It is day 316 of the war in Ukraine. Follow the latest news about the war and all its aftermath in this live blog.
US and Germany send combat vehicles to Ukraine
20:36 | The United States and Germany will send combat vehicles to Ukraine. The Americans supply Bradley and the Germans supply Marder. Ukraine will also receive a Patriot air defense system from Germany.
The White House announced the news after a telephone conversation between US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In it, they reaffirmed their support for and commitment to the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Both countries will train Ukrainian military personnel how to use Bradleys and Marders, fighting vehicles considered equivalent to each other. The US has been using Bradleys since the 1980s and has thousands of them. They can strengthen Ukraine in the war against Russia, but are less powerful than the Abrams tanks requested by Kiev.
Following the lead of the United States, Germany also supplies a Patriot system. The Americans decided last month to supply this advanced system after repeated requests from Ukraine. A patriot can fire rockets and planes from the sky at high altitudes.
Biden does not take Russia’s ceasefire proposal seriously
19:30 | The Russian proposal to hold a truce in Ukraine over Orthodox Christmas is not being taken seriously in the West. US President Joe Biden is suspicious of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s motives, because he was ready to “bomb hospitals, kindergartens and churches” on December 25 and on New Year’s Eve.
Biden thinks a ceasefire would give Putin a chance to catch his breath: “I think he’s trying to find some breathing space.” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock agrees. “If Putin wants peace, he must bring his soldiers home,” she wrote on Twitter. “A so-called ceasefire does not give freedom and security to people who live in fear every day under Russian occupation.”
Ukraine itself said it considered the proposal “hypocritical” and saw it as purely propaganda. A member of the National Security and Defense Council wrote on Twitter that he did not trust him. What does a bunch of little Kremlin fiends have to do with a Christian holiday like Christmas? Who believes in a monster that kills babies, burns maternity hospitals and tortures prisoners? A ceasefire? We will bite you in the singing silence of the Ukrainian night.”
Russia proposes armistice during Orthodox Christmas
4:20 pm | Russia wants a day-and-a-half ceasefire in Ukraine during Orthodox Christmas. The state-run Interfax news agency reports that the ceasefire is expected to begin at noon local time on January 6 and last until midnight on January 7. Moscow is calling on Ukraine to join the ceasefire so everyone can attend a service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Kiev rejects ceasefire proposal for Orthodox Christmas
3:39 pm | Kiev rejects Russian Patriarch Kirill’s proposal for a ceasefire during the Orthodox Christmas of 7 January. Michailo Podoljak, adviser to President Volodimir Zelensky, called it “a cynical trap”.
According to Podoljak, the Russian Orthodox Church has no say in such matters. He also accuses Kirill of calling for the genocide of Ukrainians. Kirill calls the war in Ukraine an “internal conflict” and has previously assured Russian soldiers that their sins will be forgiven if they die on the battlefield.
Last year, the Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church had already chosen to separate from the Russian Church. Also, the Ukrainian church has allowed believers to celebrate Christmas on December 25, rejecting the Russian invasion and cultural influence.
The Russian patriarch is now on the sanctions lists of the United Kingdom and Canada.
Senior Ukrainian official: Any peace deal where Ukraine has to recognize lost territories is unacceptable
15:28 | A senior Ukrainian official said in response to a conversation between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin that any peace deal requiring Ukraine to acknowledge the loss of territory was unacceptable.
Belarus strengthens joint military group with Russia
14:21 | Belarus and Russia are continuing to build a joint military group in Belarus and are preparing joint air exercises, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
Russian commentators joke about who is the real president of Russia
14:18 | Wall Street Journal reporter Yaroslav Trofimov wrote on Twitter that Russian commentators joke that the Russian president’s name starts with a P and ends with an N, but that he is not Putin. They are targeting the head of Private Russian Military Group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin is critical of governors and generals, is seen a lot in state media and wants the impeachment of Russian army chief Valeri Gerasimov.
The German chancellor has further pressurized to supply tanks to Ukraine
1:55 pm | German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure again to supply Ukraine with heavier weapons. This came after France said it would supply “light tanks” and US President Joe Biden confirmed the US could send Bradley fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said Germany would always adjust its arms supplies to Ukraine according to “battlefield needs”, reported the Guardian.
Putin: Ukraine must accept losing territories for dialogue
12:34 | President Vladimir Putin told Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday that Russia is open to dialogue on Ukraine, but that Kiev must accept the loss of territories claimed by Russia, the Kremlin said.
“Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is open to a serious dialogue, provided that the Kiev authorities comply with the well-known and repeated requests and take into account the new territorial realities,” the Kremlin said.
Putin also “acknowledged the destructive role of the West, pumping weapons into Kiev and providing information and guidance,” the Kremlin said.
Erdogan and the Russian president have spoken to each other repeatedly since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February. Turkey acted as a mediator alongside the United Nations to broker a deal allowing for the export of grain from Ukrainian ports.
Erdogan wants a unilateral truce
10:56 am | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged a unilateral ceasefire which Russia could declare in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. This would help launch negotiations between the warring parties, although according to the Turkish leader, this also requires a vision of a just solution.
Minister: Ukraine’s economy has declined by more than 30%.
10:54 am | The Ukrainian economy will shrink by 30.4% in 2022 due to the Russian invasion. This was stated by the Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Sviridenko. It’s the sharpest contraction since Ukraine gained independence in 1991, he said.
The country has been hit hard by, among other things, the extensive destruction of infrastructure and agricultural areas. Russian attacks on important energy infrastructure are also causing problems for companies, for example due to power outages. Furthermore, many Ukrainians have been drafted into the army or have fled abroad, disrupting the labor market.
According to the minister, the contraction is less strong than previously feared. The Ukrainian government would have expected a drop of up to 40%. In 2021, Ukraine’s economy still grew by 3.4%.
NATO chief: Don’t underestimate Russia
10am | NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thinks it is dangerous to underestimate the ambitions of Russia and President Vladimir Putin during the war in Ukraine. “They have shown great willingness to accept loss and suffering,” Stoltenberg told a conference in Norway. “We have no indication that President Putin has changed his plans and goals in Ukraine. So it’s dangerous to underestimate Russia.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said she sees few signs that Putin will end the war in Ukraine anytime soon. “The Russian president started this brutal war and only he can end it,” Baerbock said in an interview.
New mobilization in Russia?
09:45 am | Ukraine has been claiming for several days that Russia is engaged in a new round of mobilisation. According to the Ukrainian intelligence services, it should start today. Preparations for mobilization are said to have already begun in Crimea.
According to Europe reporter and Ukraine observer Geert Jan Hahn, the signals are getting stronger, but he notes that “the previous mobilization hasn’t actually stopped, people are still being called up.” However, Ukraine sticks to the January 5 date when a new round will start.
The ruble increases in value
08:45 | The ruble is increasing in value. The Russian currency became 1.3% more expensive against the dollar. against the euro, the ruble increased in value by 0.85%.
The currency crashed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine but is now recovering. Despite the sanctions imposed and the Russian oil price spike, analysts are forecasting a strong year for the ruble.
US and France send mini-tanks to Ukraine
07:00 | Both France and the United States have promised weapon systems to the Ukrainian military. According to BNR foreign commentator Bernard Hammelburg, these are compact but heavy weapons.
These are American copies Bradley fighting vehicle and the French AMX-10. “It’s special that an EU country does something other than contribute or transfer something from its own stocks, but instead supplies its own product.”
US armored vehicles in Ukraine
05:00 | US President Joe Biden is considering sending Bradley combat vehicles to Ukraine. The Guardian reports it. The armored vehicle, equipped with a cannon, has been used by the US military to transport troops to battlefields since the mid-1980s.
America is also looking at ways to crack down on Iranian drone production through sanctions and export controls, the White House said. Washington had previously imposed sanctions on companies and individuals accused of manufacturing or transferring Iranian drones that Russia has used against Ukraine.
Liveblog on Wednesday 4th January
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
