was preparing to announce another Ukraine security package.
Canada to send 200 armoured vehicles to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 06:00 , Liam James
Canada will send 200 Senator armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine as part of a new package of military assistance, defence minister Anita Anand said on a visit to Kyiv today.
The Canadian defence ministry said in a statement that Ukraine had specifically requested the vehicles and that Ms Anand was meeting officials including defence minister Oleksii Reznikov in the Ukrainian capital.
“This aid is valued at over C$90m (£54m) and is allocated as part of the additional C$500m (£300m) in military aid for Ukraine announced by Prime Minister Trudeau in November 2022,” it said.
The remainder of the C$500m will be made up by the Nasams surface-to-air missile system Canada announced last week it would be sending.
LLyod Austin reaches Berlin ahead of talks over supplying military help to Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 05:53 , Arpan Rai
US secretary of defence Lloyd J Austin III has reached Berlin to meet his new German counterpart ahead of the Ukraine defence contact group meeting at Ramstein Air Base later this week.
The secretary will meet the newly appointed German defence minister Boris Pistorius as well today.
“We’ve worked with Germany very closely since the beginning of this crisis,” a US senior defence official said speaking on background.”
The United States is really focused right now on making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to deal with what is right in front of it,” the official said.
The secretary of defence will be joined by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A Milley at Ramstein.
“This will be the eighth meeting of the UDCG and the fifth in-person session since the international group was formed in April. They will join ministers of defence and chiefs of defence from nearly 50 nations from around the world to discuss Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and the continued close coordination to provide the Ukrainian people with the means necessary to defend their sovereign territory,” a statement from the US department of defence said.
US eyes shifting dynamic in Ukraine war without Abrams tanks
Thursday 19 January 2023 05:34 , Arpan Rai
The United States is looking to break the dynamic of grinding warfare inflicted by Russia as front lines in Ukraine remain near-frozen with newly announced military capabilities that it hopes will catapult Kyiv’s offensive against Russian forces, a senior Pentagon official has said.
But, the Pentagon is still not prepared to fulfil Kyiv’s calls for gas-guzzling M1 Abrams main battle tanks, said Colin Kahl, the Pentagon’s top policy adviser.
“I just don’t think we’re there yet,” Mr Kahl said, after just returning from a trip to Ukraine.
“The Abrams tank is a very complicated piece of equipment. It’s expensive. It’s hard to train on. It has a jet engine.”
The west and Ukraine have entered a stalemate with demands of modern battle tanks as Volodymyr Zelensky has urged his allies, especially those in Europe to help his troops with better artillery instead of the Soviet-era tanks still being used.
Nato chief urges ‘significant increase’ in weapons for Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 05:00 , Liam James
Ukraine needs a “significant increase” in weapons at a pivotal moment in Russia’s invasion and such support is the only way to a negotiated peaceful solution, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said.
Nato and defence leaders from around 50 countries will hold talks at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base on Friday, the latest in a series of meetings since Russian forces swept into Ukraine nearly 11 months ago.
“This is a pivotal moment in the war and the need for a significant increase in support for Ukraine,” Mr Stoltenberg told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“If we want a negotiated peaceful solution tomorrow we need to provide more weapons today.”
US to send $125m to Ukraine to support energy systems
Thursday 19 January 2023 04:56 , Arpan Rai
The US will provide $125m to Ukraine to support its war-hit energy and electric grids battered in the targeted attacks on those utilities by Russian forces, secretary of state Antony Blinken has said.
“USAID will utilize the $125m to procure vital equipment including additional gas turbines, high voltage autotransformers, distribution substation repair equipment, and backup power for Kyiv’s water supply and district heating services,” US administrator Samantha Power has said.
She announced the Biden administration’s intent to work with Congress to provide $125m to support the resilience of Ukraine’s energy and utility infrastructure in the face of the Russian federation’s relentless, systematic attacks. Funding will be drawn from the 2023 Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act passed in December, she said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“Since the beginning of the war, and particularly since October 2022, the Russian Federation forces have deliberately targeted critical infrastructure like heating, power, and gas systems in an effort to weaponise the winter,” the US official said yesterday. She
Ukraine has demonstrated tremendous resilience in the wake of these attacks, she said, adding that utility workers have routinely risked their lives to repair the damage, often within hours of air strikes.
Germany sets precondition on sending tanks for Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 04:00 , Arpan Rai
Olaf Scholz’s administration has said Germany will allow its indigenous tanks to be sent to Ukraine to help defend against Russia only if the United States agrees to send its own tanks, government sources have told Reuters.
This comes despite pleading from Ukraine which has sought its European allies to help with military aid and outpace Russian missile offensive.
Chancellor Scholz has stressed the condition about US tanks several times in recent days behind closed doors, the German government source said.
Berlin has flexed its veto power in this latest move to deny Ukraine the superior Leopard tanks among the Nato, fielded by Nato-allied armies across Europe.
Defence experts have condemned the move as the sought after Leopard tanks, considered to be among the best in west’s possession, as it was dubbed to be the most suitable for Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been calling on nations to provide for new modern Western weapons, especially heavy battle tanks, so it can regain momentum this year following some battlefield successes in the second half of 2022.
Obtuse, perverse and idiotic. “Germany won’t allow allies to ship German-made tanks to Ukraine to help its defense against Russia nor send its own systems unless the U.S. agrees to send American-made battle tanks, senior German officials said on Wednesday” https://t.co/K6uthyawdh
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) January 18, 2023
Russian warbloggers can’t hold the line on Soledar
Thursday 19 January 2023 04:00 , Liam James
Russian warbloggers are unable to find agreement on the state of the Kremlin’s claim to Soledar, the Ukrainian town which Moscow said it had taken over last week after days of heavy fighting.
The difficulty, according to military observers, is that the Kremlin has yet to find a way of framing advances in the small Donetsk mining town as tactically significant in Russia’s wider goal of capturing the Donbas region.
Last week, some analysts said Russian capture of Soledar could block supply lines for Ukrainian troops defending the nearby city of Bakhmut – now bloggers such as the widely-followed Rybar and Readovka are at odds on the most important impact of the claimed capture.
In its daily update on the Ukraine war, the Institute for the Study of War said: “The fact that the Russian information space has not identified the key ground line of communication that Russian forces are now better positioned to take, or any other operational advantage associated with Russian tactical advances in Soledar further underscores that the offensive to capture the settlement has not significantly changed Russian operations in the wider Bakhmut area.”
Cleverly urges ‘coordination’ on Ukraine
Thursday 19 January 2023 03:24 , Arpan Rai
British foreign secretary praised Canada’s contribution to Ukraine, as he stressed that allies “integrate” but “don’t duplicate”.
The top British official was being asked whether the country was making its fair share of commitments to Nato and the war in Ukraine.
It comes as the Canadian Government announced plans to donate 200 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
Mr Cleverly, who met with US secretary of state Antony Blinken on Tuesday, said “Canada is doing a huge amount for Ukraine”.
“One of the things that we need to understand is that the whole point of an alliances is that we integrate what we do, that we don’t duplicate unless desirable to or less absolutely necessary, that we coordinate and we make sure that we bring our respective strengths to the table.
Read the full story here:
Cleverly stresses ‘coordination’ on Ukraine as he praises Canadian contribution
Ukraine appoints acting interior minister after crash
Thursday 19 January 2023 02:30 , Liam James
Ukraine’s government appointed national police chief Ihor Klymenko as acting interior minister after the former office holder was among at least 17 people killed in a helicopter crash near Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Mr Shmyhal announced the appointment hours after Denys Monastyrskyi’s death.
He said Mr Klymenko had officially been appointed to the role of deputy interior minister, but would fulfil the responsibilities of the minister.
Russia in it ‘for the long haul’, says Nato deputy
Thursday 19 January 2023 01:30 , Liam James
Russia is preparing for an extended war so Nato must get ready “for the long haul” and support Ukraine for as long as it takes, the alliance’s deputy secretary general told top military chiefs from across Europe.
Speaking at the opening of the military leaders’ meeting in Brussels, Mircea Geoana said Nato nations must invest more in defence, ramp up military industrial manufacturing, and harness new technologies to prepare for future wars.
As Russia’s war on Ukraine nears the one-year mark, Nato chiefs are expected to discuss how allies can expand the delivery of weapons, training and support to Ukraine in the coming months, and how they can further shore up their own defences.
“We have no indication that Putin’s goals have changed,” said Mr Geoana, adding that Russia has mobilised more than 200,000 additional troops.
“So we must be prepared for the long haul. 2023 will be a difficult year and we need to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Gazprom shipments via Ukraine drop
Thursday 19 January 2023 00:30 , Liam James
Russia’s Gazprom said it will ship 32.6 million cubic metres of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Wednesday, a volume in line with recent days but around 20 per cent lower than daily shipments recorded in the final months of last year.
Europe has turned away from Russin gas since the invasion but has not completely cut off the supply.
Russian crude oil exports to the European Union fell by 270,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 0.9 million bpd in December from the previous month, International Energy Agency (IEA) data showed.
The EU has imposed a price cap on Russian oil at $60 per barrel in order to limit price surges driven by lower supply.
West must move faster than Russia, Zelensky tells Davos
Wednesday 18 January 2023 23:32 , Liam James
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says Western supplies of weapons must outpace Russia’s attacks and urged the world to move faster in its decision-making because “tragedies are outpacing life; the tyranny is outpacing democracy”.
In a video address on Wednesday to the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Zelensky stood and asked for a moment of silence for victims of the helicopter crash in Ukraine, who included his interior minister.
He said that the world needs to react quicker to challenges like global security, climate change and hunger, saying there’s a “time crisis”.
Mr Zelensky said that Russia started the war, and the world needed days to react with the first sanctions, with “the time the free world uses to think is used by the terrorist state to kill”.
He said the world must not hesitate: “The supplying of Ukraine with air defence systems must outpace Russia’s vast missile attacks. The supplies of Western tanks must outpace another invasion of Russian tanks.”
Russian attacks on Bakhmut repelled, says Ukraine
Wednesday 18 January 2023 22:30 , Liam James
Ukraine’s military said its troops repelled attacks in the eastern city of Bakhmut and the village of Klishchiivka just south of it.
Russia has focused on Bakhmut in recent weeks, claiming last week to have taken the mining town of Soledar on its northern outskirts.
Ukraine helicopter crash kills at least 14 including minister on way to ‘hotspot’ combat zone
Wednesday 18 January 2023 21:30 , Liam James
At least 14 people including Ukraine’s interior minister and a child were killed when a helicopter crashed on its way to a combat “hotspot” in the northeastern city of Kharkiv (Thomas Kingsley writes).
Interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi, who oversaw Ukraine’s police and emergency services, is the most senior Kyiv official to die since Russia invaded nearly 11 months ago.
The head of the national police, Ihor Klimenko, said that Mr Monastyrskyi’s first deputy, Yevheniy Yenin, and the interior ministry’s state secretary also died when the aircraft came down on Wednesday morning beside a nursery in Brovary, a suburb to the east of Kyiv.
Child and minister among 14 killed as helicopter crashes in Ukraine
Turkey expects US F-16 sale to go ahead
Wednesday 18 January 2023 20:40 , Reuters
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he expected the US to approve a $20bn (£16bn) sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, saying the planned acquisition is in line with the “joint strategic interests” of both Washington and Ankara.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is hosting Mr Cavusoglu in Washington, for the first time since the Biden administration took office almost two years ago, in a visit during which the Ukraine war, F-16 deal and Ankara’s refusal to green light Nato membership for Sweden and Finland will be front and centre.
The Biden administration has expressed its support for the sale of the jets to Turkey, despite opposition from the US Congress over Ankara’s problematic human rights record and Syria policy, as it seeks to keep Nato unity in the face of Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking before a meeting with Blinken at the State Department, Mr Cavusoglu said the F-16 deal was important not only for Turkey but for Nato and the United States and appeared confident that it would go ahead.
“So we expect the approval in line with our joint strategic interests,” he said in brief remarks.
White House ‘offended’ by Russian minister’s Hitler comparison
Wednesday 18 January 2023 20:10 , Liam James
The White House said Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s statement comparing the United States’ assembly coalition to take on Russia to Adolf Hitler’s actions to eradicate Jews in Europe “truly offensive.”
“It’s almost so absurd that it’s not worth responding to, other than the truly offensive manner in which he tried to cast us in terms of Hitler and the Holocaust,” White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
Mr Lavrov earlier today said the United States had assembled a coalition of European countries to solve “the Russian question” in the same way that Adolf Hitler had sought a “final solution” to eradicate Europe’s Jews.
The Kremlin minister, who caused an international furore last year with remarks about Hitler, said Washington was using the same tactic as Napoleon and the Nazis in trying to subjugate Europe in order to destroy Russia.
Kyiv helicopter crash is a grave blow to Ukraine’s war efforts and a personal loss for Zelensky
Wednesday 18 January 2023 19:40 , Liam James
Kim Sengupta recalls his encounter with Ukraine’s late interior minister days before the war:
In the days leading up to the war in Ukraine there was still flickering hope that negotiations could work out and that peace would prevail in the gathering darkness.
However, interior minister Denys Monastyrsky had little doubt Vladimir Putin was determined to invade. To demonstrate the extent of Moscow’s military build-up on the border, he took a group of journalists to the Donbas.
In the town of Novoluhanske, we came under sustained fire. “You see, they did this without provocation,” he exclaimed as we took cover. “This is what the people around here have to live with every day. The Russians are creating false stories and carrying out this kind of bombing, they are creating excuses for war.”
Two Ukrainian soldiers – Anton Sydorov, 35, the father of three daughters, and 34-year-old Denys Kononenko, the father of a young son – were killed by howitzer and mortar rounds that day. Five days later, Russian troops rolled into Ukraine.
Kyiv helicopter crash loss is a grave blow to Ukraine’s war efforts
Biden vows to honour Ukrainian minister killed in crash
Wednesday 18 January 2023 19:10 , Liam James
President Joe Biden expressed condolences to the families of those killed in a helicopter crash in Ukraine on Wednesday and said the United States would honour the interior minister who was on board with continued commitment to preserving Ukraine‘s democracy.
He praised interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi’s efforts to fight Russian aggression and push for reforms to strengthen Ukraine’s democracy.
“We will continue to honor that legacy through efforts to strengthen Ukraine‘s institutions, and in our unfailing partnership with the people of Ukraine to keep the flame of freedom bright,” Mr Biden said in a statement.
“Today, we are praying for healing for the wounded and comfort for those who have lost loved ones. The United States stands with the people of Ukraine in the face of this tragedy, and for as long as it takes,” he added.
Fragments of crashed helicopter removed from scene
Wednesday 18 January 2023 18:40 , Liam James
Emergency responders are removing debris from the helicopter crash ner Kyiv which killed at least 14 today.
The crash at a nursery in Brovary killed Ukraine’s interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi, among others.
More than 9,000 civilians dead since invasion, says Ukraine
Wednesday 18 January 2023 18:10 , Liam James
More than 9,000 civilians, including 453 children, have been killed since the war began last February, a Ukrainian presidential aide said.
The United Nations human rights agency has put the civilian toll at more than 7,000.
The war has been marked by several sieges of cities, such as Mariupol, where evacuating civilians has proved difficult or impossible.
Russia has also in recent months turned to firing on energy infrastructure, sometimes in urban centres.
Hurry up with the tanks, says Zelensky
Wednesday 18 January 2023 17:40 , Liam James
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the World Economic Forum in Davos that Western supplies of tanks and air defence units should come more quickly and be delivered faster than Russia was able to carry out attacks.
In his speech, which he delivered via video link, he said that Russia was exporting terror.
Britain and other countries have pledged tanks to Ukraine, stepping up supplies to a level unthinkable just months ago.
Vladimir Putin today announced that Russia was increasing its military production.
Boris Johnson ‘wanted to scrap’ British tanks now being sent to Ukraine
Wednesday 18 January 2023 17:10 , Liam James
Boris Johnson wanted to get rid of the British army tanks now being sent to Ukraine a year before the war started because he believed they had outlived their usefulness on the battlefield, it has been claimed (Kim Sengupta writes).
The then-prime minister proposed scrapping the Challenger 2 squadrons in the 2021 defence review, and was only dissuaded from doing so after strenuous pressure from service chiefs, according to military sources.
There is now widespread consensus among Ukraine’s Western allies that modern tanks are urgently needed as the Kremlin prepares for the next phase of the war. Britain, in a major ratcheting-up of Nato support for Ukraine, announced at the weekend that it would send the Challenger 2 tanks. Germany is also expected to supply Leopard 2 tanks in preparation for large-scale combat which is due to resume once winter eases.
Boris Johnson ‘wanted to scrap’ British tanks now being sent to Ukraine
Putin says Russia upping military production as allies pledge tanks to Ukraine
Wednesday 18 January 2023 16:33 , Liam James
Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Russia’s powerful military-industrial complex was ramping up production and was one of the main reasons why his country would prevail in Ukraine.
Speaking to workers at a factory in St Petersburg that makes air defence systems, Mr Putin said overall military equipment output was rising even as demand for it was growing because of what he calls Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. Western nations have recently stepped up their weapons supplies to Ukraine.
“In terms of achieving the end result and the victory that is inevitable, there are several things ... It is the unity and cohesion of the Russian and multinational Russian people, the courage and heroism of our fighters ... and of course the work of the military-industrial complex and factories like yours and people like you,” said Mr Putin.
“Victory is assured, I have no doubt about it.”
Mr Putin said Russian arms companies manufactured about the same number of anti-aircraft missiles as the rest of the world combined, and three times more than the United States.
Russia in it ‘for the long haul’, says Nato deputy
Wednesday 18 January 2023 16:01 , Liam James
Russia is preparing for an extended war so Nato must get ready “for the long haul” and support Ukraine for as long as it takes, the alliance’s deputy secretary general told top military chiefs from across Europe.
Speaking at the opening of the military leaders’ meeting in Brussels, Mircea Geoana said Nato nations must invest more in defence, ramp up military industrial manufacturing, and harness new technologies to prepare for future wars.
As Russia’s war on Ukraine nears the one-year mark, Nato chiefs are expected to discuss how allies can expand the delivery of weapons, training and support to Ukraine in the coming months, and how they can further shore up their own defences.
“We have no indication that Putin’s goals have changed,” said Mr Geoana, adding that Russia has mobilised more than 200,000 additional troops.
“So we must be prepared for the long haul. 2023 will be a difficult year and we need to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Canada to send 200 armoured vehicles to Ukraine
Wednesday 18 January 2023 15:38 , Liam James
Canada will send 200 Senator armoured personnel carriers to Ukraine as part of a new package of military assistance, defence minister Anita Anand said on a visit to Kyiv today.
The Canadian defence ministry said in a statement that Ukraine had specifically requested the vehicles and that Ms Anand was meeting officials including defence minister Oleksii Reznikov in the Ukrainian capital.
“This aid is valued at over C$90m (£54m) and is allocated as part of the additional C$500m (£300m) in military aid for Ukraine announced by Prime Minister Trudeau in November 2022,” it said.
The remainder of the C$500m will be made up by the Nasams surface-to-air missile system Canada announced last week it would be sending.
Wednesday 18 January 2023 15:09 , Liam James
Ukraine needs a “significant increase” in weapons at a pivotal moment in Russia’s invasion and such support is the only way to a negotiated peaceful solution, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said.
Nato and fefence leaders from around 50 countries will hold talks at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base on Friday, the latest in a series of meetings since Russian forces swept into Ukraine nearly 11 months ago.
“This is a pivotal moment in the war and the need for a significant increase in support for Ukraine,” Mr Stoltenberg told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“If we want a negotiated peaceful solution tomorrow we need to provide more weapons today.”
The focus in Ramstein is expected to be not on what the United States will provide but on whether Germany will lift its opposition to sending its Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine or at least approve their transfer from allied countries.
Poland and Lithuania have pledged to send the tanks but require the consent of Germany.
Zelensky and Monastyrskyi seen together yesterday
Wednesday 18 January 2023 14:45 , Liam James
Volodymyr Zelensky was seen meeting his late interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi just yesterday.
A photo provided by the Ukrainian president’s press service showed the pair speaking in Kyiv, hours before Mr Monastyrskyi was killed in a helicopter crash.
Mr Zelensky said he had ordered an investigation into what he called a “terrible tragedy” which also killed the minister’s deputy, Yevheniy Yenin, and other ministry officials among others.
“The pain is unspeakable,” the president said in a statement.
Crash death toll revised
Wednesday 18 January 2023 14:21 , Chris Stevenson
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has revised the death toll from the crash down, saying 14 people had died – including one child.
Ukraine appoints acting interior minister after crash
Wednesday 18 January 2023 14:10 , Liam James
Ukraine’s government appointed national police chief Ihor Klymenko as acting interior minister after the former office holder was among at least 17 people killed in a helicopter crash near Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Mr Shmyhal announced the appointment hours after Denys Monastyrskyi’s death.
He said Mr Klymenko had officially been appointed to the role of deputy interior minister, but would fulfil the responsibilities of the minister.
Germany’s Scholz: helicopter crash shows ‘immense toll’ Ukraine paying in war
Wednesday 18 January 2023 13:40 , Matt Mathers
German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that the helicopter crash in Ukraine that left at least 16 people dead, including the interior minister, showed the "immense toll" Ukraine is paying in the war against Russia.
"Our thoughts on this sad day are with the families of the victims and the injured, and with (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky, who lost his interior minister today," said Scholz on Twitter.
Putin: Russian victory in Ukraine is ‘inevitable’
Wednesday 18 January 2023 13:20 , Matt Mathers
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that a Russian victory in Ukraine was "inevitable" in remarks broadcast on state TV.
In televised remarks to workers during a visit to a weapons factory in his home town of St Petersburg, Putin told workers and reporters: "Victory is assured, I have no doubt about it."
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was reported to have made similar remarks earlier.
Helicopter death toll up to 17
Wednesday 18 January 2023 13:07 , Chris Stevenson
Ukraine's State Emergency Service have said that 17 people were killed in the helicopter crash, including nine people who were aboard the helicopter and four children on the ground.
It said 25 people have been injured, including 11 children. Early official reports gave slightly different casualty figures, including a higher death toll.
West’s ‘hybrid war’ won’t stop Russia - Kremlin
Wednesday 18 January 2023 12:43 , Chris Stevenson
Russia will achieve its objectives in Ukraine despite a "hybrid war" waged by the West against Moscow, Moscow’s top diplomat insisted on Wednesday.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the goals of Moscow’s "special military operation" in Ukraine are "determined by Russia’s core legitimate interests" and will be fulfilled.
"There must be no military infrastructure in Ukraine that poses a direct threat to our country," he said, adding that Moscow also intends to make sure the rights of ethnic Russians in Ukraine are protected.
