02/17/2023
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 04:06 Airbus is currently rejecting the delivery of combat aircraft +++
The head of the Airbus armaments division, Michael Schöllhorn, speaks out against the delivery of Western fighter jets to Ukraine at this point in time. “In view of the strong Russian air defense system, I would question the fact that combat aircraft are currently the key factor in the Ukraine war,” the head of Airbus Defense and Space told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. According to this, it would only be about older aircraft anyway, and the training of pilots and technicians would take months. However, Schöllhorn does not want to “categorically rule out anything”. He doesn’t say “that for God’s sake you can’t do that because Putin will get angry.” Anyone who wants to get Putin to “change his behavior” must “confront him with a signal of permanent strength”.
+++ 02:58 FDP and Union increase pressure on Pistorius +++
The Chairwoman of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, praises Defense Minister Boris Pistorius for his course, but at the same time calls for a fast pace in the procurement of weapons. “With Boris Pistorius there is movement in new procurements in the Bundeswehr. Almost a year after the Chancellor’s speech on the turning point of the era, it’s about time,” says Strack-Zimmermann of the “Rheinische Post”. “But first of all there are announcements. He has to streamline the procurement system and speed has to be picked up,” says Strack-Zimmermann. Pistorius is also seen to be on the right course in the Union, but calls for far-reaching changes. “Boris Pistorius is facing major challenges: One year after the change of era speech, the Bundeswehr has not noticed any improvement,” criticized the defense expert and deputy leader of the Union faction, Johann Wadephul, in the “Rheinische Post”.
+++ 01:40 Ministry: Russian assets sanctioned in the billions +++
Around a year after the start of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Russian assets worth 5.32 billion euros have been sanctioned in Germany. This is reported by “Welt am Sonntag”, citing information from the Federal Ministry of Finance. The sum is made up of assets from Russian “entities”, which include natural persons and companies on the EU sanctions list as well as the Central Bank of Russia. The ministry does not want to answer the extent to which so-called oligarchs are sanctioned in Germany.
+++ 23:48 USA: Heavy losses for mercenary group Wagner +++
According to the US government, the Wagner mercenary group has suffered heavy losses in Ukraine. Around 9,000 men have been killed, half of them since mid-December during their deployment, according to the President’s Office in Washington. Together with injuries, Wagner’s losses amount to more than 30,000 mercenaries. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Wagner members killed since December were convicted criminals, said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
+++ 22:25 First 635 Ukrainians complete maneuver training in Grafenwoehr +++
A first group of more than 600 Ukrainian soldiers is completing major maneuver training at the US military training area in Grafenwoehr, Bavaria. The first Ukrainian battalion of around 635 soldiers has completed the five-week course with the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, said US Department of Defense spokesman Pat Ryder. The course therefore included, among other things, shooting training, medical training, training in various units and an exercise in battalion strength.
+++ 22:04 Wagner mercenaries complain about lack of ammunition +++
According to a report by “Bild”, Wagner-Sölders in Ukraine are complaining about not enough ammunition. Accordingly, they vent their anger in videos. They accuse the Ministry of Defense of deliberately not supplying supplies. The head of the fighters, Yewegeni Prigozhin, insulted the defense minister and the “bureaucrats” there on Telegram. According to the Wagner mercenaries, their offensive was also slowed down by the lack of ammunition.
+++ 21:52 Baerbock wants to see more tanks +++
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock appealed to the allies in Ukraine’s defensive struggle against Russia, as well as Germany to deliver Leopard main battle tanks to Kiev. Together we must now ensure that Ukraine can defend itself and save human lives, the Greens politician told Bayerischer Rundfunk on the sidelines of the security conference in Munich, which was to be broadcast in the evening. “That’s why we’re appealing so urgently to other partner countries that have a similar model to what we’re supplying” to also make such tanks available.
+++ 21:04 Niinistö: “Turkey has its own understanding of Sweden’s NATO accession” +++
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö expects Finland and Sweden to join NATO by the summer. “I see it very optimistically,” he said on ARD. He believes that both countries are members of the western defense alliance before the NATO summit planned for July in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. Both countries had clearly expressed their willingness to join NATO. It is now in Turkish hands to make decisions. Turkey has its own understanding of this matter. “We don’t know exactly what that is.” Turkey accuses Sweden in particular of not taking sufficient action against Kurdish extremists.
You can read earlier developments in the Ukraine war here.