Zelensky appeals for more Western help after Russian jets shot down
Published: Monday, Jan 15th 2024, 16:41
العودة إلى البث المباشر
Inspired by the shooting down of two strategically important Russian military aircraft, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Switzerland to ask for even more help from the West.
The leadership in Kiev hopes that this success will also help to overcome the growing skepticism among Western governments about the usefulness of their support.
According to Ukrainian sources, the shooting down was a coup: an A-50 early warning reconnaissance aircraft and an Ilyushin Il-22M flying command center were destroyed, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Salushnyi announced in Kiev on Monday.
Ukrainian media had previously reported on the hits. However, they stated that the A-50 was destroyed, while the Il-22M, badly damaged, managed to make an emergency landing in Anapa, Russia. The Kremlin did not confirm the downing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he had no information on the matter.
This would be a bitter blow for the Russian Air Force, as the two aircraft are equipped with expensive special equipment and were only produced in small numbers. According to reports, the Russian armed forces only have just under a dozen A-50s and around the same number of Il-22Ms.
Talks in Bern and Davos
Selensky is likely to use this success to score points when the talks in Bern and Davos focus on the situation at the front. The Ukrainian president said he wanted to meet with representatives of the Swiss parliament and President Viola Amherd to thank them for their support.
He also announced his participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos. There will be bilateral meetings with representatives of the EU, NATO and major companies. Zelensky is also scheduled to appear at the forum on Tuesday.
Kiev continues to look for financial and military aid from abroad, especially from the West, in order to survive in its defensive struggle against Russia. In the run-up to the Davos summit, the Ukrainian leadership had already made it clear that it was not interested in freezing the conflict with Russia. A pause for breath would only help Moscow to gather strength for new attacks.
Great Britain trains more than 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers
The government in London is one of Kiev's strongest supporters. According to Defense Minister Grant Shapps, the UK has trained more than 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers since the start of the war. He warned that the international community must not let up in its support for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is of the opinion that the West lacks stamina. "As the future world order is at stake, we must prove him wrong," said Shapps.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently assured Ukraine of further support during a visit to Kiev.
Fighting continues in Ukraine
Events along the almost 1000-kilometre-long front in southern and eastern Ukraine have been at a standstill for weeks. The Ukrainian side has ceased its offensive efforts after the failed summer offensive and is on the defensive.
According to an order from Selensky, the defensive lines are reportedly being expanded and reinforced with reserve lines. Despite heavy losses, the Ukrainians continue to hold a bridgehead on the lower reaches of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.
On the Russian side, the advances that have been intensified since October have also largely come to a standstill. Although the city of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region is still under threat of encirclement, the Ukrainian troops have stabilized the situation. Russian troops made small gains to the west and south-west of the occupied regional capital of Donetsk.
However, the Russian army lacks the penetrating power for major breakthroughs in winter conditions. Both sides are also increasingly relying on the use of drones to combat fortifications, technology and infantry.
UN sees need for refugee aid at almost four billion euros
The recent heavy Russian attacks and the onset of winter are exacerbating the misery of millions of Ukrainians. 14.6 million people - 40 percent of the population - are in need of humanitarian aid, the United Nations reported in Geneva. In addition, 6.3 million Ukrainians had fled the country. The UN emergency aid office OCHA and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) put the need for this year at 4.2 billion US dollars (around 3.8 billion euros).
"Ukrainians are refusing to give up despite the (Russian) onslaught," said OCHA chief Martin Griffiths. "Nobody wants to depend on foreign aid, but there is no other choice. The people need your help," he said, addressing the donor countries. Last year, the organizations together budgeted 5.6 billion US dollars, of which around 60 percent was collected.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish