Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 18:56 The Russian army has lost the initiative on the front in its northern part, namely in the Kharkiv, Sumy and Kursk regions. This was reported by President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to him, Ukraine is ready to completely stabilize the situation and take "the initiative into its own hands" in some areas of the front, the president assured.
18:22 Russia has ruled out possible concessions to Ukraine in potential negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalled the ultimatum issued in June 2024.
17.29 In 2024, the provision of defense forces cost approximately $100 billion. This data was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to him, of this amount, $40 billion was allocated by Ukraine, and the rest by partner countries.
17.03 Since the beginning of the current day, 89 combat clashes have already occurred on the front. Most of the battles were recorded in the Pokrovsk and Kursk directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in an operational report as of 16:00.
16:35 Russian aggressors will receive a "hello" from Ukraine in response to the drone attack on Kiev on Thursday, January 16. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky at a briefing. The attack occurred during his talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
16.21 In Kharkov, on the evening of January 16, an enemy UAV hit was recorded in the Slobodsky district. There are casualties as a result of the enemy attack. This was reported by the head of the Kharkov OVA Oleg Sinegubov on Thursday, January 16.
16.04 A special commission has been formed in the Ukrainian Air Force to check the process of transferring servicemen to other branches and types of the Armed Forces. This was reported by the press service of the Armed Forces on Thursday, January 16.
14.44 A traitor deputy of the Akhtyrka District Council of the Sumy Region from the banned party Our Region received 15 years of imprisonment for calling on Ukrainians to surrender to the Russian invaders during the battle for Sumy.
13:04 The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine is still quite complicated. This is especially true for the eastern part of the country, where Russian aggressors have concentrated a significant group of troops. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with Polish media.
12:32 A Russian air defense officer was sent to prison for shooting down a Mi-8 over Crimea. Due to a series of mistakes, the Russian concluded that there was a Ukrainian drone in the air and gave the order to shoot it down. The helicopter crew of three was killed.
12:02 Russian agents blew up railway tracks during the movement of a military train in the Rivne region. The perpetrators were detained. The SBU reported the details .
11:39 Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has arrived in Kiev on an official visit. This was reported by the Italian Embassy in Ukraine. The official has a number of "institutional meetings" planned.
10:51 Ukrainian military personnel captured 27 Russian servicemen during an operation in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
10:25 The State Bureau of Investigation has reported suspicion to the former commander of one of the territorial defense brigades and his three subordinates, who helped the brigade commander's wife receive more than 922 thousand hryvnias in additional compensation. The official arranged for his wife to work as a shooter in the brigade he headed in order to arrange for her increased payments.
9:58 Air defense destroyed 34 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of drones launched by Russia on the night of January 16. In addition, 18 UAVs were lost without negative consequences.
9:39 The situation on the front as of January 16 remains tense. Over the past 24 hours, 124 combat clashes have been recorded. This is evidenced by the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
9:25 The fall of debris from downed Russian drones caused damage to energy infrastructure in the Poltava region. There were no casualties in the incident.
8:57 Ukrainian military continue to repel Russian assaults along the entire front line. This time, the enemy was eliminated in the Kurakhiv direction. This was reported by the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8:26 Ukraine has once again attacked the Tambov Gunpowder Plant of the Russian Federation. This was reported by the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council Andrey Kovalenko.
7:59 The Ukrainian underground has discovered and conducted reconnaissance of the location of a division of Russian invaders' boats in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Russia plans to use these watercraft for future operations in the Kherson direction.
7:47 The Russian army lost 1,480 soldiers on the front over the past 24 hours from January 15 to 16. This is evidenced by data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
7:26 Russia's attempts to de facto annex Belarus create strategic risks for the United States, NATO and Ukraine. This was stated by experts from the Institute for the Study of War.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] Part of Neskuchny is held by Ukrainian fighters.
by Vera Perun
After a certain pause and regrouping of forces, the Russians are actively continuing to exert pressure towards Velyka Novosilka. Currently, the occupiers' attention is focused on the Neskuchne-Vremivka settlement section.
This is reported by Deep State analysts.
The invaders have occupied the northern outskirts of Neskuchny and continue to continuously send infantry in this direction.
"Recently, the Katsaps published footage of the flag raising in that area, but the report about the complete occupation of the village is not true, because the rest of the village is held by the Defense Forces fighters," Deep State noted.
The Russians are also pressing from landings on the western side of Neskuchny, and on January 15, several enemy groups of 2 to 5 people were detected.
"If the Muscovites manage to accumulate a certain group on the northern outskirts of Neskuchny and gain a foothold, then the situation of leaving the SOU fighters in an unfavorable situation, as was the case in Makarivka, may repeat itself. We hope that an after action review has been conducted and this will not happen," the analysts noted.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the same day that the enemy once tried to break through the defense of our defenders in the area of the settlement of Vremivka in Novopavlivske. The battle was ongoing as of 4:00 p.m.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Ramazan Padiev and Batukhan Tochiev have been arrested by a Moscow court and are accused of involvement in a terrorist attack that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. The suspects acted at the request of their supervisor, the investigation suggested.
As the "Caucasian Knot" reported, two natives of Ingushetia were detained, who, according to operational services, belong to the combat wing of the Batalkhadzhin vird, which is recognized as terrorist. They provided a rented apartment to a native of Uzbekistan, Akhmad Kurbanov, accused of murdering Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant. Batalkhadzhin vird is loosly tied to Ukrainian security services.
Igor Kirillov and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov were killed on the morning of December 17 in the southeast of Moscow. An explosive device was planted in a scooter that was parked next to the entrance. Uzbek citizen Akhmad Kurbanov is accused of the murder; he has been remanded in custody until February 17, Vedomosti reports.
The Basmanny Court of Moscow has arrested Ramazan Padiev for a month and three days, and Batukhan Tochiyev has been remanded in custody for a month and one day. They are accused of committing a terrorist act, as well as illegal storage and manufacture of explosives (Part 3 of Article 205, Part 4 of Article 222.1, Part 3 of Article 223.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia), the press service of the courts of general jurisdiction of Moscow reported today.
According to the investigation, Tochiyev and Padiyev, acting on instructions from an unidentified curator, rented a room in a hostel in the Moscow region for Kurbonov via the Internet. "The curator repeatedly transferred funds to pay the rent to Tochiyev's account. Padiyev personally went to the hostel, made the payment and filmed the interior and exterior of the premises on site, and then handed over the keys to the room to Kurbonov in one of Moscow's shopping centers, and subsequently also paid for the extension of the lease," the report says.
Padiev refused to admit guilt, TASS reported today.
The hearing on choosing a preventive measure for Ramazan Padiev at the request of the investigation was held behind closed doors, RIA Novosti reported today.
Batal-Khadzhi Belkhoroev is an Ingush sheikh, the founder of one of the Kadirite branches (virds), a follower of Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi, according to the report " Batal-Khadzhi and His Followers " prepared by the "Caucasian Knot ". In February 2023, the FSB included the combat wing of the Ingush vird of the Batalkhadzhins in the list of terrorist organizations.
Earlier, the "Caucasian Knot" wrote that in November last year, the alleged accomplices of the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall concert hall, Ingush residents Khusein Medov and Dzhabrail Aushev, were detained and accused of illegal arms and explosives trafficking. The investigation links them to the recognized terrorist militant wing of the Ingush Batalkhadzhin vird and the weapons used for the terrorist attack in Crocus.
At the end of December, four more men were detained in Ingushetia, who are suspected of aiding the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall. The investigation believes that they are connected to the Batalkhadzhin people and helped Batyr Kulaev (included in the list of terrorists and extremists), who is considered one of the key members of the group that supplied weapons to the terrorists involved in the attack in Crocus City Hall, to hide from justice.
Linked article is available only through a VPN.
[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kharkov direction, the Sever Group of Forces's units hit formations of one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU close to Volchansk (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 40 troops, two motor vehicles, and one artillery gun.
The Zapad Group of Forces' units improved the situation along the front line, delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades and one infantry brigade of the AFU near Dvurechnaya, Zapadnoye, Zagoruykovka, Boguslavka (Kharkov region), Novoyegorovka (Lugansk People's Republic), and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 470 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 18 motor vehicles, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launcher, and four field artillery guns. One electronic warfare station and three ammunition depots have been neutralised.
The Yug Group of Forces' units captured more advantageous lines and positions, defeated formations of six mechanised brigades and two assault brigades of the AFU near Kramatorsk, Minkovka, Chasov Yar, Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, Sribnoye, and Dachnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 260 troops, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, five pickup trucks, and seven artillery guns, to include two U.S.-made 155mm M-777 howitzers.
The Tsentr Group of Forces' units continued advancing into the depths of the enemy's defence, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of seven mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, three national guard brigades, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine close to Dzerzhinsk, Shcherbinovka, Petrovka, Vozdvizhenka, Lysovka, Novovasilevka, Tarasovka, Novoyelizavetovka, Petropavlovka, and Slavyanka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 580 troops, three tanks, to include one German-made Leopard tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, to include one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, five motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns.
The Vostok Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation and defeated formations of four mechanised brigades, one air assault brigade of the AFU, and three territorial defence brigades near Bogatyr, Konstantiopol, Alekseyevka, Vremevka, Novoselka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Gulyai Pole (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 240 troops, one tank, one U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carrier, nine motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns, to include one German-made 155mm Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery system. One electronic warfare station was eliminated.
The Dnepr Group of Forces' units have engaged manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one infantry brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, one marine brigade, and one territorial defence brigade close to Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka, Lobkovoye, Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region), and Daryevka (Kherson region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 85 troops, eight motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. Two electronic warfare stations and one ammunition depot were eliminated.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces delivered strikes at infrastructure of military airfields, UAV workshops and depots, as well as engaged manpower clusters and military hardware in 152 areas.
Air defence units shot down three French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 12 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 95 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 40,575 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,554 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,706 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,352 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region.
The Sever Group of Forces' units have engaged formations of one tank brigade, one heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one naval infantry brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Viktorovka, Guyevo, Gornal, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Pogrebki, Sverdlikovo, Sudzha, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. One counter-attack launched by AFU units was repelled.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware near Bondarevka, Zamostye, Zaoleshenka, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Loknya, Martynovka, Mirny, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, and Miropolye in Sumy region.
Over the past 24 hours, over 210 troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, one armoured fighting vehicle, six motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M-777 howitzer, and eight mortars have been neutralised.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 52,330 troops, 305 tanks, 231 infantry fighting vehicles, 170 armoured personnel carriers, 1,567 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,486 motor vehicles, 367 artillery guns, 44 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 93 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 30 units of engineering and other materiel, including 15 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, eight armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.
The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 20:45 Russian Ministry of Defense:
Russian Aerospace Forcesthey cutenemy supply routes by striking the bridge in Constantinople
The Russian Aerospace Forces' aviation destroyed a reinforced concrete bridge near the settlement of Konstantinopol (west of the city of Kurakhovo) with strikes from three FAB-500 aerial bombs, making it difficult to deliver ammunition and rotate personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units.
19:40 Operators of combat drones with a system for dropping ammunition from the North group of troops hit the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Khar'kov region, –video.
18:42 Soldiers of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Guards Army of the Russian Armed Forces successfully blew up a dugout with Ukrainian soldiers, –video.
17:49 Servicemen of the Sever group destroyed a Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle and its landing force with a Lancet loitering munition in the border area of the Kursk region, –video.
16:55 Krasnoarmeyskoye direction: fighters of the "Center" are destroying enemy positions, –video.
During combat operations, FPV drone crews of the Atlant battalion of the 35th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Center group of forces destroyed a Leopard tank made in Germany, as well as a stronghold of Ukrainian militants. After that, the assault units cleared the dugouts and continued their advance.
15:25 Airborne unmanned aircraft units have identified a concentration of Ukrainian infantry in a forest. Having received the target coordinates, a 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS crew fired a precise salvo at the designated square, destroying the enemy infantry, –video.
15:03 An FPV drone crew destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicle, –video.
11:55 Russian Army begins storming the last defensive nodes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Toretsk – the mines on the outskirts.
10:49 Crews of 152mm 2S5 self-propelled guns "Giatsint-S" of the Guards combined arms army of the "West" group destroyed camouflaged positions, artillery guns, automatic grenade launcher crews and Ukrainian Armed Forces manpower.
9:26 Telegram channel «WarGonzo»:
Frontline report for the morning of 16.01.2025:
Zaporizhzhya Front. No significant changes in LBS. Long-range weapons are actively working on both sides.
Donetsk Front. In the area of Velyka Novosilka, Russian troops will continue to expand their zone of control in several areas. Fighting continues in the area of Novy Komar and Neskuchnoye. West of Kurakhovo, the Russian Armed Forces continue to improve their positions and seek to inflict fire damage on the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison, which has found itself in a "pocket".
Also, the Russian Armed Forces are putting pressure on the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of Dachnoye. Fierce fighting continues in the Pokrovsk direction. Russian troops are advancing on a broad front, getting closer and closer to the city, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively defending themselves.
Particularly many problems are caused by the drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, on which a large part of the Ukrainian defense is built. In Dzerzhinsk, the Russian Armed Forces continue to push the Ukrainian garrison to the outskirts of the city, but it is too early to talk about its imminent liberation, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have enough forces and means for further defense.
Chasovoyarsk direction. It is reported that the Severny microdistrict has come under the control of Russian troops, but there have been no confirmations from the ground yet. Fighting continues on the territory of the refractory plant, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are putting up serious resistance and trying to carry out counterattacks.
8:17 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed. 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.
A total of 15 UAVs were destroyed over the territory of the Belgorod region, seven over the territory of the Voronezh region, three over the territory of the Tambov region and two over the territory of the Kursk region.
8:05 Mi-28NM crew as part of a mixed tactical group hit Ukrainian troops, preventing the rotation of Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the border area of Kursk Oblast.
During the combat sortie, the pilots destroyed armored vehicles and concentrations of enemy manpower.
0:28 Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation:
In response to strikes from Ukrainian territory deep into Russian territory by US-made ATACMS long-range missiles and British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, as well as an attempt to attack the Russkaya compressor station in the settlement of Gai-Kodzor (Krasnodar Krai) with the aim of disrupting the supply of gas through the Turkish Stream pipeline, on the morning of January 15 of this year, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with high-precision weapons against critically important gas and energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine.One of the successfully hit targets was the ground infrastructure of the largest underground gas storage facility in the city of Stryi in the Lviv region.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to constantly monitor the situation and any provocations by the Kyiv regime will not go unanswered.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] The year 2025 should be decisive in the issue of the conflict in Ukraine. This is the opinion of the authors of the majority of Western media, who expect the imminent start of peace negotiations. They are reportedly to be organized by the elected US President Donald Trump.
However, while Trump's entourage and supporters are talking about ending the conflict, the outgoing but still current administration of Joe Biden is considering the possibility of continuing military operations - provided that Kiev makes a number of concessions.
In particular, Ukraine will have to decide whether to lower the age of mobilization to 18, Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview with Bloomberg. Otherwise, Ukrainian troops may lose support from the United States.
"Ultimately, this is a sovereign decision that Ukraine must make. Even if we do everything we can to provide them with the ammunition they need," Sullivan said.
It is not yet known whether the statement reflects only the position of the previous administration or whether it is the American vision as a whole. But in any case, the words of the American official were perceived critically in Kiev. In response to Sullivan's statement, Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that Ukraine be provided with even more military equipment and weapons. According to him, there are "more than 100 brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" on the battlefield that need to be staffed.
However, very soon Zelensky signed a law that obliges 17-year-old Ukrainians to register for military service. However, such a step is unlikely to motivate the West to deploy armored vehicles not in homeopathic doses, but in the volumes requested by Kiev, military expert, retired colonel Anatoly Matviychuk told IA Regnum.
"The US is soberly assessing the situation on the battlefield. Recently, the White House voiced the idea that the US has a problem - there are not enough Ukrainians for the war. They need soldiers who will resolve the situation on the battlefield. NATO has no soldiers to send to the front, they are running out of soldiers. The principle is put forward: "money in the morning - chairs in the evening. At the same time, they are shifting responsibility for supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Europe," the expert notes.
According to Matviychuk, Washington is acting sensibly in believing that deliveries of weapons for which there are no trained crews cannot change the situation at the front. Therefore, Kyiv's rearmament ultimately comes down to field testing of weapons.
THE TEST SITE CONTINUES TO OPERATE
In early January, the US Congress allocated a new package of military aid to Kyiv. Officially, the list of supplies included ammunition, spare parts and equipment for servicing military equipment - that is, Washington did not announce the supply of armored vehicles and offensive weapons.
In turn, Kiev's European allies are not shy about announcing deliveries in the press and through official channels. In early January, it became known that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had received a modern Lynx infantry fighting vehicle manufactured by Rheinmetall, the head of the concern, Armin Papperger, said.
“It is currently undergoing testing in the armed forces in order to go into serial production as soon as possible,” he noted.
The Lynx IFV is a promising model of a new generation of German armored vehicles. It was first presented in 2016. The vehicle exists in two versions - KF-31 and KF-41. The KF31 modification can be equipped with a 30-mm or 35-mm automatic cannon, and the KF41 is equipped with a Lance 2.0 turret. The IFVs are also equipped with Israeli Spike anti-tank missile systems and/or drone launchers.
On January 14, the German Aid to Ukraine project reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had received a batch of vehicles for testing in real combat conditions. After the tests are completed, serial production and deliveries to Ukrainian troops are planned to be launched. The German government has undertaken to finance the delivery program.
On the same day, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius officially presented the RCH 155 self-propelled artillery unit based on the Boxer armored personnel carrier. According to the official, this is the first of 56 self-propelled guns promised to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the German government.
"Ukraine can count on us. Germany is ready to take responsibility for security in Europe," Pistorius said.
We are talking about the first ever wheeled self-propelled artillery unit of German production. The unit is equipped with a gun of the "standard" NATO caliber of 155 mm. In the future, Germany plans to deploy deliveries of other armored vehicles based on the Boxer APC, equipped with a module with a 30-mm rapid-fire gun.
At the same time, it is not disclosed when exactly serial deliveries of both models of armored vehicles will begin. In 2024, when deliveries of the Lynx IFV were announced, it was reported that 10 vehicles would be produced by the end of the year. Now, however, we are talking about one delivered vehicle and uncertain plans for the future.
Regarding the RCH-155 self-propelled gun, it is known that the first “ready” vehicle will be used for training crews at training grounds in Germany, and deliveries of the guns to the Ukrainian Armed Forces will presumably begin in April.
In both cases, we are talking about prototypes that German armored vehicle manufacturers are counting on, planning to export them around the world, military expert and author of the Telegram channel “Russian Engineer” Alexey Vasiliev told Regnum news agency.
"The Lynx IFV is a good modern vehicle. Rheinmetall is preparing it for delivery to the Bundeswehr to replace the Marder 1A5, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently receiving. We are talking about field tests to check the vehicle in combat conditions, identify and eliminate any shortcomings. The same applies to the RCH-155 self-propelled guns. The equipment was transferred for testing, not for the front," the expert notes.
At the end of 2024, Vasiliev recalled, unconfirmed reports appeared on the Internet that Germany would transfer a batch of "kinetic defense vehicles" (Kinetic Defense Vehicle) to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Presumably, this refers to a promising air defense system manufactured by Diehl Defense.
The system consists of the R400S combat module on the Enok MBB chassis. The module is equipped with a radar station designed to search for and detect the most popular models of drones, as well as a machine gun for destroying identified targets.
The manufacturer of the complex could not find a buyer for its weapons for a long time until the delivery of a trial batch to the Ukrainian Armed Forces was agreed upon at the expense of the German government.
Thus, Ukraine continues to play the role of a testing ground for NATO countries, testing cutting-edge developments at the front. The Ukrainian military is relegated to the role of guinea pigs.
THEY PROMISE A LOT, BUT DELIVER LITTLE
Throughout the Ukrainian conflict, the US and its allies have tried to avoid large-scale arms deliveries, citing the scarcity of their own stockpiles and high production costs. For example, the US has supplied only about 200 of the not-so-modern Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, no more than 30 Abrams tanks, and around 100 Stryker armored personnel carriers.
Therefore, the new announced deliveries, especially if we take into account European countries, are unlikely to be large-scale.
"The same Lynx IFVs turned out to be very expensive for the Bundeswehr, so they decided to test them and check them in action. And we are talking about very small quantities, which in any case will not be enough to somehow change the situation on the battlefield," Alexey Vasiliev is sure.
At the same time, serial deliveries of promising models of armored vehicles are planned for spring or even the second half of 2025. By that time, the situation at the front for the Ukrainian Armed Forces threatens to become completely critical. Moreover, Kiev may not wait for serial deliveries, admits Anatoliy Matviychuk.
"Kiev cannot make a decision regarding the mobilization age. If it is lowered, as the US wants, a real wave of indignation will rise, although there are already many people dissatisfied with the "busification". But it is also impossible not to raise it - they risk being left without equipment. Kiev may be left without both the military and weapons at the same time," notes the interlocutor of the IA Regnum.
Therefore, Ukraine must be content with the role of a testing ground for NATO countries. Perhaps this will please the Ukrainian Armed Forces command, but it will not help the exhausted brigades at the front.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov
[REGNUM] The UK's 100-year partnership agreement with Ukraine, signed in Kiev on 16 January during an "unscheduled visit" by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is nothing special.
The document, immediately published on the website of the President of Ukraine, consists of a set of general phrases about how the parties will build “strong ties between the two countries across the entire spectrum of relations: from trade, security and defense to science and technology, education, culture, and more.”
The preamble, in which they are “determined” and “recognize,” is only slightly shorter than the main part, in which the signatories promise to deepen defense cooperation, integrate Ukraine into NATO, and make efforts to eliminate long-term systemic threats and challenges to maritime security in the Baltic, Black, and Azov Seas. And there was no particular need to go into detail: this is already the fourth Ukrainian-British agreement since the beginning of last year.
Although Zelensky, with all the necessary pathos, hastened to announce: "Today is truly a historic day. Relations between Ukraine and Great Britain are closer than ever. We have reached a new level, this is more than a strategic relationship."
The British government also noted that the 100-year partnership is “an important step in supporting Ukraine’s long-term security,” ensuring that “it will never again be vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia.” After all, the agreement commits Britain to stand side by side with sovereign Ukraine for a century!
As a confirmation of the seriousness of his intentions, Starmer promised 150 new artillery guns, a mobile air defense system and $3 billion from frozen Russian assets in the near future.
But when it comes to details, the real system of relationships between completely unequal partners becomes more understandable.
In April 2024, when the agreement on defence industrial cooperation was signed, BAE Systems arrived in Kyiv among representatives of 29 British defence companies. This company signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence for the maintenance and repair of L119 light guns provided to Ukraine.
As the Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Oleksandr Kamyshin stated on this occasion, "it was Great Britain that was the first country to sign the Agreement on Cooperation in the Sphere of Security with Ukraine, and it was British defense companies that were the first to open their offices here after the outbreak of the Great War. Our partnership is developing, and today we are one step closer to British manufacturers being the first to start producing their weapons in Ukraine."
In other words, the British government (represented by the Minister for Trade Policy) is loading up its arms manufacturers and the defense industry as a whole with orders. This is what the much more detailed than the “hundred-year” agreement on cooperation in the security sphere, signed on January 12, 2024, is based on.
In particular, paragraph three of part three of section two contains the very important words that the United Kingdom will encourage its defence industry to work with Ukraine “to support the localisation of repair, maintenance and production of UK defence products in Ukraine”.
War is a business, and the British have always been successful in it. And for current tasks, in August last year, an agreement was adopted to abolish import duties and tariff quotas in trade with Ukraine until 2029. No one knows what exactly the great Ukrainian economy can sell to the British (especially since the new rules do not yet apply to eggs and poultry). But it is known for sure what Britain sells: vehicles, some machines and mechanisms, chemical and pharmaceutical products.
But business can be done not only on this, so the “centenary treaty” also strengthened the British position in control of the grain trade and made them priority partners of Ukraine in the energy sector, the extraction of critical minerals and the production of “green” steel.
"In essence, this means long-term lease, practically for free. The figures for the return benefits clearly do not correspond to the volume of Britain's participation in the Ukrainian economy, especially since we are talking about 100 years. That is, even if the extraction of minerals and metallurgy are risky investments, they will be "recouped" in six months, a year at most. And, by the way, the signing of this agreement means how much longer the West plans to hold out in Ukraine in order to receive its profit," explainspolitical science doctor Alexander Semchenko to IA Regnum.
At the same time, according to him, this is a "bookmark", a time bomb under a future Ukraine as part of or under the control of Russia, since on the basis of this agreement Britain will be able to make claims similar to those made to Russia by holders of credit obligations of the tsarist government. That is, it is a bargaining tool - both economic and political.
But it is clear that no one can look a hundred years ahead. Therefore, quickly indicating their rights to this territory, the British are looking at least a year ahead. This was indirectly stated in official reports containing the strange formula "support Ukraine on the eve of Trump's inauguration."
According to political strategist Mykhailo Pavliv, the plan is to get Zelensky and his inner circle out of trouble that a change of team in the White House promises, and also to hold out until the US congressional elections in 2026. There, the Democrats, who are in complete solidarity with the British regarding the need to continue to keep Ukraine in the role of a tame crocodile, are counting on revenge.
And then it will be possible to reverse any of Trump’s peace projects.
"The Labour Party, represented by Starmer, understands that their rating is falling sharply, and nothing good will happen to them in the upcoming elections - any, no matter what. At the same time, they see how the Trumpists, specifically Elon Musk, are pushing through the same Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party. That is, of course, they need some kind of foothold, a point of application of efforts in order to actively sell this in their own country: look at our successful case on the external perimeter," Pavliv comments on the situation to IA Regnum.
Zelensky, his office chief Andriy Yermak (who made a series of quick trips to the US and Britain in December) and the collective “95th Quarter” understand that if they go to the elections that Trump demands of them, it will be a failure. Therefore, it is better to sit out the troubled times in London and put forward Valeriy Zaluzhny, who has retrained from commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to ambassador, to the forefront. He will take on all the negativity associated with the conclusion of the peace agreement, the post-war devastation and a host of all sorts of problems - if, of course, he agrees to such an unpleasant role.
"In London, the current government will be in opposition, almost under the patronage of the British, they will form some kind of shadow cabinet, an alternative government that will criticize the situation in Ukraine. Zaluzhny enters according to this scheme, becomes president and essentially accumulates all the problems. The plan of the British and "95th quarter" is to hang all the illnesses, hardships and difficulties of the consequences of the peace agreement and the guaranteed difficult socio-economic and political situation in Ukraine on Trump. And then triumphantly return to power," Pavliv is sure.
While Trump "turns off" the Ukrainian case and deals with the problem of China, taking his opponents out of the big game, the topic will be picked up by the British, who, of course, have their own interests. And for the general audience, this is called beautiful words about mutual support "for renewal, restructuring and reforms for future generations."
And, of course, all the “unprecedented agreements” will be easily thrown into the trash bin when they cease to be beneficial to the main beneficiaries.
As Ukrainian opposition political scientist Kost Bondarenko rightly noted, there is nothing more short-term than “hundred-year” or “eternal” agreements.
"Imagine that Great Britain signed a certain treaty with a certain country 100 years ago, at the beginning of 1925. During this time, Britain has had five monarchs and 24 prime ministers, Britain survived World War II, seven economic crises, lost its colonies, and ceased to be an empire. How many treaties signed by London in 1925 have not lost their relevance?" the expert asks rhetorically.
Therefore, the "100-year treaty" is rather an artistic device, corresponding to the laws of the stage genre and PR. And at its core is an attempt by the anti-Trump coalition to tie Zelensky, turn Ukraine into an instrument for achieving the goals of globalists in modern processes and secure an agreement on continuing the war under the protectorate of London. Regardless of any de-escalation processes and the torn country's exit to normal peaceful development.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
