January 19, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Sweden plans to send as many as 50 armored combat vehicles to Ukraine as part of its new military aid package, according to a Swedish government statement released Thursday.  

The package "consists of, among other things, grenade launchers with ammunition, anti-armour ammunition, automatic rifles and mine clearance materiel combat vehicle 90 (CV90) with ammunition and Missile 57 (NLAW),” the statement said.

The new military aid — which also consists of an Archer artillery system — would be worth 4.3 billion Swedish crowns ($419 million) and it's the biggest defense package Sweden has given to Ukraine so far, according to the statement. 

Swedish deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch said at a news conference Thursday that Ukraine will be provided with up to 50 CV90 infantry military vehicles and that this makes up the main part of the package.   

"Combat Vehicle 90 is Swedish manufactured and considered one of the world's best combat vehicles, and we're sending them in a quantity that we know will make a difference,” she said. 

The Swedish government has not said how many Archer artillery systems it would send to Ukraine. 

What Ukraine is saying: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Sweden for its support, saying in a tweet, “Sincerely grateful to the Government of Sweden [and the Swedish prime minister] for the new military assistance package.”  

“CV90 IFVs, Archer self-propelled howitzers & NLAW ATGMs are powerful weapons that [the Ukrainian] army needs to liberate our land from the Russian invader,” Zelensky wrote. “Together to a common victory!” he added.  

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleskii Reznikov also thanked his Swedish counterpart Kristersson, the Swedish defence minister Pål Jonson for “the 10th package of security assistance” to Ukraine. 

“Our warriors will master the artillery and vehicles quickly,” Reznikov said in a tweet Thursday. 

The power grid deficit across Ukraine remains "significant, especially during the evening peak," Ukraine's national energy company, Ukrenergo, said in a statement Thursday.

During the evening peak, power generation can only cover three-fourths of the consumption, Ukrenergo said. "Following each subsequent Russian attack on the energy infrastructure, the restoration becomes more difficult and takes longer."

"As a reminder, Ukraine's power system has already survived 12 enemy missile attacks and 14 UAV strikes on power facilities. In addition, more than 10 GW of the main installed capacities are currently inaccessible to the Ukrainian power system and are under enemy control," Ukrenergo said. 

These Russian-occupied plants include:

"In addition, most wind and solar power plants are also located in the temporarily occupied territories of the south of the country," the company added. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for more Western weapons to enable the country to retake Crimea from Russia.

At the same time, during a week of high-level diplomatic talks on Ukraine, Berlin is under increasing pressure to provide German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv, or at least approve deliveries of the tanks from third countries such as Poland.

Here are the latest headlines:

Any discussions among Western countries about supplying Ukraine with weapons that will allow it to strike at Russian territory are "extremely dangerous," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Thursday during a regular call with journalists.

On Thursday, Russia’s Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov also commented on weapons shipments to Ukraine, saying: “It should be clear for everyone – we will destroy any weapons supplied to the Zelensky's regime by either the United States or NATO.” 

Estonia will send another package of military aid to Ukraine worth 113 million euros ($122 million), Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas announced Thursday in a statement. The aid package includes dozens of howitzers, over a hundred anti-tank weapons, artillery support equipment, grenade launchers and ammunition, according to the statement.  

With the latest aid package, Estonia's total military assistance to Ukraine will increase to 370 million euros, or slightly more than 1% of Estonia's gross domestic product, according to the statement – a significant share compared to other European countries. 

“Our help and the help of our allies will have a direct impact on the fighting ability of Ukrainian soldiers and this is highly valued in Ukraine. Therefore, it is important to set an example and to motivate other allies to give help as well," Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said in the same statement. 

European Council President Charles Michel traveled to Kyiv Thursday to discuss "concrete measures" to support Ukraine's fight against Russia.

Michel's visit comes as Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called on allied countries to provide Ukraine with more powerful weaponry, including tanks.

Speaking in a video posted on his official Twitter account on Thursday, Michel said he was going to the Ukrainian capital to meet with Zelensky, as well as Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and members of the parliament. 

Michel laid out his plan to discuss with Zelensky the "concrete measures" the European Union can take to ensure Ukraine is "stronger" and "more powerful" in the face of Russian attacks. 

"They need and deserve our support," he added.

Later on Thursday morning, Michel tweeted a photo of him hugging the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, Olga Stefanishyna, after arriving in Kyiv. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “would prefer that neither Russia nor (Vladimir) Putin exist,” according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, after Zelensky said Thursday that he was unsure if the Russian president "is alive."

“The sooner the Ukrainian regime shows readiness to take into account the demands of Russia – which will be achieved one way or another – the sooner everything will end and the sooner the people of Ukraine will begin to recover from the tragedy that the Kyiv regime staged," Peskov claimed. 

Earlier Thursday, Zelensky told attendees at Davos that he doesn't "understand who to talk to" on the Russian side in response to a question about the possibility of peace talks.

"I do not quite understand whether he (Putin) is alive or whether he makes decisions, or who is making decisions," he said.

"I don't quite understand how you can promise the European leaders one thing and start a war the next day," Zelensky added. 

Germany stands “shoulder to shoulder” with its allies in supporting Ukraine, the country's newly appointed Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday.

"Together with our partners, we will continue to support Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and territorial independence and sovereignty," Pistorius told reporters in Berlin on Thursday ahead of talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.  

"As so often in history – but especially in times like these – Germany and the United States of America stand shoulder to shoulder," added Pistorius. 

Ukrainian officials have called on Germany to provide the Leopard 2 battle tanks swiftly to push back Russian forces who invaded the country on 24 February last year. 

For his part, Austin thanked Germany on Thursday for its efforts to "strengthen Ukraine's self-defense."  

The US defense secretary also thanked Germany for its "strong support" of the United States' "increased presence" and for facilitating the movement of soldiers and equipment "to and through Germany to reinforce our eastern flank allies." 

High-level talks: Austin's meeting with Pistorius on Thursday comes as Germany faces increased pressure to send tanks to Ukraine.

Thursday's meeting is one of a series of high-level talks on Ukraine taking place this week.

Friday will see a key meeting of NATO's Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the US Ramstein Air Base, hosted by Austin, focusing on more military aid for Ukraine. 

Austin said the two defense chiefs will discuss Thursday "some of the issues that we'll tackle tomorrow at the contact group."  

"We'll also discuss other key issues for the NATO and for our bilateral defense relationship and ways that we can do even more together," Austin added.  

“We are very optimistic that we will make progress on this requirement by the end of the week,” the official added.

Poland will either receive permission to transfer German-made tanks to Ukraine "or we will do the right thing ourselves," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Thursday.  

Any transfer of the Leopard 2 battle tanks would typically require permission from Berlin as they are made in Germany.

When asked about the delay in Germany giving permission for the transfer, Morawiecki said Poland had offered Ukraine 14 tanks.  

“At the same time, we must ensure that others will also meet these needs. Among these others, the ones that have been the least proactive so far are the Germans," he said during a video interview on his way back from the International Economic Forum in Davos.

"We will continue to strive, we will continue to push the chancellor's office and Germany to respond to our proposal as soon as possible."

New defense minister: Morawiecki was also asked whether he expected a change after Boris Pistorius, who has called for the easing of sanctions against Russia, took over as Germany's defense minister.

“This worries me a lot. I don't know much about Germany's new Defense Minister. What I do know gives me some anxiety," said Morawiecki.

But Pistorius should be given "a few days time" to see "what his first steps will be," added Morawiecki.

“The most important thing is for the Germans, Danes, Finns, French and other nations to offer their modern tanks and heavy equipment as soon as possible," said Morawiecki. "The ability to defend freedom in Ukraine, and thus the security of the whole of Europe, may depend on it."

'Encouraging and inspiring others': Poland has already sent 250 tanks to Ukraine, Morawiecki told CNN's Richard Quest on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the International Economic Forum.

"We were the first who have offered the Leopard tanks and we are now encouraging and inspiring others, in particular the Germans, to give their part," he said.  

"And this is the major question, because 14 tanks on top of 250, is not the game changer, but if France and in particular Germany and some other countries gave 20-30 tanks each, then it could make a difference for Ukraine," he added. 

Some context: There is growing pressure for Western allies to provide Ukraine with heavy battle tanks.

France, Poland and the United Kingdom have pledged to soon send tanks for the Ukrainian military to use in its efforts to protect itself from Russia. Finland is considering following suit.

Germany has said it would transfer infantry fighting vehicles to Kyiv but is yet to commit to sending tanks. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has insisted that any such plan would need to be fully coordinated with the whole of the Western alliance, including the United States.

The Western allies are set to meet tomorrow at the US Ramstein air base in Germany to discuss further military aid for Kyiv.