UK says Russia is making very gradual progress in key frontline sectors
The latest UK Defense Intelligence Update on Ukraine notes that “over the past week, ground fighting has continued to be characterized by either a static front line or very gradual local Russian advances in key sectors”.
Key events
The Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Roustem Umerovsaid he had a “productive” call with his new Polish counterpart.
We are grateful for Poland’s intentions to increase its role in capability coalitions, which will benefit Europe’s security and Poland’s national interests.
We had a productive meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. @KosiniakKamysz. I congratulated my counterpart on his recent appointment.
Provided an update on the situation on the front lines and recent terrorist attacks.
Grateful… pic.twitter.com/muXA3NiniL
– Rouillem Umerov (@rustem_umerov) January 5, 2024
Germany provided more air defense to Ukraine, as well as ammunition and infantry fighting vehicles.
UK says Russia is making very gradual progress in key frontline sectors
The latest UK Defense Intelligence Update on Ukraine notes that “over the past week, ground fighting has continued to be characterized by either a static front line or very gradual local Russian advances in key sectors”.
UK condemns Russia’s use of North Korean missiles
A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said:
The UK strongly condemns Russia’s decision to use ballistic missiles from North Korea in recent attacks on Ukraine. We urge North Korea to stop arms deliveries to Russia.
Russia is turning to North Korea for weapons to pursue its cynical and ill-conceived military goals in Ukraine. This is symptomatic of its isolation on the world stage and a sign of its desperation. Furthermore, this activity violates several UN Security Council resolutions – which Russia supported as a permanent member.
Any support for North Korea’s illegal weapons programs risks significantly undermining the UN’s long-standing commitment to security and further destabilizing the region.
North Korea is subject to a tough sanctions regime, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that North Korea pays a high price for its support of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.
White House highlights North Korean support for Russian war
John Kirbythe coordinator of strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, said in a briefing that North Korea had provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and ballistic missiles.
Our information indicates that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recently supplied ballistic missile launchers and several (dozen) ballistic missiles to Russia.
On December 30, 2023, Russian forces launched at least one of these North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine. This missile appears to have landed in an open field in the Zaporizhzhia region.
And on January 2, Russia launched several North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine, including as part of its nighttime air attack. We are still evaluating the impacts of these additional missiles.
He added:
We hope that Russia and North Korea will learn from these launches and that Russia will use additional North Korean missiles to target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.
These North Korean ballistic missiles have a range of approximately 900 km. That’s about 550 miles.
This is a significant and worrying escalation of the DPRK’s support for Russia.
Kirby also laid out Washington’s assessment of what North Korea is trying to get from Moscow.
Today, in exchange for its support, we believe that Pyongyang is seeking military assistance from Russia, including combat aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, equipment or materials for producing ballistic missiles and other cutting-edge technologies. This would have worrying security implications for… the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.
And he described what happened next.
We will raise these arms deals at the UN Security Council alongside our allies and partners, and demand that Russia be held accountable for its further violation of its international obligations.
Second, we will impose additional sanctions on those who work to facilitate arms transfers between Russia and the DPRK and between Russia and Iran.
Third, we will continue to publicly disclose information and denounce these arms sales, as we are doing today, because we will not allow countries to secretly aid the Russian war machine.
Learn more here.
Thank you for joining the Guardian’s live coverage of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here are the main points:
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Russia uses North Korean ballistic missiles and missile launchers to attack Ukraine, the White House said. The missiles, with ranges of approximately 900 km (550 miles)were fired by Russia in two attacks on Ukraine over the past week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
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This development highlights calls for Ukraine’s Western allies, such as Germany, to supply it with missiles capable of comparable long-range strikes, like the Taurus, and would help Ukraine achieve Russian strategic targets.
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The United States and its allies would raise the issue at the UN Security Council. represented a violation of UN sanctions against North Korea, Kirby said. “This is a significant and worrying escalation of the DPRK’s (North Korea) support for Russia.” Britain said it “strongly condemns” Russia’s use of North Korean missiles and called it “symptomatic of (Russia’s) isolation on the world stage and a sign of its despair “.
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Russia also plans to buy short-range ballistic missiles from Irana move that would strengthen Moscow’s ability to target Ukrainian infrastructure, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials.
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Ukraine attacked a Russian military unit near Evpatoria in Russian-occupied Crimea on Thursday, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said. On Telegram, he said: “Thanks to the Air Force pilots and everyone who planned the operation for a perfect combat job. » The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had shot down Ukrainian missiles over the peninsula.
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Ukraine’s military intelligence agency released a video it said showed a Russian Su-34 fighter jet set on fire on an air base in the heart of Russia. The agency did not claim responsibility for the sabotage, adding: “The causes of the aircraft’s ignition are being determined.”
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Andriy Kostin, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, together with the International Criminal Court, visited the sites of Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Kharkiv region.
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Russian missile strike last week killed 32 people in Kyivauthorities announced Thursday, increasing the toll of the deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital since the start of the war.
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Russian hackers were inside the system of Ukrainian telecommunications company Kyivstar since at least May last year in a cyberattack that should serve as a “big warning.” in the west, the head of Ukrainian cyberespionage said. Illia Vitiuk, head of the cybersecurity department of Ukraine’s security service, revealed details of the hack in an interview with Reuters.
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Polish farmers blocked the Medyka border crossing with Ukraine Thursday, the private channel Polsat News reported, resuming a demonstration aimed at obtaining government subsidies for corn and preventing tax increases.
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NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will convene a meeting between NATO diplomats and Ukrainian officials on January 10.after the recent wave of heavy Russian airstrikes.
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One civilian was killed and eight injured Thursday in a Russian missile strike on Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine.damaging energy company buildings and causing power and water supply cuts, the regional governor said.
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Vladimir Putin issued a decree authorizing foreigners fighting for Russia in Ukraine and their families to obtain Russian citizenship.
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Seventeen Ukrainian journalists imprisoned in the occupied territories have been added to the international list of persecuted journalists whose release is demanded by the European Federation of Journalists.
