Ukraine war on news ticker: Van der Leyen wants to use Russian assets worth billions for Ukraine Ukrainian army repels Russian offensive in Donbass

Yesterday, 05:37

With the help of the international community, Ukraine wants to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression and the destruction it has caused. In his talks with foreign politicians and exchanges between Ukrainian officials and Western institutions, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his daily video address on Monday evening. “A major theme of these events is Russia’s responsibility for war and terrorism.”

After briefly listing recent Russian attacks and recent damage, including the loss of water supplies in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, Zelensky accused the invaders of being destructive. ‘Well, what can be said about her? “This is the real essence of these random guys who took over Russia,” Zelensky said. “After 20 years of rule, most of their state is ruined as if there was a war there.”

Zelensky: The Russians know only destruction

“They can do nothing but destruction,” the Ukrainian head of state accused the Russian leadership. “What they are doing now against Ukraine is an attempt to take revenge. To take revenge for the fact that Ukrainians have repeatedly defended themselves against them.”

His country will defend itself against Russia at any cost. “Ukraine will never take orders from these guys in Moscow,” he said. Ukraine will do everything to restore every object, every house, every business destroyed by the invaders.

Ukrainian military spokesman: Dozens of Russian attacks in Donbass

Fierce fighting continues in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass, despite cold, snow and rain. Ukrainian armed forces repulsed dozens of attack attempts by Russian troops every day, Serhii Servatyzh, spokesman for the Eastern Command of the Ukrainian military, said on Monday. The areas around Pakmut and Avdivka were the focus of heavy fighting. Russian armed forces used rocket launchers, mortars and tanks in addition to barrel artillery, supported by fighter jets. The information could not be independently verified.

On average, the Russian military fires about 200 artillery strikes in the region each day, Serevaty said. “But despite these efforts, the enemy has been unable to break through our defenses for months.”

Aerial warnings were suspended in many parts of Ukraine on Monday evening. According to the Union State Agency, several explosions were heard in Poltava and Dnipro. Additional information was not initially available.

Ukrainian minister laments thousands of Russian rocket attacks

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov came up with extraordinary numbers on Monday. Since the war began nine months ago, Russia has used 16,000 missiles, 97 percent of the time targeting civilian targets, he said. “We are fighting against a terrorist state,” Reznikov wrote on Twitter. However, his figures do not match those of the President. Zelensky said a week ago that Russia had fired nearly 4,700 rockets at Ukraine since the start of the war.

General Staff: Russians are Dying in Disgrace

According to the General Staff in Kiev, Ukraine, Russian soldiers continue to suffer “a glorious death”. A Russian unit in the eastern Luhansk region lost 70 percent of its soldiers last week. A Russian command staff was attacked in Cherson region. Again, this information could not be independently verified.

That will be crucial on Tuesday

Justice ministers from the G7 nations will discuss war crimes investigations in Ukraine at a meeting in Berlin on Tuesday. Federal Justice Minister Marko Bushman invited a team from Ukraine for the discussion. The government in Kiev is recommending a special court to try Russian crimes in Ukraine, which deals with the crime of aggression under international law.

Ahead of the G7 meeting, Ukrainian Justice Minister Denis Maljuska reiterated his country’s demand that Russia pay for war damages. “As we have seen in other regions in past wars, Russia must pay reparations,” he told newspapers from the Funke media group. The loss is estimated at 150 billion dollars, “which does not include economic damage and does not include the costs for the injured and war victims and their families”.

Foreign ministers from the 30 NATO countries will discuss further options for supporting Ukraine at a meeting in the Romanian capital of Bucharest this Tuesday. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, this includes providing materials that cannot be used to kill people. This means, for example, winter equipment for the armed forces, medical supplies and jammers to counter drones. NATO’s provision of lethal weapons and ammunition is said to be a matter for individual member states as it risks further escalating conflict with Russia. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba was invited as a guest at the meeting.