Russia-Ukraine war live: Zelenskiy expecting ‘strong decisions’ as Kyiv’s allies meet in Germany | Ukraine

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has produced its newest intelligence briefing on what it sees because the scenario in Ukraine. In the present day it’s centered on the Wagner mercenary group. It says, amongst different issues, that it “nearly actually now instructions as much as 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has turn out to be a key part of the Ukraine marketing campaign”.

The ministry describes Wagner as having skilled a “remarkably speedy growth” in its public profile, stating that Yevgeny Prigozhin “solely admitted to founding Wagner in September 2022; in October 2022, it opened a shiny HQ in St Petersburg.”

Pavlo Kyrylenko, Ukraine’s governor of Donetsk, one of many occupied areas of the nation which the Russian Federation claims to have annexed, has posted to Telegram to present civilian casualty figures from yesterday. He writes:

On 19 January, the Russians killed 4 civilians of Donetsk area: three extra individuals within the area had been injured. Presently, it’s inconceivable to determine the precise variety of victims in [the regions of] Mariupol and Volnovakha. Each conflict felony will probably be punished!

• That is Martin Belam taking on the reside weblog in London. You possibly can contact me on martin.belam@theguardian.com, and I will probably be right here for the subsequent few hours.

Poland’s deputy international minister, Paweł Jablonski, says the nation is able to take non-standard’ motion if Germany opposes sending leopard tanks to Ukraine, Reuters reviews.

Requested on non-public radio station RMF FM whether or not sending tanks to Ukraine could be attainable even with Germany opposition, Jablonski mentioned, “I feel that if there may be sturdy resistance, we will probably be able to take even such non-standard motion … however let’s not anticipate the details.”

Jablonski was reiterating an announcement by Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, who signalled on Thursday that it may ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as a part of a wider coalition even with out Germany’s approval.

“Consent is of secondary significance right here, we are going to both get hold of this consent shortly, or we are going to do what is required ourselves,” Morawiecki mentioned.

The US arms package deal didn’t embrace the ATA long-range missiles that Ukraine has requested, in response to AFP.

The missiles, which journey as much as 300km (180 miles), may allow Ukraine to strike Russian provide routes and depots far behind the frontlines that aren’t reachable with present Himars rocket programs.

However western companions additionally worry that Ukraine may use long-range weapons to hit deep inside Russian territory or Crimea – a peninsula Moscow annexed in 2014 – regardless of Kyiv promising it could not accomplish that.

The Kremlin warned towards escalating the battle to a “entire new degree” if the west meets Ukraine’s newest requires longer-range weapons.

The US on Thursday introduced contemporary navy help for Ukraine valued at as much as $2.5bn, together with tons of of armoured autos and help for Ukraine’s air defence, Reuters reviews.

The help consists of 59 Bradley Combating Automobiles and 90 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers, the US Protection Division mentioned in an announcement. In whole, the US has dedicated greater than $27.4bn in safety support to Ukraine for the reason that invasion started.

German authorities sources have mentioned Berlin would transfer on the Leopard tanks concern if Washington agreed to ship Abrams tanks to Ukraine. Abrams tanks weren’t included in Thursday’s announcement by the US.

Germany’s new defence minister, Boris Pistorius, mentioned earlier, nevertheless, that he didn’t know of any requirement that Ukraine obtain US and German tanks concurrently.

“I’m not conscious of any such stipulation,” Pistorius informed German ARD tv when requested if that meant Abrams and Leopards needed to be delivered on the similar time, a place that leaves open the potential of an settlement on Friday.

Zelenskiy anticipating ‘sturdy selections’ as Kyiv’s allies meet in Germany

Hiya and welcome to right this moment’s reside protection of the conflict in Ukraine. My title is Helen Sullivan and I’ll be bringing you the newest for the subsequent whereas.

Our high story this morning: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned his authorities was anticipating “sturdy selections” from defence leaders of Nato and different nations assembly on Friday to debate boosting Ukraine’s means to confront Russian forces with fashionable battle tanks.

Listed here are the opposite key current developments:

• A bunch of 11 Nato nations have pledged a raft of latest navy support for Ukraine, forward of a crunch assembly on arms for Kyiv in Germany on Friday. The help from nations together with Britain, Estonia, Latvia and Poland will embrace tens of stinger air defence programs, S-60 anti-aircraft weapons, machine weapons and coaching, in response to an announcement.

• The US has introduced $2.5bn in new weaponry and munitions for Ukraine. The package deal consists of 90 Stryker armoured personnel carriers, a further 59 Bradley Infantry Combating Automobiles, Avenger air defence programs, and enormous and small munitions, in response to a Pentagon assertion.

• CIA director William Burns just lately traveled in secret to Ukraine’s capital to fulfill President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a US official informed Reuters on Thursday. “Director Burns traveled to Kyiv, the place he met with Ukrainian intelligence counterparts in addition to President Zelenskiy and strengthened our continued help for Ukraine and its protection towards Russian aggression,” the US official, who declined to be recognized or say when the go to happened.

• Britain plans to ship 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine to help the nation in its combat towards Russia, defence minister Ben Wallace introduced. Talking at a gathering with different defence ministers on the Tapa military base in Estonia, Wallace outlined a beforehand introduced package deal of navy help for Ukraine, together with sending Challenger tanks. “We’re in it for the lengthy haul,” he mentioned.

• Sweden’s authorities introduced a brand new package deal of navy support to Ukraine that may embrace armoured infantry combating autos and the Archer artillery system. Poland mentioned it was sending S-60 anti-aircraft weapons with 70,000 rounds of ammunition and was able to donate an organization of German-made Leopard 2 tanks, “pending (a) wider coalition” of Leopard donors.

• Lithuania’s defence minister, Arvydas Anušauskas, has mentioned a number of nations will announce sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine at Friday’s assembly of defence ministers on the Ramstein airbase in Germany. The whole variety of armoured autos pledged at tomorrow’s assembly would go into tons of, Anušauskas informed Reuters.

• Estonia’s defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, introduced his nation will ship navy gear to Ukraine price €113m in its newest package deal of help.

• Denmark introduced it’ll donate 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery programs to Kyiv.

• The US and German defence ministers met on Thursday as Berlin faces strain to permit the switch of German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine. The assembly between Lloyd Austin and Boris Pistorius got here as a German authorities supply informed Reuters that Berlin would enable Leopard tanks to be despatched to Ukraine to assist its defence towards Russia if the US agreed to ship its personal tanks.

• A German authorities spokesperson has mentioned it has but to obtain a request from any nation for permission to re-export German-made tanks to Ukraine. Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has signalled that it may ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine as a part of a wider coalition even with out Germany’s approval. “Consent is of secondary significance right here, we are going to both get hold of this consent shortly, or we are going to do what is required ourselves,” Morawiecki mentioned.

• The Kremlin has mentioned Russia will obtain its objectives in Ukraine “a technique or one other” and the earlier Kyiv accepts its calls for, the earlier the battle will finish. The Kremlin has repeatedly mentioned Russia is able to halt navy operations if Ukraine meets its calls for, however Moscow has not publicly outlined particulars of its negotiating place or what it’s looking for from Kyiv with a purpose to finish hostilities.

• The pinnacle of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, says he worries the world is turning into complacent in regards to the risks posed by the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant. Grossi, chatting with reporters in Kyiv, mentioned a nuclear accident may occur any day and reiterated the scenario on the plant was very precarious.