Ukraine claims to have arrested seven ‘Russian agents’ near Dnipro
The Ukrainian security services (SBU) claim to have arrested “seven Russian agents” in the Dnipro region, in eastern Ukraine.
According to the SBU, “the detainees gave the Russians the coordinates of the Ukrainian” critical infrastructure and “collected intelligence on (…) the movements of the units of the (kyiv) forces in the region” before communicating them to the Russian army.
Their “possible involvement in the attack on an apartment building in Dnipro on January 14”, which killed at least 45 people including six children, is “being verified”, also indicated the Ukrainian security services. According to the service, they had started “reconnaissance activities” as early as “October 2022”.
Russia says these deliveries will create ‘new problems’
The Kremlin said on Friday that the delivery of Western tanks to Ukraine would “not change anything” in the situation on the ground, ahead of a major meeting of kyiv allies in Germany devoted to boosting military support.
“Such (tank) deliveries cannot fundamentally change anything, they will create new problems for Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Western countries were maintaining the “illusion” of a possible Ukrainian victory “on the battlefield”.
UK, Sweden and Denmark follow suit
The United States is not alone in announcing new military aid for Ukraine. The United Kingdom has pledged to send an additional 600 Brimstone missiles, Denmark 19 French-made Caesar guns, and Sweden Archer self-propelled guns.
Systems that all have a range of several tens of kilometers, less than that claimed by the Ukrainians.
US promises new arms deliveries
On Thursday, a few hours before this meeting at the American base in Ramstein, Washington announced a new military aid of 2.5 billion dollars, including 59 Bradley armored vehicles, which will be added to the 50 light armored vehicles of this type promised on January 6 , and 90 Stryker armored personnel carriers, according to the Pentagon.
The US Army will also deliver to Ukraine 53 anti-mine armored vehicles (MRAP) and 350 M998 transport vehicles, the famous Humvee. This new installment brings total US military aid to Ukraine to $26.7 billion since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his American ally for this new “important help against the aggressor”.
kyiv’s allies gathered at a military base in Germany
Hello everyone and welcome to this live dedicated to the situation in Ukraine. The conflict began 330 days ago on Friday. The day is marked by the meeting of kyiv’s allies at Ramstein in Germany.
The meeting in Germany is presented as crucial. Volodymyr Zelensky said he was waiting for “strong decisions”, such as sending heavy armored vehicles, to help his country in the crucial battles to come against Russia.
This meeting is the third in this so-called “Ramstein” format since the start of the conflict. The Ministers of Defense and senior military officials from around fifty countries gather around the American Secretary of State for Defense, Lloyd Austin.
