14:48
The assets of Russian broadcaster RT France in the EU have been frozen
Already suspended in the EU, RT France’s bank accounts were frozen and its unions denounced on Friday.
A source in Bercy interviewed by AFP stressed that this measure stemmed from the “last package of European sanctions” last December and was not taken at the initiative of the French state.
“With this sanction, almost 100 employees and around fifty journalists will probably be out of work,” said a press release from the FO and SNJ (journalists’ union) sections of RT France, after which the accounts “will be frozen by decision”. of the state”.
2.30.
“No decision” from Germany for the supply of Leopard tanks
Germany’s new Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday that no decision had been made at this time on a possible delivery of German-made Leopard tanks to Kyiv to be used by Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion.
The issue was “discussed” between the countries that support Ukraine in Ramstein in western Germany, but “it has not been decided,” said Boris Pistorius. The “impression” that Germany is refusing tank supplies to Kyiv is “wrong,” he added at the same time.
14:11
Russia speaks of a “strong increase in intensity” in the fighting near Zaporizhia
The Russian occupation authorities noted on Friday a “sharp increase in intensity” in the fighting in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine.
Clashes are taking place “along the entire front line,” explained the head of the Moscow-installed Zaporizhia regional occupation authority, Vladimir Rogov, while that part of the front has been frozen since the Russians pulled out of the city of Kherson in early November and the onset of winter.
On Thursday, a Russian administration official in the region announced a “local offensive” near the southern Ukraine city of Orekhiv.
>> Read our article here
13:52
Ramzan Kadyrov and Yevgeny Prigoyine against a ban on beards for Russian soldiers
In an interview with Russian media RBK on Thursday, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov criticized the beard ban on Russian soldiers, Portal reports. A speech that follows that of the leader of the Wagner group, Evgueni Prigojine.
Viktor Sobolev, a member of the Russian parliament and a former retired lieutenant general, had defended the ban on beards, smartphones and tablets as “a fundamental part of military discipline”.
Ramzan Kadyrov called Sobolev’s comments “clear provocation” and said his mostly Muslim soldiers wore beards as part of their religious duty.
Kadyrov and Prigozhin soldiers operate in Ukraine, but mostly outside the command of the Russian army.
13:21
Russia installs anti-aircraft defenses on the roofs of Moscow
Is Russia preparing for an escalation of the conflict? Anti-aircraft systems were installed on the roofs of several defense and administrative buildings in Moscow on Thursday and in the days before, according to photos posted on social networks.
The Russians are concerned that the West will agree to sending long-range missiles to Ukraine that can reach Moscow. So they would equip themselves preventively to protect themselves against possible strikes.
>> Read our article here
13:05
Moscow claims the capture of Klichchiivka at Bakhmout
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its forces have seized control of the small town of Klitschivka, south of the town of Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province.
Last week, Russian forces claimed to have taken the town of Soledar, north of Bakhmout, which is still the subject of intense fighting with the Ukrainian army. Klitschivka, which had a population of about 400 before the war, was captured by Russian forces with air force support, the ministry said.
12:36
Will Germany agree to supply its heavy tanks to Ukraine?
Host country of the new meeting between allies in Ramstein, Berlin opened the door to the possibility of allowing several countries to supply Ukraine with their Leopard 2 heavy tanks, which were manufactured in Kyiv in Germany.
Poland and Finland have signaled their readiness to supply these types of tanks to Ukraine, but that they needed Germany’s consent to do so.
Asked if Berlin would allow European allies to send in tanks, Germany’s newly appointed Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the answer would be clear “in the next few hours or early tomorrow (Friday)”.
Why Poland and Finland are pressuring Germany to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine >> Read our article here
12:25
The first UN humanitarian convoy arrives near Soledar
A convoy, consisting of three trucks with water, food and basic necessities as well as medicines, is “unloaded” near Soledar, according to the UN spokesman.
The aid convoy is located in the area controlled by the Ukrainian government and is said to be caring for around 800 people.
Last week, the Russian army and Wagner Group mercenaries announced that they had captured Soledar, a modest town in eastern Ukraine near Bakhmout that the Russians have been trying to capture for months. Ukrainians are still fighting against the city’s capture by the Russians.
Salt mines, road to Bakhmout… Soledar, a strategic or symbolic prize for Russia? >> Read our article here
12:13
Russia-US relations ‘likely at an all-time low’
Russian Presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that “the last two years (…) have been very bad for US-Russia relations.”
“Unfortunately, bilateral relations today are probably at an all-time low. There is no hope of improvement anytime soon,” he said at a news conference reported by Portal.
The Kremlin spokesman had already warned Washington of a possible escalation on Thursday after the West announced long-range weapons (over 100,000) that could hit Russian territory.
12:05
A “duo of diplomats” to represent France at Ramstein
Emmanuel Macron and Army Minister Sébastien Lecornu will not travel to Germany because the two men are in Mont-de-Marsan in the Landes this Friday for the wishes of the army.
France will be represented in Ramstein by “a diplomatic duo from the Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) and a military representative from the General Staff of the Armed Forces,” according to the ministry.
11:53
Ukraine claims to have arrested seven “Russian agents” near Dnipro
The Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) claim to have arrested “seven Russian agents” in the Dnipro region of eastern Ukraine.
According to the SBU, the detainees “gave the Russians the coordinates of the Ukrainian” critical infrastructure and “collected information about (…) the movements of the units of the (Kiev) Armed Forces in the region” before communicating them to the Russian army.
Their “possible involvement in the attack on a residential building in Dnipro on January 14,” which killed at least 45 people, including six children, is “under investigation”, the Ukrainian security services also said. According to the service, they had already started “reconnaissance activities” in “October 2022”.
11:50
Russia says these shipments will create “new problems”.
The Kremlin on Friday said supplying Western tanks to Ukraine would “change nothing” about the situation on the ground, ahead of a major meeting of Kiev’s allies in Germany devoted to strengthening military support.
“Such (tank) supplies cannot fundamentally change anything, they will create new problems for Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Western countries maintained the “illusion” of a possible Ukrainian victory “on the battlefield.”
11:47
Great Britain, Sweden and Denmark follow this example
The United States is not alone in announcing new military aid to Ukraine. The UK has pledged to send an additional 600 Brimstone missiles, Denmark 19 French-made Caesar guns and Sweden Archer self-propelled guns.
Systems, all of which have a range of tens of kilometers, less than claimed by the Ukrainians.
11:42
The US promises new arms deliveries
On Thursday, a few hours before that meeting at the American base in Ramstein, Washington announced a new $2.5 billion in military aid, including 59 Bradley armored vehicles joining the 6 and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers, so the Pentagon.
The US Army will also deliver 53 anti-mine armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee, to Ukraine. This new installment brings total US military aid to Ukraine to $26.7 billion since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked his American ally for this new “important help against the aggressor”.
11:37
Kiev’s allies gathered at a military base in Germany
Hello everyone and welcome to this live dedicated to the situation in Ukraine. The conflict began 330 days ago on Friday. The day is marked by the meeting of Kiev’s allies in Ramstein, Germany.
The meeting in Germany is presented as decisive. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was waiting for “strong decisions” like sending heavy armored vehicles to help his country in the crucial battles against Russia.
This meeting is the third in this so-called “Ramstein” format since the beginning of the conflict. Defense ministers and high-ranking military officials from around fifty countries gather around the American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.