Many Russian attacks in Ukraine – The night at a glance
Published: Friday, Jan 19th 2024, 09:30
Updated At: Friday, Jan 19th 2024, 09:30
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According to Kiev's military, Russian ground troops are stepping up their attacks on the fronts in the east and south of Ukraine again. According to the Ukrainian General Staff's situation report, there were 114 attempted attacks on eight sections of the front on Thursday - significantly more than recently. According to this information, the attacks were repelled. However, this could not be independently verified. The Russian military claimed to have captured a village in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
The skies over Ukraine initially remained calm on Friday night. The Ukrainian air force did not record any of the usual attacks by Russian combat drones. Ukraine announced that a newly developed drone of its own had reached the port of the northern Russian metropolis of St. Petersburg the night before.
Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for almost 23 months; Friday marks the 695th day of the war. The attacked country is being supported by the West in its defense against the Russian invaders. However, further military aid from its most important supporter, the USA, remains in limbo. In the months-long dispute over the federal budget, the US Congress voted in favor of a temporary solution on Thursday, but this excludes the aid for Ukraine requested by the government.
Intense ground fighting in Ukraine
The intensity of the fighting on the ground increased again, as the Ukrainian General Staff's report for Thursday shows. According to the report, the Russian troops were again fighting most fiercely against the frontline town of Avdiivka. In and around the town close to Russian-controlled Donetsk, 36 battles were recorded. The Russian army has been trying to encircle the Ukrainian defenders since October. It has suffered heavy losses in soldiers and material.
Further north, the Russian military reportedly occupied the village of Vasyoloye in the Donetsk region. The village is under control, according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The report by the Ukrainian General Staff did not provide any details. Heavy fighting was also reported from the front sections of Kupjansk, Lyman, Marjinka and from the Ukrainian bridgehead on the southern bank of the Dnipro. In addition, many villages and towns near the front were under Russian artillery fire, according to the General Staff.
Artillery and cruise missiles from France
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi thanked French President Emmanuel Macron in a telephone call for promised arms aid. In addition to the Caesar howitzers, Ukraine is to receive around 40 additional Scalp cruise missiles and hundreds of A2SM air-to-ground missiles from France, as announced by Defense Minister Sébastian Lecornu in Paris. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umjerow, who joined the meeting, said that strengthening the artillery was a key factor in winning the war for Ukraine. There was a lack of ammunition.
Ukrainian drone flies as far as St. Petersburg
According to Ukraine, it successfully deployed a drone near the northern Russian city of St. Petersburg. "Yes, this night we hit a target, and this drone flew exactly 1250 kilometers," said Industry Minister Olexander Kamyshin at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The drone used was produced in Ukraine. Projectiles of this type can be produced for the equivalent of around 320 euros, said the minister. Ukrainian media, citing military intelligence, reported an attack on a fuel depot in the port of the metropolis. According to Russian information, three drones were intercepted. There was no damage.
Foreign Minister expects F-16s in Ukraine soon
According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's preparations for the deployment of US F-16 fighter jets are going according to plan. "The pilots are preparing. The engineers are preparing. The infrastructure is being prepared," Kuleba said on television. All countries that wanted to provide Ukraine with jets were fulfilling their obligations. "I think that we will achieve the first F-16 air victories in Ukraine this year," said the minister. His country's priority this year is to achieve air superiority over Russia. So far, Ukraine lacks the aircraft to combat Russian jets. The Netherlands and Denmark want to hand over dozens of F-16 fighter jets.
Ukrainian economy grows
According to Zelenskyi, Ukraine's economy grew by five percent last year compared to 2022 despite the Russian invasion. Tax revenues also increased by the same amount, the head of state said in his video address. Ukrainian economic growth of around five percent was also expected by the European Union. It is a recovery effect after the Ukrainian economy shrank by almost 30 percent in 2022, the first year of the war.
Pistorius does not rule out Russian attack on Nato
Defense Minister Pistorius warned against an expansion of the war in Ukraine. "We hear threats from the Kremlin almost every day - most recently again against our friends in the Baltic states," the SPD politician told the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper. "So we have to take into account that Vladimir Putin might even attack a Nato country one day." He does not currently consider a Russian attack to be likely. "Our experts expect a period of five to eight years in which this could be possible." With his warning or his call for the Bundeswehr to become "war-ready", he also wanted to "shake up our society". Precautions must now be taken for this. Pistorius had already brought up the idea of modified compulsory military service, for which he expects proposals from his ministry by April.
On Thursday, US General Christopher Cavoli announced a major maneuver with around 90,000 soldiers to deter Russia from February. The exercise, which will last around four months, is set to be the defense alliance's largest in decades.
This will be important on Friday
The Ukrainian military expects the Russian troops to continue their attacks on various sections of the front.
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