11/01/2022
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 06:55 Russian troops are apparently retreating further on the Dnipro +++
Russian forces appear to be preparing for battle near the city of Cherson, but are retreating further from the west bank of the Dnipro. The US think tank reports “Institute for the Study of War” (ISW).
+++ 06:30 Ukraine: Two helicopters shot down in Cherson +++
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, anti-aircraft missiles shot down two Ka-52 helicopters in the Kherson region on Monday – within three minutes. This is reported by the “Kyiv Independent”.
+++ 06:04 Steinmeier: Standing close together against Russian aggression +++
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledges the support of Japan and South Korea in the Ukraine war. “I would like to thank the partners for standing closely together against Russian aggression in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia,” he said just before the start of his visit to the two countries. “Japan and Korea are countries that, like us, are concerned about developments in Eastern Europe since February 24. Both countries condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
+++ 05:13 Grain exports from Ukraine: Deutsche Bahn complains about slow processing at the EU border +++
Deutsche Bahn complains that it cannot fully utilize its capacities for the export of Ukrainian grain because of the EU border bureaucracy. “We could drive even more if the border clearance at the EU’s external border were faster,” said a company spokesman for the “RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland”. In particular, the infrastructure and border processes at the EU’s external borders would have to be expanded and accelerated, said the railway spokesman. “In our view, central coordination – strategically and operationally – would allow larger volumes of freight to be transported by rail.” The demand for transport capacities is very high, the spokesman continued. “We drive as much as we can.”
+++ 03:17 “Your profits are war profits”: Biden threatens oil and gas companies with an excess profit tax +++
US President Joe Biden has threatened energy companies with an excess profits tax if they don’t pass on increased profits resulting from high oil and gas prices to consumers. If companies don’t lower production costs and increase production, “they will pay higher taxes on their excess profits and experience further restrictions,” Biden told reporters. Government officials would work with Congress on the issue. “Your profits are war profits,” Biden said, referring to the latest company figures from several energy companies. In the past few days, the companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron had reported drastically increased profits due to the massive increase in oil prices as a result of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Read more about this here.
+++ 02:26 accusation “dirty bomb”: IAEA starts inspections +++
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has started its planned inspections in Ukraine after Russian accusations that Kyiv intends to use a “dirty bomb”. The inspectors should finish their work soon, said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. The inspections are therefore taking place at the invitation of the Ukrainian authorities. According to the information, two sites are being checked at which, according to Russian allegations, work is being carried out on a “dirty bomb” in order to detect possible undeclared nuclear activities and materials. Grossi wants to report on the results of the inspection visits this week.
+++ 01:16 Russian billionaire gives up Russian citizenship in protest +++
Russian banker and entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov has renounced his Russian citizenship because of Moscow’s war of aggression in Ukraine. He made this decision because he “couldn’t and didn’t want to be associated with a fascist country” that “started a war with its peaceful neighbor” and is killing innocent people every day, Tinkow wrote on Instagram. He shared an image of a certificate confirming the “end” of his Russian citizenship. He hopes more prominent Russian businessmen will follow him, Tinkov wrote, “so that[President Vladimir]Putin’s regime and economy can be weakened and he can eventually be defeated.” He “hates Putin’s Russia” but “loves all Russians who are clearly against this crazy war”. The glittering billionaire and founder of the online bank Tinkoff is one of the most well-known Russian entrepreneurs.
Read more about this here.
+++ 23:54 Putin: We are not ending grain agreements +++
According to President Vladimir Putin, Russia will not end the grain agreement. Moscow is only suspending this, the Russian head of state said at a press conference. Russia on Saturday halted the UN-Turkey-brokered deal that would allow Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea. This was justified with a drone attack on ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
+++ 23:21 According to Zelenskyj, Moscow has to use more rockets than before +++ to hit a target
After a day of heavy Russian missile attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underlined the achievements of anti-aircraft defense. Of around 50 Russian cruise missiles and missiles, 45 were shot down, Zelensky said in his video message in the evening. He demanded that his country needed more weapons to ward off the attacks from the air. But Russia already has to use more missiles to hit a target than it used to. “The world is seeing that what was once the second strongest army in the world is no longer even the 22nd in terms of effectiveness,” said Zelenskyy. “And we will do everything we can to get her out of the top 100.” With the rocket attacks, the Russian army has been pursuing a new tactic since October and is primarily targeting energy supply systems
You can read earlier developments surrounding the Ukraine war here.