01/20/2023
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 04:10 Insider: CIA director held secret meeting in Kyiv +++
The director of the American foreign intelligence service CIA, William Burns, apparently exchanged views with the Ukrainian President Selenskyj during a secret meeting in Kyiv. As an insider who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters, Burns is said to have met with Ukrainian intelligence officials and the president to reaffirm continued US support for Ukraine and defense against Russian aggression. According to the American newspaper “The Washington Post”, the visit is said to have taken place at the end of last week. Among other things, the CIA director informed Zelenskyy about his expectations regarding Russia’s upcoming military plans.
+++ 02:42 Melnyk: Germany should form a “powerful tank coalition” +++
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine is hoping that the meeting of its supporters in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, will promise massive additional military aid, including “Leopard 2” battle tanks from Germany. “The Ukrainians are expecting a real breakthrough in the delivery of the most modern weapon systems from the Ramstein summit,” the former Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin told the editorial network Germany. “The biggest request to the traffic light government for the Ramstein meeting would be that Germany not only end its strange blocking stance on the ‘Leopard’ tanks, but show true leadership and form a powerful tank coalition for Ukraine.”
+++ 01:45 Russian secret service arrests Americans on suspicion of espionage +++
Russia is investigating a US citizen on suspicion of espionage. This is reported by the FSB secret service. The suspect’s name or details will not be released. “The American is suspected of collecting secret information on biological topics,” explains the FSB. This has endangered the security of the Russian Federation. The US State Department has confirmed it is aware of unconfirmed reports that Russia has opened a criminal case against a US citizen on suspicion of espionage. The matter will be observed. Several US citizens have been imprisoned in Russia in recent years. Some of them were exchanged for Russian inmates in US prisons.
+++ 00:37 USA announce further delivery of weapons +++
The US announces another $2.5 billion in arms sales to Ukraine. The latest aid package does not include main battle tanks, but includes an additional 59 Bradley tanks, 90 Stryker armored vehicles, Avenger air defense systems and ammunition, according to the US Department of Defense. Washington had already announced a first delivery of 50 Bradley tanks last week. Together with the other Bradleys and Stryker vehicles that have now been announced, two complete brigades could be equipped, the Pentagon explains.
+++ 23:09 Ex-Prime Minister: Bulgarian weapons went to Ukraine +++
Armaments from Bulgaria reached the country attacked by Russia through intermediaries long before the first official military aid package from the government in Sofia to Ukraine. According to a report in “Welt”, the exports did not go from government to government, but came about through intermediary companies in Bulgaria and abroad. Former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov confirms that “partners” from Poland, Romania, the United States and Britain “bought weapons from Bulgarian industry,” Bulgarian media reports. “Yes, some of these weapons went to the Ukrainian army,” Petkov continues.
+++ 22:17 Lithuania: “Some countries” will deliver Leopard tanks to Ukraine +++
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas assumes that several of Ukraine’s allies will provide the country with Leopard tanks. “Some countries” have decided to deliver German-made battle tanks to Kyiv, Anusauskas told AFP. “More information will follow tomorrow at the Ramstein meeting,” he adds. At the US air base in Rhineland-Palatinate, the so-called Ukraine contact group is discussing further military aid for the Ukrainian armed forces on Friday.
+++ 22:03 Moscow: Inflation could fall below four percent in the spring +++
According to estimates by the central bank, inflation in Russia could temporarily fall below four percent in the spring. The central bank announced that the price acceleration would therefore be below the target of the monetary authorities in the short term. The central bank forecasts a decline in average inflation to five to seven percent in 2023 from 11.9 percent last year. In Russia, the Rosstat statistical office registered a slight slowdown in the pace of inflation. In the week of January 10-16, prices rose 0.15 percent compared to 0.24 percent in the first nine days of the year.
+++ 21:31 Pentagon: Delivery from Abrams does not currently make sense +++
According to the US Department of Defense, the delivery of American Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine does not make sense at this point in time. “It just doesn’t make sense to give the Ukrainians this tool right now,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters in Washington. The Abrams main battle tank requires different fuel than the Leopard 2 or the Challenger 2 and is more expensive to maintain. Germany makes a “sovereign decision” about which weapons it will supply to Ukraine, Singh said. On Friday, a US-led coalition is to discuss new arms deliveries to Ukraine in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate.
+++ 21:16 Pistorius: “Leopard” delivery does not depend on US tank decision +++
Deliveries of German “Leopard” tanks to Ukraine do not depend on simultaneous deliveries of American battle tanks to the country, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. “I’m not aware of such a connection,” says the SPD politician on ARD. When asked whether Germany would also supply main battle tanks without the involvement of the United States, he said that Chancellor Olaf Scholz was discussing this with US President Joe Biden. “I’m pretty sure we’ll get a decision on that in the next few days.” When asked whether Germany would allow other countries to transfer Leopard tanks, he said that would become clear in the next few hours or on Friday morning. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and the “Wall Street Journal” reported yesterday that Germany’s decision depends on whether the USA also supplies its own battle tanks.
+++ 20:43 Escaped Russians have been stuck at the airport for months +++
When Moscow mobilizes en masse for the war in Ukraine, five Russians flee to nearby South Korea. But they are not given asylum there, are not allowed to enter the country – and have been waiting at the airport for months. Their credit cards don’t work, even a coffee becomes a luxury.
You can read earlier developments in the Ukraine war here.