War in Ukraine: kyiv castigates Western “indecision” on the delivery of heavy tanks

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The United States has designated the Russian paramilitary group Wagner as an “international criminal organization”. A decision above all symbolic, to show American support for kyiv in the war in Ukraine. Our explanations in our dedicated article.

The announcement was made this Saturday by the governor of Sumy oblast, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, on Telegram. He assures that ten shells exploded not far from houses located in the village of Studenok.

In a rare public criticism, the foreign ministers of the Baltic countries (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) urged this Saturday morning Berlin, the German capital, “to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine now”, pleading “the responsibility peculiarity” of Germany, “first European power”. More information to find in our dedicated article.

Russia announces that it has conducted anti-aircraft defense exercises in the Moscow region to protect its critical infrastructure in the event of “air attacks”. “Exercises were held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District to repel air attacks against important military, industrial and administrative infrastructure,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.

In a message Telegram, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, pays tribute to the former Ukrainian Minister of the Interior, Denys Monastyrsky, killed this week in a helicopter accident and whose funeral takes place today. After participating in the ceremony, which also paid tribute to other victims, he evokes an “indescribable pain”. “Ukraine is losing its best sons and daughters every day. »

The Russian Defense Ministry claims to have shot down a Ukrainian SU-24, an Mi-8 helicopter and 14 drones. This destruction would have taken place in different Ukrainian regions.

The foreign ministers of the three Baltic countries are calling on Germany to deliver Leopard heavy tanks to Ukraine “immediately”. “We, the Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian Foreign Ministers, ask Germany to supply Leopard tanks to Ukraine now,” writes Latvian Minister Edgars Rinkevics on Twitter. “This is necessary to stop Russian aggression, help Ukraine and quickly restore peace in Europe”, he adds, stressing that “Germany, as the first European power, has a special responsibility in this regard. “.

Without giving further details, the Russian army claims to have carried out “offensive operations” in the region of Zaporizhya, in southern Ukraine, which allowed it to take “advantageous positions”, according to a press release from the Russian ministry. of the defense.

A spokeswoman for the Ukrainian army for the south of the country fears new Russian missile strikes in the near future. She explains that reconnaissance drones have been spotted, a sign of preparations.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, addresses his country’s allies by recalling that “there is no other option to end the war than the defeat of Russia”. He adds that they will help Ukraine “with the necessary weapons anyway. Today’s indecision kills. Every day of delay means the death of Ukrainians. Think faster”. This statement is a reference to the procrastination of the West on the type of tanks to be delivered to Ukraine.

In their daily report taken up by the media Kyiv Independent, the Ukrainian authorities, estimate that they have killed more than 120,000 Russians since the start of the war, 120,160 precisely, or 860 more in 24 hours. In addition, 6256 armored vehicles would have been destroyed, as well as 277 helicopters, 287 planes, 3140 tanks or 2135 artillery batteries.

According to the British Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian and Russian forces are currently massed in Zaporizhia, where exchanges of artillery are taking place.

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President (2008-2012) and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, describes in a message Telegram of “patriotic war” the conflict in Ukraine. This term, in Russia, is a reference to Napoleon’s campaign in 1812 but especially to the Second World War. “Western Europe and the Ukronazis (Editor’s note: portmanteau between Ukrainian and Nazi) are the direct heirs of those who fought with Russia (…) And the victory will be ours. As in 1812 and 1945.”

The Russian agency Ria reports that the Russian bank Sberbank opened four ATMs in the annexed Crimea region in 2014. The opening of offices remains planned for the first half of the year. “All the necessary services of Sberbank will be deployed on the peninsula during the year,” adds Ria.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that in response to the blocking of the accounts of the RT France channel, similar measures will be taken. “The blocking of RT France accounts will lead to retaliatory measures against French media in Russia. »

Turkey cancels a planned visit by the Swedish Defense Minister, after permission was granted to hold an anti-Turkish demonstration in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Pal Jonson was due to travel to Turkey on January 27. His visit was intended to try to remove the objections of Ankara, the Turkish capital, to Sweden’s entry into NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

The authorization given to a Swedish-Danish right-wing extremist, Rasmus Paludan, to demonstrate today in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm has angered Ankara. Rasmus Paludan expressed his intention to “burn the Koran”. In addition, a pro-Kurdish demonstration is also planned.

The ceremonies for the funeral of the former Ukrainian Minister of the Interior, Denys Monastyrsky, killed this week in a helicopter crashare underway in kyiv.

The British intelligence services, in their daily update, believe that “the conflict is at an impasse. There is, however, a real possibility of Russian advances in Bakhmout”.

The United States announced yesterday that it has charged two men suspected of helping a Russian oligarch, targeted by American sanctions, to avoid the seizure of his superyacht. Richard Masters, a 52-year-old Briton, was arrested in Spain for extradition and Vladislav Osipov, a 51-year-old Russian-Swiss, is on the run. The two men are accused of having helped Viktor Vekselberg, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to conceal that he was the owner of the yacht “Tango”, the value of which is estimated at 90 million dollars (approximately 97 millions of euros).

Ukraine should not seek to defend the city of Bakhmout, the scene of a bloody battle, at all costs, and focus more on preparing for a major counter-offensive, said a senior American official. In Bakhmout, the longer the fighting lasts, the more the situation could work in favor of Russia, which has greater artillery resources and a numerical advantage in terms of troops, he justifies , speaking on condition of anonymity.

A former US soldier, member of an elite commando unit and who deserted in 2019, was killed in Ukraine this week, announces the US Navy. “The Navy can confirm that a former sailor was killed in Dnipro on January 18,” said a spokesperson, adding that he could not add anything “about why this former sailor was in Ukraine”. The soldier, Daniel Whitney Swift, belonged to the prestigious elite unit of the Navy Seals.

“Wagner is a criminal organization that commits vast atrocities and human rights abuses,” the White House National Security Council spokesman said yesterday, pointing out that the mercenary group has “50,000” troops deployed in Ukraine.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said yesterday that his country expects a counter-offensive from Ukraine in the spring. The United States and other countries have recently assured that they will give Ukraine a large number of armored vehicles that could play an important role in possible advances.

These vehicles could give the Ukrainian army “a significant armored strike force” that could allow kyiv “to try to carry out an offensive (…) similar to the gains (territorial) carried out in Kharkiv last fall,” said Gian Gentile, a former American officer.

The Ukrainian president reacted to the meeting in Ramstein (Germany) yesterday, where the allies did not decide anything concerning the delivery of heavy tanks to kyiv, the Ukrainian capital: “Yes, we will still have to fight for the supply of tanks but, every day, we make it more evident that there is no other solution than to take a decision on tanks,” he said in his evening video address. .

The latest report from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense yesterday reported 119,300 Russian soldiers killed since the start of the conflict on February 24, 2022. In addition, 277 helicopters and 3,139 enemy tanks were destroyed.