02/13/2024
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 00:11 Estonia is unimpressed by Trump’s threat +++
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas reacts unimpressed to former US President Donald Trump’s statements about NATO’s obligation to provide assistance. “I think what the presidential candidate in America is saying should perhaps also wake up some of the allies who haven’t done so much. Hopefully we will all do more and together we are stronger,” says the head of government of the Baltic EU and Russia NATO country.
+++ 23:10 New warning mechanism against Russian troll attacks +++
Germany, France and Poland want to take joint action against Russian disinformation and cyberattacks. A common warning mechanism has been agreed between the three countries against Russian troll attacks, says French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné after a meeting with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and his Polish colleague Radoslaw Sikorski. The three countries had fallen victim to the same Russian destabilization strategy and wanted to defend themselves together. In particular, the European elections and the Olympic Games in Paris are possible next targets of such attacks.
+++ 22:16 Zelensky holds first meeting with new military leadership +++
After the restructuring of the military leadership, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj held a meeting of the high command with the new members for the first time. Among those present at the meeting was Colonel General Olexander Syrskyj, who was appointed commander-in-chief last week, says Zelenskyj in his evening video speech. It was about the situation on the front in the east and south of the country, he adds. It was also discussed how the critical infrastructure – such as electricity and water supplies – could be protected in the best possible way.
+++ 21:49 Kiev: Russia deploys the “Zircon” hypersonic missile for the first time +++
According to Ukrainian reports, Russia has used a hypersonic “Zircon” missile for the first time. This is the preliminary result of an analysis of the fragments of a rocket attack on February 7th, writes the head of the relevant research institute, Oleksandr Ruwin, on Telegram. There is no Russian statement. The “Zirkon” has a range of 1,000 kilometers and nine times the speed of sound. This would make it more difficult for Ukrainian air defense to intercept them. According to Ukrainian sources, at least five people were killed and parts of the energy network were damaged in the attack on February 7th.
+++ 21:16 Belarusians arrested in Russia for pro-Ukrainian sabotage +++
A man from Belarus has been arrested in Russia on charges of pro-Ukrainian sabotage. The suspect started a fire in a train station in the west of the country, Russian state news agencies report. He said he carried out his arson attack on the train station in Tula, around 175 kilometers south of Moscow, at the behest of a Ukrainian citizen who promised him money for it. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, authorities have repeatedly reported attacks on railway lines in Belarus and Russia. Military locations were also targeted.
+++ 20:36 Tucker Carlson defends Putin: “Leadership requires killing people” +++
After his interview with Vladimir Putin, US moderator Tucker Carlson defended the Kremlin dictator at the World Government Summit in Dubai. The moderator of a talk in which Carlson took part asked why he had not spoken to Putin “about freedom of expression, about Navalny, about murders and restrictions on the opposition in the coming elections.” To which Carlson responded, “I didn’t talk about the things that every other American media talks about.” He added: “I’ve spent my life talking to people who run different countries. Every head of state kills people – including my country,” Carlson said. Some would kill more than others. “Leadership requires killing people, I’m sorry, that’s why I wouldn’t want to be head of state,” said the journalist. At the conference in Dubai, Carlson also raved about the Russian capital. Moscow is “so much more beautiful than any city in my country,” said the 54-year-old.
+++ 19:52 EU lays foundation for use of Russian funds for Ukraine +++
The EU has created the basis for the use of proceeds from the custody of frozen Russian central bank funds for Ukraine. As the Council of Member States reports, two legal texts have been adopted for this purpose. Among other things, they regulate that extraordinary income from the custody of the central bank must be kept separately in the future. In a second step, it is planned to provide income for the reconstruction of Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia. According to estimates, a sum in the billions could be incurred every year, since, according to the Commission, more than 200 billion from the Russian Central Bank have been frozen in the EU and the income from the custody of the capital is constantly increasing. The Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear recently announced that it had made around 4.4 billion euros in interest income in 2023 that was related to sanctions on Russia.
You can read all previous developments here.