Past 24 hours in the war zone
- JFO reported one attack by Russian hybrid forces near Pisky, Donetsk Oblast.
- As of 19:30 Dec 17, OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission recorded 129 violations, including 20 explosions in Donetsk Oblast; 214 violations, including 118 explosions in Luhansk Oblast.
News flash
- Canadian FM Joly promises Ukraine financial help, says no decision yet on whether to supply Kyiv with weapons
- Kremlin’s efforts aimed at integrating occupied territories of Ukraine – Borrell
- Risk of conflict in Ukraine crisis is real, says NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg
- EU lifts import restrictions on poultry products from Ukraine
Germany continues blocking exports of weapons to Ukraine due to new foreign ‘peace’ policy
As Britain is supplying light anti-tank weaponslhl to Ukraine, Germany has reiterated its refusal to send defensive weapons to Ukraine that according to Kyiv would help the country fend off a potential Russian invasion. This is part of a new German peace policy aiming at restricting arms exports and fostering peace via diplomacy.German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking in Kyiv on 17 January, said that she hoped tensions with Russia over Ukraine could be solved by diplomacy. Though, she warned that Moscow would suffer if Russia does attack its neighbor. Similarly, Ukrainian FM Dmytro Kuleba said at a joint press conference with Ms. Baerbock that both Ukraine and Germany are committed to the diplomatic settlement of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine.And on Twitter, Mr. Kuleba stated that Ukraine didn’t have any plans of offensive operations in the parts of the Russian-occupied Donbas region.Later, on 18 January, the German FM arrived in Moscow for talks with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, seeking to ease tensions amid fears that Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine.Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that Germany will “discuss” Nord Stream 2 penalties if Russia attacks Ukraine
Uk, Canada to extend training missions in Ukraine: Ukraine’s deputy PM
Britain and Canada won’t respond to Putin’s ultimatums to withdraw military training units from Ukraine. Ukraine’s Deputy PM for Eurointegration Olha Stefanishyna said this after the 10 January NATO-Ukraine meeting and the 17 January talks,
“Canada and the United Kingdom confirmed that they would not react in any way to Putin’s ultimatums to withdraw military training units from Ukraine. Moreover, their activities will continue and intensify.”
Russian troops enter Belarus, escalating the threat of Kyiv encirclement
For several weeks now, Russia’s military buildup has been ongoing near Ukrainian borders. Reportedly, Russian military forces moved into Belarus on 17 January “for joint exercises.” This added “to the long list of warning signs that Moscow may be ready to launch a major offensive against Ukraine in the coming weeks,” Nolan Peterson writes, and stresses
“According to numerous Western assessments, one of Russia’s military options against Ukraine includes a pincer attack from the north, using Russian forces staged inside Belarus to encircle Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city.”
https://twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1483392887551315971Reportedly, Trains transporting BM-27 220mm multiple rocket launchers and other weapons and materiel were spotted in the Belarusian cities of Minsk, Gomel, and Rechitsa, the latter two near the Ukrainian border. It is expected that more equipment will arrive throughout the week.
DFRLab’s Geolocation of military vehicles captured on video near Rechitsa. Belarus.
Additionally, social media users keep spotting military equipment in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine and in Russia proper:
Big military column filmed in occupied Crimea https://t.co/lQfFK5hIwR pic.twitter.com/7JLMRJlOMb via @RoksolanaKrim
— Liveuamap (@Liveuamap) January 18, 2022
OSCE SMM doesn’t confirm ammonia leak in occupied Horlivka reported by Ukraine’s Intel
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine didn’t confirm an ammonia leak at a factory in occupied Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, according to their daily report.Earlier, the Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced that chemicals had been leaking into the air from tanks delivered to Horlivka, which Russia might use as a pretext for the further invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine warns of yet another planned false-flag attack on 19 January
Echoing recent false-flag warnings by Ukraine and the West, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications warns that on 19 January, a provocative shelling that could serve as a pretext for Russia to escalate its aggression may take place in Donbas during Epiphany celebrations.
Ukraine warns of yet another planned false-flag attack on 19 January
CIA director quietly visited Ukraine: CNN
CIA Director Bill Burns met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy during a previously scheduled trip last week, two sources familiar with his trip told CNN, which notes that the CIA has a long-standing policy of not commenting on or publicly announcing the director’s travel.And, as per CNN’s sources, Burns “consulted with intelligence counterparts amid concerns of a further invasion of Ukraine by Russia.”
NATO invites Russia to more talks
Amid NATO’s attempts to prevent a possible Russian attack on Ukraine, it invited Russia to a fresh series of talks. The topics to negotiate would be security in Europe and arms controls.
“We are willing to listen to their concerns but we will not compromise on core principles. We must remain clear-eyed about the prospects of progress but … will make every effort to reach an agreement,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after a meeting with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
Blinken to meet Zelenskyy on 19 January in Kyiv
Amid fears that a Russian invasion is imminent, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is going to travel to Ukraine on 19 January to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, according to the State Department’s announcement.The goal of the meeting is to reinforce the US’ “commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement said.
NATO to supply three heavy helicopters to Ukraine
In the coming months, NATO is going to transport Russian-made Mi-17 multi-role helicopters from Mexico to Odesa. Mi-17 can carry weapons and act as an assault or transport aircraft. Earlier, Russia had delivered a total of about 50 Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters to Mexico.Additionally, according to the Defense Blog, the Ukrainian army could receive from the Western allies “former helicopters of the Afghan army,” which were evacuated after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. These vehicles could become part of US aid to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
Ukraine’s cyberattack-hit government websites return to normal
Almost all of the dozens of Ukraine’s government-run websites that were attacked overnight into 14 January resumed their work as of 14:00, 17 January, according to Ukraine’s State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection. Read more on the massive cyberattack in last Friday’s article of ours.
Ukraine’s Security Service says it neutralized over 2,000 cyberattacks in 2021
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) says it neutralized over 2,000 cyberattacks on government web resources and strategic infrastructure objects in 2021.
Ukraine’s Security Service says it neutralized over 2,000 cyberattacks in 2021
Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada rescues videos, testimonies of Ukrainian dissidents
Director Yuriy Luhovy and producer Zoryana Hrytsenko from Canada have rescued 26 video recordings of Ukrainian dissidents. These recordings are unique because they were created in the late 1970s and early 80s. The videos show Ukrainian dissidents who were released from Mordovian Gulags or were tortured, drugged, and abused in Soviet psychiatric hospitals.
Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada rescues videos, testimonies of Ukrainian dissidents
Tweet of the day
And just like that, the Polish embassy ruled the internet
