Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Iryna Lysohor
[LB] In the Chernihiv region , the Russians conducted two artillery attacks from mortars and self-propelled guns on the communities of the Koryukiv and Novgorod-Siversky districts over the past day. Without victims and destruction, it is said in the summary from the regional military administrations.
Yesterday, during the day in Sumy , the enemy shelled six territorial communities of the region: Bilopolska, Velikopysarivska, Esmanska, Krasnopilska, Myropilska, Yunakivska. In all cases without victims and destruction.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, the occupiers shelled civilian infrastructure in the area of the settlements of Gulyaipole, Charivne, Chervone, Biloghirya, Orihiv, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Malynivka, Novoandriivka, Olgivske, Kamianske, Stepove. There is destruction of houses (apartments) of citizens and infrastructure objects as a result of Russian shelling.
In Dnipropetrovsk at night, the Russians again shelled the Nikopol district. They hit the Chervonogrihorivska community with heavy artillery. No casualties. Two private houses and farm buildings were damaged. Broken power line. The consequences of the attack are still being determined.
In the Luhansk direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled another enemy attack from Bilogorivka yesterday. In the Kupyansk direction, the Russians shelled the districts of Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka and Andriivka settlements. On the Lymanskyi direction, Makiivka, Nevske, Chervopopivka, Kreminna and Dibrova were damaged by fire.
Yesterday evening, the enemy attacked Kharkivmissile strike, previously - S-300. The rocket hit a four -story residential building in the Kyiv district of the city. The upper floors of the building were destroyed, there was a fire. An elderly woman died.
Three more residents of this building were also injured. Rescue operations are ongoing at the site. During the day, the enemy shelled the border regions of the region.
In the Slobozhansk direction, the enemy shelled the areas of settlements: Odnorobivka, Chervona Zorya, Veterinarne, Strelecha, Glyboke, Zelene, Neskuchne, Ternova, Staritsa, Verkhnya Pisarivka, Ogirtseve, Vovchansk, Budarky, and Novomlynsk. In the Kupyansk direction, the areas of the settlements: Dvorichna, Vilshana, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Krokhmalne, Berestov, Zeleny Gai and Vyshneve were fired upon. In Kupyansk, private houses, commercial buildings, and shops were damaged. One person was injured.
In the Donetsk region, there were chaotic shellings of Avdievka and settlements of the Ocheretyn community at night. The situation along the front line, near Vugledar, Avdiivka, Maryinka, Bakhmut and Soledar, remains difficult. During the day, there were shelling and assaults near Toretsk and New York. Yesterday in the first half of the day there was a rocket attack on Kostyantynivka.
Industrial zones In the afternoon, artillery bombarded Kurakhovo, houses in the private sector and the heating network were damaged. In the evening - shelling of the city of Chasiv Yar with anti-aircraft missiles, training on an industrial facility, residential buildings. During the day, one civilian was killed and one was wounded in the region.
In the Mykolaiv region , the enemy fired artillery strikes at the settlement of the Ochakiv community at night. Residential buildings and farm buildings were destroyed and damaged. There are no casualties.
In Khersonsk yesterday, the Russian occupiers once again covered Kherson with massive fire. Enemy artillery pounded the residential quarters of the city. As a result of enemy shelling, a number of civil infrastructure objects were damaged: the Kherson regional clinical hospital, a school, a bus station, a post office, a bank, and residential buildings.
As a result of the Russian strikes, nine people were injured: three people died (two men and one woman), five people were injured of varying degrees of severity. All victims were taken to medical facilities, where doctors are providing them with the necessary assistance. One person is in serious condition.
In total, three people were killed and eight were wounded during the day due to Russian aggression. The enemy does not stop shelling populated areas along the right bank of the Dnipro River, the Berislav district was attacked with prohibited incendiary ammunition. The enemy also fired artillery at the suburbs and the city of Kherson itself.
According to the information of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian occupiers took all the medical equipment from the local hospitals of Kakhovka and Novaya Kakhovka to Novotroitsky, Kherson region. The occupation authorities are closing medical facilities in the mentioned cities, contrary to earlier promises. As a result of the recent enemy attack on the port of Kherson, two vessels belonging to foreign companies were damaged, and oil products leaked into the Dnipro. The crew contained the leak.
We will remind you that yesterday, according to local authorities, the Russians shelled the Sumy region 72 times.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
January 30 is the 341st day of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Briefly about the main thing that is happening in the country on this day, about the situation in the regions, the exchange of prisoners, as well as all the relevant information from key departments - online Vesti.ua .
08:00 . Kharkov region. Late in the evening of January 29, in Kharkiv, a S-300 missile hit a residential four-storey building in the Kievsky district. An elderly woman died, three more victims received minor injuries. The house is partially destroyed. The residents were evacuated.
Donetsk region. As a result of Russian aggression, one person was killed, one more was wounded.
From the summary of the General Staff: at the front, the Russian army is advancing in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Novopavlovsky directions. In other directions - defends. The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the attacks of the Russians in 10 settlements in a day.
Nikolaevkskaya area. At night, Russia from artillery hit the settlement of the Ochakovo community. Houses and outbuildings were destroyed and damaged. There were no casualties.
10:30 am . Kherson region. Explosions in Kherson.
10:40 am . Nikolaevkskaya area. Explosions are heard in Ochakovo.
11:30 am . Kharkov region. Russian strike on a residential building in Kharkov: the 4th floor and partially the 3rd building were completely destroyed, 15 residents were evacuated immediately after the explosion, three victims received medical assistance, rescuers searched for the body of the deceased woman in the rubble for three hours (the injuries received were incompatible with life). Elimination work continues.
12:30 pm Kharkov region. The Russians shelled Volchansk- a 62-year-old man died. An 85-year-old woman was injured.
12:40 pm . Kherson region. Explosions again in Kherson.
13:50 . Nikolaevkskaya area. President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Mykolaiv region . During the visit, they discussed the operational situation in southern Ukraine, the consequences of Russian missile and drone attacks; considered the state of the energy infrastructure of the region, the means of its protection and the pace of recovery; talked about the restoration of educational institutions in the region, the long-term recovery of the region's economy and the creation of new jobs.
18:10 An additional contingent of servicemen of the Russian army will arrive in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation in the near future - the governor of the region, Roman Starovoit.
18:50 The Russian army continues to conduct offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Novopavlovsky directions. In other directions - defends. This is reported by the General Staff.
19:10 UAH 32 million of Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska was arrested in Ukraine.
19:49 Ex-Ambassador of Ukraine in Berlin, and now Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk continues to reproach Germany for its alleged slowness in the issue of arms supplies.
21:15 The Russian occupation troops attacked the territory of the city of Seredina-Buda, Shostka district, Sumy region. According to preliminary information, the occupiers were attacked from aviation.
22:22 In the Dnipropetrovsk region, she worked out air defense. Such preliminary information was announced by the mayor of Kamenskoye Andrey Belousov.
22:45 Families of the missing can receive free legal assistance, according to the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22:18 Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Kozhn plans to visit Kyiv soon, Israeli journalist and political commentator Amichai Stein said.
21:39 The maximum mobilization potential of Wagner PMCs is about 100 thousand people, with the current intensity of "utilization" of the Wagnerites, this will be enough for 8-9 months. Read more in the material Record losses .
20:46 Denmark will transfer 19 new artillery systems to Ukraine, Zelensky and Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen said during a joint briefing. Denmark is also ready to join the tank coalition.
20:42 The Czech Republic is one of the most reliable allies of Ukraine in countering the aggression of the Russian Federation, this course should intensify after the victory of retired General Petr Pavel in the last presidential election. More details - in the material Victory of Ukraine .
20:26 Zelensky said in an evening video message that today he was on a business trip not only in Nikolaev, but also in Odessa. He held a meeting and negotiations with a Danish delegation consisting of the Prime Minister, representatives of the coalition of parties, defense and foreign ministers. "We talked in great detail about the defense needs of Ukraine. About what can help us liberate our territory - our south, our east. And about what we need in the context of the restoration of Ukraine," the president said.
He added that Denmark supported the Black Sea Export Initiative and joined the Grain from Ukraine program.
20:07 Strike companies of unmanned aerial vehicles are being formed in the Ukrainian army. This was officially announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the military, such units are created for the first time in the world. Read more about them in the material Army of drones .
19:55 Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said that Ukraine does not know the cause of the explosions at Iranian facilities. "But, as Persian folk wisdom says: do no harm to others, and you will not harm yourself ... Ukraine has repeatedly warned Iran that the consequences for supporting aggression against Ukraine will be much larger than the benefits of cooperation with Russia," he added.
19:37 France and Australia will cooperate on a multi-million dollar project to produce artillery shells for Ukraine. This was announced at a meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of both countries in Paris. "Several thousand 155mm projectiles will be produced jointly in an unprecedented partnership between Australia and France," French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.
19:15 In Ukraine, the property of a sanctioned Russian oligarch has been arrested. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, 32 million hryvnias of Ukraine's largest producer of metallurgical alumina and aluminum hydroxide have been arrested. The funds were on the deposit account of the State Customs Service. The Office of the Prosecutor General did not indicate the name of the Russian oligarch, but the Ukrainian media write that it is about Oleg Deripaska.
19:13 An additional contingent of Russian troops will be transferred to the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, Governor Roman Starovoit said. According to the Russian Kommersant, additional troops have already been transferred to the region twice - in the spring and autumn of last year. In addition, training centers for PMC Wagner operate on the territory of the Kursk region.
19:07 The enemy continues to conduct offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Novopavlovsky directions, in other directions - it is defending, the General Staff said in the evening summary.
According to the General Staff, in local schools in the settlements of the Kakhovka district, the occupiers forbid schoolchildren to study online according to the Ukrainian curriculum. In turn, local teachers refuse to teach children according to the Russian program, which is why the occupiers threaten to forcibly take children to the so-called "training" deep into the temporarily occupied Kherson region, as well as to Russia and Crimea.
19:01 The last package of EU sanctions against Belarus should be agreed this week, and the tenth package of restrictions against the Russian Federation - in about two weeks, Radio Liberty's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak said.
18:48 British Challenger tanks may arrive on the front lines in Ukraine before the summer or in May, Defense Minister Ben Wallace said.
18:27 Representatives of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Denmark, Britain and Germany opposed the participation of Russians and Belarusians in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Polish Sports Minister Kamil Bortnichuk said that his country, along with others, could issue an ultimatum to the leadership of the International Olympic Committee.
18:04 In the Lugansk region, the invaders delivered an ultimatum to the Gauleiters: either Russia will enter the administrative borders before April 1, or there will be "personnel decisions," the National Resistance Center under the MTR of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. The reason for the dissatisfaction was the failure of the mobilization and logistical support of the Russian army in this direction - the Kremlin lays responsibility for the failures on the collaborators. To satisfy Moscow and keep their seats, the collaborators launched a new wave of mobilization in the region.
17:33 The European Union has included in the sanctions list the Iranian state corporation Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation (HESA), which produces drones.
17:25 Iran and Russia have connected their systems of interbank communications and transfers to increase trade and financial transactions, writes Reuters. About 700 Russian banks and 106 non-Russian banks from 13 different countries will be connected to this system.
17:11 The Russians fired at Kurakhovo, Donetsk region - one person was injured, a five-story building, a two-story building and three private houses were damaged, said the head of the OVA Pavel Kirilenko.
16:27 Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri will hold talks with Lavrov in Russia on January 31, during which he plans to discuss the situation in Ukraine, his office reported. Today he met in Cairo with US Secretary of State Blinken.
15:44 NATO sees Russia preparing for a new offensive, Stoltenberg said: "We see that the Russians are preparing for a new offensive, that they are mobilizing more soldiers, more than 200 thousand people, and possibly even more. That they are actively building up weapons and ammunition. And Most importantly, we see no sign that President Putin has changed his overall goal of this invasion, which is to control all of Ukraine."
15:38 Serbia is ready to help Ukraine rebuild cities destroyed by the Russian invasion, President Aleksandar Vucic said. He also declared support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the same time, Vučić stressed that Serbia is committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes and supports all efforts towards negotiations.
14:47 Head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the RF Armed Forces Igor Kirillov said that "the active actions of the Russian Defense Ministry managed to stop the implementation of military biological programs on the territory of Ukraine." According to him, because of this, the Pentagon is allegedly actively transferring unfinished research to the states of Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
14:25 Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen is visiting Ukraine - together with Zelensky, she visited the wounded Ukrainian military in one of the hospitals in Nikolaev, the presidential press service reported.
14:21 The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's Charge d'Affaires in Tehran because of Podolyak's comment about UAV strikes on Iranian military facilities. The adviser to the head of the Presidential Office said that Iran would not go unpunished for helping Russia and that "Ukraine warned."
14:16 Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT, together with a number of TV channels and foundations, has launched a fundraiser for multifunctional radars for Ukrainian air defense. More than 460 thousand euros have already been collected.
14:10 Zelensky said that he was on a working visit to the Mykolaiv region, held a meeting on the current situation in the region: "We discussed the operational situation in southern Ukraine, the consequences of Russia's missile and drone attacks. We also considered the state of the region's energy infrastructure, means of protecting it and the pace of recovery. We talked about the restoration of educational institutions in the Mykolaiv region, the long-term recovery of the region's economy and the creation of new jobs."
13:49 The Ministry of Defense has signed 16 contracts with Ukrainian UAV manufacturers, Reznikov said. According to him, the entire department received 75 applications from domestic manufacturers of drones. In 2023, it is planned to allocate about UAH 20 billion to this segment.
13:45 The Russian army has transferred new units to Belarus for training, and some of those that have already passed the exercises returned to the Russian Federation, from where they will be transferred to the occupied territories of Ukraine, spokesman of the State Border Service Andrei Demchenko said. According to him, there are about 9,000 Russian servicemen in Belarus.
At the same time, Demchenko assured that the situation on the border with Belarus remains fully controlled.
13:14 The Russians this morning again fired on the city of Volchansk, Chuguevsky district, Kharkiv region: one person was killed, one was wounded, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA, said.
12:55 Poland is ready to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in coordination with NATO, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: "As it was a few months ago in the context of MiGs, any other air force will be implemented and, probably, transferred in coordination with countries NATO. Here we will act in full coordination."
12:23 Poland's military spending this year will reach 4% of GDP, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. According to him, this may be the largest percentage among all NATO countries.
12:04 Peskov called "a lie" the words of British ex-Prime Minister Johnson that Putin threatened him with missiles. According to Peskov, the Russian president in that conversation allegedly noted that Ukraine's entry into NATO and the deployment of missiles near the borders of the Russian Federation would mean that they would reach Moscow in a matter of minutes.
11:28 Electricity consumption in Ukraine increased on January 30, which is typical for the beginning of the working week. The deficit in the energy system is significant, Ukrenergo reported. All oblenergos have been notified of daily consumption limits.
11:17 In the Mariupol region over the weekend, the number of mobilized people who arrived from Russia increased again - the approximate total number is up to 4 thousand people, said the adviser to the mayor of the city, Petr Andryushchenko. In addition, the enemy units are under staffing from the Luhansk region to the north of Mariupol. According to the invaders themselves, units are preparing to attack Ugledar. The total number of contingent for re-staffing is 3-5 thousand people. The enemy has already begun to accumulate offensive equipment around Mariupol.
10:28 British intelligence believes that the Russian authorities may be preparing for another wave of mobilization. The Russian leadership is likely to continue to look for ways to provide the large numbers of troops needed for any future major offensive in Ukraine while minimizing internal divisions in society, analysts say.
09:49 Ukraine expects to become a full member of the European Union within the next two years, Shmygal said in a comment to Politico: "We have a very ambitious plan to join the European Union over the next two years. And so we hope that this year, in 2023 year, we can already have preliminary negotiations." It is expected that this topic will become dominant at the EU-Ukraine summit, which will be held in Kyiv on 3 February.
09:41 In the Luhansk region, the invaders have been forcibly taking people out of Popovka in the Svatovshchina in recent days. Other nearby settlements, in particular Svatovo, were also ordered to prepare, the Luhansk OVA reported. No one asks about the desire to leave, and they also do not tell where people are being taken. Previously, the same thing happened in Podgorovka near Starobelsk and in neighboring Polovinkino. The invaders live in people's houses, after which they are robbed.
09:38 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, one person died - in Krasnogorovka. Another person in the region was injured, Pavel Kirilenko, head of the OVA, said.
09:32 In Poland, interest in military service has increased against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said. According to him, in 2022, another 13,742 people wanted to serve in the Polish armed forces, and now the army has 164,000 soldiers. According to forecasts, the number of military personnel in Poland will grow - up to 250,000 professional soldiers and up to 50,000 territorial defense volunteers.
In the Podlasie Voivodeship, bordering Belarus, a new military unit has already been created - the First Legion Infantry Division.
09:16 In the Kherson region over the past day, three people were killed due to Russian shelling, eight more were injured, the IVA reported.
09:07 Speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat said that for reliable protection of the sky, Ukraine needs "at least five brigades, each with three squadrons." Considering that one squadron is 12 aircraft, in total we should be talking about 180 aircraft, the Defense Express specialized publication calculated. According to the Military Balance for 2021, there are 161 fighters in service in the UK, 226 combat aircraft in Germany, and 250 fighters in France.
The total cost of the aircraft needed by Ukraine is thus $32.3 billion, if we talk about 180 F-16 Block 70/72, as well as five GlobalEye AWACS aircraft and Airbus A330 MRTT tankers. “Although it must be taken into account that this is the total cost, together with weapons, training and all other related services. Moreover, it is calculated for years, because now the queue for the same F-16s is already formed for the period after 2027,” the publication clarified.
08:56 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that after the US decision to supply tanks to Ukraine, "it's pointless to talk not only with the Ukronazis, but also with their puppeteers." He also claims that Russia does not need anything from the West, "but NATO has been consistently creeping up to the Russian borders with maniacal persistence," and the Americans continue "in every possible way to incite Kyiv against Russia."
Ryabkov said that the United States is "teetering on the verge of a direct confrontation" with the Russian Federation, but at the same time Russia is preparing for consultations with the United States on bilateral relations, he considers them "useful for checking the clock, but there are no deadlines yet."
08:44 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the enemy as of the morning of January 30th.
personnel - about 126,650 (+490) people liquidated,
tanks - 3201 (+4),
armored combat vehicles - 6369 (+3),
artillery systems - 2196 (+1),
MLRS - 453 (+0),
air defense systems - 221 (+0),
aircraft - 293 (+0),
helicopters - 284 (+0),
UAV operational-tactical level - 1947 (+0),
cruise missiles - 796 (+0),
ships/boats - 18 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 5041 (+4),
special equipment - 199 (+0).
08:20 The enemy is conducting offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Novopavlovsky directions. In other directions - it is defending, the General Staff said in the morning summary . The units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka, Lugansk region and Yampolevka, Razdolivka, Vasyukovka, Paraskoveevka, Bakhmut, Ivanovskoye, Kleshcheevka, Kurdyumovka and Ozaryanovka, Donetsk region.
08:07 On the evening of January 29, the Russians launched another missile attack on Kharkiv: a missile (previously an S-300 air defense system) hit a four-story residential building in the Kievsky district. The upper floors and the roof of the house were destroyed, a large-scale fire broke out, Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA, said. As a result of the attack, one person was killed and three others were injured. Rescue work continues.
Also, over the past day, the enemy shelled the border settlements of the Kupyansky, Chuguevsky and Kharkov regions of the region. In Kupyansk, as a result of enemy shelling, one person was injured.
07:58 During a visit to the South Korean capital Seoul, Stoltenberg called on the country to increase military support for Ukraine. In particular, he pointed to the urgent need for ammunition.
07:21 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) identified three key stages during the 11 months of the war between Russia and Ukraine: the period of the Russian initiative, the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the period of positional warfare. Analysts noted that the Russians had the initiative and were on the offensive from February 24 to July 3, 2022. After the temporary occupation of Lisichansk in early July, their offensive in a number of areas reached a climax.
The Ukrainian defenders seized the initiative and launched their first major counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast on 6 September. The large-scale autumn counteroffensive ended with the liberation of the western part of the Kherson region on November 11.
The ISW adds that since then, Ukraine has not been able to launch a new major counteroffensive, which allowed the war to move into a positional stage. This stage allowed Russia to regain the tactical initiative. ISW points out that delays in providing Western long-range fire systems, advanced air defense systems and tanks to Kyiv have limited Ukraine's ability to seize opportunities for large counter-offensives.
05:53 The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine ordered 105 Vector reconnaissance drones from the German company Quantum-Systems. As stated in the message of the company, the supplies will be financed by the German government.
05:22 Before the invasion of Ukraine, Putin threatened Johnson with a missile attack on the UK, the former British prime minister said in the documentary Putin against the West for BBC Two. "At some point, he seemed to threaten me and said: 'Boris, I don't want to hurt you, but with a rocket it will only take a minute' or something like that," Johnson said, adding that Putin was " very familiar" during the call.
04:51 Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that Rome is ready to continue helping Ukraine defend its independence by handing over weapons necessary for defense. But there is no talk of transferring offensive weapons. "The military situation in Ukraine is very difficult, we are very concerned. We are all working for peace and we, as the parliament decided, are ready to send defensive weapons. We will never send offensive weapons, because we are not at war with Russia," the minister said. He added that Italy has nothing against the Russian people, but only helps to defend the independence of Ukraine.
03:47 American Abrams tanks will be delivered to Ukraine only at the end of 2023 or at the beginning of 2024, writes The Washington Post, citing anonymous US officials. The cars will not be taken from the warehouses of the American army, but new ones will be ordered from the manufacturer. They will be built unprotected using depleted uranium to keep the secret technology out of Russian hands.
Sources of the publication admitted that the United States announced the delivery of Abrams only because otherwise Berlin refused to send its Leopards.
02:50 The Polish authorities have created a large-scale repair base, where they restore damaged Ukrainian artillery and armored vehicles, writes The Wall Street Journal. The plant operates in three shifts around the clock. Its representatives are also in constant contact with the Ukrainians on the battlefield, suggesting, using encrypted programs, how to repair tanks, missiles and other weapons on the spot.
The work of the workshop is monitored by armed officers of the Internal Security Agency, whose task is to prevent sabotage, similar to those committed at arms factories in other countries, in particular, in Bulgaria. Each of the approximately 400 workers involved in the work must be a Polish citizen. The screening process for new employees can take several months.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 21:50 Calculations of anti-aircraft missile mobile systems "Pantsir" in the zone of the NWO have learned intercept HIMARS missiles
"HIMARS" is a high-altitude target and it has ballistics. The vehicles were reflashed for this purpose,” the head of the combat vehicle shared.
"Shell" is armed with 12 rocket launchers and 2 anti-aircraft machine guns. The complex is capable of destroying household drones and kamikaze drones within a radius of 20 kilometers. The control system of the "Shell" is fully automated.
Anti-aircraft gunners can accompany dozens of targets at the same time. Combat duty in the NVO zone is carried out around the clock.
21:49 Social networks publishpersonnel, presumably, the destruction of the ammunition transport vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by Russian artillery.
20:32 APU pilot Daniil Murashko killed in Ukraine
According to Ukrainian media, he made 141 sorties since the beginning of the military operation, but during the last raid he was shot down by Russian air defense.
19:33 Combat work of crews of 152-mm howitzers "Gyatsint-B" and MLRS "Tornado-G" of the Southern Military District during the destruction of objects and positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
To increase combat effectiveness, cannon artillery crews and Tornado-G MLRS operate jointly, supporting units of the RF Armed Forces in the offensive.
Due to the presence of an automated guidance and aiming system, topographic location and navigation, the Tornado-G crew inflicts fire damage on the enemy in automatic mode.
Fire correction is carried out by UAV crews and artillery gunners, who reconnoitre enemy positions around the clock.
18:31 Repeated air alert announced in Poltava, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv regions of Ukraine and parts of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions controlled by Kyiv
17:56 Street height in the private sector of Artemovsk. The fighting in recent days has finally shifted to the city limits and more videos of urban battles have gone.
17:55 Ukrainians continue to cross the border with Moldova, escaping from mobilization.
For a week, three citizens of Ukraine were detained on the Moldovan side. We walked through the fields, crossed the border illegally. One of them was detained at night - they saw it on a night vision device. All three wrote applications for asylum.
17:11 Russian artillery men hit on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Ugledar area
They worked as artillery with adjustment from the drone.
16:00 Scouts 58 obspn destroyed a group of Ukrainian militants
Scouts of the 58th Separate Special Purpose Battalion (previously the 3rd Special Operations Division of the NM of the DPR), during reconnaissance at night, discovered the movement of a group of Ukrainian militants. The identified targets were immediately destroyed with the help of ATGMs.
15:00 Repeated air alert announced in Poltava, Kirovograd, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv regions of Ukraine and parts of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions controlled by Kyiv
15:00 Highlights from the new briefing of the RF Ministry of Defense:
◾️The RF Armed Forces, continuing the offensive in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, inflicted a defeat on the subdivisions of the tank brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of Ugledar;
◾️The Russian Armed Forces destroyed more than 35 Ukrainian soldiers in the Kupyansk direction during the day;
◾️The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction amounted to 40 servicemen;
◾️The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed more than 70 military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the offensive in the Donetsk direction in a day;
◾️The RF Armed Forces continue their offensive in the DPR and the Zaporozhye region, Russian units have taken more advantageous positions;
◾️The RF Armed Forces in the direction of Kherson destroyed the Gvozdika self-propelled guns and the Armed Forces ammunition depot;
◾️The RF Armed Forces hit 73 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in firing positions;
◾️Russian air defense shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Zaporozhye region.
14:10 Combat work crews of T-72 tanks of the Southern Military District, performing fire missions to destroy armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the zone of the special military operation.
Tankers successfully hit targets that are at a considerable distance and out of line of sight. According to the coordinates obtained with the help of the UAV, observation posts, ammunition depots, as well as foreign military equipment on the right bank of the Dnieper are being destroyed.
From closed firing positions, the main targets are observation posts, ammunition depots and the accumulation of manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
13:05 Combat coordination of motorized rifle units of the Central Military District in the zone of a special military operation.
Servicemen of the motorized rifle unit of the Central Military District practice offensive actions with the support of tanks and artillery at the training ground in the rear area of the special operation.
Motorized rifle units are practicing rapid deployment into combat formations, dismounting from vehicles and attacking under the cover of BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and T-90 tanks.
Tank and artillery units learn to suppress by fire and destroy enemy manpower and armored vehicles.
Classes are held according to a program based on the experience gained during the battles with Ukrainian militants.
11:48 Air raid alert sounds in Kirovograd, Nikolaev, Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk regions of Ukraine
10:56 Russian Ministry of Defensepublishes footagecombat work of crews of T-72 tanks, destroying armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the special military operation.
10:56 AFU again fired at the civilian infrastructure of the Kherson region - emergency services
On the eve of the Ukrainian militants all day continued to fire at the civilian infrastructure of the Kherson region. Six shells from cannon artillery were fired at Aleshki, as a result of which the House of Culture was damaged.
Also, blows were delivered to Kakhovka, where a residential building was damaged. Four shells were fired at Dnepryan, 11 at Korsunka, and three at Krynki. During the night, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired a total of 18 shells in the region.
Information about civilian casualties and destruction is being specified.
09:45 am Summary for the morning of January 30, 2023
The Russian Armed Forces launched rocket attacks on targets in Kharkov, Ochakov, and explosions were reported in Nikopol and Kherson. In Kharkiv, the entrance of a residential building was destroyed, earlier such cases occurred due to the fall of enemy air defense missiles and the inept work of Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners.
To the north of Soledar PMC "Wagner" drove the enemy out of the settlement. Gracious.
In the Artemovsk (Bakhmut direction), operations are continuing to encircle the city, in Artemovsk itself, the enemy forces are also pinned down in heavy battles.
In the Svatovo-Kremennaya sector, despite constant enemy counterattacks, Russian troops are slowly moving forward with heavy fighting.
In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops continue active operations in the area of Orekhov and Gulyaipol. An enemy Mi-8 was destroyed near Novodarovka. Heavy fighting near Ugledar, enemy positions in the city under fire from our artillery.
Yesterday the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired at the village of Dolgoye, Valuysky urban district, in the Belgorod region. There were no casualties.
To the north of Melitopol, a HIMARS MLRS hit a railway bridge, killing five members of the repair team, two wounded.
In the LPR, the settlement was shelled. Alchevsk using MLRS HIMARS (two missiles).
APU fired 39 rounds of ammunition at the DPR, Donetsk and Yakovlevka were under fire.
08:55 An air raid alert has been announced in the Odessa, Nikolaev and Kirovohrad regions of Ukraine.
08:13 APU continue to hide in the trenches from Russian aircraft and artillery in the mud and cold, in the hope of saving their lives. Video 18+ contains obscene language.
08:10 LPR artillerymenshowedhow they destroy the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Army life, the situation, the attitude of the commander to his subordinates - all this is shown by the commander of an artillery platoon with the call sign "Kabak". The guys go about their business without question. Their professionalism and coherence is beyond doubt. On command, they promptly struck the target and hit the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
07:30 Crews of Su-35S ZVO fighters continuedestroythe enemy, using a wide range of aviation weapons.
To destroy the aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, destroy radar stations, air defense systems, the crews use guided high-precision air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles.
06:07 Personnelcombat work of 152mm self-propelled guns "Msta-S".
05:10 Anti-aircraft gunner told about his military service in the Zaporozhye region and how he was awarded for four downed drones.
01:08 Explosion in Kharkiv: an air defense missile hit a residential building, Ukrainian authorities say. According to officials, the house was hit by a missile from the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system. The roof and several apartments on the top floor were damaged. According to preliminary data, there are dead.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:59 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 01/30/2023 to 00:00 01/31/2023
Over the past day Representationreported about 29 facts of firing by the VFU.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy made eight attacks from 155mm artillery, as well as UAVs.
On Gorlovsky 21 artillery attacks from 155mm artillery.
Having fired 156 units of various ammunition.
The region of five settlements of the Republic came under enemy fire: the capital city. Donetsk (Kyiv, Kirovsky, Petrovsky districts), Zaytsevo, Horlovka (Nikitovsky district), Shirokaya Balka, Makeevka (Kirovsky, Chervonogvardeisky districts).
Over the past day, information was received about the wounding of a civilian - a man, in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk.
Twelve housing constructions were damaged in the Kievsky district of Donetsk, the Central City and Nikitovsky districts of Gorlovka, as well as six civil infrastructure facilities.
Previously, nine artillery attacks were recorded from the VFU side in 24 hours.
21:17 Footage of the beginning of the assault on Ugledar - Pacific Marines enter the city under the roar of artillery and small arms
There were shots of the beginning of the assault on Ugledar by marines of the 155th Brigade of the Pacific Fleet. The footage shows how Russian soldiers enter the so far occupied city in BMPs. At the same time, in the background there is an endless cononade, hits on a Russian car are heard.
Active clashes are now taking place in Vugledar, and the Russian army continues to advance on the city every day. The enemy constantly puts up active resistance, and also transfers an increasing amount of forces to the areas.
However, this does not prevent our guys from gaining a foothold on new frontiers, and the main task at the moment is to take control of the Yuzhno-Donbasskaya No. 1 mine, which will allow us to surround the city.
19:20 Destroyed 155mm self-propelled guns M109A5Ö, delivered from Latvia for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) area.
18:53 Powerful explosion on the Zaporozhye front. The Russian Aerospace Forces is working. The footage shows a night strike by a tactical air-to-surface Kh-29TD missile on the positions of the 102nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the village of Malinovka.
An accurate hit of the warhead of a projectile weighing 317 kg raises the strong point above the ground and provokes a secondary detonation of the enemy's ammunition.
18:10 Evening summary of Headquarters of the Territorial Defense of the DPR on January 30, 2023.
17:55 Artillery of PMC "Wagner" grinds the positions of the enemy in Artemovsk.
17:40 They fight for every piece of land: like Pacific Fleet attack aircraft release Ugledar from Ukrainian nationalists.
Russian marines are combing the occupied areas, equipping firing points, the AFU forces are retreating, placing artillery among the houses and hiding behind civilians.
17:09 On a photo of a house destroyed by the artillery attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Gorlovka village of Zaitsevo.
16:47 VFU shelled the village of Shirokaya Balka in the Central City district of Gorlovka. The village is empty.
16:11 Ukrainian troops fired three rounds with a caliber of 155 mm at Zaitsevo in the DPR, the DPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC) reported.
15:59 According to the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for January 30, information was received about civilian casualties in the cities of the Republic:
Donetsk (Kirovskiy district): - on the street. Tchaikovsky, 104 wounded man born in 1974
Additional information was received about damage as a result of the artillery attack of the VFU cities of the Republic:
n.p. Gorlovka (Zaitsevo village): - st. Kolyadenko, 16 - a direct hit in a private residential building.
Information about the consequences of artillery attack continues to arrive.
15:17 Ukrainian troops fired six 155mm rounds at the Petrovsky district of Donetsk, the DPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC) reported.
15:10 The situation in the Ugledar direction as of 15:00 January 30:
The Russian army continues active offensive operations in Vugledar. Intense clashes are taking place on the outskirts of the settlement, the Marines are moving deeper into the city under the cover of artillery and tanks.
Close quarter battles are being fought, which makes it difficult for artillery to work on the outskirts of the city, artillery works mainly inland.
The enemy is putting up fierce resistance, the Ukrainian command has deployed a large number of fresh forces to this sector of the front, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have an order to hold the city at any cost. Nevertheless, information is already coming in that our fighters are now entrenched in the east of the city.
14:55 From the report of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation (January 30, 2023):
In the Krasno-Limansky direction, artillery fire from the "Center" grouping of forces inflicted a defeat on units of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade in the area of the settlement of Novoegorovka, Luhansk People's Republic. Enemy losses per day in this direction amounted to 40 military personnel, four armored combat vehicles and three vehicles.
In the Donetsk direction, during the active offensive operations of the "Southern" group of forces, more than 70 Ukrainian military personnel, one tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, two pickup trucks, two 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS combat vehicles, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a counterbattery radar were destroyed in a day made in the USA AN/TPQ-50.
14:16 Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter shot down in Zaporozhye region by Russian air defense systems - RF Ministry of Defense
13:55 According to the operational lines of the DPR JCCC on January 30, additional information was received about damage as a result of artillery attack of the Ukrainian cities of the Republic:
n.p. Gorlovka (Nikitovsky district):
- Damage was recorded to the building of the MBDOU "Nursery-garden No. 4" Alyonka "of Gorlovka" on the street. Dokuchaev;
- damage to the buildings of the Territorial Center for Social, Consumer Services for the Population on the street. Voznesensky;
- Damage was recorded to the building of the City Polyclinic No. 8 on the street. Chernyakhovsky;
- st. Voznesensky, 20/12 - a direct hit in an apartment building;
- st. Dokuchaeva, 24, 30 - private residential buildings.
Information about the consequences of artillery attack continues to arrive.
13:15 Soledarskoye direction situation as of 13.00 January 30, 2023:
In the Soledar sector, assault detachments of the Wagner PMC are moving south from Blagodatny to Paraskovievka and Krasnaya Gora. During the fighting, control was established over two company strongholds of the 4th battalion of the 46th detachment and the 1st battalion of the 77th detachment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Violent clashes continue in the vicinity of Paraskovievka and Krasnaya Gora. At the moment, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are regrouping forces to hold settlements. On the northern outskirts of Artemovsk, formations of the 4th detachment were deployed.
In Artemivsk, “Wagnerites” storm the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) on the eastern outskirts in Zabakhmutovka and near the meat processing plant. During the fighting, the NGU detachments were driven out from three strongholds.
Russian troops are gradually pushing through the defenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the directions of Krasnoye and Stupochka, where they are holding the defense of units of the 3rd oshbr and 116th troop battalions. As a result of an artillery strike on the deployment point of the 116th brigade, more than a dozen people were liquidated.
Part of the personnel of 116 arr refused to perform combat missions. Detachments of Arabic-speaking mercenaries were deployed to Krasnoe to prepare the line of defense. The command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is trying to hide the participation of foreigners in the battles for Artemovsk.
The Ukrainian command is waiting for the activation of the units of the RF Armed Forces on Dyleevka. The reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with copters are reconnaissance of the areas of advancement of Russian troops along the line of contact.
13:10 In n.p. New Kakhovka, Kherson region, from VFUmanufacturedartillery attack with the use of 155mm artillery of the Children's Polyclinic of the Novokakhovskaya Central Hospital.
Investigators of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation examined the scene of the incident, during which the criminal actions of the military personnel of the VFU were recorded.
12:59 Scouts 58 obspn destroyed a group of Ukrainian militants.
Scouts of the 58th Separate Special Purpose Battalion (previously the 3rd Special Operations Division of the NM of the DPR), during reconnaissance at night, discovered the movement of a group of Ukrainian militants. The identified targets were immediately destroyed with the help of ATGMs.
12:53 A photo of kindergarten "Alenka" in the Nikitovsky district of Gorlovka (photo 1-3), an apartment building on the street. Voznesensky, 20 (photo 4), the building of the district territorial center (photo 5, 6), damaged as a result of artillery attack from the VFU.
12:35 It is reported that Russian forces in Artemovsk occupied the area of the Mariupol cemetery, the area was cleared. Less than 2 km from the city center.
Urban fighting continues, including underground. The Ukrainian military went to the basements near the meat processing plant, as well as near the Bakhmut-1 station. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were involved in landings behind the railway between the city, the village of Kleshcheevka and Ivanovsky.
12:17 APU launched a missile attack on Alchevsk using HIMARS MLRS. NM LNR publishedvideofixing the consequences of an impact.
11:40 Effects of artillery attack of the city of Alchevsk (LPR) by the armed formations of Ukraine.
As a result of the artillery attack of N. p. Alchevsk with the use of HIMARS MLRS (the enemy fired two missiles of the M31 GMLRS type) the glazing of 11 one-story residential buildings was damaged.
11:30 According to the official data of the DPR JCCC since the beginning of the escalation as of 11:30 01/30/2023
During the 347 days of escalation in the territory within the borders before the start of the NWO, 649 civilians were killed, incl. 26 children.
On the territory liberated during the NMD, 3773 civilians were killed, incl. 106 children. Total: 4,422 including children - 132.
On the territory within the borders before the start of the NMD, 2,394 civilians received injuries of varying severity, incl. 161 children.
A total of 89 cases of undermining civilians were registered, incl. 5 children, on mines PFM-1 "Petal". One of the injured died in the hospital.
On the territory liberated during the NMD, 1,660 civilians were injured, incl. 92 children. Total: 4,054 including 253 children.
Damage:
— 9,669 residential buildings;
— 2,363 civil infrastructure facilities, incl. 132 medical institutions, 475 educational institutions, 925 social security facilities, 68 critical infrastructure facilities, 763 electricity, water, heat and gas supply facilities.
- 1,202 vehicles.
At the moment, it is impossible to establish for certain the data on damage and destruction of residential housing constructions and civil infrastructure facilities in the territory liberated during the NWO.
During the 347 days of escalation of the DPR JCCC, 15,102 cases of firing were recorded, of which 14,771 were using heavy weapons. In total, the enemy fired 97,605 ammunition of various calibers, including 39 missiles from the Tochka-U OTRK, 199 Himars MLRS missiles, 255 MLRS missiles 220mm BM-27 "Hurricane" and 12811 MLRS missiles (122mm), as well as 20292 rounds of 155mm caliber.
11:00 Artillery 132nd brigade continuously inflicts attacks on enemy positions.
122mm self-propelled howitzers 2S1 "Gvozdika" of the 132nd Brigade of the 1st Donetsk Army Corps (formerly the 3rd brigade of the NM DPR) struck at the area where the enemy forces were concentrated. Shooting was corrected with the help of UAVs.
10:35 Afternoon summary of Headquarters of the Territorial Defense of the DPR on January 30, 2023.
10:05 Informationon the artillery attack of Gorlovka as of 01/30/2023
09:46 Ukrainian militants continue to strike at settlements on the left bank of the Dnieper - emergency services.
Yesterday, during the day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired six rounds from cannon artillery at Aleshki - the building of the House of Culture was damaged. Also, seven more rounds hit Kakhovka - an apartment building was damaged. In addition, such settlements as Dnepryan and Krynki suffered. Information about the victims is specified.
09:41 OBTF "Cascade" with the help of a kamikaze drone destroy Self-propelled guns "Crab" in the area of Ugledar.
09:28 Over the past week, the Representative Office of the LPR in the JCCC recorded:
Eight artillery attacks of the territory of the Republic by the armed formations of Ukraine with the use of heavy weapons on the settlement. Golden, Rubezhnoye, Kremennaya, Belokurakino, Novoaleksandrovka and Novoaidar.
During the shelling, the enemy used: HIMARS MLRS (21 missiles), 155mm artillery pieces (one projectile).
During the above period, 39 people became victims of the AFU aggression, of which 14 died and 25 were injured.
Ten housing constructions and 14 civil infrastructure facilities were destroyed and damaged, incl. one medical and three educational institutions.
09:01 According to the operational lines of the DPR JCCC for January 30, information was received about damage as a result of artillery attack of the cities of the Republic by the AFU:
n.p. Gorlovka:
Nikitovsky district: partially de-energized the village of the mine named after. N. A. Izotova.
Central City district: - st. Dam, 35, 37 - private residential buildings. 5 transformer substations are de-energized.
Information about the consequences of artillery attack continues to arrive.
08:17 For a day on the territory of the DPR, there were no casualties among civilians.
Over the past 24 hours, from 08:00 on January 29 to 08:00 on January 30, there were no casualties as a result of the artillery attacks of the AFU on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic.
08:09 Under fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine Wide Beam. The Ukrainian military fired 10 rounds with a caliber of 155mm, according to the representative office of the Donetsk People's Republic in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine.
07:56 Morpechi are moving forward deep into Ugledar under the cover of artillery and tanks.
The fighting is on the outskirts of the city. Positions are occupied, which in the future will continue to develop the offensive deep into enemy territory. Our rocket artillery does not allow the enemy to bring up reserves and bring up ammunition.
07:24 Ukrainian militants fired on the village of the mine. N. A. Izotova (Nikitovsky district of Gorlovka). The village is partially de-energized, said Gorlovka Mayor Ivan Prikhodko.
05:22 Ukrainian troops at 03.10 fired two missiles from the HIMARS MLRS at Alchevsk, the representative office of the Luhansk People's Republic in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine reports.
05:01 Soldiers of the 1st Slavic brigade hit ammunition of the Ukrainian military in a fortified area in the Donetsk direction.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] A commercial calling for US citizens to join the Wagner PMC. So to speak, an appendix to Prigozhin's recent letter to Janet Yellen calling for assistance in opening a branch of the company in the United States.
It is worth noting that during the war, Wagner did not particularly hide the fact that they were recruiting people, including in NATO countries. Not so long ago, it was officially announced that several dozen people were fighting in Wagner from the same Norway.
Here, of course, not only the recruitment of new attack aircraft, but also the trolling of the Americans, who recently recognized the Wagner PMC as a transnational criminal organization.
[ColonelCassad] News of denazification of Ukraine. One of the founders of UNA-UNSO was liquidated near Soledar.
In the vicinity of Soledar, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed the first leader of the UNSO extremist group, Nazi Valery Palchik. The militant has been actively helping terrorist organizations that opposed Russia for more than 30 years.
Palchik was seen during the conflict in Georgia, and also fought together with radical Islamists during the first and second Chechen campaigns.
On the Soledar direction of the front, Palchik served in the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade (TRO).
Commentary by Russian military journalist appears in italics.
[ColonelCassad] “The dismemberment of Russia lies at the heart of Polish policy in the East... Therefore, our possible position will be reduced to the following formula: who will take part in the division. Poland must not remain passive at this remarkable historical moment. The task is to prepare well in advance physically and spiritually ... The main goal is the weakening and defeat of Russia. (c) from the report of the intelligence department of the Polish General Staff. 1938
Z dziejow stosunkow polsko-radzieckich. studio i materialy. T.III. Warszawa, 1968. S.262, 287
* * *
“As an existential threat to humanity and the international order, the Russian Federation must undergo dramatic changes. It is naive to think that the Russian Federation, having suffered a final defeat, will remain within the same constitutional and territorial framework. The victims of Russian imperialism must be able to restore their statehood, exercise their right to glorify their heritage and determine their future.
There are no such things as Russian gas, oil, coal, diamonds, grain, gold, timber, uranium and so on in the world.
All such resources are Tatar, Bashkir, Siberian, Karelian, Oirat, Circassian, Buryat, Sakha, Ural and so on (c) from the speech of the former Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga in the European Parliament
This is so as not to be too surprised by statements from Poland about the need to dismember Russia. Modern Poland, in its content, copies Pilsudski's sanctions regime and openly plans to expand to the East in the hope that another "European coalition" with a brown odor will be able to tear something away from Russia.Accordingly, in the current realities, those who have been crying over the destruction of Poland in 1939 look even more cretinous.
[RIA] The process of Sweden's and Finland's accession to NATO has been put on pause. This was stated by Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström. Later, his press secretary corrected her boss, explaining that the process is ongoing, but his fate is in the hands of Turkey. In any case, all Swedish commentators are unanimous in their opinion that no changes in the status of the Scandinavian candidates for NATO membership can be expected before the end of the elections in Turkey, which are scheduled for May 14-28.
Let's take a look at how things unfolded. In May last year, both countries, spurred on by Washington and Brussels , applied to join NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately, in his usual manner, decided to take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate preferences for himself and put forward a number of conditions, including the expulsion of Turkish fugitive oppositionists from Sweden, which was enshrined in the corresponding memorandum of the three states.
The dispute between Turkey and the Scandinavian countries has become even more heated after the leader of the Danish far-right Hard Deal party, Rasmus Paludan, publicly burned a Koran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on January 21 to protest against the blocking of Sweden's Euro-Atlantic course. Then similar actions were repeated in the Netherlands and Denmark . Paludan said he intends to set fire to the Koran every Friday at the walls of the Turkish embassy in Copenhagen "until Sweden is admitted to NATO."
The Western press immediately rushed to look for a "Russian trace" in all these provocations . As if Russia is sleeping and seeing the early entry of the Scandinavians into the North Atlantic Alliance. And if Western propagandists want to pin the burning of the Koran on Russia, then they should declare the authorities of Stockholm and Copenhagen, who regularly give permission for these provocative actions, and the police there, who ensure the safety of arsonists, to be "agents of the Kremlin".
Yes, and a significant part of the population of Europe should also be classified as "Russian agents" with this approach. For example, De Telegraaf, the most widely circulated newspaper in the Netherlands, recently conducted a survey among its readers: 92 percent of them said that Sweden and Finland should reject Erdogan's conditions. But the most revealing - 58 percent of respondents considered it justified to burn the Koran in protest , while only 32 percent did not agree with this. Can you imagine how many "Kremlin agents" settled in the Netherlands!
Some readers of the newspaper called on European countries to close their embassies in Ankara, to accept Sweden and Finland into NATO, and to exclude Turkey from the alliance. Moreover, the question of Turkey's withdrawal from NATO is being discussed not only by idle Dutch burghers. This topic is also raised in Turkey itself - for example, the deputy chairman of the Rodina party there, Etem Sancak, predicted: "Turkey will leave NATO in five to six months."
But the most symptomatic is an article by former US national security adviser John Bolton in the Wall Street Journal, in which he called on the West to interfere in the upcoming elections in Turkey and exclude it from NATO if Erdogan wins . The explanation is impossibly simple: “Turkish and outside observers agree that Mr. Erdogan will lose the election if the process is free and fair. <…> It will be much more difficult for him to undermine the vote if NATO draws international attention to his efforts under the threat of exclusion.”
Bolton says bluntly: if Erdogan remains in office, Turkey should be expelled from NATO, and the elections should be declared invalid. It doesn't matter if they are democratic. Since some "observers" recognized in advance the need to defeat the incumbent Turkish president, then any other outcome should be called election fraud. Familiar approach, right? We have seen this in Georgia , Serbia , Ukraine and a number of other states where the Americans staged color revolutions or failed attempts.
By and large, what we are seeing in the Western media now is the launch of color revolution technologies in Turkey. The ideological mouthpiece of the liberals, The Economist magazine, did its best, devoting a special issue to an appeal to the West and personally to US President Joe Biden with the aim of interfering in the Turkish elections in order to prevent "Erdogan's dictatorship" there. The magazine echoes Bolton's calls to hit the Turkish President hard on the hands on the eve of the May vote in order to prevent him from neutralizing the main competitors in both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Such gross interference by foreigners in the electoral process could not go unnoticed in Turkey itself. Erdogan personally stated: "The fate of Turkey will be determined by a British magazine? My nation determines it. What will happen in Turkey is what my people decide."
And a little later, the Turkish president directly accused the Western media of interference, saying: "International media organizations that do not even properly deal with elections in their countries monitor the electoral process in Turkey every day. <…> They try to control the public with their vile headlines and vile articles. Of course, we know what worries them, why they attack us, why they interfere in elections in our country."
Erdogan is an experienced politician who has repeatedly faced attempts of both coups and color revolutions in his country, always skillfully coping with these challenges. Moreover, he has long since learned to correctly use anti-Turkish actions for his election purposes. This has repeatedly raised suspicions that Ankara itself is behind some of these actions.
Let us recall, for example, how the Turkish authorities deliberately fueled the conflict between Ankara and The Hague in the spring of 2017, when both sides had to mobilize their own electorate: parliamentary elections were being held in the Netherlands at that time, and Turkey was in full swing preparing for an important constitutional referendum for Erdogan, which strengthened his powers. Largely thanks to this, Mark Rutte retained his post as prime minister, and the referendum in Turkey ended in success.
And now the Swedish press calls the noise around the burning of the Koran a competent political technique of Ankara. Svenska Dagbladet deputy editor-in-chief Peter Wennblad writes: "Erdogan needs conflict to mobilize his voters." Therefore, he calls on the Swedes to calm down, not to rush anywhere, to be patient and wait for the completion of the elections in Turkey, after which - the author does not doubt this for a minute - the process of Sweden and Finland joining NATO will go like clockwork.
Most likely, the Swedish journalist is right. We, too, should not be under any illusions about Erdogan's plans to end the elections. But first, he must win them, knowing full well that the collective West will try to do everything to ensure that it is either completely removed from power, or else it is sharply weakened.
The Turkish president is now making active efforts to raise his own rating and at the same time neutralize the opposition. The first one is more or less successful. Last year, after the Turkish lira plummeted, Erdogan's approval rate fell to a record low of 30 percent, while the disapproval rate rose to almost 60. However, by the beginning of this year, the figures were almost equal.
And the current scandal with the burning of the Koran and the harsh reaction of Erdogan will certainly lead to an even greater strengthening of his position. Ankara is clearly not going to de-escalate this conflict with the West, issuing an official warning to citizens with a request, if possible, to refrain from traveling to Europe and the United States in connection with the growing "Islamophobia, xenophobia and racist attacks " there.
The President of Turkey achieves no less success in weakening the opposition, which causes particular panic among Western critics.
Unexpectedly postponing the elections from June to May, Erdogan is forcing his opponents to speed up the selection of a single presidential candidate. Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul , was considered his main rival , but in December a court sentenced him to more than two years in prison for insulting the High Electoral Commission and, most importantly, a ban on participation in political activities. The verdict has not entered into force and, perhaps, will not enter into force - in any case, the White House and the European Union are actively working on this. But the opposition found itself in limbo, not understanding whether to bet on the disgraced mayor or not: too big a risk.
In addition, the Turkish Constitutional Court continues to consider the case on the ban on the third political force of the parliament - the Peoples' Democratic Party, which mainly represents the Kurds. She is accused of having links with the banned Kurdish Workers' Party in Turkey. If she is also removed from the elections at the last moment, it will be problematic for the opposition coalition to resist Erdogan.
And the scandals with the burning of the Koran in Europe are forcing the ideological heirs of Kemal Ataturk, who speak from nationalist positions and refuse to dialogue with the Kurds, to become radicalized. It is from them that Erdogan bites off a significant part of the electorate, tightening his rhetoric about anti-Islamic provocations in Europe.
So it is quite difficult to predict the outcome of the elections in Turkey now. That is why in the West calls for gross interference in this process and even for the need to remove Erdogan at any cost are becoming louder. It is no coincidence that The Washington Post called the Turkish campaign "the world's most important election in 2023." An American newspaper directly writes: "Western leaders will be glad to see Erdogan's back. <...> The United States and Europe would be better off without Erdogan's destructive influence on world events, especially in the context of their confrontation with Vladimir Putin ."
Well, since the stakes are so high, we can expect the most serious provocations in Turkey from the West. Of course, no one is going to seriously discuss its exclusion from NATO - too important a strategic foothold. But interference in elections, undermining the authority of the authorities, economic and ideological sabotage, support for riots - this is the usual arsenal of actions for the West. Even against his official ally.
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[REGNUM] IRAN AND THE CAUCASUS
The most thoughtful travelers begin their acquaintance with Iran from Armenia. In Yerevan, you can get a visa to Iran and proceed to Tehran by bus across the land border.
Three years ago, the starting point for my trip to Iran was the Shusha fortress in Nagorno-Karabakh, where, to my surprise, I found traces of the Persian presence. The fortress played a special role in the historical confrontation between Turkey (Turkic peoples) and Iran.
Being the capital of the Karabakh khanate, it was the stronghold of the protection of the whole of Azerbaijan from the constant expansion of Iran to the north. Despite the reputation of being impregnable, the fortress was captured not only by the Armenians during the First Karabakh War.
In the spring of 1797, Agha Mohammed Shah crossed the Araks with an army and, with the help of cunning, entered the fortress without a fight. However, already in the summer, the Shah was killed by people from his entourage, and the Iranian army left Shusha and Karabakh in parts.
And already during the Russian-Persian war, according to the Kurekchay Treaty, concluded on May 14, 1805 between Russia and Iran (“Oath Commitment”), Russian troops entered the Shushi fortress. Then there was the second Russian-Persian war of 1826-1828 and an attempt of revenge by Iran. One of the glorious pages of this war was the episode of the heroic defense of the small garrison of Shusha under the command of Colonel Reutt of the Iranian army of Abbas Mirza. The result of the confrontation between the two empires was the final consolidation of Russia in the Transcaucasus. The Araks River became the new border between the states.
This is just an episode from the history of the Russian presence in the South Caucasus and contact with Iranian interests. But there is also the prehistory of the Turkish-Persian wars, which is rooted in the Middle Ages, most of which was fought specifically for the Caucasus. And this is not only a confrontation for the regional dominance of the two powers, but also a dispute within the Islamic world (Sunnism and Shiism), as well as a clash between the settled and nomadic worlds.
Therefore, one should not be surprised at the special interest in the region from Iran. This was also manifested during the Second Karabakh War, where Iran was one of the deterrents for Azerbaijan. Against the backdrop of allied relations between Baku and Tel Aviv, Tehran is especially active today and declares in the strongest possible terms its strategic intentions to preserve the 40-kilometer section of the border with Armenia.
CORRIDOR "NORTH - SOUTH"
It is symbolic that even today Russian border guards control the Armenian-Iranian border in the Syunik region of Armenia. The bus "Yerevan - Tehran" costs only 20 dollars, and on the road, which is not the most comfortable, especially from the Armenian side, you will have to spend at least a day. From Yerevan to the border town of Meghri, the very south of Armenia, a 7-hour journey along a mountain serpentine, sometimes reminiscent of real off-road.
It is said that before the 2020 war there was a more comfortable transport logistics with Iran, but the Azerbaijani armed forces took possession of one of the sections of this route, and now they have to be content with what is left. But even if a modern road existed, the Syunik region itself makes a depressing impression.
It seems that official Yerevan has “forgotten” a strategically significant region that allows the country to withstand the consequences of a long-term blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Cross-border trade and cargo flow with Iran is very high. They give the local population the opportunity to somehow make ends meet. Despite the amazing natural beauty and historical sights, the Syunik region remains little known for mass tourism.
The surviving Soviet infrastructure complements the overall disappointing picture. By the number of Soviet cars and the indescribable way of life in the small and once industrial towns of the region, one gets the impression that the eighties have not gone anywhere.
In general, the North-South corridor, which is of geopolitical importance for Tehran and Moscow, in fact turned out to be forgotten by everyone and most unsettled.
It is significant that both countries have taken care of logistics not even against the backdrop of Armenia's defeat in the Karabakh war of 2020, but in the past six months - in the conditions of unprecedented pressure (and squeezing out) of Moscow from all over the post-Soviet space, when the laws of geopolitics prevailed over worldly logic and considerations of commercial gain.
Do not forget that step by step, meter by meter, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have already captured the dominant heights of the Syunik region (I note that this is already the territory of Armenia itself, a country - a member of the CSTO). And the only remaining track was also under threat.
One does not need to be an expert in geopolitics to understand that the true goal of the armed confrontation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not even Nagorno-Karabakh, but the so-called Zangezur corridor, which separates Turkey (and Nakhichevan) from Azerbaijan and the rest of the Turkic world that extends into Central Asia, the Volga region and a significant part of Siberia. These aspirations of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, relying, among other things, on historical heritage, are skillfully played by our Western opponents represented by the British.
"OVERCOMING THE ARMENIAN WEDGE"
For Turkey and Azerbaijan, the solution to the problem of Zangezur (or “overcoming the Armenian wedge,” as it is commonly called in Turkish political science) is primarily a geopolitical and ideological project within the framework of the policy of irredentism and pan-Turkism.
Its implementation will strengthen the internal political positions of Erdogan and Aliyev, and will mean the most obvious success in building a single space between Ankara and Baku (the concept of "one nation, two states"). And unlike the Great Turan project, this is the closest prospect.
In Turkey, presidential elections are scheduled for May, and the result is not yet clear.
The military adventure, to which Erdogan is prone, could be the reason for postponing the vote. If the Turkish leader decides to take this step, then it will be taken not in the direction of Syria (solution of the "Kurdish issue"), but in relation to Armenia. Such an opportunity, when Russia is distracted by the confrontation in Ukraine, may not present itself for a long time.
Current provocations, such as blocking the Lachin corridor, provoking a humanitarian crisis among the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, a media attack by Western media and NGOs against the Russian peacekeeping contingent, are all links in one chain.
Most likely, they will be followed by more sophisticated provocations and decisive steps. A large-scale armed operation in the mountains of Karabakh is possible with the onset of spring (April).
The situation is clearly not in favor of Armenia. But Iran can play its role here.
TEHRAN
The capital of Iran leaves a strong impression. The attitude towards the Russians is neutral and calm, there is not a shadow of surprise on the faces of the Iranians, as if the Russians are as frequent guests here as they are on the coasts of Antalya.
At the first visit, all patterns regarding Iran collapse. There is no dominance of the security forces or intimidation / oppression / lack of rights of citizens in Iran. There are even fewer police officers in Tehran, in my opinion, than in any other capital.
I also could not find a special religiosity of the inhabitants. There are no crowded mosques during prayer. There are no more ladies wrapped in black robes in Tehran than in Moscow. Young girls are mostly covered with a head covering, but more often it is perceived as part of the wardrobe. A sort of burdensome tribute to tradition.
Tehran is huge. At 90%, this is a gray space, a bit reminiscent of the buildings of the Soviet period. Everything is clean and well-maintained, but it is clear that the urban environment is purely functional. Everywhere there is a brisk trade, a continuous buy and sell.
There is energy and potential in Iran, but also some delay, as if the country is stuck in the eighties and is desperately trying to stay in them. It is clear that this is how the sanctions work.
If you fantasize a little and imagine that the Soviet elders in the 80s went crazy in a slightly different direction - they would have relied on Russian Rodnovery and refused to “merge” the imperial project, then today we would be like Iran, only ten times more and more powerful.
Instead, who has not yet realized that Russia is already significantly dependent on the power of the ayatollahs, not only in military-technical, but also in a number of other areas. But just yesterday it was customary for us to laugh at a somewhat strange and closed country.
Iran is a huge and industrialized state, of course, experiencing difficulties, but self-sufficient. The food, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries, their own automotive industry, the defense and heavy industries, almost completely cover the domestic and military needs of the country. The Iranian government has five-year plans for socio-economic development, and the country shows a steady rate of industrial growth from year to year.
And it's not just the national economy. In Immanuel Wallerstein's terms, Iran is a world-system based on the traditions of the Persian empire, rich mineral resources, and a high quality workforce.
PROSPECTS FOR COOPERATION
Possessing significantly fewer resources and initial capabilities than Russia, Iran has shown the whole world that it is possible to live under the conditions of a total sanctions regime, maintain the stability of the political system, a decent level of development of society and a relatively high prosperity of citizens. This is an example for us as well.
And finally, the decisive factor is geopolitics. Having a common enemy.
It is precisely because of the influence of this irresistible factor that Christian Armenia is the main and natural ally of Shiite Iran in the Caucasus. And with the beginning of the NMD in Ukraine and open confrontation with the entire Western world, Russia has no more natural and reliable ally in the entire Eurasian space than Iran.
The immediate prospect of an escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh also makes Russia and Iran natural allies, this time against Turkey (and indirectly, the UK).
And if in the 19th century the Iranian shahs were used by the British to contain the Russian Empire, then with the coming to power of conservative forces in Tehran, the situation changed fundamentally. Today, Moscow and Tehran are closer than ever in the face of common threats.
And in conclusion. There is an opinion that the tectonic changes taking place today will lead to the sovereign return of the Modern. And this, in turn, means that the eighties are returning to the world. Desperate eighties.
Posted by: badanov ||
01/31/2023 00:00 ||
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A very tough neighborhood.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/31/2023 13:20 Comments ||
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