War in Ukraine
Gauck criticizes German “hesitation” in arms deliveries – Zelensky wants to produce more of his own weapons
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck commented on the situation in Ukraine in an interview
© Stefan Sauer / DPA
Russia also attacks neighboring Ukraine on the night of Orthodox Christmas. Their President Zelensky wants to strengthen his own weapons industry in order to respond. And: Former Federal President Joachim Gauck criticized the federal government. An overview.
On Sunday night, Russia has the neighboring one Ukraine attacked again with drones. There were impacts in the megacity of Dnipro and the large city of Zaporizhzhia in the southeast of Ukraine, which is not far from the front. In Dnipro, an apartment block was damaged by the impact, said Governor Serhiy Lyssak during the night. According to him, the residents of the house were able to be rescued from the rubble largely unharmed.
Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Sunday. At a meeting with her counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Kiev, she wants to emphasize her country’s support for Ukraine. This has been defending itself against the brutal Russian war of aggression for almost two years.
Gauck criticizes “hesitation” in arms deliveries to Ukraine
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck has accused the federal government of being hesitant about arms deliveries to Ukraine. “In view of the grueling trench warfare and the heinous air strikes on the Ukrainian civilian population, I look at our actions with concern and ask myself whether our support is enough,” he told “Bild am Sonntag”. In response to a question about the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles requested by Ukraine, Gauck replied that he was not familiar with “military matters” himself, but had spoken to experts. “And after these discussions, I can no longer understand why we hesitate to deliver this weapon and other ammunition.”
The modern Taurus cruise missiles find their target even from great heights and distances and can destroy bunkers, for example. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) decided against a delivery in October because the precision weapons with a range of 500 kilometers could also hit Russian territory.
Gauck said there is no international law ban on supporting an attacked victim with weapons. “That’s why we’re allowed to do this. And we have to do it – with everything we have at our disposal.”
Japan’s Foreign Minister Kamikawa makes a surprise trip to Ukraine
In a meeting with Kuleba, Kamikawa wants to emphasize her government’s position to support the country in the “current difficult international situation,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. She also wants to openly exchange ideas with the Ukrainian side about efforts to achieve lasting peace. Japan, in line with the West, had imposed sanctions against Russia. However, the country’s pacifist constitution does not allow Japan to supply weapons to Ukraine.
Zelensky wants to massively expand arms production in Ukraine
Despite the ongoing Russian air strikes, Ukraine wants to massively increase its arms production, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. “We are working as hard as possible to ensure that our defense and security forces can rely on our own Ukrainian production for a significant part of their operations this year,” Zelensky said in his daily video address on Saturday evening. The enemy will increasingly feel the power of Ukrainian weapons. He demanded that Ukraine must give an appropriate response to every type of Russian terror and every increase in Russian pressure.
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for more than 22 months. In the past, it has also relied heavily on Western military aid. But because of the political power struggle in the USA, which is seen as Kiev’s most important military supporter, future arms deliveries from there are completely open. Congress is currently blocking the release of further funds. The Europeans, in turn, were also unable to keep their promises of ammunition deliveries. There are now indications that the F-16 fighter jets urgently expected from Kiev will arrive later than hoped.
Delivery of Danish F-16 jets to Ukraine is delayed
The delivery of the first Danish F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine has been delayed by up to six months. It is now expected that the six machines cannot be sent to the country attacked by Russia until the second quarter, the Defense Ministry in Copenhagen told the Berlingske newspaper. When the plans were announced in the summer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed the hope that the fighter jets could be delivered around the turn of the year.
However, some conditions for the use of the F-16 have not yet been met, as the Ministry of Defense has now said. This involves, for example, the training of Ukrainian pilots. The schedule depends on factors such as the material and weather conditions.
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At least eleven dead from Russian shelling in Donetsk
According to Ukrainian reports, at least eleven people, including five children, were killed by Russian rocket fire in the Pokrovsk district in the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk region. In addition, eight people were injured, the region’s military governor, Vadym Filaschkin, said on his Telegram channel on Saturday. Accordingly, the bombardment was carried out using repurposed S-300 anti-aircraft missiles.
Two towns were hit, including the district town of Pokrovsk and Rivne. A rocket hit the house of a family of six, Filaschkin explained.
Zelensky expressed his condolences to the relatives. He assured that the search and rescue work would continue and the injured would be cared for. Russia fired on purely civilian targets. “And Russia must feel – feel every time – that none of these attacks will end without consequences for the terrorist state,” he demanded.
Putin celebrates Orthodox Christmas mass with relatives of the fallen
According to official information, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with selected families of soldiers who died in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas Eve. A program was initially organized for the relatives to attend training sessions and performances before Putin welcomed them to his Novo-Ogaryovo residence near Moscow, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The invitation to the families of fallen soldiers is probably also intended for Putin to portray himself as concerned about their needs ahead of the upcoming presidential election in March. Recently there were protests demanding that the men he had conscripted for his war of aggression in Ukraine be sent home.
That will be important on Sunday
The Ukrainian and Russian military are preparing for further fighting. In Russia, Christmas is celebrated on Sunday according to the Russian Orthodox church calendar. Ukraine, which is also predominantly Orthodox, celebrates its Christmas on the 24th/25th according to the Western calendar. celebrated in December.