An Orthodox Christmas under the bombs. On Saturday January 7, the Ukrainians woke up in the middle of the war, sometimes in underground shelters, and under Russian fire, despite the announcement of a 36-hour ceasefire by Vladimir Putin. This Sunday morning, the war which had not really ceased resumed. The West had reaffirmed Friday its support for Ukraine by promising to send, on the initiative of France, light armored vehicles.
- A broken ceasefire
For the Ukrainian president, and for the journalists present on the spot, there really was no truce this weekend in Ukraine. “The world was able to see once again today how untruthful all the words spoken at the highest level in Moscow are,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message released on Saturday evening. The ceasefire, decreed by Moscow from Friday noon, officially ended at midnight on Saturday. But Ukraine claims that the Russian army did not respect it. Russia, in return, accuses the Ukrainians of having prevented the application of such a decision, by forcing its troops to retaliate.
In Bakhmout, the epicenter of the fighting, AFP had already heard artillery fire on both sides of the front on Friday, in the hours following the establishment of the unilateral ceasefire by Russia. These shots were at most of less intensity compared to the previous days. According to the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office, two people were killed and 13 injured on Friday, in a city largely destroyed by fighting and where both sides face heavy losses.
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian troops also shelled the Kherson region (south) on Friday, killing a rescue worker and injuring seven other people. In the region of Zaporizhia (southeast), according to the local administration, a UN mission distributing humanitarian aid to Orikhiv was “caught under fire” from the enemy.
- Russia has strengthened its positions near Zaporizhia, according to British intelligence
In his last bulletin published, the British Ministry of Defense remarks that the Russian army “has reinforced its defensive fortifications in the center of the oblast of Zaporizhia, in the south of Ukraine, in particular between the towns of Vasylivka and Orikhiv”. Moscow would thus fear a Ukrainian offensive in two sectors: either in the north of the Luhansk oblast, or in Zaporijia.
- New Western military aid
The United States, kyiv’s main backer, on Friday pledged a massive $3 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, which will include the supply of Bradley armored infantry vehicles, personnel carriers and howitzers. This announcement followed that of Germany, which indicated that it would send 40 “Marder” armored vehicles in the first quarter, following in the footsteps of France. Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday an upcoming delivery of AMX-10 RC light combat tanks. Ukraine says it fears a new Russian offensive in the immediate future.
- London tries to speed up war crimes justice
The British government has announced that a meeting of justice ministers will be held in London in March to support the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes and crimes against humanity of which the forces are mainly accused. Russians in Ukraine.