Ukraine war in the live ticker: +++ 00:36 Slovakia will not do without the promised leopards +++

Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 00:36 Slovakia will not give up promised leopards +++

Slovakia is not ready to give up Leopard tanks in favor of Ukraine. The agreement with Germany that the promised Leopard 2A4 would be delivered to Slovakia still applies, Slovakian Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad told the TASR news agency. According to this agreement, a Leopard tank was handed over to Slovakia by then Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht in December, with 14 more to be delivered by the end of 2023. As part of a ring exchange, they will replace the 30 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles that Slovakia has already ceded to Ukraine.

+++ 23:27 Pistorius on armament gaps: “Do everything now so that it can be procured quickly” +++

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius wants to talk to the arms industry quickly about closing equipment gaps in the German armed forces that are caused by arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We are now doing everything we can to ensure that things are replenished quickly,” says the SPD politician on ARD’s “Tagesthemen”. He wants to hold talks with the armaments industry very soon, probably as early as next week. “The gaps that are now emerging should and must be closed quickly,” says Pistorius. He also advocates strengthening the industry. “We need more armaments industry in Germany, but, I think, also in concert in Europe,” says the minister.

+++ 22:23 Kyiv: Russia increases military pressure in Donetsk +++
According to Ukrainian sources, Russia is increasing military pressure in the battle for the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. “The enemy is intensifying its pressure in the Bakhmut and Wuhledar sectors,” said Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maljar. In the Donbass, they would have the advantage of “professional military leadership and the courage of the soldiers” to oppose the superior number of Russian “soldiers and weapons”. Maljar stated that Russia is sending a large number of soldiers to combat, as well as a lot of military equipment and weapons. Moscow is recording “considerable losses”, but is not giving up.

+++ 22:04 Selenskyj: I asked Stoltenberg for long-range missiles and aircraft +++
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a telephone call for long-range missiles and aircraft. That’s what Zelenskyj said in his evening video speech. According to Zelensky, speed and numbers are the most important factors in supplying tanks to his country’s war effort. A tank force would have to be set up so that tyranny no longer had a chance, says Zelenskyj in his evening video address.

+++ 21:41 Slovakia wants to discuss delivery of MiG-29 fighter jets +++
Slovakia is ready to discuss sending MiG 29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Slovakian Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad’ says, according to Ukrainian news agency Urian. “We are waiting for a decision from the Slovakian parliament,” he says. However, this cannot be decided without the NATO allies, adds Nad’.

You can read earlier developments in the Ukraine war here.

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