Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 10. Januar 2022 (Update: Baerbock)

Zum andauernden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine der Sammler am 10. Januar 2022:

• Update: Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock hat am (heutigen) Dienstag die Ukraine besucht – nicht zum ersten Mal, aber erstmals den umkämpften Osten des Landes. Gemeinsam mit ihrem ukrainischen Kollegen Dmytro Kuleba reiste sie nach Charkiw.

Ihr vom Auswärtigen Amt veröffentlichtes Statement bei Ankunft in Charkiw:

Charkiw – belagert, zerschossen, befreit. Diese Stadt ist Sinnbild für den absoluten Irrsinn des russischen Angriffskriegs in der Ukraine und für das unendliche Leid, mit dem die Menschen, ganz besonders hier im Osten des Landes, jeden Tag konfrontiert sind. Die Grenze zu Russland ist nur knapp 40 km entfernt. Verbunden durch eine gemeinsame Sprache bestanden vor dem Krieg enge Verbindungen und reger Grenzverkehr. Heute sieht man praktisch an jeder Straßenecke tiefe Spuren der russischen Zerstörungswut. Fast 500.000 der ehemals 1,5 Millionen Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner von Charkiw mussten fliehen.
Diese Stadt ist aber auch Sinnbild für den unglaublichen Durchhaltewillen und Mut der Ukrainerinnen und Ukrainer. Auf Einladung meines ukrainischen Amtskollegen und Freundes Dmytro Kuleba will ich mir hier in Charkiw heute ein Bild von der Lage machen und vor allem den Bewohnerinnen und Bewohnern zuhören, die der Krieg in diesem bitterkalten Winter, in dem die Temperaturen in der Nacht gerade auf bis zu -15 Grad sinken, so hart trifft, dass wir uns das gar nicht vorstellen können. In allen Teilen der Ukraine, von Charkiw über Cherson bis Kiew sollen die Menschen wissen, dass sie sich auf unsere Solidarität und unsere Unterstützung verlassen können. Dazu zählt die Winterhilfe, die wir bereitgestellt haben. Generatoren und Transformatoren, Brennstoff und Decken retten jetzt vor Ort Leben. Und dazu zählen auch weitere Waffenlieferungen, die die Ukraine braucht, um ihre Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürger zu befreien, die noch unter dem Terror russischer Besatzung leiden.
Mir ist wichtig, dass wir auch in diesem Kriegswinter den Platz der Ukraine in unserer europäischen Familie nicht aus dem Blick verlieren. Die Ukrainerinnen und Ukrainer kämpfen jeden Tag auch für das Recht, selbstbestimmt zu leben. Sie sehen ihre Zukunft in Europa, in der EU. Darum möchte ich auch über die Fortschritte beim Beitrittsprozess sprechen. Wir wollen als Bundesregierung der Ukraine ganz konkrete Angebote machen, um bei der Stärkung des Rechtsstaats, unabhängiger Institutionen und der Korruptionsbekämpfung, sowie bei der Angleichung an die EU-Standards voranzukommen.

• Im Osten der Ukraine konzentrieren sich die Gefechte – erneut – auf die umkämpften Städte Bakhmut und Soledar (mehr dazu unten im britischen Intel Update und in den Briefings der beiden Seiten).

• Die Debatte über mögliche Lieferungen westlicher Kampfpanzer an die Ukraine hält an – und damit auch die Debatte über deutsche Lieferungen von Leopard-Panzern und/oder zumindest Exportgenehmigungen für andere Länder, die diese schweren Gefechtsfahrzeuge im Bestand haben.

Am (heutigen) Dienstag äußerte sich die EU-Kommissionspräsidentin und frühere deutsche Verteidigungsministerin Ursula von der Leyen, und ihre Aussage wurde so verstanden, dass sie die Abgabe von Leopard-Panzern befürwortet. Aus dem Transkript ihrer Pressekonferenz bei der Unterzeichnung einer Vereinbarung zwischen EU und NATO:

Frage (von dpa): A quick question to all of you on the ongoing discussions on weapon deliveries to Ukraine. Do you support member states that are considering sending western main battle tanks like the Leopard 2 or the Challenger 2 to Ukraine, or do you feel that there’s a huge risk of escalation? Thank you.

von der Leyen: I have said many times since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine that I think that Ukraine should got get all the necessary military equipment they need and they can handle to defend their homeland. And this means of course, advanced air defence systems, but also other types of advanced military equipment, as long as it is necessary to defend Ukraine because they also defend the basic principles of the UN Charter of the Fundamental Rights and of the international law. And I’ve said that at the very beginning of Russia’s war, and I have still this position, of course.

Zuvor hatte das Nachrichtenportal Politico berichtet, dass Frankreich die Lieferung von Kampfpanzern an die Ukraine befürwortet – dann eher aus Deutschland als aus Frankreich:

A French official told POLITICO that Paris is turning the screws on Germany in the hope of extracting an agreement from Berlin to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine ahead of a Franco-German summit on January 22, the 60th anniversary of the Élysée partnership treaty between the two nations.(…)
Ukraine has also asked Paris to send French Leclerc battle tanks to Ukraine, a request that is currently being examined by the French authorities. French officials caution, however, that Leclerc tanks are no longer in production, raising questions over maintenance and the provision of spare parts — problems that the Leopards, due to their wide availability in many nations and their continued production, do not face.
Still, France would be willing to deploy its Leclerc tanks to NATO allies that send some of their own Leopard tanks to Ukraine, in order to fill gaps, an official in Paris said.

(Hinweis in eigener Sache: Zu dem Thema habe ich auch im heutigen Security.Table was geschrieben)

• Das britische Intel Update:

In the last four days, Russian and Wagner forces have made tactical advances into the small Donbas town of Soledar and are likely in control of most of the settlement.
Soledar is 10km north of Bakhmut, the capture of which likely continues to be Russia’s main immediate operational objective.
Russia’s Soledar axis is highly likely an effort to envelop Bakhmut from the north, and to disrupt Ukrainian lines of communication.
Part of the fighting has focused on entrances to the 200km-long disused salt mine tunnels which run underneath the district. Both sides are likely concerned that they could be used for infiltration behind their lines.
Despite the increased pressure on Bakhmut, Russia is unlikely to envelop the town imminently because Ukrainian forces maintain stable defensive lines in depth and control over supply routes.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

Situation update of General Staff of UAF as of 6.00 a.m., 10th January, 2023
Day 321 of the russian military aggression has begun.
The russian invaders continue to wage full-scale armed aggression against our state. Russian forces do not stop attacks against critical infrastructure and civilian residences across Ukraine, thereby violating the norms of International Humanitarian Law, laws and customs of warfare.
During the past day, the enemy launched 8x missile and 31x air strikes, and conducted 63x MLRS attacks, including on civilian infrastructure of the cities of Kharkiv, Kherson, Kramatorsk (Donetsk oblast); and Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv oblast. There are victims among the civilian population.
The threat of enemy air and missile strikes on critical infrastructure remains high across Ukraine.
The enemy is conducting offensive operations on the Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Lyman axes, and is trying to improve the tactical position in the Kup’yans’k axes. Russian invaders concentrate efforts on capturing Donetsk oblast, but have no success.
Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka, Chervopopivka, Kuzmine (Luhansk oblast); Soledar, Bilogorivka, Pidhorodne, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Vodyane, Kurdyumivka, Mayorsk, Maryinka, and Pobieda (Donetsk oblast).
Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the enemy fired on the positions of our troops and civilian objects in the vicinities of Buchky settlement (Chernihiv oblast); Starykov, Shalygine, Volfyne, Popivka, Basivka and Petrushyvka (Sumy oblast); and Strelecha, Zelene, Ambarne and Gatishche (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup’yans’k and Lyman axes: the enemy shelled the areas of 22 settlements with tanks, mortars, barrel and rocket artillery. Among them are Dvorichna, Kupyansk, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka and Krokhmalne of the Kharkiv oblast and Stelmakhivka, Makiivka, Ploshanka and Dibrova of the Luhansk oblast.
Bakhmut axis: the enemy shelled the areas of more than 25 settlements. In particular, Spirne, Berestov, Bilogorivka, Soledar and Bakhmut of the Donetsk oblast.
Avdiivka axis: Avdiivka, Vesele, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, Maryinka and Novomykhailivka of the Donetsk oblast were affected by enemy fire.
Novopavlivka axis: Vremivka, Velika Novosilka and Vugledar in the Donetsk oblast were shelled.
Zaporizhzhia axis: areas of 21 settlements were affected by fire. Among them are Zelene Pole and Novopil of the Donetsk oblast and Gulyaipole, Gulyaipilske, Charivne, Shcherbaki and Stepove in Zaporizhzhia.
Kherson axis: the civilian infrastructure of Chornobayivka, Antonivka, Zolotaya Balka and Kherson was damaged by enemy artillery shelling.
The occupiers continue to carry out measures to mobilize the local population in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. So, in Horlivka, Donetsk oblast, on January 6 of this year, during another raid, up to 30 people were mobilized, 4 of them with disabilities. After 2 days of so-called training at the Vostochny training ground, they were sent to one of the military units of the russian occupation forces.
The enemy continues to suffer losses. So, in the first week of 2023, about 120 occupiers were brought to the hospital in Novotroitskyi, Kherson oblast.
During the past day, Ukrainian Air Force made 18x air strikes on areas where the enemy’s personnel, weapons and military equipment are concentrated, as well as 3x strikes on the positions of its anti-aircraft missile systems.
Ukrainian forces shot down 2x enemy reconnaissance UAVs of the „Orlan“ type.
Ukrainian missile and artillery troops hit 1x command post, 5x concentrations of enemy troops and military equipment, and 2x positions of russian anti-aircraft missile systems.

• Das Briefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums:

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (10 January 2023)
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kupyansk direction, Russian forces have launched artillery strikes at the concentration areas of the manpower from 14th Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) near Timkovka and Ivanovka (Kharkov region).
Up to 20 Ukrainian personnel, 1 armoured fighting vehicle, and 4 motor vehicles have been eliminated.
In Krasny Liman direction, artillery units have neutralised the units from 95th Airborne Assault Brigade of the AFU and 103rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Serebryanka (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic).
The enemy has lost over 40 Ukrainian personnel, 1 armoured personnel carrier, and 3 pickups.
In Donetsk direction, successful offensive operations conducted by Russian forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the units from 57th and 59th mechanised infantry brigades of the AFU.
Up to 50 Ukrainian personnel, 1 tank, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, and 4 motor vehicles have been eliminated.
In South Donetsk direction, complex fire attack launched at the enemy units near Prechistovka and Zolotaya Niva (Donetsk People’s Republic) have resulted in the elimination of over 20 Ukrainian personnel, and 3 pickups.
Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery have neutralised 2 ordnance depots of 53rd Mechanised Brigade of the AFU and 108th Territorial Defence Brigade near Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Orekhov (Zaporozhye region), as well as 62 AFU artillery units at their firing positions, manpower and hardware at 105 areas.
Counterbattery warfare operations have resulted in destruction of:
2 U.S.-manufactured M-777 artillery systems near Seversk and Avdeyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic);
4 Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled howitzers near Avdeyevka, Seversk, and Zvanovka (Donetsk People’s Republic);
3 D-20 towed howitzers near Nevskoye, Novolyubovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), and Shalygino (Sumy region);
2 Grad multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) near Artyomovsk and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), as well as one Uragan MLRS near Seversk.
Moreover, 2 U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery warfare radars have been destroyed near Artyomovsk and Dzerzhinsk (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Fighter Aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces have shot down three Su-25 airplanes of Ukrainian Air Force near Yasenevoye, Pushkino, and Maksimilyanovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Air defence facilities have destroyed 9 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicesl near Ploshchanka, Oborotnovka, Podkuychansk, Chervonopopovka, Golikovo, Zhitlovka, and Kremennaya (Lugansk People’s Republic), Valeryanovka, Volnovakha, and Yevgenovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In total, 370 airplanes and 200 helicopters, 2,866 unmanned aerial vehicles, 400 air defence missile systems, 7,465 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 975 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 3,802 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 7,992 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

• Das Abendbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

Situation update as of 6 p.m., January 10, 2023
Day 321 of the russian full-scale invasion continues.
Russian occupants continue their full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. To support the offensive and replenish its losses in manpower, the adversary continues the mobilization activities.
The enemy does not cease to launch missile and air strikes, artillery shelling of critical infrastructure and civilian residences on the territory of Ukraine. Doing so is a blatant violation of the rules of International Humanitarian Law, the laws and principles of war.
During the day of January 10, the adversary launched 2x missile strikes and 7x MLRS attacks, including on the civilian infrastructure of Donetsk and Kherson oblasts.
The threat of air and missile strikes on critical infrastructure facilities across all of Ukraine remains high.
The adversary continues shelling the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian targets all along the line of contact.
Sivershchyna axis: the vicinities of settlements of Syn’kivka (Chernihiv oblast) and Pokrovka (Symy oblast) were shelled with mortars and artillery.
Slobozhanshchyna axis: the adversary shelled the positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinities of 13x settlements, in particular: Sosnivka, Zelene, Vovchans’k, Khatnje, Krasne Pershe, and Dvorichna (Kharkiv oblast).
Kup’yans’k axis: the enemy fired tanks and entire range of artillery in the vicinities of settlements of Vil’shana, Orlyanka, Kyslivka (Kharkiv oblast), Novoselivs’ke, and Stel’makhivka (Luhansk oblast).
Lyman axis: the vicinities of settlements of Makiivka, Nevs’ke, Chervonopopivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, and Serebryanka (Donetsk oblast) were shelled with tanks, mortars, artillery and missile systems.
Bakhmut axis: the adversary fired tanks and artillery of various types at the positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinities of settlements of Bilohorivka, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Bila Hora, Druzhba, Paraskoviivka (Donetsk oblast).
Avdiivka axis: the enemy fired tanks, mortars, artillery and missile systems in the vicinities of settlements of Avdiivka, Vesele, Nevel’s’ke, Heorhiivka, Mar’inka, and Pervomais’ke (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: the adversary fired tanks and the entire spectrum of artillery at the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the vicinities of settlements of Vremivka, Velyka Novosilka, and Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).
Zaporizhzia axis: the enemy fired tanks, mortars, artillery and missile systems at the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure in the vicinities of 18x settlements, in particular: Vil’ne Pole, Novopil’ (Donetsk oblast); Ol’hivs’ke, Zaliznychne, Hulyaipole, Stepove, Shcherbaky, and Bilohir’ya (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
Kherson axis: the adversary keeps shelling the settlements along the right bank of the Dnipro river. Artillery shelling has damaged civilian infrastructure of 12x settlements, in particular: Antonivka, Vesele, Dudchany, Mylove, Zolota Balka (Kherson oblast), and the city of Kherson, there are civilian casualties.
The adversary continues to suffer losses. According to the available information, hospitals in the city of Berdyans’k (Zaporizhzhia oblast) have exceeded their capacity to take in the wounded. This caused the russian occupation troops to set up 3x more military hospitals over the past week.
During the day of January 10, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 14x air strikes on the concentrations of enemy personnel, weapons, and military equipment, as well as 4x air strikes on the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems.
During the day of January 10, Ukrainian missile and artillery troops attacked
2x command posts, 2x positions of missile troops and artillery and 5x concentrations of manpower and military equipment of the russian invaders.