When Sweden announced its intention to supply long-range arms to Ukraine, Moscow warned that such a move would constitute “escalation.” Follow the latest developments in the war in Ukraine every hour.
12:59 p.m.: Kyiv calls on Jewish organizations to condemn Lavrov’s Holocaust comments
“We call on Jewish organizations to condemn Sergei Lavrov’s shameful statement that equates Russians fighting a war of aggression against a sovereign nation with Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust,” Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. Russia’s state anti-Semitism must not be tolerated,” he added.
12:53 p.m.: Charles Michel has arrived in Kyiv
European Union President Charles Michel arrived in Kyiv to discuss the European Union’s support for Ukraine and the reforms needed in the former Soviet republic to one day join the European alliance.
12.10pm: Ukraine urges westerners to ‘significantly increase’ arms shipments: minister
Ukraine is urging its Western allies to “significantly increase” their arms supplies to deal with the Russian army, and is specifically targeting 12 countries, including Germany and Turkey, that have Leopard tanks that Kyiv tirelessly demands .
“We appeal to all partner countries that have already provided or plan to provide military assistance and call on them to significantly increase their contribution,” Ukrainian Defense and Foreign Ministers Oleksiy Reznikov and Dmytro Kouleba said in a joint statement.
11:43 a.m .: US and German defense ministers discuss tank deliveries
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will on Thursday urge new German Defense Secretary Boris Pistorius to authorize the transfer of German-made tanks to Ukraine, US officials say, as the two countries are at odds on the issue.
Berlin will allow German-made tanks to be sent to Ukraine to help defend it against Russia if the United States agrees to send its own tanks, a German government source told Portal.
But US officials insist Washington has no current plans to send US-made tanks to Ukraine due to the difficulties Kyiv would face in servicing and the logistical hassle required.
11:13 a.m .: Delivery of long-range weapons to Kyiv would lead to escalation, Kremlin warns
The Kremlin warns that the supply by the West to Ukraine of long-range weapons capable of striking Russian territory in depth would lead to a dangerous escalation of the armed conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
“It is potentially very dangerous, it would mean that the conflict would reach a new level that would not bode well for European security,” said Russian Presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
10.42am: Sweden gives Ukraine Archer long-range guns (PM)
Sweden has decided to supply the Ukrainian army with long-range Archer guns, a mobile and modern howitzer that Kyiv has been demanding for many months, announced Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
After a government meeting, the leader of the Nordic country announced at a press conference “the first decision to start supplying Archer artillery systems to Ukraine” to help it against Russia.
10:23 a.m .: Wagner boss says he has “things to learn” from the Ukrainian army
The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigoyine, said his troops had “some things to learn” from the Ukrainian army amid a bitter battle to capture Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian army works efficiently and coherently. We can learn something from them. But in any case, Wagner’s units are moving forward meter by meter,” he said in a statement released by his press service.
8:21 a.m.: Several theories evaluated after a helicopter crash in Kyiv
The probe into the helicopter crash near Kyiv that killed Ukraine’s Interior Minister and 13 others near Kiev on Wednesday is “testing several theories,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday.
“The investigation is ongoing. Several theories are being investigated and I am not authorized to speak about the various hypotheses until the results of the investigations are available,” explained the leader, speaking via video conference at the Davos Forum.
7.58 a.m .: Zelenskyy wants to recapture Crimea, “our country”
“Our goal is to liberate all our territories,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking via video conference during a breakfast on the sidelines of the Davos Forum. “Crimea is our land, territory, sea and mountains. Give us your guns and we’ll get our land back,” he said.
7.56 a.m .: Zelenskyy criticizes German hesitation in tank deliveries
“Sometimes you shouldn’t hesitate or compare yourself. When someone says ‘I only deliver tanks when others do,'” said Volodymyr Zelensky, who chimed in via video conference during a breakfast at the Davos Forum. He referred to press reports that Berlin would only supply advanced tanks if the United States supplied Abrams tanks.
7.55 a.m .: EU Council President Charles Michel “on his way” to Kyiv
EU Council President Charles Michel announced on Thursday that he was “on his way to Kyiv” where he will discuss new support measures for Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has called for faster arms deliveries.
The two leaders will “discuss concrete measures (…) to ensure that (Ukraine) becomes stronger and more powerful,” Charles Michel said in a video message published on Twitter. NATO allies have pledged “increased support with heavier and more modern weapons” to Kyiv to counter Russia’s offensive.
on my way to #Kiev.
The Ukrainians are fighting for their country, for the future of their children.
But they also fight for our common European values of peace and prosperity.They need and deserve our support. pic.twitter.com/ewLY4E9udX
—Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) January 19, 2023
5.29 a.m .: Chief of the Ukrainian state police appointed acting interior minister
“For now, the head of the National Police of Ukraine will be the head of the ministry. We also distributed the responsibilities that fell to the minister within the framework of our defense operation and ensuring state security,” Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:18 a.m.: Criminal investigation into the crash of the Minister of the Interior’s helicopter
Ukrainian authorities on Thursday, January 19, launched a criminal investigation ordered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the death of Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky in the crash of his helicopter, which killed at least 14 people.
“The Security Service of Ukraine has launched a criminal investigation into this terrible event,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech on Wednesday evening. “I instructed the head of the Security Service of Ukraine to clarify all the circumstances of the disaster in cooperation with all other authorized bodies,” he said.
With AFP and Portal
