Violent anti-aircraft missile explosions shake Kiev

Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has returned to Ukraine after a tour of four European countries. “We are returning home with new defense packages: more ammunition, more powerful weapons for the front lines, more protection for our people, more political support,” the 45-year-old summarized the trip in a video recorded on the train on Monday.

In all talks in Italy, Germany, France and Great Britain, his peace formula about a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine was discussed.

There is now more support for the country’s accession to the EU, said Zelenski. “There is more understanding for joining NATO, it will come, it is inevitable.” He visited London on Monday, Berlin, Aachen and Paris on Sunday, and Rome on Saturday.

The President especially thanked Germany for the new defense package worth 2.7 billion euros, including the Iris air defense systems, artillery, armor and ammunition. “In addition, Germany supports our country in the long term: There are eleven billion euros for this, purely for defense,” he said. His country’s victory was now closer.

Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for more than 14 months with massive Western aid. A major Ukrainian counter-offensive has been expected for some time.

Macron: Door open to training Ukrainian pilots in fighter jets

In Paris, after the meeting with Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Ukrainian pilots would be trained for fighter jets. “We opened the door to train Ukrainian pilots,” Macron said on French television channel TF1 on Monday evening.

“The training can start now.” Several European countries have concluded that it is now necessary to start training. When asked if France would also supply fighter jets, he replied: “No, I wasn’t talking about planes.”

Macron said in an interview that Ukraine would be supplied with more ammunition and material. In addition, they want to help train the troops and repair cannons and vehicles.

USA: Russia and Iran expand military cooperation

According to the US government, Russia and Iran are expanding their military cooperation. National Security Council communications director John Kirby said Iran continued to supply attack drones to Russia.

Iran has provided more than 400 drones to Russia since August. Most of them have already been used in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – primarily with the aim of destroying critical infrastructure there.

Iran is among Moscow’s top military supporters and allows Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue killing Ukrainians, Kirby said. It is therefore planned to impose further punitive measures “in the coming days” against those involved in the increasing arms deals between Russia and Iran. The US has already imposed far-reaching sanctions on both countries, but there is still room for more.

Pentagon: Abrams training tank arrived in Grafenwoehr, Bavaria

According to the US Department of Defense, 31 Abrams training tanks arrived at the military training area in Grafenwoehr, Bavaria. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in Washington on Monday.

Ukrainian armed forces are expected in Grafenwoehr “in the coming weeks” and will begin their training on the tanks. At the end of January, after much back and forth and parallel to the German commitment to supply Leopard tanks to Kiev, the US government announced that it would deliver 31 M1 Abrams main battle tanks to Ukraine.

Violent anti-aircraft missile explosions shake Kiev

Violent anti-aircraft missile explosions woke residents of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. Rocket debris fell onto the grounds of the city zoo, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Tuesday.

According to him, three people were injured and a larger building was damaged. Several cars also caught fire. According to the military administration, four districts were affected. Air alert had been raised across the country during the night.

Ukraine: Chief Justice arrested for millions of dollars in corruption

Meanwhile, Ukraine is rocked by a new corruption scandal. Anti-corruption fighters have uncovered millions of dollars in bribes paid to the Supreme Court. Court president Vsevolod Knyasiev was arrested while receiving three million US dollars (2.76 million euros), the Internet newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda reported.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) published a photo of bundles of banknotes on a couch. Details should be announced later. Media in Kiev reported that there were raids on other judges of the highest judiciary.

According to the NABU and the special prosecutor’s office, they have “uncovered large-scale corruption in the Supreme Court, in particular a plan to obtain unjustified advantages from the leadership and the judges of the Supreme Court,” the statement from both authorities said. The reports did not reveal who should have bribed whom and why.

What will be important on Tuesday

The war in Ukraine will also be a topic at the Council of Europe summit, to which around 30 European heads of state and government are traveling to Reykjavik, Iceland. Among others, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have announced themselves.

This is how the Handelsblatt reports on the Ukraine war:

At the two-day summit, the countries want to consider how Russia can be held accountable for its war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia has left the Council of Europe in 2022.

The Council of Europe wants to work to protect human rights and is independent of the EU, which is why its 46 members also include countries such as Great Britain, Turkey and Ukraine.

More: Current news on the development of the Ukraine war can be found in our news blog