Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

Russia’s defence minister stated Western arms deliveries to Ukraine have actually efficiently brought NATO nations into the dispute.

“The USA and its allies are trying to prolong the conflict as much as possible,” Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stated on a teleconference reported by Russia’s Ministry of Defense on Tuesday.

“With this purpose, they have started to deliver heavy offensive weapons openly urging Ukraine to capture our territories,” he stated, without supplying proof. Such actions, he included, bring NATO into the dispute “and can lead to an unpredictable level of its escalation.”

NATO has actually used Ukraine weapons to eliminate Russia, however has actually consistently firmly insisted that they should be utilized in a defense capability and not released versus targets on Russian area.

Shoigu stated Russian forces were making development in eastern Ukraine, noting a variety of settlements that Russia has actually caught in current weeks, consisting ofSoledar He stated Russian forces were making development around Vuhledar and Bakhmut (called ‘Artemovsk’ by Russia).

“The groups of Russian forces continue grinding all the weaponry and hardware provided to Kyiv [by its allies], both at the paths of their shipment, and at the fight positions,” Shoigu stated, including that Ukraine was suffering “considerable losses.”

Russia and Ukraine both declare that each others’ forces have actually suffered high death tolls from ruthless fight in parts of easternUkraine Analysts state that Russian forces have actually made incremental gains in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine in current weeks.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stated Tuesday that he was “holding the line” amidst speculation that he will lose his ministerial position.

“Thank you all for your support, as well as constructive criticism,” Reznikov stated on Twitter.

A leading Ukrainian legislator stated Sunday that Reznikov was going to be changed as defense minister with the chief of Ukraine’s military spy firm, Kyrylo Budanov.

The federal government has not yet formally validated the relocation, nevertheless, and the authorities– David Arakhamia, head of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s parliamentary bloc– stated Monday that the modifications would not happen today.

The possibility of a possible wartime reshuffle, which has actually not been validated by the federal government, has actually raised eyebrows as it comes ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive in mid-February, and after a purge of federal government authorities as part of a crackdown on corruption.

Several defense authorities lost their tasks as part of the crackdown following a procurement scandal at the defense ministry, although Reznikov had actually rejected accusations made versus it.

On Tuesday, Reznikov stated reforms continue to happen in Ukraine, even throughout the war.

— Holly Ellyatt

Bomb shelters throughout Russia are being fixed following an order from the Kremlin to repair Soviet- age facilities, according to The Moscow Times.

The English- language online paper stated a big part of countless bunkers, strengthened cellars and other safe hideouts had actually run out usage for years however that the war in Ukraine had actually triggered the authorities to invest countless rubles to make them suitable for usage once again.

“A decision to inspect the network of bomb shelters was made by the government in the spring,” one Russian main informed the news outlet, pointing out understanding of federal government conferences on the matter.

“The command for a massive assessment and to put things right was offered by the Emergency Situations Ministry, the Defense Ministry and [other] civilian ministries,” the unnamed authorities stated.

The paper kept in mind that the overhaul of the nation’s air-raid shelter network comes versus the background of Kremlin nuclear saber-rattling and “a growing militarization of daily life in Russia.”

— Holly Ellyatt

Russia is moving soldiers into eastern Ukraine ahead of its awaited offensive, a Ukrainian guv alerted Monday.

“We are seeing more and more (Russian) reserves being deployed in our direction, we are seeing more equipment being brought in,” Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine’s guv of the generally Russian- inhabited Luhansk province, stated Monday, according to Reuters.

“They bring ammunition that is used differently than before – it is not round-the-clock shelling anymore. They are slowly starting to save, getting ready for a full-scale offensive,” Haidai informed Ukrainian tv.

“It will most likely take them 10 days to gather reserves. After Feb. 15 we can expect (this offensive) at any time.”

Ukrainian authorities have actually been cautioning for weeks that Russia is preparing to introduce a massive offensive in mid-February– and possibly times to accompany the very first anniversary of the intrusion– in order to attempt to catch the whole eastern Donbas area. Fighting has actually been non-stop extreme in Donetsk and Luhansk, that make up the Donbas, for months.

Ukraine remains in a difficult position as it prepares to protect its positions in eastern Ukraine however waits for fight tanks and longer-range weapons from its global allies. The shipment of tanks might take numerous months a minimum of, Western authorities state.

— Holly Ellyatt

It is extremely most likely that Russia has actually been trying to reboot significant offending operations in Ukraine because early January however it’s not likely to have actually the workforce required to impact the result of the war, Britain’s Ministry of Defense stated Tuesday.

Russia’s “functional objective is likely to catch the staying Ukrainian- held parts of Donetsk Oblast [region],” it included its day-to-day intelligence upgrade on Twitter.

“Russian forces have only managed to gain several hundred metres of territory per week. This is almost certainly because Russia now lacks the munitions and manoeuvre units required for successful offensives.”

The ministry kept in mind that senior leaders are most likely making strategies “requiring undermanned, inexperienced units to achieve unrealistic objectives due to political and professional pressure” with Ukrainian intelligence recommending that Russian President Vladimir Putin desires the Donbas area to be caught by March.

“Russian leaders will likely continue to demand sweeping advances. It remains unlikely that Russia can build up the forces needed to substantially affect the outcome of the war within the coming weeks,” the ministry stated.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russia is moving soldiers into eastern Ukraine ahead of its awaited offensive, a Ukrainian guv alerted Monday.

“We are seeing more and more (Russian) reserves being deployed in our direction, we are seeing more equipment being brought in,” Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine’s guv of the generally Russian- inhabited Luhansk province, stated Monday, according to Reuters.

“They bring ammunition that is used differently than before – it is not round-the-clock shelling anymore. They are slowly starting to save, getting ready for a full-scale offensive,” Haidai informed Ukrainian tv.

“It will most likely take them 10 days to gather reserves. After Feb. 15 we can expect (this offensive) at any time.”

Ukrainian authorities have actually been cautioning for weeks that Russia is preparing to introduce a massive offensive in mid-February– and possibly times to accompany the very first anniversary of the intrusion– in order to attempt to catch the whole eastern Donbas area. Fighting has actually been non-stop extreme in Donetsk and Luhansk, that make up the Donbas, for months.

Ukraine remains in a difficult position as it prepares to protect its positions in eastern Ukraine however waits for fight tanks and longer-range weapons from its global allies. The shipment of tanks might take numerous months a minimum of, Western authorities state.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine’s defense minister revealed self-confidence Sunday that Western allies would accept the nation’s newest weapons demand– warplanes to eliminate off Russian forces that attacked almost a year back.

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov informed a press conference in Kyiv that Ukraine has actually currently gotten whatever from its “wish list to Santa,” other than airplanes.

“There will be planes, too,” Reznikov forecasted. “The question is just what kind exactly…. Consider that this mission is already completed.”

So far, Ukraine has actually won assistance from Baltic countries and Poland in its mission to acquire Western fighter jets. But numerous Western leaders have actually revealed issue that supplying warplanes might provoke the Kremlin and draw their nations deeper into the dispute, which has actually cost 10s of countless lives and wreaked huge damage.

Kyiv states such jets are important to challenging Russia’s air supremacy and making sure success in a Russian offensive that Reznikov forecasted might start around the war’s 1 year anniversary,Feb 24.

— Associated Press

Russia might phone 500,000 individuals for military service in the spring and summer season of 2023 in order to support offending operations in the east and south of Ukraine, according to a representative for the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

“In January 2023, we saw that Russia intended to mobilize 300,000 to 500,000 people into the army to support offensive operations in the east and south of Ukraine in the spring and summer of 2023,” Vadym Skibitskyi, the representative for the Main Intelligence Directorate stated Monday, according to news firmUkrinform

“The relevant order to mobilize 500,000 conscripts in January is in addition to the 300,000 called up in October 2022,” he stated. “This is another clear sign that the Kremlin has no intention of ending the war.”

A widely-expected and upcoming Russian offensive might be released in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, and Zaporizhia in the south, Skibitskyi stated.

“At the exact same time, Russian soldiers will even more protect [a part of the] Kherson area and Crimea,” Skibitskyi stated, according to Ukrinform.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent his Turkish equivalent his acknowledgements after a fatal earthquake in Turkey and Syria early on Monday that eliminated numerous individuals.

A state of emergency situation has actually been stated in Turkey, where the death toll from the earthquake has actually increased to 284, with 2,323 individuals hurt, Vice President Fuat Oktay informed a press conference. He included that 1,710 structures had actually collapsed.

Zelenskyy stated on Twitter that Kyiv is prepared “to provide the necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster.” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba echoed that deal.

–Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the location of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine continues to be a location in the war, with the nation now getting ready for a Russian offending targeted at taking the whole eastern Donbas area.

“There are already many reports that the occupiers want to do something symbolic in February. To try to avenge their last year’s defeats,” Zelenskyy stated in his nighttime address Sunday night, describing Russia’s anticipated offensive.

“We see this increased pressure in various areas of the frontline, as well as pressure in the information field,” the president included.

Donetsk has actually been the scene of extreme battling for numerous months, with Ukrainian forces fighting routine Russian army systems in addition to mercenaries coming from the Wagner Group personal military business. In current weeks, Russian forces have actually been seen to have actually made gains around the location of Bakhmut, recording which is a crucial go for them.

Zelenskyy mentioned Sunday that “it is very difficult in the Donetsk region – there are fierce battles. But no matter how hard it is and no matter how much pressure there is, we have to withstand it.”

He included that every day needs to be invested strengthening “our defense at the front, to strengthen our international position, to increase pressure on Russia and to give our people new opportunities to get through this difficult time.”

— Holly Ellyatt