2023-01-11 11:26:40
Ukraine Decree Approved by Senate: New Military Aid
The Ukraine decree was approved by the Senate with 125 votes in favour, 28 against and 2 abstentions. The provision extending the transfer of military materiel to Ukraine until December 31, 2023 will be submitted to the Chamber for final approval. As M5 group sources later noted, the movement’s senators voted ‘no’, as did those of the Green-Italian Left, who had announced their opposition in the chamber.
2023-01-11 10:56:10
Kremlin: No perspective for peace talks with Kyiv
There will be no peace talks with Kyiv as long as talks with Russia are prohibited under Ukrainian law, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Commenting on a statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that Russia is ready to hold talks with Ukraine, Peskov said: “In a situation where Ukrainian law prohibits the Ukrainian President from contacting us or dealing with us, and the West is obviously reluctant to grant Kyiv some flexibility, it is not possible to talk about (dialogue) prospects at this point». The tax office reports it.
2023-01-11 09:46:02
Turkey sent Cold War cluster bombs to Ukraine
Turkey has begun sending a US-designed form of cluster bomb, a powerful and controversial Cold War-era weapon, to Ukraine to destroy Russian tanks, US and European officials told Foreign Policy. The weapons are designed to detonate in smaller submunitions, they can remain in the field for years if they don’t detonate immediately. The law prohibits the US from exporting them. “After the US denied Kyiv access to these ammunition, only Turkey could supply them. This shows that Ankara is a major military supporter of Ukraine,” the sources explained.
The move, which Turkey has been trying to keep secret for months, highlights the leading role Ankara has played throughout the conflict, writes Foreign Policy: “Supporting Ukraine with armed Bayraktar TB2 drones that helped fuel Russia’s advance on Kyiv and to act diplomatically as a mediator for the UN negotiated agreement on the export of grain from the Ukrainian port of Odessa». It is currently unclear whether these Turkish surface weapons have already been used in combat. Neither the Turkish Embassy in Washington nor Ukraine’s Defense Ministry responded to Foreign Policy’s request for comment. Although Turkey has not shared any information on the amounts of cluster munitions it has in its stockpile, the Ankara-based Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation has in the past produced a long-range artillery shell capable of being fired from 155mm self-destructing guns Dpicm submunitions, as well as similar US-licensed shells. Roketsan, another major Turkish arms manufacturer, has a history of making TRK-122 missiles for 122mm artillery systems, which can also deliver Dpicm submunitions. Slovakia, Chile and the United States have shipped cluster munitions to Turkey in the past.
2023-01-11 09:31:48
Kyiv denies Russian capture of Soledar
The Ukrainian army denies the claims of the head of “Wagner” mercenaries Yevgeny Prigozhin that the city of Soleadr is under Russian control. “The Russians say that Soledar is under their control, that’s not true,” said representative of the Eastern Group of Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Cherevaty, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. “It seems that Prigozhin’s whereabouts are incorrect and he is not in the Soledar mines,” Kyiv adds.
2023-01-11 09:04:33
Tajani: “Italy ready to send more arms”
“We’re doing everything we can for Ukraine. We are ready to send as many more weapons as possible, of course Parliament will be informed beforehand. We sent over 50 tons of electrical equipment to rebuild the power grid destroyed by the Russian attacks. We are in talks with the French for air defense weapons. Also yesterday, during the meeting between the Japanese Prime Minister and Giorgia Meloni, we reaffirmed our intention to support Ukraine’s full independence.”