today
Friday, January 20, 2023
13:03
🔴🗣️ “The threats are diverse and aggregated. There is no more peace dividend because of the aggression launched by Russia against Ukraine. And before us lies the brutal cost of the violence of the day”: @EmmanuelMacron . 📺 LCI > https://t.co/VkIztPbFpk. pic.twitter.com/DQEyb8UPfO – LCI (@LCI) January 20, 2023
12:53
400 BILLION FOR THE FRENCH ARMY
The budget of the armies will increase by a third to 400 billion euros between 2024 and 2030, Emmanuel Macron announced on the occasion of his wishes for the army.
12:49 p.m
IN UKRAINE “ALMOST NAKED BRUTALITY”
“These forms of conflict are taking on a new face that oscillates between sophistication and brutal simplicity,” said Emmanuel Macron in Mont-de-Marsan. “Sophistication, with a technological race (…) and almost naked brutality, especially in Ukraine, with a return of scenes that we thought were the images of Verdun or the Somme,” continues the head of state.
12:41
A “HIGH INTENSITY CONFLICT IN EUROPE”
In the face of the military in Mont-de-Marsan, the head of state evokes “the multiple threats” that “accumulate rather than succeed one another”. “On the one hand, there is a high-intensity conflict in Europe, a stiffening of the will to power against the background of the crisis of multilateralism, there are no longer any peace dividends because of the aggression against “Ukraine” launched by Russia. before us the brutal cost of the violence of the time.”
12:37 p.m
MACRON ON WAR
“Faced with the metamorphoses of war, France has and will have armies ready for the dangers of the century,” Emmanuel Macron declared to the soldiers at Mont-de-Marsan.
12:00 p.m
Macron turns to the military
During his wishes to the armies this Friday, Emmanuel Macron will announce the main directions of the future military programming law 2024-2030. This text is under the sign of the “transformation of the armies” in a context where the war in Ukraine has raised the specter of a conflict on the old continent.
On the fringes of this intervention, the French head of state should return to the situation in Ukraine and in particular to the Western powers’ help to Kyiv.
politics
Posted today at 9:27
11:49
MISSILES IN MOSCOW
Anti-aircraft systems have appeared on the rooftops of the Russian capital in a sign of growing concern. Institutional and administrative buildings in particular are currently being equipped with them.
International
Posted today at 11:44am
11:14
SOLEDAR
A first UN convoy for humanitarian aid arrived in Soledar on Friday, the organization said. The three trucks, carrying water, food and basic necessities for around 800 people, are being unloaded, said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
10:56
RUSSIAN AGENTS
The Ukrainian security services claim to have arrested seven “Russian agents” near Dnipro (Dnipropetrovsk region) this Friday. “The SBU conducted another important special operation to expose and arrest enemy agents,” its chief, Vasyl Maliouk, said in a statement.
According to him, the detainees “gave the Russians the coordinates of Ukrainian critical infrastructure” and “collected information on (…) the movements of the (Kiev) Armed Forces units in the region” before handing them over to the Russian army.
10:43
long-range missiles
Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his calls for heavy tanks and long-range missiles to “stop Russian evil” on Friday. Via video link to Western allies gathered at the US air base in Ramstein, Germany, the Ukrainian president said they should “not negotiate different amounts of tanks, but launch a larger shipment that will stop the evil.”
10:39
KREMLIN
Western tanks would change “nothing” on the ground, the Kremlin said on Friday. “Such deliveries (of tanks) cannot fundamentally change anything, they will create new problems for Ukraine,” said Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. With this help, Western countries would perpetuate the “illusion” of a possible Ukrainian victory, he adds. “The importance of supplying such weapons and their ability to change something should not be overstated (…) It will not change the progress of the Russian side in fulfilling its goals,” emphasizes the representative.
10:33
SUPPORT
Allies must step up support at a “crucial” moment for Ukraine, the United States demanded on Friday. “We have to dig deeper, this is a turning point for Ukraine,” said Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, opening the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. “The Ukrainian people are watching us, the Kremlin is watching us and history is watching us,” he adds.
10:22
MISSILES ON THE ROOFTOPS OF MOSCOW
Russia recently installed missiles on the roofs of buildings in the capital Moscow.
Russia: rockets on the roofs of MoscowSource: TF1 Info
10:18
FINLAND
Finland on Friday announced 400 million euros in military aid to Ukraine, its largest contribution to date. This new envelope provides artillery and ammunition. “Ukraine needs continued support to defend its territory,” Defense Minister Mikko Savola said in a statement.
09:06
TO KNOW
Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday thanked the United States for its “powerful” new military aid. “Thank you for providing Ukraine with another strong defense package,” he said on Twitter. The weapons envisaged in this new package, which do not include heavy Abrams tanks, “are an important aid in our fight against the aggressor,” he stressed.
The day before, Washington announced that it would release a new $2.5 billion envelope to support Kyiv at the military level.
Thank you @POTUS for providing 🇺🇦 another powerful defense support package worth $2.5 billion. Stryker IFVs, additional Bradley APCs, Avenger air defense systems are important helpers in our fight against the attacker. Thank you 🇺🇸 people for the unwavering support of the leadership! — Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 20, 2023
08:54
ROLL OF WAGNER
The British Ministry of Defense emphasizes the role of the Wagner group in Ukraine in its latest report published on Friday. It is “almost certain that he now commands up to 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key element of” Russia’s campaign against Kyiv. The militia created by Evgeny Prigozhin has experienced “remarkable rapid development,” he adds.
Latest Defense Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 20 January 2023 Learn more about the UK Government’s response: https://t.co/5z9U167MxU 🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/johkRTuMp8 – Ministry of Defense 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 20, 2023
08:03
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION
Western allies’ leaders meet Friday to assess the nature of additional military aid to Ukraine. The day before, Washington released a new $2.5 billion envelope to equip Kyiv with new equipment. The highlights of the last 24 hours.
International
Posted today at 7:59
07:01
ARCHER CANNONS
Sweden will deliver Archer guns, a mobile and modern howitzer requested by Kyiv, to Ukraine. This weapon has a range of 30 kilometers, which can go up to 50 kilometers with certain shells. Placed on an all-terrain truck, it can fire multiple shells in a matter of tens of seconds.
International07:00
A DECISIVE MEETING
Heads of state and government from several Western countries are meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday. At this summit, the United States and its allies will attempt to reach agreement on the type of weapons to be sent to Kyiv and whether or not heavy tanks can be included.
“We are preparing for Ramstein tomorrow. We are waiting for strong decisions. We are waiting for strong military support from the United States,” emphasized Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his speech on Thursday evening.
06:53
GUN DELIVERY PROMISE
The United States and three European countries on Thursday pledged large new supplies of armored vehicles, missiles and artillery to Ukraine. Washington announced $2.5 billion in new aid and provided 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type released on April 6. The US Army will also provide 53 anti-mine armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee, to Ukraine.
For its part, the UK has pledged to send Ukraine 600 additional Brimstone missiles, Denmark its 19 French-made Caesar guns and Sweden Archer self-propelled guns.
06:51
WELCOME
Welcome to this live to follow the news from Ukraine this Friday 20th January.