Ukrainian soldiers are “firmly” holding their positions in Bakhmout, in eastern Ukraine, where the situation is “the most difficult” against Russian forces, Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Wednesday.
“The threat of further Russian air strikes and missiles remains high in Ukraine,” said the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Wednesday, February 15, in a final point on the 357th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is making new attempts to take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine, while concentrating its efforts on offensive operations on the axes of Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk”, according to this same source.
Franceinfo looks back on the highlights of the day on the war front in Ukraine.
Bakhmout is “the most difficult point (…) currently”
Ukrainian soldiers stand “firmly” their positions in Bakhmout, in eastern Ukraine, where the situation is “The hardest” against Russian forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday. “This is the most difficult point, the hottest right now”, he said during a press conference in kyiv with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, traveling to the Ukrainian capital. The Ukrainian head of state also cited Vougledar, south of Bakhmout, as a hot spot.
Ukraine evokes “Russian balloons” shot down over kyiv
Ukraine said on Wednesday it shot down several Russian “balloons” over the capital. “According to preliminary information, half a dozen aerial objects were detected in the airspace of Kiev (…). They were balloons that move under the influence of the wind”said the regional military administration of the Ukrainian capital. “It is possible that these objects carried reflective systems and some spy equipment”added the same source, assuring that “most of them” balloons had been shot down. The Kyiv Regional Military Administration suspects Russia of sending these balloons to activate air defense systems and spot them.
Berlin will send “half a battalion” of tanks to Ukraine
Germany announced on Wednesday that it would send to Ukraine at the end of March “half a battalion” Leopard 2 combat tanks, i.e. about fifteen armored vehicles. “Let’s be clear: we have not reached a battalion, it will be half a battalion”, admitted German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius after a meeting in Brussels. At the end of January, Berlin undertook to make available to Ukraine, along with other countries, around thirty Leopard 2 combat tanks to help kyiv against the Russian offensive. Germany will be able to provide “14 Leopard 2 A6 from Germany, plus 3 announced by Portugal”said the minister.
The grain agreement in a “difficult” situation
The agreement on Ukrainian grain exports is in situation “difficult”, warned the head of humanitarian affairs of the UN, Martin Griffiths, hoping however for its renewal on March 18. This agreement, sealed in July 2022 between the UN, Ukraine, Russia and Turkey, made it possible to limit the serious global food crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was renewed mid-November for 120 days. “Before the last renewal, I had expressed some confidence that it would happen (…) I think we are in a slightly more difficult situation at the moment”alerted Martin Griffiths, stressing that the agreement “works in tandem” with that on Russian fertilizer exports.
UN asks for 5.2 billion euros for humanitarian aid
The UN on Wednesday asked for 5.6 billion dollars (5.2 billion euros) to cover this year the humanitarian needs of 11.1 million people in Ukraine, but also those of 4.2 million refugees and their host communities in Europe. In its appeal for funds, the UN stresses that the war in Ukraine “has profoundly affected access to livelihoods and disrupted market stability, particularly in the south and eastern oblasts, further aggravating humanitarian suffering”.