Russian mercenary claims deserters are shot and thrown into graves
Ukraine: Drone captures destruction in Bakhmut
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The Wagner Group is known for its battlefield cruelty, which includes the execution of soldiers who refuse to fight in front of terrified recruits, according to a fugitive Russian mercenary.
Unwilling Russian recruits, according to Andrei Medvedev, 26, who is requesting asylum in Norway, were allegedly buried in graves dug by the just enlisted forces after being shot.
He told CNN host Anderson Cooper: “They would round up those who did not want to fight and shoot them in front of newcomers.
“They brought two prisoners who refused to go fight and they shot them in front of everyone and buried them right in the trenches that were dug by the trainees.”
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KEY EVENTS
Putin accused of violating nuclear treaty as relations with US deteriorate over ‘toxicity’
The New Start Treaty came into force in 2011, with the aim of capping the number of strategic nuclear warheads that Russia or the US can deploy.
Vladimir Putin has been accused of violating a key nuclear arms treaty with the US, which was designed to limit the nuclear capacity of each country.
The Russian President has reportedly refused to allow inspection of its facilities, leading to relations deteriorating even further between the West and East.
Zelensky aide says Putin ‘not ready’ to use nuclear weapons
The Russian President’s threat to launch nuclear weapons is not believable, according to a senior Ukrainian political figure.
Western countries should ignore Russian nuclear threats an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Speaking to The Times Mykhailo Podolyak said that the Russian political elite realised that any use of nuclear weapons would lead to “inevitable death” for most of them.
He said: “Putin is not ready to press the red button.
“Any use of nuclear weapons, even tactical ones, will lead to the inevitable death of most of the Russian political elite. They understand this very well.”
Putin’s top army boss boasts thousands of convict conscripts have turned into ‘cannibals’
Vladimir Putin’s private military chief has boasted that thousands of criminals conscripted to fight for Russia have become “cannibals”.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the infamous Wagner Group, recently appeared in a video boasting the capabilities of his men.
He said that, ahead of their deployment to Ukraine, his intense training is turning enlisted convicts into “real cannibals”.
Ukraine on high alert as Russia plans major escalation of war, warns military chief
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s top military aide has warned the most intense fighting is still to come in Ukraine. Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, also warned the next few weeks and months will be key in determining how the war plays out.
He requested western countries to send more armaments, including British Typhoon fighter jets from the Royal Air Force and other fighter planes from other nations.
Mr Danilov told Sky News in Kyiv: “Russia is preparing for maximum escalation,”It is gathering everything possible, doing drills and training.”
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Explosions reported in Russian-held city
Several explosions have been heard in the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in the Donetsk Oblast.
Mariupol’s deputy mayor, Petro Andriushchenko, stated on Telegram: “Loud explosions were heard all over the city. At least seven loud explosions. The city’s Left Bank. A strike hit the area between the villages of Vynohradne and Pionerske.
The occupiers’ air defence equipment has reportedly been activated. Unofficial propaganda channels are reporting the usual ‘UAV attack’ and claiming that ‘all targets have been shot down’. This is wishful thinking. We are smiling expectantly as we wait for good news about these explosions.”
Russian air defence triggered over Belgorod
Russian air defence systems have been attempting to block Ukrainian rockets tonight above Belgorod according to local reports. Air defence system had reportedly been turned on over the area, according to Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod Oblast. He claimed two missiles were shot down, saying: “Our air defence system was activated over Belgorod district and Shebekinsky district. 2 shells were shot down.”
Polish foreign chief denies talks over F-16 deliverys to Ukraine
Poland is not considering selling its F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, according to Polish Deputy Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz on Twitter. Mr Skurkiewicz’ message was in response to another tweet suggesting that if Poland sends over any of its American-made F-16s to Ukraine, the country will be disarmed.
Critics claim that the refusal of NATO partners to supply Ukraine with F-16 jets and long-range ATACMS missiles will prevent Kyiv from conducting a significant offensive and liberating occupied territory. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has argued providing fighter planes such as the F-16 or other planes can only be done in close collaboration with Poland’s NATO partners.
Critics claim that the refusal of NATO partners to supply Ukraine with F-16 jets and long-range ATACMS missiles will prevent Kiev from conducting a significant offensive and liberating Ukrainian land.
Russian troops taken out by ‘death ray’ while crossing minefield
Combat Footage shows Putin’s fighters marching across a minefield in Ukraine and assembling to speak before one group gets hit. Several wounded soldiers are seen lying on the ground as the weapon is immediately fired at two additional groups.
Their companions can be seen trying to rescue them, but while they are being carried away, the weapon is unleashed again.
The video was shared by a Twitter account that covers the Ukrainian conflict. The user, who says they were forced to leave their hometown of Kherson, thinks the Ukrainians were firing the “death ray” missile. This is a slang term for an anti-tank missile launcher, also known as the Stugna-P, that can find targets precisely and pierce armour up to 800 mm thick.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
UK refuses to send fighter jets to Ukraine to help pushback against Putin
The British Government is holding out on providing Ukraine with fighter jets as Kyiv turns to Western allies for help matching Russian airpower over the battlefield.
The Prime Minister has ruled out sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said on Tuesday: “The UK’s Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets are extremely sophisticated and take months to learn how to fly. Given that, we believe it is not practical to send those jets into Ukraine.
Leaked document shows plans to turn Ukraine into ‘rump state’ and starve it of industry
Sensitive information about the invasion of Ukraine that seemed to be intended for the Russian government appears to have leaked on Telegram. The records, which are made up of 14 slides, some of which are missing, show a map of Ukraine after a successful Russian invasion as well as various industrial sites within the country’s newly captured territory that were to be targeted for seizure. The information was released on the investigative website VChK-Telegram OGPU’s channel, which records criminal activity by Russian oligarchs.
It alleges that Konstantin Malofeev, a pro-monarchist businessman with connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin, wrote the document.
The study contends that oligarchs would have grabbed control of Ukraine’s heavy industries if Russia’s invasion of that country in 2022 had been successful.READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Russia launches ‘new axis of advance’ as Commonwealth forces land in UK
Russia is planning to “develop a new axis of advance” in eastern Ukraine after months of costly and “heavily contested” fighting around the city of Bakhmut, the British Ministry of Defence has claimed. Putin’s forces will now concentrate on the “towns of Pavlivka and Vuhledar”, 90 miles southward, initiating “a more concerted assault”, the Mod said. Russian forces had deployed waves of human attacks in Bakhmut and Soledar six miles northeast, fighting for weeks just for one house and losing thousands of soldiers in the process, but the former city is still being contested. The shift southward could be part of a planned Russian spring offensive aimed at more rapid success, with military analysts suggesting they will focus primarily on controlling the Donbas region, which includes the two eastern oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The news comes as Australian forces arrived in the UK to help train Ukrainian soldiers before they head back to the conflict zone.
‘Two dead, including child,’ after Russian troops shell residential area in Bakhmut
Russian troops have reportedly shelled a residential area in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, resulting in the death of two individuals, including a 12-year-old boy, and leaving at least five others injured. The news was reported by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, who stated that the exact number of casualties is still being determined.
Former Wagner Group commander issues apology for being ‘a scoundrel’
A former commander of the Russian mercenary Wagner group who fled to Norway to avoid fighting in Ukraine has asked people “not to condemn” him.
Andrey Medvedev fled his unit and crossed the border into Norway near the Pasvikdalen valley, at the northernmost tip of Scandinavia, where he was arrested and detained by border guards.
He is the first known soldier from the Wagner Group who fought in Ukraine to flee abroad.
Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, Medvedev said: “I’m a scoundrel to you, but I only ask you to take into account that I have come to realise that, albeit belatedly, and I spoke against all that.
“I ask you not to condemn me, and in any case I apologise.”
Russian strikes kill young boy in Bakhmut
A young boy has been killed by Russian strikes on the city of Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine, the local governor has reported.
On Tuesday morning, multiple missiles struck near a pharmacy in Bakhmut, which has been the epicentre of fighting since last summer.
The city, stationed on the frontline in the Donetsk region, has been described by Ukrainian soldiers as the “meat grinder” owing to the relentless attacks on it by Russian forces.
As well as the young boy, another civilian was killed, while four others were injured.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said on Telegram: “Russian occupiers turned the once cosy city of Bakhmut into a solid ruin. For several months in a row, the occupiers have been methodically and purposefully raiding Bakhmut, killing its inhabitants.
“Unfortunately, today is no exception: 2 people died as a result of another shelling that happened a few hours ago. One of the dead is a minor boy.”
He added: “In addition, 4 more wounded civilians are currently known. The pharmacy was damaged.”
Russia admits losing 50% of its air forces by September
A Russian commentator has admitted on a state media channel that Russia lost up to 50 percent of its air forces between February and September, weeks before they began using Iranian drones and long range missiles in a tactical change.
You can see the video below.
Russia claims US sending them secret letters via foreign officials
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that the US is sending him letters via other nations calling on Putin to “go and stop” its invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov alleged that US secretary of state Anthony Blinken delivered a message to him via the Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shukri, who said the letter contained a “certain message”.
Lavrov claims that the letter was handed over during his visit to Egypt, to hold talks with Mr Shukri on Tuesday.
Mr Blinken’s letter was reportedly dedicated to Ukraine and contains calls to “go and stop”, said the head of the Russian foreign ministry, which likely amounts to a call for Russia to leave Ukraine and cease the war of aggression.
Earlier, the US Secretary of State conveyed a similar message to Lavrov through Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen.
Ukraine to receive 140 tanks in ‘first wave’ of Western weapons packages
After months of uncertainty, Ukraine is set to receive “between 120 and 140 western-model tanks” from a coalition of 12 countries, the nation’s foreign minister has said.
During an online briefing on Tuesday, Dmytro Kuleba said: “The tank coalition now has 12 members. I can note that in the first wave of contributions, the Ukrainian armed forces will receive between 120 and 140 western-model tanks.”
The UK and Germany have made firm pledges to send their main battle tanks, the Challenger 2 and Leopard 2s respectively, in the past few weeks.
Poland, Finland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark have also said they are planning to send some of their Leopard 2s.
Austria and Hungary agree not to send military assistance to Ukraine
Austria and Hungary have agreed not to send military assistance to Ukraine, the two nations said following a meeting between their defence ministers on Monday.
Austrian defence minister Klaudia Tanner and her Hungarian counterpart Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky met in Budapest on Jan. 30.
According to Ms Tanner, the threat of war spreading to Europe precludes military support of Ukraine.
She said: “The effects are not only enormously felt in Austria [now], but also in Hungary. Eventually, the routes run through our neighbouring country to us.”
According to the top officials, the position of both countries regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine is “clear”: they will not provide Ukraine with defence assistance “to prevent a further escalation”.
Mr Szalay-Bobrovniczky added that Hungary would only supply humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war.
Air raid alerts sound across Ukraine
Air raid alerts are currently resounding across Ukraine for a third time today, according to Euromaidan Press.
Uk gov says sending fighter jets to Ukraine is ‘not practical’
Downing Street has said it is “not practical” to send UK fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster its fight against Russia.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The UK’s Typhoon and F35 fighter jets are extremely sophisticated and take months to learn how to fly, given that we believe it is not practical to send those jets into Ukraine.
“We will continue to provide and accelerate our military support to Ukraine and listen carefully to their requests.
“It is the length of time it takes to learn how to use what are very complex pieces of equipment that is the limiting factor in this case but we will explore what more we can do to support Ukraine.”
Olympic committee accuses Ukraine of ‘defamation’ over Russian athlete issue
The International Olympic Committee has accused Ukrainian officials of making “defamatory statements” over their decisions to allow Russian and Belarussian to compete in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games next year.
Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, accused the committee of being a “promoter of war, murder and destruction” after the IOC said it was considering ways to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate.
In a statement on twitter, Mr Podolyak said on Monday that the IOC was giving Russia “a platform to promote genocide & encourages their further killings”.
A committee statement on Tuesday said the comments were antithetical to “constructive discussion” over this prevailing issue.
The statement said: “The IOC rejects in the strongest possible terms this and other defamatory statements. They cannot serve as a basis for any constructive discussion.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has also said allowing Russia to compete at the 2024 Paris Games was tantamount to showing that “terror is somehow acceptable”.
Ukrainian soldiers undergo mine training in UK
Ukrainian soldiers have been pictured taking part in “mine safety” exercises in the UK.
Deputy Commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk posted pictures of the soldiers attending to mines buried in the English woodland as part of a training drill.
The military exercises are being overseen by instructors of the 1st Sapper Regiment of the 1st Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group of the 3rd Canadian Division of the Land Forces of the Canadian Armed Forces.
You can read the full story here.
Germany and France ‘sceptical’ over Ukraine’s EU accession
Top officials in the European Union are “sceptical” about the sped-up accession of Ukraine to the bloc, a draft summit communique has suggested, ahead of a summit on February 3.
EU member states reportedly remain divided over using positive language concerning the speed of Ukraine’s accession, four diplomats told the publication Euractiv.
The European Union is looking to send a “strong signal to Moscow” during the EU-Ukraine Summit this Friday, reiterating that it is “committed to support Ukraine’s further European integration”.
Poland, three Baltic states, and Ukraine insisted on language that would indicate to Kyiv the possibility of speeding up consideration of its application to join the EU, according to the diplomats.
But France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, and Belgium have been accused of being concerned that the draft declaration for Ukraine’s accession has become “too forward-leaning”.
Kremlin accuses Baltic states of ‘extremely aggressive position’ on Ukraine
The Kremlin has accused the Baltic states of taking an “extremely aggressive position” on Ukraine after the Lithuanian President called on the West to supply Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets.
Earlier today, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urged the West to cross the “red line” and supply Ukraine with the much-desired jets.
The Kremlin has since called on the “major European countries” to counterbalance the “aggressive” requests from the Batlic state, employing its tactic of attempting to pit Western nations against each other as part of an informational war campaign.
Brazil President declines to send ammunition to Ukraine
The newly-inaugurated President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has declined to send ammunitions to Ukraine during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying “our war is against poverty, not Russia”.
Zelensky says ‘winning the war’ is only way to peace
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said there is “no other way” to restore peace in Ukraine besides “winning the war”, suggesting that pushing Russian forces out of the mainland is the only option.
In a message on Telegram, which was posted alongside an assortment of photos, Mr Zelensky said: “We want to stop the routine of war. And restore the routine of peace. But we can do this only by winning the war. There is no other way.”
Lithuania calls on West to abandon ‘red lines’ and supply Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has urged the West to cross the “red line” and supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
He called on Western forces to “act without delay” during this “crucial stage of the war”.
He said: ““I have seen many red lines that have been drawn, and sometimes I even get the impression that these red lines are not drawn by us, Western countries, democracies, but by the terrorist state Russia, which is trying to draw them through fear and threats. And it is trying to impose.
“I’m not talking only about tanks. Once upon a time, the status of a candidate for joining the EU was a taboo, a red line. I remember it well.”
“This Rubicon has been crossed, so I really hope that this red line – if it really exists, and I think it only exists in our heads – will also be crossed,” he said, referring to Kyiv’s request for fighter jets and long range missiles.
“Because fighter jets and long-range missiles are an essential military aid, and at this crucial stage of the war, when the tipping point is about to happen, it is vital that we act without delay.
“So my answer to your question is that these red lines must be crossed.”
Photos from the frontline
Here are some photos from the eastern frontline in the region of Donetsk.
The area has been the site of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine and is set to become more intense as Russia prepare sto launch an offensive in spring, targeting the Donbasm which includes Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
Russia make slow advance on Bakhmut
A new graphic has detailed the slow and costly advance of Russian soldiers on the city of Bakhmut, in the eastern Donetsk region.
Ukraine orders 105 surveillance drones from Germany
Ukraine’s ministry of defence has ordered a further 105 surveillance drones from the German company Quantum-Systems GmbH, an aerial intelligence company.
A statement by the company read: “The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has placed a second batch order of Vector™ systems, following an earlier order of 33 UAS of the same model in August 2022.
“Since then, the system was able to demonstrate it delivers unprecedented performance under the most challenging conditions.
“Vector™ has been extensively used and intensively tested on the Ukrainian battlefield, where it has proven to be an asset for military intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.”
US successfully launch hypersonic weapon
Joe Biden’s US has successfully tested a groundbreaking hypersonic weapon at speeds exceeding Mach 5 and altitudes above 60,000 feet, sending a powerful message to Russia’s Vladimir Putin about the US’s emerging capability.
The developers, Lockheed Martin, are now confident such weapon systems can be produced rapidly to meet “the urgent national need”.
It is the latest success from the US in the race against Russia and China to operationalise hypersonic missiles.
Russia has already begun using Kalibr cruise missiles, which can travel at hypersonic speeds, in Ukraine.
You can read the full story here.
Russian attacks strike nine regions in 24 hours
Russian strikes across nine regions of Ukraine in the last 24 hours have killed one person and injured a further four, the latest reports have claimed.
Norway to send tanks to Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’
Norway will send its German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine “as soon as possible”, the defence minister Bjorn Arild Gram has told AFP news agency, most likely by the end of March.
He added that they “haven’t decided on the number yet” that they are going to send, though Norway has a total of 36 Leopard 2s in its arsenal.
Germany, Poland, Spain, the US and the United Kingdom have all publicly pledged to send tanks to Ukraine.
Ukraine needs F-16s to replace ‘inferior technology’
Ukraine “seriously” needs the West to supply “up to five brigades” with of F-16 fighter jets to replace the currently Soviet-era fleet because the technology is “inferior”, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Forces has said.
The spokesman of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Yuriy Ignat, told the French TV channel La Chaîne Info that the receiving of the F-16s would allow them to strike both ground and air targets, which could prove crucial as the next Russian offensive gets underway in spring.
He said: “We are inferior in technology. Therefore, the need is serious. It is necessary to create up to five brigades of tactical aviation with one type of multi-purpose aircraft of the Western model. What type it will be, is now being determined.
“Currently, the F-16 is the most likely candidate to replace the old Soviet aircraft, because there are certain objective reasons for this. And this is not a one-man decision, constant consultations are held with partners.”
He added: “It is clear that we will not be able to get everything at once, but a phased transition to a new multi-role aircraft is a requirement of time.”
Russia loses 850 troops in latest week, claims Ukraine
Russia lost nearly a thousand soldiers in the week up to January 31, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has claimed in its latest update.
A total of 127,500 Russian soldiers have lost their lives on the battlefield in Ukraine, it added.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 3,201 tanks, 6,378 armoured fighting vehicles, 5,048 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,197 artillery systems, 454 multiple launch rocket systems, 221 air defence systems, 293 aeroplanes, 284 helicopters, 1,951 drones, and 18 boats.
Ukraine defence minister to call on Paris for f-16 fighter jets
Ukrainian defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to discuss the provision of F-16 fighter jets.
Calls for the fourth generation aircraft have proved fruitless following the widespread western pledges of main battle tanks last week.
US President Joe Biden said on Monday night that they would not be sending any fighter jets to Ukraine.
Mr Reznikov will also hold a scheduled meeting with the French head of the ministry of defence, Sebastien Lecorne.
The pair will focus on air defence missile systems to bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend against long range assaults from Russian strikes and drones.
Mr Reznikov will visit the Thales company, a French multinational tech corporation, where he will be presented with the GM 200 medium-range radar. It can be integrated into the SAMP-T air defence system, which the governments of France and Italy are hoping to provide to the Ukrainian military.
Russia to ‘develop new axis’ of attack in eastern Ukraine
Russia forces are planning to “develop a new axis of advance” in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, after months of “heavily contested fighting”, the British MoD has claimed.
You can see their full update below.
Australian regiment arrives in UK to train Ukrainian soldiers
Australian soldiers have arrived in the UK to help the British Army train Ukrainian recruits, the Australian Army revealed in a post on Twitter:
They reported that a “contingent of soldiers from the 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (5 RAR)” arrived this week.
They began with an early morning training session to “acclimatise to the freezing temperatures”.
Good morning
Good morning from London. I’m Tom Watling, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @TomAWatling
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