Ukraine Daily Summary - Monday, January 23

Russians shell residential area in occupied town in Kherson Oblast -- Ukraine repels limited Russian offensives in Zaporizhzhia Oblast -- Russia ‘highly likely’ to struggle with planned army expansion -- Morocco sends Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine -- and more

Ukraine Daily

Monday, January 23

Russia’s war against Ukraine

KI-Inline_23-01-2023

Ukrainian servicemen surrounded by dogs stay by a car parked on the roadside, Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Region, southeastern Ukraine, on Jan. 14, 2023. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Ukraine’s military creates new units to equip with Western military hardware. “We are creating new military units. And our next actions will depend on their combat readiness. Therefore, Western assistance is extremely important,” the Joint Forces Commander Lieutenant-General Serhii Naiev told CNN.

Southern Command: Ukraine repels limited Russian offensives in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Russian forces “are not conducting active and large-scale efforts,” spokesperson for the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Southern Command Yevhan Yerin said on national television, as quoted by state-owned news agency Ukrinform.

UK Defense Ministry: Russia ‘highly likely’ to struggle with planned army expansion. “The Russian leadership highly likely assesses that an enhanced conventional military threat will endure for many years beyond the current Ukraine war. However, Russia will highly likely struggle to staff and equip the planned expansion,” the U.K. Defense Ministry tweeted.

Ukraine reportedly launched strike on former hospital housing Russian soldiers in occupied Luhansk Oblast. The Directorate said, citing its sources, that the former hospital was housing Russian soldiers, particularly those affiliated with Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya.

Ex-British PM Johnson visits Kyiv suburbs, meets with Zelensky. Johnson, who’s been out of office since September, made an unannounced visit to two war-torn cities outside of Kyiv, Bucha and Borodianka, on Jan. 21.

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Mayor: Russians shell residential area in occupied town in Kherson Oblast. Yevhen Ryshchuk, mayor of the town of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast, said on Jan. 22 that Russian troops had shelled the town several times, damaging a school.

General Staff: Russia strikes critical infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Russian forces have launched a missile strike on critical infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Jan. 22 in its evening briefing.

Intelligence chief confirms March death of Ukrainian negotiator in SBU car. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Intelligence Directorate, confirmed in an interview with the RFE/RL Ukrainian bureau that a member of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation Denys Kirieiev was killed in a Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) car in the early stages of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Defense Ministry denies buying food for soldiers at inflated prices. Ukrainian news outlet ZN.UA reported on Jan. 21 that the Defense Ministry purchases food for the military at prices between two and three times higher than those at Kyiv grocery stores.

Zelensky on Unification Act anniversary: ‘Ukraine is united because it is strong. Ukraine is strong because it is united.’ “If the struggle is not stopped, sooner or later a unified and independent state will be restored. If true unity is not attained, independence will be lost,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address.

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The human cost of Russia’s war

Russian shelling of Kharkiv Oblast kills 1, wounds 1. Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Jan. 22 that Russian shelling had killed an elderly woman in a village close to the Russian border at around 2:30 p.m.

Prosecutors: Russia’s war has killed at least 459 children since Feb. 24. Russia’s shelling of Ukraine’s regions on Jan. 21 wounded a seven-year-old girl in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and a 17-year-old boy in the village of Studenok in Sumy Oblast, bringing the total number of children casualties to 459 killed and 914 injured, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Jan. 22.

General Staff: Russia has lost 120,760 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Jan. 22 that Russia had also lost 3,145 tanks, 6,268 armored fighting vehicles, 4,932 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,144 artillery systems, 445 multiple launch rocket systems, 220 air defense systems, 287 airplanes, 277 helicopters, 1,892 drones, and 17 boats.

International response

US lawmakers call for giving Ukraine Abrams tanks to ensure delivery of Leopards. There have been media reports that Germany would allow the delivery of Leopard tanks to Ukraine if the U.S. supplied Abrams tanks to Kyiv. However, the German government has denied making such a demand.

Polish PM: Ukraine, Europe to win the war ’with Germany or without.’ Germany “should not weaken or sabotage“ other countries’ activities, Mateusz Morawiecki said, adding that Poland would not look on passively while Ukraine bleeds.

Media: Morocco sends Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine. Morocco has sold an unknown number of T-72B battle tanks to Ukraine, the Menadefense news site reported on Jan. 22.

Macron does not rule out sending Leclerc tanks to Ukraine. According to Macron, a decision on the transfer of Leclerc tanks to Ukraine will be made in the coming days and weeks but should be agreed with other allies, including Germany.

In other news

Cabinet dismisses deputy minister who allegedly received $400,000 bribe. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the money was a kickback for rigging a large procurement tender for generators and other equipment.

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