A snapshot of recent news from sources around the world on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Political Developments
Donald Trump warned of high tariffs and additional sanctions on Russia if Vladimir Putin does not end the war in Ukraine, claiming his push for a settlement is a “very big favor” to Russia. Trump added that he would like to speak with Putin ‘soon’. The Kremlin responded, stating it remains open to “mutually respectful dialogue” despite the threat of harsher measures.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that Russia poses an existential threat to the EU‘s security, emphasizing the need to boost defense spending. She noted that the EU had spent too long offering alternatives to Russia while cautioning about a potential future attack.
Russia will take delivery of additional artillery pieces and ballistic missiles from North Korea in the near future. In addition, more North Korean troops are to deploy to Russia. North Korea could provide 150 KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM).
Ukraine’s security service detained several military commanders for failing to protect the country’s Kharkiv region last year. The move also reflects concern over the effectiveness of military leaders as desertion rates in the Ukrainian Army rise.
Separately, the Ukrainian Army’s chief psychiatrist was also arrested on corruption charges.
Military Assistance to Ukraine
Donald Trump’s freeze on foreign aid for 90 days may spare Ukraine, as officials confirmed military aid remains unaffected and essential funds were already secured under the Biden administration. The executive order targets development programs, UN initiatives, and refugee support, leaving Ukraine’s financial and military assistance intact.
With artillery usage remaining high, the Ukrainian Army is churning through barrels for M777 howitzers faster than they can be replaced by the U.S. The barrels are only manufactured in one U.S. government-owned arsenal, which is struggling to keep up with “unprecedented demand” of more than 30 new barrels per month.
European countries could finance the production of American weapons for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte suggested this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, met with Israeli officials this week to discuss draft legislation before the Knesset that would permit Israel to transfer Russian-origin weapons the IDF captured from Hezbollah.
Battlefield Updates
Russia has conducted another strike on Ukraine. During the night of January 20, Russian forces fired 131 Shahed attack drones and four Iskander-M ballistic missiles at different sites within Ukraine. Kyiv claims its air defense forces shot down 72 of these attack drones. Russia fired additional drones and missiles at Ukraine during the night of January 23. Russia launched 92 Shahed type attack drones and four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles.
On Thursday, Moscow claimed its forces took the settlement of Solone, located around 7 miles southwest of Pokrovsk. The capture of the village follows Russia’s capture of the nearby settlement Vovkove, which fell on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian government plans to provide direct funding to Ukrainian military units on a monthly basis to enable them to acquire their own drones. The effort is geared towards speeding up the procurement pipeline for frontline troops.
Ukraine approved a new VTOL drone, dubbed Poseidon, for use with the military.
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