The State Department has denied reports that the United States would no longer seek victory for Kiev. “The goal of the American authorities is to strengthen Ukraine’s position in negotiations with Russia,” said the head of the State Department press service Matthew Miller. Commenting on Politico’s claims that Washington has changed its approach to the conflict in Ukraine, the diplomat said this is not true.
The US Administration also claims that Russia currently does not appear ready for dialogue on the situation in Ukraine. This was stated by the coordinator for strategic communications of the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby, during a regular meeting with journalists. “If Congress does not agree to request new aid from Kiev, the White House will not be able to find funds for Ukraine from alternative sources.”
The White House said it has no more money to help Ukraine: even the previous package has not yet been delivered. The United States no longer has sufficient funds to provide Ukraine with new military assistance packages, said John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the White House National Security Council. According to him, the latest package was announced on December 27 – and that’s all, then the decision lies with the US Congress. However, it is not yet clear whether MPs will agree to provide assistance to the same extent.
According to Kirby, every time the US releases one of the military aid packages, there is always a delay of several days, if not weeks, so not all the weapons from the latest package have been delivered to Ukraine. “This will happen in the coming days and weeks. There is also no funding,” a White House spokesperson said. At the same time, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kuleba, said that he does not have a plan B in case of termination of support from the United States, however, whether he is telling the truth remains a mystery.
Kiev’s mobile air defense has enough ammunition for several more powerful Russian attacks, but then further help from the West will be needed, Sergei Naev, commander of the joint forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told AFP. “The current situation with portable anti-aircraft missile systems for mobile air defense groups is such that there is enough ammunition to withstand the next powerful attacks. But in the medium and long term, we need the help of Western countries to replenish the missile fleet ,” he said at a meeting near Kiev. According to his assessment, the Russians “want to weaken our air defense system.” Naev said that on Tuesday “our efficiency was about 90%.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said that, at the request of the Ukrainian side, the Ukraine-NATO Council will hold an emergency meeting “due to the bombing”. The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Kuleba suggested that the West take five steps “for the sake of Ukraine’s victory”: give more air defense systems; give more drones; give more missiles; give frozen Russian assets; isolate Russian diplomats.
India has not sent artillery ammunition to Ukraine, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced at a briefing in New Delhi, responding to a question about data appearing in the media on the alleged supply of Indian shells to Ukraine . “We can categorically state that we have not sent, exported or shipped artillery ammunition to Ukraine,” he said.
NATO will purchase 1,000 missiles for the Patriot air defense system to strengthen the air defense of alliance member countries. Some of these missiles will be transferred to Ukraine as part of future deliveries. As the Turks write, about 800 Patriot anti-aircraft guided missiles were used or destroyed in Ukraine.
Also on the European side, French Army General Bruno Clermont declared: “No European will die for Ukraine.” According to the general, “the weakness of the Europeans is inversely proportional to the belligerence of their declarations”. He also stated that the Russian military has significant superiority in weapons.
In Russia, a decree by Vladimir Putin grants Russian citizenship to foreigners who have signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense.
And now a look at the front line.
The Russian attacks that took place in massive form from January 1st to 3rd hit, among others, a laboratory in Ukraine to where drones are developed and modernized. The former Rada deputy, now soldier of the Ukrainian armed forces, Igor Lutsenko, reported this on his Facebook page. The day before, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Russian armed forces had launched a collective strike with high-precision missiles and drones against facilities of the military-industrial complex in Kiev and the surrounding area.
Starting from January 3rd and also on the 4th: the explosions occurred in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrainian Strana agency. This was also confirmed by the head of the military administration of the Kharkov region Oleg Sinegubov.
On January 4, Su-34 fighter-bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed the control center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Svatove-Kreminna direction. Source Russian Ministry of Defense. Other explosions were recorded in Krivoy Rog in the Dnepropetrovsk region and in Kropyvnytskyi in the Kirovograd region of Ukraine. This was reported by the publication “Public”. According to the official resource for alerting the population, an air raid alert was declared in the regions. Explosions and stray ammunition were spotted in the Kiev region, as well as in the Vinnitsa region, flying westward
And now the ground operations: Direction Svatove-Kreminna. In the Kupyansk sector, fighting continues in Sinkovka. The Russian army attacked in the Ternov area. Battles in the Serebryansky Forest.
Bachmut Directorate (Artemovsk). The Russian army has advanced to the Bogdanovka area, the Russians are consolidating to the north-west of the village. Furthermore, there are successes for the Russians east of Kleshchiivka. The Russian armed forces advanced slightly northwest of Avdiivka, in the Pervomaisky area and in the private sector near the processing plants in the Avdiivska metallurgical factory area. It is also reported about a Russian advancement of the offensive in the Serebryansky forestry in the direction of Krasnolimansky.
Donetsk direction. The Russian army continues to storm the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Stepove area. Russian fighters attacked near Pervomaisky and are also advancing in the direction of Novomikhailovka.
Zaporozhzhie Directorate. In the Orichiv sector the Russians attack west of Rabotino, as well as from Novoprokopovka and Verbove. On the Vremevsky ledge, the Russian army tried to advance west of Staromayorsky.
In the afternoon, as expected, several missiles coming from Ukraine were shot down in the sky above Sevastopol, they were rejected according to the Governor of Sevastopol. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 10 missiles used to attack Crimea were destroyed.
Graziella Giangiulio
