Ukraine updates in English

[N0TZU]

A maneuver to make the EU and Canada nervous about free-riding (i.e., being dependent) on US military protection, and motivate them to up their own military spending. From what I hear on DW news, it at least has them talking about it. If the one you've become dependent on suddenly raises the prospect of being unpredictable and possibly taking away some of your own territory, the needed response is obvious.

I understand that. However there are more mature, appropriate and far less chaotic ways to do that which don’t involve giving Putin, Xi, and other authoritarians a green light to bully their neighbors. If it’s acceptable for the US to threaten force to take territory from countries (two allies, no less!) in order to win some concessions, then it’s acceptable for Xi to do it to Taiwan and other pacific/SE Asia nations, and Putin to do it to Ukraine and other European countries.

Trump’s childish approach has just cut some of the moral and international political ground out from under his feet and by extension that of the United States, since he will lead it in a week and be the most powerful person on the planet.

[KD8ZM-Brady]

(Opinion) I would totally agree with you, had the countries involved ever lived up to their military spending GDP commitments under NATO, previous to the Ukraine invasion. But of course, they didn't, and had no intention of ever doing so. There is absolutely no reason those countries can't spend as much of their GDP on military defense, as the USA does (currently 3.5%, but in the past our military expenditures have been much higher than that).

Being "nice" and "patient" and "statesmanlike" hasn't worked to get the Europeans to allocate less to butter and more to guns, to use an old Econ 101 phrase. So I'm personally OK with the US not being taken advantage of, anymore.
 
It is being reported that the Danes have now sent private messages to the new Administration, offering to let the US increase military presence in Greenland, something just about every strategist feels is essential to blunt China's designs on the Arctic (they want to own Arctic land, in order to gain a seat on, and manipulate, the Arctic Council). Russia, of course, would like to have bases in Greenland in order to piss on western progress, as they devolve further into the dark ages and want to drag everyone else along with them. (/Opinion)

[US7IGN]

Last night, Ukraine and russia exchanged drone attacks. No damage was reported in Ukraine, while chemical plants and military facilities were hit in russia. It is said to be the largest Ukrainian drone attack since 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypg2z780go

Nevertheless, many are concerned about the news about the transfer of a large number of personnel from the Air Defense and Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to infantry units. According to the orders, hundreds of servicemen are planned to be transferred from each tactical aviation brigade to the infantry. The transfer will mainly involve aviation technicians who have been trained to maintain aircraft for years. https://meta.ua/uk/news/war-in-ukraine/251302-vid-povitryanih-sil-vimagayut-perevedennya-velikoyi-kilkosti-osobovogo-skladu-v-pihotu-viiskovi/

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine commented on the information about the transfer of Air Force specialists to infantry units. The General Staff calls this step forced, but at the same time emphasizes that specialists in acute shortage will not be transferred. This decision is due to the fact that the situation at the front is difficult, there is a lack of infantry in many areas. https://glavred.net/ukraine/vynuzhdennyy-shag-v-genshtabe-prokommentirovali-perevod-voennyh-ps-v-pehotu-10630556.html?utm_source=ukrnet_news

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again refused to lower the mobilization age at the request of Western allies. The head of state stressed that the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine primarily need weapons and equipment. https://mobilizatsiya.novyny.live/zelenskii-poiasniv-chomu-vin-proti-mobilizatsiyi-18-litnikh-226585.html

Meanwhile, the word of the year in Ukraine has become the neologism "busification." This very word, which refers to forced mobilization under an accelerated procedure, was at the center of public attention last year. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c2ld5gjjnd1o

Mobilization sometimes even generates funny stories. People's Deputy Olga Vasylevska-Smaglyuk stated that a mobilized person in the Transcarpathian region opened the office of the head of the military registration and enlistment office with a pick and stole 27 thousand euros from there. Representatives of the mobilization center deny this, and the police officially reported that no one contacted them with a report of the theft.
https://ua.korrespondent.net/ukraine/4747582-u-ttsk-sprostuvaly-informatsiui-pro-kradizhku-27-tysiach

The situation at the front is consistently bad. The Metinvest company of the richest man in Ukraine, Renat Akhmetov, is suspending the work of the Pokrovskaya Coal Group - due to the change in the situation on the front line, the shortage of electricity and the deterioration of the security situation. The Pokrovskaya Coal Group is the energy heart of Ukrainian metallurgy, which provided a large part of export revenues to the Ukrainian budget. Ukraine is rapidly transforming into an agrarian country...
https://www.unian.ua/economics/energetics/metinvest-ahmetova-prizupinyaye-robotu-shahti-v-pokrovsku-pracivnikiv-evakuyuyut-vugillya-dlya-metalurgiv-zaminyat-amerikanskim-12883815.html?utm_source=ukrnet_news

[US7IGN]

On the night of January 15, russia attacked the Lviv region with cruise missiles. Enemy Kalibr missiles hit two critical infrastructure facilities in the Drohobych and Stryi districts. The targets were energy facilities, in particular gas infrastructure. russia launched more than 40 missiles, of which at least 30 were destroyed, as well as more than 70 attack drones. https://glavred.net/ukraine/rf-atakovala-ukrainu-yadernymi-raketami-bolvankami-v-defense-express-nazvali-cel-10630922.html?utm_source=ukrnet_news

Also, during a massive attack on Ukraine on the night of January 15, russian troops used Kh-55SM cruise missiles with full-size warhead mock-ups. But these missiles are standard carriers of nuclear warheads. The purpose of such actions is an attempt to confuse and exhaust Ukrainian air defenses. https://defence-ua.com/news/rf_znovu_vikoristala_dlja_udaru_po_ukrajini_krilati_raketi_h_55sm_z_imitatorom_jadernogo_zarjadu-17709.html

During a visit to Warsaw, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that about 33-34% of the weapons used by the Defense Forces on the battlefield are produced in Ukraine. At the same time, about 30% are supplied by Europe, and another 40% by the United States. https://gazeta.ua/articles/life/_blizko-tretini-ozbroyennya-yake-sili-oboroni-zastosovuyut-na-poli-boyu-viroblyayetsya-v-ukrayini/1205147

But this proportion does not replace the general fact of a total shortage of weapons.

Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump now concede that the Ukraine war will take months or even longer to resolve, a sharp reality check on his biggest foreign policy promise - to strike a peace deal on his first day in the White House. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-advisers-concede-ukraine-peace-deal-is-months-away-2025-01-15/

russia will demand Ukraine drastically cut back military ties with the NATO alliance and become a neutral state with a limited army in any talks with incoming US President Donald Trump, according to people familiar with the matter. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-15/putin-trump-talks-would-see-russia-demand-ukraine-cut-back-nato-ties?embedded-checkout=true&leadSource=uverify%20wall

But every war ends eventually. Even Israel and Hamas have already reached a ceasefire agreement, which includes the release of hostages and a ceasefire.
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c3rwqpj70ert

I read an interview with Pavlo Klimkin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in 2014-2019. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cq5g2p8l211o

He says a lot of interesting things that need to be done in the face of uncertainty about European and US aid. Including what needs to be conveyed personally to Trump, on whose attitude to Ukraine a lot will depend. But I don’t understand why he thinks that Zelensky should do this. As far as I understand, Trump has a good memory and does not forgive anyone. In our case, the fate of Ukraine will be unenviable if it is not possible to separate the regime from the country.

Klimkin believes that if the active phase of the war is terminated, Western aid will decrease significantly, and the russians will immediately begin to attack in non-military ways. The main threat to them will remain the very fact of the existence of an independent Ukraine. And Ukraine and its society must change greatly in order not to lose the state.

So far, martial law has been extended until May 9, and with it the absence of elections. A strange coincidence - the date is striking because it is sacred for russians, who celebrate on this day, as they believe, their victory over fascism in particular and in World War II in general. In the minds of russians, it is they who saved the world.

[KD8ZM-Brady]

Russia (the fascists) defeated the fascists in WW2... I have heard this myth before, many times. If they weren't serious about it, and also weren't clueless about the irony of that, it would be the most cynical joke ever told.

Trump should not have said that he would end the war on day one. Many silly promises are made on the campaign trail, but that one will be remembered as absurdly out of line. It reminds me of 2008 when Barack Obama said that his election would be the start of the planet starting to heal, and the oceans starting to subside. Both of these quotes deserve to be contrasted against the wisdom of King Croesus, who had to instruct his ministers that he couldn't order the tide to stop coming in (or something like that, I don't recall exactly).

That Russia is striking as far west as Lviv is really something. I wonder what they think the strategic target is, there?

[US7IGN]

Russia (the fascists) defeated the fascists in WW2... I have heard this myth before, many times. If they weren't serious about it, and also weren't clueless about the irony of that, it would be the most cynical joke ever told.

Trump should not have said that he would end the war on day one. Many silly promises are made on the campaign trail, but that one will be remembered as absurdly out of line. It reminds me of 2008 when Barack Obama said that his election would be the start of the planet starting to heal, and the oceans starting to subside. Both of these quotes deserve to be contrasted against the wisdom of King Croesus, who had to instruct his ministers that he couldn't order the tide to stop coming in (or something like that, I don't recall exactly).

That Russia is striking as far west as Lviv is really something. I wonder what they think the strategic target is, there?

If you know only one language and practically the only source of information for you is official government propaganda, then you will be sure of the things that it tells you from every iron. You don’t know another version and can neither compare nor verify.

It is not what Trump says that matters, but what he does. Obviously, everything he does will affect Ukraine. But even direct assistance to Ukraine will mean that he will do it in the interests of the United States. And I agree with Klimkin that the most important task of Ukraine is to show him all the benefits for him and the United States from supporting Ukraine. Although I don’t know who and what Ukraine is for him. I hope that he and his team communicate with other Ukrainians besides those who are now in power.

There are at least three important targets for russian missiles in the west of Ukraine. These are transport hubs, primarily railway hubs, through which weapons and supplies are delivered. This is energy infrastructure through which electricity and gas are transited from Europe to Ukraine and back. These are underground gas storage facilities where Ukrainian and European gas reserves are stored.

Europe is buying russian gas at an unprecedented rate in 2025, spending billions of dollars the Kremlin can use to fund its war in Ukraine just weeks after the end of a major transit agreement raised hopes the continent may break its dependency on Moscow.

Data collected by commodities intelligence firm Kpler and analyzed by POLITICO reveals that in the first 15 days of 2025, the European Union's 27 countries imported 837,300 metric tons of liquefied natural gas from russia. https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-devouring-russian-gas-at-record-speed-despite-cut-off-sanctions-war-ukraine/

[KD8ZM-Brady]

If you know only one language and practically the only source of information for you is official government propaganda, then you will be sure of the things that it tells you from every iron. You don’t know another version and can neither compare nor verify.

It is not what Trump says that matters, but what he does. Obviously, everything he does will affect Ukraine. But even direct assistance to Ukraine will mean that he will do it in the interests of the United States. And I agree with Klimkin that the most important task of Ukraine is to show him all the benefits for him and the United States from supporting Ukraine. Although I don’t know who and what Ukraine is for him. I hope that he and his team communicate with other Ukrainians besides those who are now in power.

There are at least three important targets for russian missiles in the west of Ukraine. These are transport hubs, primarily railway hubs, through which weapons and supplies are delivered. This is energy infrastructure through which electricity and gas are transited from Europe to Ukraine and back. These are underground gas storage facilities where Ukrainian and European gas reserves are stored.

Europe is buying russian gas at an unprecedented rate in 2025, spending billions of dollars the Kremlin can use to fund its war in Ukraine just weeks after the end of a major transit agreement raised hopes the continent may break its dependency on Moscow.

Data collected by commodities intelligence firm Kpler and analyzed by POLITICO reveals that in the first 15 days of 2025, the European Union's 27 countries imported 837,300 metric tons of liquefied natural gas from russia. https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-devouring-russian-gas-at-record-speed-despite-cut-off-sanctions-war-ukraine/

I do not watch American news programs very much. I mostly watch German, UK, French, and Canadian news. The reason is, I like to know what is happening in those countries, and I also view American news networks as being biased either to the right or the left. I'm not unaware that foreign news is also biased, but they have a distance from America that gives them some objectivity, or at least, a different set of biases about America. Personal preference on my part.
I think it is wise for the Ukraine to focus on convincing Trump of the benefits to the US for standing by an independent Ukraine. He is 13 years older than I am and so was close enough to WW2 to understand that European wars eventually drag us into them. He played the conservative voters by dissing support for Ukraine, but he's going to be rational about the issue now that the election is over. Only the most hardcore right wing in the US believes that we should just tell Ukraine to "pound salt." Trump knows this, and won't be listening to them when it comes to actions. Words? Yes. Actions? No.

[US7IGN]

I do not watch American news programs very much. I mostly watch German, UK, French, and Canadian news. The reason is, I like to know what is happening in those countries, and I also view American news networks as being biased either to the right or the left. I'm not unaware that foreign news is also biased, but they have a distance from America that gives them some objectivity, or at least, a different set of biases about America. Personal preference on my part.

I didn't mean you, I meant the russians. And they don't even have right or left, Democrats or Republicans. They have only one point of view - the official one, which easily explains to illiterate and uncultured people why America is to blame for everything, the whole world wants to attack them, and the only person who can protect them is pooteen.

[US7IGN]

Once again, I was so tired during the week that I decided to stay home on Friday and work remotely. Especially since half of the day was spent meeting with bosses and discussing business development strategy. Apparently, after I successfully organized processes in one of the areas, and a person who did not manage his area left us, I was suddenly offered to take on three other areas, two of which are completely new to me. Also, there is less and less legal work left in my work, but now I even have a personal assistant from among the most capable young employees. Well, now I will have to learn new things again and develop new projects. The number of people will also increase and it will probably be necessary to look for a new office.

The number of people will also increase and it looks like we'll have to look for a new office.

I told the boss an old Soviet joke about how to increase people's efficiency and he found it funny.
Army. The sergeant gave the task to a team of a "young" soldier and four "old" soldiers to mow the grass. The "young" soldier immediately went to mow the grass, and the 4 "old" soldiers sat in the shade under a tree and thought about how to go on leave. The first one says: "I know. I'll go to the sergeant and offer to increase efficiency and for that he'll let me go." He comes to the sergeant and says: "There's a "young" mowing the grass with one scythe, so if you give him a scythe in each hand, he'll work twice as efficiently." The sergeant let him go. The 2nd "old" comes and says: "The "young" is working inefficiently. He mows in one direction, and in the other he's idling (swinging the scythe). Now if we add blades on the other side to the scythe, then both movements will be working." The sergeant let him go too. A third one comes and says: "We need to hook a cart to the "young", then he will mow and put the grass in the cart." They let him go too. The fourth "old" walks around the "young", who mows with two scythes with four blades and a cart on his back, thinking what else can be added. The "young" stops, looks with hatred at the fourth "old" and says almost crying: "What, are you looking? Put a lantern on my forehead, so I can work at night!"

The nasty weather and lack of sun are depressing and I want to sleep all the time. I also feel weak from the constant attacks of viruses because so many people around are sneezing and coughing.

There wasn't even an air raid alarm today. But yesterday, drones attacked Kyiv in the middle of the day, marking the first visit of Sir Keir Starmer as British prime minister. Unlike other British prime ministers who have rushed to Kyiv, Starmer arrived in the country after only six months in office. He pledged long-term support in the face of Russia’s “illegal and barbaric invasion.”

The agreement, which Britain and Ukraine signed on Thursday, includes increased military and economic aid, enhanced military cooperation in maritime security and drone technology, as well as health. Britain has already provided Ukraine with £12.8 billion (over $15 billion) in support, and has also pledged to provide £3 billion ($3.7 billion) in military aid each year “as needed.”
https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cd9qxp9gj35o
https://toneto.net/news/kultura/ros--ya-napravila-dron-na-ki--v-p--d-chas-v--zitu-starmera--progrim--li-vibuhi--us---podrobits----foto-ta-v--deo-u-neb---nad-stolitseyu-zaf--ksuvali-vorogiy-dron-nadzvichayn---pod----

A new mobile anti-aircraft installation Gravehawk, developed and tested in Ukraine by the United Kingdom, was also officially presented. They will also be delivered to Ukraine. https://defence-ua.com/weapon_and_tech/ne_grejtful_a_gravehawk_scho_tse_za_novi_zrk_dlja_ukrajini_peredaje_velika_britanija_u_kilkosti_15_odinits-17723.html

[N0TZU]

Wlad, I hope that your additional responsibilities at work don’t involve a lantern (yet?)    Seriously, I’m happy to hear that your work continues to go well!

The Gravehawk system seems to be a cost effective solution for defense against cheaper and more numerous aerial attack platforms. I wonder though how effective old IR seeking missiles would be against propeller driven drones, since I assume they were designed to seek jet engine exhaust. But hopefully that has all been considered and overcome.

[US7IGN]

Thank you Bob!
The longer I work for this company, the more I am convinced of what interesting people work there and what unique things they do. For me, the difficulty now is not so much in the volume of work, but in its complexity. I have to develop and implement something that few people are even able to understand. Anyone can drive a car, but few drivers know how it works. However, I am more interested in making unique things than mowing grass with two scythes with four blades. On the other hand, if you develop a good mechanism, you can scale it up and watch others mow the grass using your tools. Perhaps this is how the lawn mower was invented. All this would make me completely happy if it were not for the circumstances in which I find myself.

Yesterday, powerful electronic warfare stations of the russian army were turned on in Crimea. Thus, there were failures in the operation of the Flightradar air traffic tracking service - the location of aircraft was shown hundreds of kilometers above the Black Sea closer to Crimea, while the aircraft were actually over the coast of Turkey. The location of sea vessels was also tracked with errors, according to data from the Marinetraffic service. https://sprotyv.info/news/rosiyani-zadiyali-v-krimu-potuzhni-stanczi%d1%97-reb-%d1%94-nebezpeka-dlya-litakiv-ta-korabliv-u-chornomu-mori/

Today, I and millions of others were awakened in the night by explosions in several major cities, including Kyiv. In Kyiv, two of four ballistic missiles were shot down, which were again aimed at a military plant. In addition to it, houses around it were damaged. The Internet is full of photos of a destroyed metro station and McDonald's. Only because it was not daytime, relatively few people were hurt.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyee4zx3g5o

The situation in Ukraine reminds me of the situation in Israel and Gaza. Long-overdue ceasefire may stop the killing but won't end the conflict https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8p95x04z8o

Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are crafting a wide-ranging sanctions strategy to facilitate a russia-Ukraine diplomatic accord in the coming months, people familiar with the matter said. The outgoing Biden administration on Friday imposed the most disruptive sanctions on russia’s oil trade by any Western power to date. The move created an open question about how Trump views the measures, given his commitment to quickly ending the war in Ukraine.

There are two main approaches under consideration by the Trump team. One set of policy recommendations — if the incoming administration believes a resolution to the Ukraine war is in sight — involves some good-faith measures to benefit sanctioned russian oil producers that could help seal a peace deal, said the people, requesting anonymity as the deliberations are private. A second option would build on the sanctions, ramping up pressure even further to increase leverage, they said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-16/trump-team-readies-oil-sanctions-plan-for-russia-deal-iran-squeeze?srnd=homepage-europe

It seems to me, and this is confirmed by the whining of the russians, that the greatest contagion for russia is the possible joining of the efforts of the USA and China, which together can simply tear russia to pieces.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President-elect Donald Trump had a telephone conversation on January 17. This was reported by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua. The Chinese side has not yet disclosed the details of the conversation, but Trump called the call "very successful" for both Beijing and Washington on the social network X.

According to China Central Television CCTV, the politicians exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and also agreed to create strategic communication channels and maintain regular contacts on key issues of common interest to both countries. https://gordonua.com/ukr/news/politics/si-tszinpin-proviv-telefonnu-rozmovu-iz-trampom-hovorili-pro-vijnu-v-ukrajini-1730263.html

Meanwhile, in Moscow, the presidents of russia and Iran, Vladimir pooteen and Masoud Pezeshkian, signed an agreement on strategic partnership. The head of the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic, Abbas Araqchi, emphasized that the agreement does not talk about a military alliance or any specific goals. According to the head of the Foreign Ministry of Iran, the main task of the agreement is to "give a long-term perspective" to relations between the countries. He also specified that the agreement is "based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries" and "is not directed against any third party." Interestingly, within the framework of the agreement, Iran does not intend to recognize Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories. Nevertheless, one of the main aspects of russian-Iranian cooperation is the mutual supply of weapons.https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/ckgxxq127pqo

[US7IGN]

Also, a lot of interesting things are happening in the country.

"Employees of the State Tax Service should have access to the financial data of Ukrainians, which is currently a banking secret," Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said. "Banking secrecy protects thieves and criminals," he added. Source: https://biz.censor.net/n3530453

The National Bank of Ukraine opposed the minister's proposal. In its statement, the regulator noted that uncontrolled and unlimited access to such information is unacceptable.

"The National Bank denies providing uncontrolled and unlimited extrajudicial access to banking secrecy to any body. By court decision, law enforcement officers and tax authorities may obtain access to information containing banking secrecy, but for this they need to provide arguments of justification, expediency and the existence of grounds for obtaining such information, which is an important safeguard for restricting the access of regulatory authorities to private information about a person," the statement says.

Stressing the importance of personal data protection, the National Bank emphasized that the presence of a socially significant purpose cannot automatically justify the disclosure of banking secrecy. In addition, the regulator drew attention to the fact that in the European Union, the protection of personal financial data is an integral part of the rule of law, and any unjustified expansion of access to banking information violates European values.

The National Bank also added the importance of preserving the institution of banking secrecy to maintain trust in the banking system in Ukraine, which is important for the stability of the country's financial sector. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/321021-bankovskaya-tayna-ne-menee-vazhna-chem-prezumptsiya-nevinovnosti-nbu

I recently saw an article by my friend Oleksandr Chernykh, with whom I worked together for some time, and with whose opinion I agree. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/challenging-fit-british-shoe-ukrainian-foot-alexandr-chernykh-f5r1e/?trackingId=Abs5n0DBQ6STll%2BGqLH6rA%3D%3D

British colleagues often forget that Ukraine’s legal establishment is a slightly modified Soviet system. In London, prosecutors and judges are selected from barristers. In Ukraine, it is a separate militarized career. Prosecutors here are akin to a “super police force” with subordination, shifts, and militarized procedures modeled after the USSR.
Consequently, defense attorneys are treated as adversaries—class enemies.
Prosecutors risk dismissal for acquittals. This mindset, especially among leadership, prevails. Even if a defense attorney transitions into prosecution, the reporting system and “conviction-oriented” statistics quickly alter their views.
Acquittals in Ukraine are seen as a crime, prompting prosecutors to drag out cases with evident and objective innocence for years—seven to fifteen years or more. Why? To avoid acquittal statistics.
 
Regional courts often function as extensions of investigative offices. When I practiced criminal law (10 years ago), in 99% of cases, I waited for hearings in the court corridor while the prosecutor, investigator, and judge had tea in the judge’s office. When the arrested person in handcuffs was brought in, I entered alongside them, and three individuals formally read something out. Meanwhile, the prosecutor, sipping tea next to the judge, provided explanations and instructions. Occasionally, they listened to defense attorneys with a smile: “Go on, show us your circus, what evidence?” Decisions were already printed. Now simmular sitiation even in Anticurruption courts.
Can you imagine such a scenario in England or Scotland? Adversarial proceedings? Presumption of innocence?

Another enchanting statement from Deputy Minister of Economy Andriy Telyupa, who noted that the Ukrainian economy, despite the war, is demonstrating renewed growth. Thus, the level of GDP per capita exceeded the indicators recorded before the war and amounted to 3.6%. https://forex.ua/ua/ukrayina-popry-vijnu-vyjshla-na-rekordnyj-vvp-na-dushu-naselennya-minekonomiky.html

Apparently, the authorities believe that they can be proud of this, but for those who have not studied economics, it is worth recalling that GDP per capita is an economic indicator that reflects the average volume of goods and services produced per inhabitant of the country for a certain period, usually a year. It is calculated as the ratio of the total GDP of the state to the size of its population. And for a correct comparison, it is necessary to take into account how much the population of Ukraine has decreased over three years and what is the share of foreign money in the cost of goods. Few people pay attention that after each joyful boasting of the authorities that Western partners have given more money, Ukraine's national debt increases accordingly.

[US7IGN]

In Ukraine, students who fail the basic military training exam or refuse to take the oath will be expelled from universities, Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Melnyk said. https://www.unian.ua/society/viyna-v-ukrajini-studentiv-yaki-ne-skladut-ispit-iz-zagalnoviyskovoji-pidgotovki-vidrahuyut-12888273.html?utm_source=ukrnet_news

A message appeared on the Internet, the authenticity of which cannot be verified, that children at school were playing mobilization and beat one of the students. https://t.me/kievinfo_kyiv/59580

Lawyer Maria Naselenko, who has a disability due to an illness contracted during military service, was beaten at the Buchanan mobilization center. According to the victim, the military took revenge on her for providing legal assistance to a conscript who was illegally detained in the facility. The Kyiv Region Bar Council reported this. https://radako.com.ua/pobyttya-advokatky-mariyi-naselenko-u-buchanskomu-tczk-vyklyk-pravovij-derzhavi/

Against this background, you don’t pay much attention to such trifles as increasing taxes on parcels. https://sud.ua/uk/news/publication/320784-grazhdane-smogut-poluchat-posylki-stoimostyu-do-45-evro-bez-nalogooblozheniya-esli-posylki-posylayutsya-im-bezvozmezdno-fizlitsami-getmantsev-anonsiroval-zakonoproekt

There are currently over a million Ukrainian citizens in Germany who moved to German cities after the war began. These are mainly women and children, but they are being offered to be sent back to their homeland "right now." This demand was made by the head of the Alternative for Germany faction in the Bavarian state parliament, Katrin Ebner-Steiner. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/bayern-afd-klausur-abschiebung-fluechtlinge-ukraine-schliessung-moscheen-grenzen-lux.J3Cn7G2v4a1VukhyyshojU

Eastern European nations confronting a plethora of economic threats fuelled by war on their doorstep may face fresh pressure if peace is reached in Ukraine - from tight labour markets that fuel inflation thanks to an exodus of Ukrainian workers. "Demography is a risk, and it's one that a resolution of the war in Ukraine will make worse, because some of those Ukrainians will go back home," Charlotte Ruhe, managing director for Central and South Eastern Europe at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development said at the Invisso Central and Eastern European Forum in Vienna. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-migrant-exit-could-squeeze-eastern-europes-economies-2025-01-16/

[KD8ZM-Brady]

Fortunately for the Ukrainians in Germany, the conservative party has pledged to not cooperate with the AfD, meaning immigration policies will not likely change for at least two years.
Besides that, it is a foolish statement that the AfD has made about Ukranian refugees, as the immigrants that are causing the problems in German society are Muslim Africans and Middle Eastern erst, not Ukrainians!

[US7IGN]

The main event of today in the world is Trump's inauguration. Although there are few countries, well, maybe except Panama, that will be so impacted by the new administration in the USA.

I looked and thought what it reminded me of. I have seen such a narcissistic president somewhere, who believes in his own exceptionalism and infallibility, promises the people simple solutions to complex problems and is surrounded by oligarchs who helped him get a position, and he helped them earn even more money.

And it seemed that only his wife stood out from the crowd, not sharing its jubilation, dressed in a strict suit and covering her face with a hat. No one knows and feels her husband better than his wife and what his intentions will lead to.

On Monday, January 20, hours before the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, russian dictator Vladimir pooteen held a meeting with the permanent members of the russian Security Council. According to a published part of the meeting, pooteen congratulated Trump on his inauguration and expressed his readiness to conduct an “equal and mutually respectful dialogue” with the administration of new US President Donald Trump. https://t.me/agentstvonews/8856

In his speech, Trump said he wants to be a peacemaker. I hope he can do that, as there are still conflicts in the world that need to be stopped.

Lebanon's new president Joseph Aoun stressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres the urgency of an Israeli military withdrawal as stipulated by a ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-new-president-stresses-urgency-israeli-withdrawal-south-under-truce-2025-01-18/

And all those who were not invited to Trump's inauguration went to Switzerland for the  2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) which takes place from 20-24 January in Davos. https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/01/20/davos-2025-what-to-expect-at-this-years-world-economic-forum

Forcing Ukraine to negotiate with russia before it regains the advantage on the battlefield would be a catastrophic mistake, officials in Kyiv have warned ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. This is reported by the British newspaper The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/18/ukraine-warns-trump-that-early-peace-talks-would-be-fatal/

The benefits for the Ukrainian authorities of continuing the war have been understood - while the war is going on, this is a reason not to hold elections but to remain in power and earn money. But from the point of view of the average Ukrainian, it is not obvious how much better for Ukraine peace in a few months or even years, when even more territories and people will be lost, is than stopping the war now.

At the end of 2022, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, suggested that Kyiv enter into negotiations with Moscow, taking advantage of its successes on the front, but Secretary of State Anthony Blinken opposed it and insisted that Kyiv continue fighting after the successful Kharkiv operation, the NYT writes.

"After the withdrawal of the American military contingent from Afghanistan, some Republicans demanded Blinken's resignation, perceiving it as a fiasco. However, at the beginning of a full-scale war against Ukraine, his "finest hour" came. And as pooteen prepared to attack, Blinken made a speech in Berlin in which he recalled how Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan opposed Soviet power and declared that the United States would once again defend the guiding principles of peace and security".

At the same time, the Secretary of State took an active part in forming a coalition of about 50 countries that agreed to help the Ukrainians with weapons or impose economic sanctions against the russian Federation.

The NYT indicates that during the course of the war in 2022, Blinken himself was not so much a peacemaker as a "military strategist", but often opposed sending powerful American weapons to Ukraine.

"And at the end of 2022, when Milley suggested that the Ukrainian side take advantage of the victories on the battlefield and begin peace negotiations, Blinken insisted that the struggle should continue," the newspaper writes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/us/politics/antony-blinken-gaza-israel-ukraine.html

Before that, on January 14, The American Conservative magazine reported that the US had prevented talks to end the Ukrainian conflict in 2022 in Istanbul and stopped them to continue the fighting.