• Zelensky claims major victory in Black Sea. And the army is calling for the mobilization of another 500,000 men
• Putin: “Russian troops retain the initiative and are ready to use AI”
• The US Senate postpones approval of new aid for Kiev until next year
• Tajani: a shared vision with GB on Kiev's defense.
1:21 p.m. – Council of Ministers adopts decree extending authorization for transfer of military vehicles
The Council of Ministers (Cdm), on the proposal of President Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, adopted a legislative decree introducing urgent provisions for the extension of the authorization for the transfer of military vehicles, materials and equipment in favor of the government authorities of Ukraine. Palazzo Chigi announced this in a statement.
Italy has “done its part” in terms of military aid sent to Ukraine, but the West is “not prepared for a prolonged war situation with Russia,” Minister Crosetto told Rai News 24. “Italy has so far responded seriously with seven military aid packages.” “I am going to Copasir to present the eighth edition,” explained Crosetto, emphasizing that, unlike Western countries, Russia now has a “war economy.” “This is one of the issues we should ask NATO and the European Union. “The current tactics must be changed,” he concluded.
12.25 p.m. – Kremlin: The basis for peace talks with Kiev is missing
“We really believe that the issue of peace negotiations with Ukraine “is now irrelevant, and we have repeatedly stated that there is no basis or basis for these negotiations,” said Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the TASS and Interfax agencies. “There are no prerequisites for such negotiations, since Ukraine left the negotiating table at the insistence of the United Kingdom,” Peskov further explained, citing Kiev's 10-point peace plan, which envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied Ukrainian territories. The invasion began in February 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree in October last year stating “the impossibility of negotiations” with Putin, who had recently illegally annexed to Russia four Ukrainian regions, some of which were occupied by Kremlin troops . According to AFP, Zelensky yesterday ruled out that there were any prospects of possible talks with Moscow. “I don’t see any requests from Russia. I don't see it in their actions. “I see only arrogance and murder in their rhetoric,” Zelensky said.
12:24 p.m. – Zelensky appoints Halyna Mykhailiuk as his representative in the Rada
President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed a new representative to the Verkhovna Rada to replace the dismissed Fedor Venislavsky. It's Halyna Mykhailiuk. We can read it in the relevant decree published on the Presidency website. Halyna Mykhailiuk is a Servant of the People MP. He is deputy chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee and is one of the members of the permanent delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
Previously, Mykhailiuk was a legislative drafting advisor to the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine from 2015 to 2019. From 2012 to 2022 she worked as a professor at the Kiev Mohyla Academy. She is also an associate professor at the Free University of Munich Ukraine. He holds the title of Doctor of Law.
11.58am – Cameron: “Ukraine has suffered a catastrophic disaster”
Will Putin win in Ukraine? “No, he is not winning, he has suffered a catastrophic disaster,” former British Prime Minister David Cameron told Corriere, “he has lost 300,000 soldiers, a large part of the Black Sea Fleet, his attempt to take Ukraine by storm.” It was a complete failure, the Russian economy is poorer and NATO gained two great new members. We must end this catastrophe by continuing to support Ukraine: the fact that we have had six difficult months is not a reason to retreat, but a reason to redouble our efforts.” Here is the full interview.
11.22 a.m. – Borrell: The EU is preparing for a conflict that will last
In Ukraine, Putin “will not leave the war, not before the American elections, which represent a more favorable scenario for him.” So we have to prepare for a high-intensity conflict that will last for a long period of time. This is what European societies need to know and learn, and that is why we need to further develop our defense industry, which is absolutely not up to the challenges we face. This is how Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Trade, spoke Security policy, at the Grand Continent summit currently taking place in Courmayeur (Aosta) with the Skyway cable car.
11:02 a.m. – Zelensky: “We are not losing the war”
He speaks of a “great victory” in the Black Sea, where Russian ships have lost their operational capability, but admits that it is impossible to say when the conflict will end.
Yesterday, during the year-end press conference, Volodymyr Zelensky denied that Kiev is losing the war, but admitted concerns about uncertainty over Western funding and some disagreements with the head of the armed forces, Valery Zaluzhny, who had asked him about a forced mobilization of another half a million men to sign.
The Ukrainian president also expressed his desire to meet soon with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to find “solutions” to their differences given his veto over the adoption of a new EU aid package for Ukraine.
And then there is the unknown about voting in the United States. “If the policies of the next American president, whoever he is, become colder, I think they will have a very big impact on the war,” Zelensky said, referring to Donald Trump.
10:47 a.m. – Crosetto announcements in the Chamber on January 10th
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto's communications on the conflict in Ukraine will take place on January 10 at 9:30 a.m., as provided for in the legislative decree. This was stated by the Montecitorio Group Leaders Conference.
10:36 a.m. – EU court rejects Abramovic's appeal against restrictive measures
The EU court rejected Roman Abramovic's appeal and confirmed the restrictive measures taken against him as part of the sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. Abramovic is the main shareholder of the parent company of Evraz, one of the largest Russian companies in the steel and mining sector. This sector represents a significant source of income for the Russian government. The tycoon challenged the inclusion and maintenance of his name in the lists of persons and entities affected by EU sanctions at the Court of Justice of the European Union and demanded compensation for the damage caused to his reputation, which he currently estimates at 1 million euros.
10:29 a.m. – HRW: Moscow is forcing Ukrainians in occupied territories to do military service
The Russian authorities continue to recruit, or in any case attempt to recruit by force, Ukrainian civilians in occupied territories, including those detained: the complaint comes from Human Rights Watch, which states that this practice is a “war crime”. “Russian authorities are blatantly and illegally forcing men in occupied areas of Ukraine to fight against their own country,” said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Less visible is their practice of pressuring detained Ukrainian civilians who have nowhere to hide or escape to join Russian forces.” Human Rights Watch interviewed three men detained in the Donetsk region by telephone; and all three claimed that they had already been held there before the invasion and that the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic had pressured them to join Russian troops “through intimidation, threats and propaganda,” pressure that “has occurred in recent times.” “Time reinforced” was months.” A Ukrainian lawyer representing one of the people interviewed told the NGO that he was aware of at least 11 similar cases.
10:28 a.m. – The Pope: Do not forget those who suffer from war, we ask for peace
“Let us not forget the people, the peoples who suffer from the evil of war. Wars are always a defeat: let us not forget that, a defeat. Only the manufacturers of weapons earn money.” Pope Francis said this in a spontaneous appeal at the end of the general audience in the Sala Nervi. “Please,” he continued, “let us think of Palestine, of Israel, let us think of Ukraine, the ambassador is here.” Tormented Ukraine, suffering so much.” “And let us think of the children in war the things we see,” the Pope concluded, “let us go to the manger and ask Jesus for peace, he is the Prince of Peace.”
08:43 – Human Rights Watch: “Russian army forcibly recruits Ukrainian civilians”
Russian forces continue to forcibly recruit Ukrainian civilians, including those imprisoned, in the territories of Ukraine they occupy and force them to fight for them against their compatriots, and this constitutes a war crime, the organization writes in a humanitarian statement for human rights Observe ( HRW). “Russian authorities are openly and illegally forcing men in occupied territories of Ukraine to fight against their country,” writes Hugh Williamson, HRW director for Europe and Central Asia. “Less visible is their practice of urging detained Ukrainian civilians who have nowhere to hide or escape to join Russian forces,” Williamson added in the statement.
7:45 a.m. – Putin warns 007 from abroad not to help Kiev
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a “tough” response to “foreign agents” seeking to destabilize Russia by helping Ukraine. “The Kiev regime, with the direct support of foreign intelligence services, has chosen the path of terrorist methods, in practice state terrorism,” the Kremlin chief said in a video address. “Attempts by foreign special agents to destabilize the political and social situation in Russia must be stopped vigorously,” Putin added.
6:55 a.m. – WSJ: Ukrainian soldiers invited to fight are getting older
Ukrainian soldiers sent to the front to fight are growing older and physically exhausted, in part because of irregularities and mistreatment at the hands of recruiting offices, and are under pressure to make up for losses caused by two years of high-intensity conflict with Russia. This is what the newspaper “Wall Street Journal” writes. The American newspaper describes how Ukrainian recruiting officers arrest ordinary passers-by and keep them in solitary confinement for days until they are forced to join the armed forces: This is the case of a 47-year-old named “Dubok” who recounted his experience. The man, a former electrical engineer, hoped to count on his skills to get a technical job behind the scenes, but “to get such a job you have to pay bribes”: the middle-aged man was sent to the instead Front, as an infantryman in a front unit decimated by months of fighting.
6:05 a.m. – The US Senate fails to reach an agreement on a new aid package for Ukraine
The US Senate was unable to agree on the green light for the new aid package for Ukraine. In fact, mediators are failing to agree on the deal, which Republican senators want to make conditional on cracking down on immigration from Mexico. The New York Times reports on it. “We hope that the efforts” of the mediators “will enable the Senate to respond quickly to national security as we begin the new year,” Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell wrote in a joint note.
5:54 a.m. – The UN approves the resolution against forced deportations to Russia
The United Nations General Assembly has adopted an updated resolution condemning Russia's human rights violations in the occupied territories, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced. “The resolution specifically calls on Russia to stop forced deportations and ensure the safe return of all Ukrainian children and civilian hostages,” Kuleba was quoted as saying by Ukrainian media. “These are some of the most heinous crimes and they must be stopped,” he added.
05:33 – France will also train Ukrainian pilots on Western fighters in 2024
France will join the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets in early 2024. This is initial training, which is then continued by European partners. This is what Ukrainian Pravda writes, citing a report from the French Ministry of Defense. In May, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his willingness to train Ukrainian fighter pilots. “The first pilots will arrive in early 2024. After the initial training in France, they will continue their combat training in courses organized by our partners,” the report said. Although the French side did not provide further details, it is likely that these are training courses for F-16 fighter jets organized in Europe by a coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands. Ukrainian pilots have already started training on the F-16 in the USA and Denmark. With the help of the Netherlands, a training center was opened in Romania that is intended to accommodate Ukrainians in particular. Britain also announced its intention to conduct training for the Ukrainians.
5:31 a.m. – Russian bombings on Kherson during the night, nine injured
That night, several Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, two other attacks targeted the western city of Kharkiv and nine people were injured in bombings in the southern city of Kherson. This was announced by the Ukrainian authorities.