Boris Pistorius commented on deliveries of main battle tanks at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting.Image: AP / dpa / Olivier Matthys
Ukraine blog
Almost a year after the start of the Russian war in the Ukraine the battles continue – and are particularly fierce at the moment. Heavy and extremely bloody fighting is continuing, especially around the city of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk. Both sides report high losses.
Shortly before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted on speeding up military aid for his attacked country.
In our news blog you will find out everything you need to know about the latest developments in the war in Ukraine.
February 15
1:56 p.m .: Germany cannot fully fulfill tank promises to Ukraine for the time being
For the time being, Germany cannot fulfill its battle tank promise to Ukraine to the extent announced. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said on Wednesday after talks on the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, “Half a battalion” of Leopard 2 tanks had come together. These included the 14 tanks of the newer type A6 promised by the federal government and three more from Portugal.
At the end of January, Germany had set itself the goal of making an entire battalion with 30 to 31 main battle tanks available to Ukraine. Poland plans to deliver another battalion of older-type Leopard 2 tanks.
11.45 a.m .: Pistorius calls on NATO countries to increase defense spending
Almost a year after the Russian attack on Ukraine, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) called on NATO partners to increase defense spending. Spending up to two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense will “not be enough” in the future, stressed the SPD politician on Wednesday at the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels. In his own words, Pistorius shares the view of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who wants to set the two percent target as the new “lower limit” at the next summit in July.
Just wanting to approach the two percent target from below “won’t be enough,” said Pistorius.Image: AP / Olivier Matthys
Just wanting to approach the two percent target from below “won’t be enough,” said Pistorius. “It has to be the basis for everything else.” For the first time since taking office a good three weeks ago, the Defense Minister took part in a NATO Council at Brussels headquarters. He adopted a much more offensive tone than his predecessor Christine Lambrecht (SPD), who had been criticized since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and finally resigned after a controversial New Year’s Eve video.
7:29 a.m .: According to the report, Putin is planning a major air attack with fighter jets
last has Russia have to take massive losses with ground offensives. Now Putin is apparently consolidating his air force on the border with Ukraine, as the Financial Times reports, citing two insiders. Accordingly, fear Western secret services a major air offensive in Ukraine. According to the report, one of the insiders said: “Russia’s ground forces are mostly depleted. This is a strong indication that they want to turn the war into a dogfight.” He believes that Ukraine now needs air defense systems, as well as masses of ammunition.
Vladimir Putin has suffered massive losses with Russia since the beginning of the war. Image: Mikhail Metzel / imago images
However, the report contradicts statements made by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday. He is therefore currently not expecting a large Russian air raid.
12:40 a.m.: No new F-16 announcements for Ukraine for the time being
A possible delivery of Western F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, meanwhile, remains open even after the recent meeting of the international contact group for the coordination of military aid. “I have no announcements to make about this,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said after deliberations by the so-called Ramstein Group. He wanted to leave it at that.
Austin emphasized, however, that it is the USA Poland would not ban the supply of Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. “The United States has never stopped Poland from delivering anything,” he said. This is the decision of a country’s leadership and the US does not want to and cannot dictate such a thing.
14th of February
6:19 p.m .: Defense ministers of the NATO countries are planning to increase the number of soldiers on high alert
At the end of a two-day meeting in Brussels this Wednesday, the defense ministers of the 30 NATO countries will discuss plans to strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and defense capabilities. In light of Russia’s war against Ukraine, there are plans to increase the number of troops on high alert from 40,000 to 300,000. In addition, air defense is to be improved, especially on the eastern flank.
The defense ministers of the NATO countries meet in Brussels at NATO headquarters.Image: AP / Olivier Matthys / dpa
Other topics include joint efforts to increase stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, the development of defense spending and possible responses to the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday that a coordination cell would be set up to provide additional protection for critical underwater infrastructure. In addition to pipelines, this also includes data cables.
2:37 p.m .: Pistorius: Panzer coalition for Ukraine is not going so well
According to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, plans for the rapid delivery of dozens of European Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine are progressing slowly. It doesn’t look “quite so exciting – to put it mildly,” said the SPD politician on Tuesday on the sidelines of a meeting of the international contact group on arms sales to Ukraine.
It doesn’t look “quite so exciting – to put it mildly,” said Pistorius on Tuesday. Image: AP / dpa / Olivier Matthys
In addition to the German commitment to deliver 14 Leopard 2A6, there has only been an announcement from Portugal that three such tanks will be made available. More A6 are currently not in discussion, said Pistorius. Leopard 2A4 tanks from Poland may have problems in terms of tank condition and serviceability.
7.20 a.m .: Kiev and allies discuss military aid with NATO
On Tuesday, NATO will focus on further military support for Kiev. Almost a year after the start of the Russian war of aggression, Ukraine and its allies are discussing it at NATO headquarters in Brussels from 10 a.m. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin leads the debate of the so-called Ramstein Group. The Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov is likely to press the Allies again to deliver fighter jets. Resnikov arrives in person.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov is likely to press the Allies again to deliver fighter jets.Image: AP / Daniel Cole
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) is also expected in Brussels for the first time since taking office. From Tuesday afternoon he will also take part in the consultations of the 30 NATO countries and the candidate countries Sweden and Finland (from 5 p.m.). The meeting until Wednesday is about an increased target for defense spending and increased arms production.
Before the deliberations, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed that the provision of fighter jets is currently not an issue for the federal government. “This is not a debate we are having,” repeated the Green politician on Monday during a visit to the Finnish capital, Helsinki.
Annalena Baerbock has dampened Kiev’s hopes that Germany would supply fighter jets. Image: Heikki Saukkomaa / imago images
6.15 a.m.: Energy despite Russian attacks
On Tuesday, there will be no regional electricity consumption limits in Ukraine for the third day in a row. According to the state network operator Ukrenerho, this is due to the fact that all nine nuclear power plant units under Ukrainian control are running. In addition, unused blocks of thermal power plants are in operation, and due to well-stocked rivers, the hydroelectric power plants are also supplying more electricity than usual. According to the head of the Kiev electricity provider Yasno, Serhiy Kovalenko, isolated power cuts in the capital are due to grid bottlenecks.
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5.19 a.m .: Bloody battles in Bachmut continue
Heavy and extremely bloody fighting is continuing, especially around the city of Bakhmut in the eastern region of Donetsk. The Defense Ministry in Moscow confirmed on Monday that Russian fighters had taken the Bakhmut suburb of Krasna Hora. The day before, Wagner’s Russian private army had already claimed the settlement for itself. So far, however, there has been no confirmation from Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian military administration, a woman and a man died in Russian shelling of the Kherson region. The information could not be checked independently.
The battles around Bakhmut continue. Image: AP / Libkos
You can find older news about the war in Ukraine here.
(ast / with material from dpa/AFP)
Tens of thousands of people were injured and killed in the severe earthquake on the Turkish-Syrian border. There are now 14,351 dead in Turkey alone, said the Turkish civil protection authority Afad on Thursday afternoon. More than 63,000 people were injured. At least 3,200 deaths were recently reported from Syria.
