19:08
Netherlands: Russian diplomats expelled, Amsterdam trade department closed
The Dutch Foreign Ministry on Saturday announced the closure of the trade department of the Russian embassy in Amsterdam and the expulsion of Russian diplomats, accusing Moscow in particular of continuing to try to send spies to the Netherlands.
Russia also refuses to issue visas that would allow Dutch diplomats to work in Moscow, the same source added, adding that the Dutch consulate general in Saint Petersburg would close due to staff shortages.
6:40 p.m
A year after the conflict began, our poll is the major concern of the French
18:11
For Orban, European countries are “indirectly at war with Russia”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday that Europe was “indirectly at war with Russia” as several European countries pledged to send main battle tanks to help Ukraine repel the invasion of Moscow.
The nationalist Orban reiterated that his government would not send weapons to Ukraine or cut economic ties with Moscow.
Orban assured: “Europe is drifting into war these minutes, it is performing a dangerous balancing act (…) In fact, they are already indirectly at war with Russia”.
17:54
The German defense minister fears that Russia will attack other countries
“Ukraine must win its fight against the Russian invasion,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, warning that a Russian victory could encourage Moscow to “attack other countries”.
“Russia is waging a brutal war of aggression and conquest against Ukraine, and if Putin succeeds, that would be just the beginning,” he continued, according to Portal.
17:30
One dead in Russian shelling in Kharkiv
A civilian was killed by Russian shelling in eastern Ukraine this afternoon, local officials said. On Telegram, the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, said a shell hit a private house in the city of Vovchansk, a few kilometers from the Russian border, and one person was killed. According to the official, the shelling in the area damaged civilian infrastructure and a building intended for emergency medical assistance.
16:32
The US counts Russian war crimes
Since the invasion began, the United States has documented or listed more than 30,600 war crimes cases committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, the US State Department said.
16:10
Russia repeatedly attacks Ukraine
Two people were injured in the strike in Khmelnytskyi this morning, the city’s mayor said, the Guardian reports. Posting on Telegram Messenger, Oleksandr Symchyshyn said that two people were treated for injuries after the incident. Their vital prognosis would not come true Earlier, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, two Russian cruise missiles were shot down over Ukraine.
15:32
Actor and director Sean Penn criticizes the lack of quick help in Ukraine
After the premiere of his new documentary on the conflict in Berlin on Friday night, Penn said, according to the Guardian: “If you imagine Russia winning, we’re all screwed. Just screwed to death.” Penn’s film Superpower tells the story of the first year of the war and includes an interview with President Zelenskyy on the first day of the Russian invasion.
14:55
Warning in the Donetsk region
The air alert in the Vinnytsia region is lifted. But in the east of the country, in the Donetsk region, a new one is underway.
14:35
Russia “will have to answer” for the “damage” caused.
On Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded that ten Ukrainian regions have been bombed in the last 24 hours, resulting in deaths and injuries. He calls for “just punishment of the perpetrators of this terror. You have to take responsibility for that. For every life destroyed. For every missile fired at Ukraine. For all the evil and suffering that Russia has brought to our country.”
14:20
Vinnytsia on alert
An air alert is underway in the Vinnytsia region southwest of the capital Kiev.
14:15
Sunak wants to “rethink the international order”
Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, adds that we must “rebuild the international order on which our security is based”. He believes that “the whole world must hold Russia accountable.” He adds that Ukraine will become a member of NATO, but that it must first “strengthen its long-term security.”
14:05
Britain wants to “double” Ukraine
During the security conference in Munich (Germany), the British Prime Minister said he wanted to increase aid to Ukraine. “Now is the time to double our support. When Putin started this war, he bet that our resolve would falter. But we proved him wrong,” says Rishi Sunak. “Every day Russia inflicts more suffering. The only way to change that is for Ukraine to win,” he added in comments picked up by The Guardian.
13:55
Concerns about military cooperation between Russia and Iran
Heads of US, French, German and British diplomacy at a meeting on the sidelines of the security conference in Munich, Germany, are concerned about ever-closer cooperation between Iran and Russia. “They discussed their concerns about mutual military cooperation between Iran and Russia and its implications for the security and stability of the region and beyond,” US Secretary of State spokesman Antony Blinken said in a statement. Ukraine and its allies have accused Russia of using Iranian-made drones to attack Ukraine.
1:45 p.m
Air alert cleared
The air alert in several regions of eastern Ukraine has been lifted. It remains in force almost permanently in the Luhansk and Crimea regions.
1:30 p.m
Medvedev’s warning translation
Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president (2008-2012) and now Russian vice-president of the Security Council, continues to take belligerent positions. Responding to the words of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) head Jens Stoltenberg asking to give Ukraine “what it needs to win”, he judges on Telegram that the alliance is “freaking out”. “Stoltenberg said the risk of a Russian victory is much higher than the risk of an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. I translate into understandable Russian: the risk of the outbreak of a third world war is much less than the risk of victory for our country. »
13:10
New air alert in eastern Ukraine
The air alert is in effect again today. Several regions in eastern Ukraine are affected.
/alerts.in.ua
12:55 p.m
Kamala Harris denounces the “crimes against humanity” committed by Russia in Ukraine
“The United States has officially established that Russia has committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine,” said Kamala Harris, US Vice President, in a speech to the security conference in Munich, Germany.
12:53
The Russian army claims the rare capture of a location in the Kharkiv region
The Russian army claims the rare capture of a location in the Kharkiv region of north-eastern Ukraine where its troops have been going on the offensive for several weeks, in parallel with their offensives around Bakhmout and Vougledar. “In the direction of Kupyansk, after offensive actions by units of the western group, the village of Grianykivka in the Kharkiv region was completely liberated,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
12:15 p.m
It is difficult to hide the reality of the war from the Russians
The British Ministry of Defense mentions a report by the Russian Parliament on public support in its daily update on the war. This text, sent to President Vladimir Putin, mentions the fact that a poll conducted in December showed that 52% of the population has a loved one (friend or family member) who left to fight. This makes the question of a possible expansion of mobilization all the more sensitive, analyze the information from across the Channel.
12:00 p.m
Training of F-16 pilots
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reports on a meeting with US senators from both political sides. He said he has asked the United States to train Ukrainian pilots in American F-16s “as soon as possible”.
11:50
Poland is ready to deliver planes
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said his country agrees to supply MiG planes to Ukraine provided it is done as part of a “broader coalition”. “Today we can and are ready to talk about relocating our MiGs as part of an enlarged coalition. Poland can only be part of an enlarged coalition headed by the United States,” he said in a statement transmitted by Portal.
11:35
In France, the risk of power outages is practically eliminated
“We’re almost out of business” given the threat of blackouts this winter in France, said RTE network manager President Xavier Piechaczyk. “I can’t say it won’t happen because we could still face a huge cold bubble at the end of February/beginning of March, but from today’s perspective most of the risks are behind us,” he said at France Inter. “We are not at all in the configuration of the risk of cuts that we could have considered in November if the French had not significantly reduced their consumption and if the winter had not been so mild. France produced very little electricity last year, the lowest since 1992. The country was hit by both the international gas crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and hydroelectric and nuclear power production.
11:20
“Get stronger and increase the pressure on Russia”
Speaking on Telegram, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that “every day and every week we strengthen our defense on the front lines, strengthen our international position, increase pressure on Russia and give our people the opportunity to get out of these difficult times”.
11:05
Ukraine discusses armaments with a German industrialist
The Ukrainian foreign minister reports on his meeting with the CEO of the German defense company Rheinmetall. He says they discussed the possibility of “increasing production for Ukraine and its allies.” Armored vehicles and tanks were also mentioned.
10:50
Von der Leyen calls for “doubling our efforts”
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, the government of the European Union, has called for “doubling our efforts” in military support to Ukraine. At the security conference in Munich, Germany, she said: “We must continue the very massive support needed to thwart Putin’s imperialist plans. It is time to accelerate, because Ukraine needs materials to survive.”
10:40 a.m
Belarus in support of a “protracted” war
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an American think tank, believes Belarus will fully serve the Russian war effort. The ISW assumes that the Belarusian armaments industry will be used. The aim is to “support a protracted war”. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, along with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, said yesterday that his country is ready to help manufacture aircraft.
10:25
Wagner would have lost 9,000 fighters and 30,000 would be wounded
The toll of war is heavy on Wagner’s Russian paramilitaries. According to the US government, quoted by CNN, 9,000 people would die and 30,000 would be injured. 90% of the dead in December 2022 would have been recruited in prison.
10:20
end of power outages
10:15
“Putin plans more war”
Russia’s President Vladimir “Putin is not planning peace, he is planning more war (…)”, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will also explain in Munich (Germany). There is “no indication that he has changed his ambitions,” he warns, mobilizing “hundreds of thousands of soldiers” and getting “more weapons from authoritarian countries like Iran and North Korea.”
10:05
The Russian attacks
The Russian army accuses the Ukrainian army of using a chemical weapon. In a statement to the Ria agency, she explains that the operation took place on Thursday near Vougledar in the east of the country. A helicopter is said to have dropped ammunition containing an “unknown toxic substance”. The army assures that two soldiers were burned in the lungs.
09:55
Don’t make the same mistake with China as you did with Russia
In Munich, NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg will also call on the West not to “make the same mistake with China” as with Russia, which is linked to Europe by its energy dependency. “We must not become too dependent on the products and raw materials that we import,” he adds, according to elements of his speech transmitted to Agence France Press (AFP) by his entourage.
09:45
End of air warning
The air alert is lifted again across the country, with the exception of the Crimea and Luhansk regions, which are on almost constant alert.
09:35
Giving Ukraine ‘what it needs to win’
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) chief Jens Stoltenberg will state that “we must give Ukraine what it needs to win and survive as an independent sovereign nation in Europe”. He will speak those words later in the day at the security conference in Munich, Germany.
09:20
New flight warnings
Mykolaiv and Kherson regions are no longer on alert. On the other hand, to the east and north-east are those of Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk. Lohansk and Crimea remain so, as is almost always the case.
09:10
The latest Ukrainian report
In their latest report, Ukrainian authorities report the deaths of more than 1,000 Russians on their soil in 24 hours, for a total of more than 142,270, as well as 6,533 armored vehicles, 2,326 artillery pieces and 298 aircraft.
08:55
Air alert largely lifted
Ukrainian authorities have announced the end of the air alert in most of the country, except for the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in the south. Crimea, even further south, and Luhansk, in the east of the country, are on alert almost all the time.
/alerts.in.ua
08:45
power outages
Due to the ongoing rocket attacks on Ukraine, emergency power cuts are being carried out in the Kiev, Odessa and Dnipropetrovsk regions as a precaution.
08:40
Anti-aircraft defense against Russian missiles
Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian President’s chief of staff, told Telegram that anti-aircraft defenses against the Russian missiles fired this morning are working. Some come from the airspace over the occupied territories.
08:35
A billion dollars for the American army
The US military has announced a nearly $1 billion contract to increase production of 155mm caliber artillery ammunition, used in bulk by Ukraine. The aim is to produce between 12,000 and 20,000 additional cartridges per month. In November 2022, a US official claimed that Russian forces fired around 20,000 rounds a day. Ukraine fired between 4,000 and 7,000 rounds a day, faster than Western arms manufacturers can produce to keep up.
8:25
A private festival journalist for security reasons
Bellingcat investigative agency executive director Christo Grozev, darling of the Kremlin, the Russian presidency, said on Friday that he was prevented from attending Britain’s Caesars Baftas ceremony by British police over concerns about possible “hostile intentions by foreign states “. Named is the documentary “Navalny”, which is dedicated to the imprisoned Russian opponent of President Vladimir Putin. The police are careful to make it clear that they cannot ban anyone from attending a “private event”. The 53-year-old journalist, who has been placed on Russia’s most wanted list, highlighted the dangers journalists face, not only from “murderous dictators, but also from having journalists’ voices silenced, rather than “from the civilized world to be strengthened which they seek to serve”. . Founded in July 2014 by British blogger Eliot Higgins, the Netherlands-based Bellingcat website specializes in journalism based on the analysis of data accessible to all.
08:15
Biden’s “message” to Putin
US President Joe Biden will be in Poland on Tuesday and Wednesday, a country that plays a key role in the US-led military support system. He will speak during a celebratory speech at the Palace of the Capital City of Warsaw on Tuesday, the day the Russian President is also scheduled to deliver a speech. From this emblematic place in Polish history and three days before the first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Joe Biden wants to “send a message both to Putin and to the Russian people,” a spokesman said yesterday. “We can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains steadfast and that (…) the international coalition supporting Ukraine is stronger than ever,” John Kirby assured, reiterating that the United States has supported Kiev “as long as… necessary”. .
08:05
Agreement between the IMF and Ukraine
Ukraine can apply for financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The institution has conducted a review of the country’s policies and says it could help the Ukrainian government’s efforts to join the European Union. The agreement has yet to be validated by IMF management. The review took place as part of the Monitoring Program (PMB), a tool designed to help countries strategize and attract donor funding in complex circumstances.
07:55
Missiles fired from the Black Sea
The head of the military administration of the Mykolaiv region announced that rockets were fired from the Black Sea. “They are on their way to the west” of Ukraine, specifies his counterpart in the Kharkiv region.
07:45
Zelenskyi’s “diplomatic marathon”
In his daily video, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the “diplomatic marathon” has continued since his visit to the United States in December. He points out that a “coalition for the supply of tanks” has emerged, that the taboo on the supply of long-range missiles has been “lifted”. He adds on his Telegram channel that “the world has heard that a coalition to deliver planes to Ukraine is necessary for global security”.
07:35
Air alert in many regions
Most of the Ukrainian regions are on air alert at the beginning of the day.
Alerts.in.ua
07:25
A first group of Ukrainian soldiers are being trained by American forces
“This week, a first Ukrainian battalion completed combined arms training on the M2 Bradley” at a US base in Germany, US Defense Department spokesman General Pat Ryder said in a statement yesterday. The United States has agreed to supply Ukraine with more than 100 Bradley vehicles (armoured infantry armed with 25mm cannons and an anti-tank missile launcher) for launching a counteroffensive against Russian forces over the next few months. “About 635 Ukrainians completed the five-week training course, which included basic soldier duties such as shooting but also medical training,” Gen. Ryder said.
07:11
Wagner claims to have taken Paraskoviïvka
The leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner said yesterday his troops had taken the Ukrainian town of Paraskoviïvka, a town bordering Bakhmout to the north. This city in eastern Ukraine has been the scene of the longest battle in Donbass for a year.
“Despite the ammunition blockade, despite heavy losses and bloody battles, the boys completely took over the city,” Yevgeny Prigozhin was quoted as saying by his press service.
07:10