With friends like these, Ukraine doesn’t need enemies.
⚡️Scholz blocks proposal for $3 billion arms package for Ukraine, Spiegel reports.
The initiative reportedly included the provision weapons including three additional Iris-T air defense batteries, 10 howitzers, and more artillery ammunition.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 8:54 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has blocked a proposal for an additional military aid package for Ukraine worth 3 billion euros ($3.09 billion), Spiegel reported on Jan. 9, citing its undisclosed sources.
Under Scholz’s leadership, Germany has become Ukraine’s second-largest military donor after the U.S. The chancellor has nevertheless often been criticized for his cautious approach on some key issues, such as his refusal to provide Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine.
The new assistance plan, proposed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, was for additional weapons including three additional Iris-T air defense batteries, 10 howitzers, and more artillery ammunition, acording to Spiegel.
But Scholz claimed the existing allocation of 4 billion euros ($4.1 billion) for 2025, as well as funds from the $50 billion G7 loan financed by frozen Russian assets, should be sufficient, Spiegel reported.
Scholz also expressed concern that the new government could take on significant financial obligations after early federal elections in February if the package was allowed to go ahead.
Baerbock and Pistorius justified the need for the package by arguing that the combat situation in Ukraine was worsening, and that there was uncertainty about further U.S. support under Donald Trump’s leadership.
Pistorius and Baerbock hoped to gain parliamentary support for their proposal before the federal elections, and presented their proposal as “a vital signal of Germany’s unwavering support.”
Despite Scholz’s lack of support, Pistorius reiterated Germany’s support during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as Ramstein, on Jan. 9, according to Spiegel.
Pistorius announced the provision of nearly 50 guided missiles for the Iris-T air defense system.
The missiles, originally designed for the Bundeswehr, were redirected directly from production to Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy gave an interview with Italy’s RaiNews24 while in Italy for meetings with President Meloni.
President Zelensky: “Putin wants to go down in history as a leader of a country that grabs lands and no one can beat it”.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Here is the video:
Georgia:
#Georgiaprotests continue.
Day 44
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Day 44. #GeorgiaProtests #terrorinGeorgia #NewElectionsforGeorgia
📷 Tamar Bendeliani— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Tbilisi
GeorgiaAn immensely powerful protest
— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Judge Ketevan Jachvadze is a prime specimen for sanctions.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Actor Andro Chichinadze, one of the 11 detainees whose pre-trial detention was decided today, compared the trial to a scene from Kafka’s The Trial. He ended his speech with: “Not only does our past shape us as persons, but so does the way we perceive and envision the future.”
#GeorgiaProtests— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) January 10, 2025 at 10:22 AM
The court’s decision to keep 11 people in custody has sparked an uproar.
💢 “First of all, you should be ashamed of being placed between the people and the court,” actress Eka Demetradze addressed police officers in front of the court.#GeorgiaProtests
— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) January 10, 2025 at 10:56 AM
🗣️”If you think that throwing a bottle is a crime punishable by 4-6 years of imprisonment, then I have a matchbox, and I will throw it at the prosecutor. You can add 3 more months to my sentence,” Onise Tskhadadze to judge.
#GeorgiaProtests— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) January 10, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Back to Ukraine.
The Pokrovsk front:
A Russian occupier is traveling along the “road of death” in the Pokrovske direction. The scene is littered with destroyed vehicles, some still burning, and numerous occupiers, both dead and alive. The video’s author highlights the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ use of fiber-optic drones:
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
“Electronic warfare is no longer effective. FPV drones now operate via fiber optic connections. Based on orders from China, Ukraine has procured hundreds of thousands of drones through May…
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
…Trump’s much-anticipated inauguration won’t influence the war in the next six months. Currently, the only countermeasure to fiber-optic drones is a lookout armed with a shotgun—and, for now, there’s no better solution.”
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Kurahove:
⚡️ Ukrainian forces defending Kurakhove thermal power plant amid intense fighting in Donetsk Oblast, military says.
Kurakhove has become one of the focal points of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast over the past few months.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 9:44 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Ukrainian troops are holding defensive lines at the Kurakhove thermal power plant despite fierce fighting in the sector, Khortytsia group of forces spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on national television on Jan. 10.
“Now the Russians are trying to attack in the area of Dachne, and drive Ukrainian forces out of Kurakhove. Ukrainian forces are holding the thermal power plant and inflicting all the damage they can on the enemy,” Trehubov said.
Kurakhove has become one of the focal points of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast over the past few months, turning the town into one of the hottest sectors of the front.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Jan. 6 that its forces had fully captured Kurakhove in, a statement not confirmed at the time by Ukraine.
On Jan. 7, a military spokesperson said Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions in the western outskirts of Kurakhove and the power plant, but the situation in the town is “difficult.”
The town lies over 20 kilometers (over 10 miles) north of Russian-occupied Vuhledar and over 30 kilometers (almost 20 miles) south of the key front-line town of Pokrovsk.
Kharkiv:
Russian drone just flew over my house ‼️ I hate that sound
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Amid all the madness, don’t forget how beautiful Kharkiv is—and what’s at stake.
— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Donetsk Oblast:
⚡️Ukraine conducts ‘precision strike’ on Russian army command post in Donetsk Oblast, General Staff claims.
The “successful hit” targeted Russia’s 3rd Army Corps, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 10.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 12:04 PM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian army command post in Svitlodarsk in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 10.
In a post on Facebook, the military said the “successful hit” targeted Russia’s 3rd Army Corps.
Svitlodarsk is located around 30 kilometers southeast of Bakhmut, and was occupied by Russian forces in May 2022.
The General Staff did not specify what weapon was used in the attack or the extent of the damage inflicted, but said “all necessary measures were taken to limit the risk to civilians.”
Ukraine fields homemade missiles and long-range drones as well as Western-supplied arms like HIMARS, ATACMS, or Storm Shadow missiles.
“This week in the Donetsk region the Armed Forces of Ukraine has conducted a series of strikes on facilities seized by Russian invaders,” the General Staff added.
This is the second such reported strike this week — on Jan. 8 the General Staff said Ukrainian forces carried out a precision strike against a command post of Russia’s 8th Combined Arms Army in Russian-occupied Khartsyzk in Donetsk Oblast.
Similar attacks were also reported in recent days, including a precision strike against a Russian command post in Kursk Oblast on Jan. 7 and another one in the same region on Jan. 2.Earlier on Jan. 8, the Ukrainian military announced a successful long-range attack against a Russian oil depot in Saratov Oblast that provided fuel to the nearby Engels-2 airbase.
Anapa, Russia:
This doesn’t look like fireworks – witness footage of an ongoing massive drone attack on Anapa, Russia. Also reports of air defence and explosions in nearby Novorossisysk.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Rostov Oblast, Russia:
A warehouse storing Russian reconnaissance drones has been hit in Rostov Oblast in a joint operation of the Security Service and Naval Forces
I like the way it burns 🔥 😏— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 7:32 AM
⚡️Ukrainian Neptune missile hits Russian drone warehouse in Rostov Oblast, SBU source claims.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Ukraine struck a Russian warehouse storing ammunition and reconnaissance drones using a domestically-made Neptune missile overnight on Jan. 10, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told The Kyiv Independent.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 7:37 AM
According to the source, the attack near the village of Chaltyr in Russia’s Rostov Oblast was carried out by the SBU and Ukraine’s Navy.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 10, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Novorossiysk, Russia:
Drones attacked the Port of Novorossiysk in Russia.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Voronezh Oblast, Russia:
Voronezh 👀💥
— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) January 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.
This Ukrainian Defender, apart from his main job, saves animals from the combat line and sends them to safety.
“How many cats have you saved already?”
“That’s about the eightieth one,” he smiles.“The night is darkest just before dawn.”
— Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) January 5, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Today’s dog of war is a puppy wearing a vest on the train to Dnipro.
— Tim Mak (@timkmak.bsky.social) January 4, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Open thread!
dirt_first
Thanks for all your efforts Dr. Silverman and happy new year to you and yours.
NutmegAgain
Well with any luck the new German Chancellor, whoever that is, will reverse this crappy decision. If Baerbock remains head of defense and is in favor of aid to Ukraine, maybe so. I don’t know enough about German politics to know if she will be replaced with the Feb elections.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
KatKapCC
Scholz thinks the previous funds “should be enough”. Oh? And how much time has he spent on the frontlines in Ukraine?
Adam L Silverman
@dirt_first: Thank you. And a happy and healthy new year to you and your family.
Yutsano
That Georgian judge looks barely old enough to have completed law school. But when one is part of an illiberal regime I suppose age isn’t much of a consideration. I just hope the Georgian protests end with their rightful democratic wishes restored.
Gin & Tonic
I can think of someone else who wants to go down in history as leader of a country that grabs land and nobody can beat it.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
I am confused. More than usual I mean. How can electronic warfare be useless when the Ukraine forces used it, to great effect reportedly, when they launched their second attack into Kursk?
Speaking of, several schools in Canada were struck with simultaneous cyber attacks. Why & by who is still not entirely clear. What is clear is that Canada has to start to take cyber security a Hell of a lot more seriously.
Thanks as always Adam.
Citizen Alan
@Yutsano: your comment made me angry all over again.Because it reminded me of the last CLE i attended in mississippi before getting my job in california. The last panel was a “meet the judges” Q&A to introduce the two most recent appointees to the federal bench in mississippi. They were both thirty eight years old, and they had both been confirmed by the GOP senate in december of 2020, six weeks after trump lost the election and four weeks before J6. Health permitting, both of them will be on the court for half a century.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
YY_Sima Qian
At this point, I am not sure the dollar figures of these packages are meaningful, anymore, given how often these announcements (especially from European countries) tend to repackage prior commitments. What is important are the quantity of war materiel into Ukrainian arsenals & their timing. What good is an aid package valued at hundreds of millions of USDs or Euros if they only provide enough materiel for a few days of expenditure in the current war of attrition.
The US & European weapons procurement processes & the larger MICs are completely broken, more rent seeking oligopolies sucking on the teets of public finances to maximize profit margins & shareholder value, than producers of valuable products in quantities relevant to building of public goods (which providing for common defense is, w/in reasonable limits). They can still develop platforms & munitions that are technological marvels & can be very effective on the battlefield, often not in the quantities required to make an impact nor at affordable prices, sprinkled among lots of junk that do not delivery on their promises, & almost every program blows through initially envisioned budgets. The price inflation is reminiscent of that of tertiary education & healthcare.
The MICs are sinkholes of budgets that constantly threaten to crowd out spending on social welfare & domestic investment in peacetime (which in turn can undermine the social contracts & sociopolitical stability), & yet do not produce the quantity & quality of swords required to win arms races of a new Cold War, let alone replenish the prodigious attrition rates of any actual great power war. & they are but a microcosm of the ills of the overly financialized economies plague most of the West.
YY_Sima Qian
Baerbock is the FM, not the DM, & IMHO a thoroughly unimpressive one. Her steadfast stance on Ukraine/Russia is commendable, but her equally steadfast stance on Israel/Palestine is risible. But then, that describes a lot of Western politicians.
YY_Sima Qian
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: EW targeting the wireless control of small drones & FPVs are no longer effective w/ the proliferation of wired control via optical fibers. EW targeting communications of long range drones can still be effective since they cannot be wire control. EW targeting the electronic components of the drones can still be effective (though energy intensive & need to be targeted at individual targets rather than blanketing areas).
Wired control brings its own constraints, in terms of range limitation, being easily snagged by tree branches & other obstructions, the optical fiber spool adding cost & weight to the system, etc.
Not surprised that once again PRC suppliers have a dominant presence in this development, since the PRC is by far the largest producer of commoditized optical fibers.