Ukraine has received the first American Patriot air defense systems and French AMX-10 light battle tanks are already on the battlefield, Ukrainian authorities announced on Wednesday, as Kiev says it is preparing a counter-offensive to magnitude. “Today our beautiful Ukrainian skies become safer because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov tweeted, thanking the United States, Germany and the Netherlands for “keeping their word”.
The main information to remember:
– kyiv received its first American air defense systems
– Odessa was targeted by a Russian drone attack, no casualties
– Russia wants a union against the “blackmail” of the West
Washington had pledged in mid-December, during Volodymyr Zelensky’s historic visit to the United States, to provide its sophisticated Patriot air defense system, at a time when Russia was pounding Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. This system will “significantly” strengthen the Ukrainian defense against Russian attacks, the Ukrainian president rejoiced at the time, assuring that this equipment would only be used “defensively” and not to strike Russian territory.
In the process, Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that his army would find an “antidote” to circumvent this advanced system. On January 20, the Netherlands announced that it would supply Ukraine with “two Patriot launchers” and the associated interceptor missiles, as part of a “joint delivery” with the United States and the Germany. Berlin had committed to supplying one of these systems on January 5.
Russian drone attack on Odessa, no casualties
Russian Shahed-136/131 drones hit the Odessa region overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday without causing any casualties, local military authorities said. “Thanks to the successful work of our defense forces, most of the enemy drones were destroyed, but unfortunately one public building was hit,” the Odessa district military administration said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that no victim was to be deplored in the immediate future.
Measures have been taken to contain the fires caused by these attacks and the state emergency services have been deployed, according to the same source. “Ten of the 12 kamikaze drones ‘Shahed-136/131’ were destroyed by the soldiers of the Odessa anti-aircraft missile brigade”, detailed the commander of the air force of the armed forces of Ukraine, Mykola Oleshchuk. Shahed-136 drones are made in Iran and can carry an explosive charge of 35-50 kilograms. They are regularly used by Russian forces against Ukraine.
Lavrov’s Latin American tour: Russia wants union against Western ‘blackmail’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on tour in Latin America, called on Tuesday for a “union” to counter Western “blackmail”. “It is necessary to join forces to counter blackmail attempts and illegal unilateral pressure from the West,” said Sergei Lavrov during a press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil, referring to “a multipolar world” .
Sergei Lavrov spoke in the evening with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The latter spoke on Twitter of a “pleasant meeting which consolidates bilateral relations and the cooperation plan” between the two countries. After Brazil, Venezuela is the second leg of Sergei Lavrov’s tour of Latin America. He must also go to Cuba and Nicaragua.
“Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua are countries choosing their own path,” he said. These three countries of socialist inspiration, criticized for their democratic shortcomings by human rights NGOs, have difficult relations with the United States and the European Union.