Russia deploys anti-aircraft missiles on the rooftops of Moscow
06:25 | Since last week, several rooftops in Moscow have suddenly got anti-aircraft guns, including at the Ministry of Defense. Although some sources say that anti-aircraft defenses at the Defense Ministry have been there since December, Russia correspondent Joost Bosman hears from many quarters that this is a new phenomenon. A political scientist critical of the Kremlin speaks of an absolute PR loss for Putin.
Monday 23 January
The Ukrainian Army suffers heavy losses at Bachmut and Avdiivka
10:40 pm | There was again heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Monday. The Ukrainian military says it repulsed Russian attacks on Bachmut and Avdiivka but suffered heavy casualties.
Both cities are on the front lines and have been under siege for months. According to Kiev, the Russian army is ruthlessly fighting there, “without regard for its own losses.” Fighting in the southern Zaporizhia region has also intensified, Moscow said on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky says Russia is shooting and attacking targets “around the clock”. “But the battle for Donbas continues. And the battle for the South continues». Zelensky sees Russia gathering its troops in strategic places, “but we know how to react”.
Defense Minister of Ukraine denies corruption in food supply
20:20 | Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov has strongly denied that there is corruption in the Ukrainian military’s food supply. According to the Ukrainian newspaper Zn.Ua, the army buys food for the troops at much higher prices than in supermarkets.
According to the newspaper, for example, the army bought eggs at 42 cents each, while they are on sale in shops in Kiev for 17 cents. The newspaper’s revelation sparked anger in Ukraine, which is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe. Military expenses in the war against Russia are largely paid for with money from Western countries. The defense minister says the allegations about extremely high purchase prices are not true.
The supplier would have indicated the price per 100 grams, instead of the price per piece, says the minister. This would explain why the purchase price seems three times higher than the supermarket tags. The risky supply at the front would also lead to higher prices.
Zn.Ua bases the conclusions on the contract signed by the Ministry of Defense for 2023 for the food supply of troops in six regions, which would amount to a total of 327.6 million euros. Ukrainian authorities say an investigation into the contract and high purchase prices has already been launched. The minister promises to offer full transparency in this regard.