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Ukraine to export electricity again after months of Russian attacks

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After being repeatedly attacked by Russia for months, Ukraine is now able to export electricity for the first time in six months. Last October, Russia started its protracted and planned assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Power outages and planned blackouts resulted, putting villages and cities in the dark during the winter. Ukraine will be able to sell its excess electricity once more after being ordered to halt exports.

Although domestic clients are still given precedence, energy minister Herman Halushchenko issued an executive order authorising the shipments. Since almost two months, the system has been producing surplus capacity, according to him, and Ukrainians are not subject to any limits.

“The most difficult winter has passed,” Mr Halushchenko said on Friday.

“The next step is to start exporting electricity, which will allow us to attract additional financial resources for the necessary reconstruction of the destroyed and damaged energy infrastructure.”

He also praised the “titanic work” of engineers and international partners to restore the system.

Last month, residents across Ukraine that power supplies were becoming more reliable.

“The city has transformed,” said Inna Shtanko, a young mother in Dnipro. “Finally, street lights are back, and it’s no longer scary to walk the city streets.”

Ukrenergo, the company in charge of running the nation’s energy grid, has cautioned that Ukraine cannot rely on Russian attacks ceasing. On Saturday, Ukrenergo reported that Russia has so far throughout the war launched more than 1,200 missiles and drones at its energy installations.

The attack, according to the business, was the biggest attempt to bring down the electricity infrastructure of a European nation. During winter, with power outages and frigid temperatures, some residents were forced to use “resilience centres” in cities around Ukraine to stay warm. Power, heat, and essential supplies like food and medications were all delivered by the hubs.

Every one of Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric power plants has been damaged since Russia began targeting energy infrastructure.

Kyiv has also lost control of Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, which is in Russian hands.

In June 2022, Ukraine had said it was hoping to bring in €1.5bn (£1.33bn) from electricity exports to the EU – its main export market for energy since the war began – by the end of the year.

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Ukraine war: Germany sends much-awaited Leopard tanks

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According to the German defence ministry, Germany has sent its first shipment of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. After receiving training to operate them, 18 state-of-the-art main battle tanks were sent to Ukraine.

Boris Pistorius, the defence minister, expressed his confidence that the tanks might “make a major contribution” on the front lines of the conflict. According to reports from Ukraine, Challenger 2 tanks have also arrived.

For months, Ukraine has demanded more advanced vehicles and weaponry to aid in defending against the Russian invasion.

Although they have acknowledged the delivery of the first Challenger 2 tanks produced in the UK, the Ukrainian government has not yet commented on the arrival of the Leopard 2s.

Europe now employs about 2,000 Leopard 2 main combat tanks, which are regarded as some of the best manufactured by NATO nations. Germany initially baulked at supplying the tanks—or even allowing other nations to send their own—to Ukraine, but in January it finally agreed to do so.

According to German law, Berlin must provide its consent before any nation may sell Leopard 2s again.

The tanks “have put it into the hands of our Ukrainian comrades as promised and on time,” according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

During the past few weeks, the German army has taught Ukrainian tank operators to operate the cutting-edge Leopard 2 A6 model.

They are thought to be more fuel-efficient and easier to maintain than most other Western tanks because they were created expressly to compete with the Russian T-90 main battle tank.

Germany has also provided 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine along with two specialised tank recovery vehicles in addition to the Leopard 2s.

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Violent clashes in Paris as pension age row rages

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Large numbers of people are taking to the streets in France, on a ninth day of nationwide demonstrations and strikes over pensions reform. The CGT union estimates there are up to 800,000 people protesting on the streets of Paris where clashes with police are being reported

Police have used tear gas in Nantes and water cannon in Rennes at protests over legislation to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Strikes are disrupting schools and public transport, and some demonstrators are also blockading railway tracks and stations.

Ongoing industrial action at oil refineries is affecting petrol supplies, and also of aircraft fuel.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government forced the legislation through without a vote in the lower house of parliament last week.

Yesterday he defended the changes as “a necessity” in his first public comments on the escalating row.

The vast majority of protests have passed off without violence but some demonstrators dressed in black and known locally as “Black Bloc” radicals have been out on the streets, throwing stones and bottles at police and setting fire to bins.

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Putin arrest warrant: Biden welcomes ICC’s war crimes charges

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The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, and US Vice President Joe Biden has applauded this. The International Criminal Court (ICC) charged President Putin with war crimes in Ukraine, which President Biden stated the Russian president had “obviously” committed.

The allegations centre on the forcible removal of kids from Ukraine to Russia following Moscow’s incursion in 2022. The warrants have been called “outrageous” by Moscow, which has refuted the accusations.

The move has very little chance of succeeding because the ICC lacks the authority to detain suspects without the cooperation of a nation’s government. Since Russia is not a party to the ICC, the court’s jurisdiction over that nation does not extend to The Hague.

Nevertheless, it might have other effects on Mr. Putin, such making it impossible for him to travel abroad. He might now be detained if he enters any of the 123 states that make up the court.

The third president to receive an ICC arrest warrant is Mr. Putin.

The warrant’s issuance, according to President Biden, “makes a very compelling statement,” despite the fact that the court had no influence in the US as well.

According to him, he obviously committed war crimes, as he told reporters.

It had already been “officially decided” by his administration that Russia had committed war crimes during the conflict in Ukraine, and vice president Kamala Harris had promised that those responsible would “be called to account” in February.

The United Nations also released a report earlier this week that found Moscow’s forced removal of Ukrainian children to areas under its control amounted to a war crime.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) claimed in a statement on Friday that it had solid evidence that Mr. Putin had both worked alone and in concert with others to conduct the crimes. Additionally, he was charged with neglecting to exercise his executive authority to halt the deportation of minors.

Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, is also sought by the ICC for the same offences. The warrants were “based upon forensic evidence, scrutiny, and what’s been spoken by those two persons,” according to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan.

The court ultimately opted to make the arrest warrants public in an effort to prevent more crimes from being committed after first considering keeping them hidden.

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Poland to send four fighter jets to Ukraine ‘in coming days’

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Poland has announced that it will send four F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine “in the coming days” to provide support to the country in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The move comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate, with Ukrainian officials reporting a significant buildup of Russian troops along the border.

According to Poland’s Defense Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, the jets will be sent to Ukraine as part of a joint military exercise between the two countries. He also stated that the exercise was intended to “increase the security of Poland and Ukraine” and “demonstrate our readiness to respond to any threat.”

The deployment of the jets has been met with criticism from Russia, with officials calling the move “provocative” and warning that it could lead to a further escalation of the conflict. However, Ukraine has welcomed the move, with President Volodymyr Zelensky thanking Poland for its support.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia began in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, fighting has erupted in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 people and has displaced millions.

The deployment of the fighter jets is seen as a show of support for Ukraine by Poland, which has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. It is also seen as a signal to Russia that Poland is prepared to defend its allies in the region.

In conclusion, Poland’s decision to send fighter jets to Ukraine is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. While it has been met with criticism from Russia, it is a clear demonstration of Poland’s support for Ukraine and its willingness to defend its allies in the region.

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Ukraine Allies Mark Invasion Anniversary With Slew Of Sanctions On Russia

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On the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s supporters throughout the world lit up significant landmarks, held vigils, and prepared new sanctions as a show of support.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, which has abandoned its “Wandel durch Handel” (change through trade) strategy towards Russia and supplied arms to Ukraine, declared that the invasion was an assault on the lessons of the two World Wars.

“It is an attack on everything we stand for,” he said at a commemorative event, calling Russia’s invasion an “epochal breach” and adding he was sure Germany would continue to be Ukraine’s biggest military supporter on the European continent.

Between Germany and Ukraine, in Poland, demonstrators chanted “Russia is a terrorist state” and blasted sirens outside a residence for staff members of the Russian embassy in Warsaw.

Mateusz Morawiecki, the premier of Poland, visited Kyiv and, along with the prime minister of Ukraine, lay flowers at the Wall of Memory for those who gave their lives for Ukraine.

For the occasion, the US unveiled fresh export restrictions, tariffs, and sanctions against Russia and its allies in an effort to limit Moscow’s capacity to wage war. Further sanctions were also imposed by the UK. Putin claims he is engaged in a struggle for Russia’s survival against the united power of the West. Unless Russia, which denies deliberately hitting people, withdraws, there cannot be peace, according to Kyiv.

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Ukraine war: Europe fights to maintain solidarity

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As Kyiv gets ready to commemorate the sombre and deadly one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Vice President Joe Biden’s unexpected trip to Ukraine on Monday is a startling demonstration of support and an intended strong message to Moscow.

The Ukrainian leadership was naturally happy to see the US president, but as a dedicated observer of Europe, one comment in particular caught my attention.

Andriy Melnyk, deputy foreign minister, praised “the presence of our vital, main partner.”

The primary threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s aggressive ambition is to European security. He has reintroduced conventional warfare to this continent on a scale not seen since World War Two as a result of his invasion of Ukraine.

The sense of calm and relative security that most of us were accustomed to has been destroyed by his acts. The potential of a nuclear assault is being addressed as a serious possibility, albeit a remote one, for the first time since the Cold War.

Yet, Europe is made up of many different parts, both inside and outside the EU.The Russian incursion has served as a stark warning to Europeans—including France’s President Macron, a vocal supporter of Europe’s “strategic autonomy”—that the region cannot rely only on itself for defence. In comparison to the US, they lack the resources, the military might, and the undivided resolve (and even there, some tiny political fractures are beginning to show).

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Ukraine war: Russia planning 24 February offensive, Ukrainian defence minister says

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According to the defence minister of Ukraine, Russia is preparing a significant new offensive that might start as early as February 24. Oleksii Reznikov claimed that Moscow had gathered thousands of soldiers and could “try something” to commemorate the first invasion anniversary last year.

The assault would coincide with Russia’s celebration of the army on February 23, which is Defender of the Fatherland Day. In the meantime, a Kramatorsk attack has claimed the lives of three people.

Eight others were wounded in the city in Donetsk region after a Russian missile struck a residential building, the provincial governor said. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers comb through the wreckage.

The only way to stop Russian terrorism is to defeat it,” Mr Zelensky wrote on social media about the attack. “By tanks. Fighter jets. Long-range missiles.”

Ukraine has recently renewed calls for fighter jets to help protect itself from air attacks after Germany, the US and the UK agreed to send them tanks.

Mr Reznikov said Moscow had mobilised some 500,000 troops for the potential offensive.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a general mobilisation of some 300,000 conscripted troops, which he said was necessary to ensure the country’s “territorial integrity”.

But Mr Reznikov suggested that the true figure recruited and deployed to Ukraine could be far higher.

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French protests intensify against pension age rise

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The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, is facing a second wave of strikes and protests over his proposals to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

The strike, which has affected schools, public transportation, and oil refineries, is being participated in by eight major unions.  Hundreds of thousands of people are participating in marches around France after the first day of protests drew more than a million participants.

There have been more people in several cities than on January 19. Despite polls showing that two-thirds of French oppose the reforms, which start their journey through the National Assembly next week, the Macron administration is moving on with them.

Without a majority in the legislature, the administration will be forced to rely on the right-wing Republicans just as much as its own legislators from the ruling parties.

Thousands more marchers gathered in Toulouse, Marseille, and Nice in the south, Saint Nazaire, Nantes, and Rennes in the west, hours before the main demonstration in downtown Paris’ Place d’Italie. An estimated 11,000 police officers were stationed to monitor the protests occurring in 200 towns and cities.

Only two of Paris’s driverless metro lines were operating normally, and only one in three high-speed trains were operating. On one of the main overground lines in the capital, there were reportedly large crowds.

The CGT union said at least three-quarters of workers had walked out at the big TotalEnergies oil refineries and fuel depots, although the company said the number was far lower. Power plants reported reduced production after workers went on strike at the main electricity company EDF.

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Poland boosts defence spending over war in Ukraine

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Poland has promised a significant increase in defence budget, citing the conflict in Ukraine as justification. It is the most recent nation in Europe to announce an increase in military spending due to the conflict.

Just under 2.5% of Poland’s GDP is allocated to the military, but the prime minister intends to raise that percentage to 4% this year. Mateusz Morawiecki pleaded with Germany last week to permit the export of Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine.

In addition, he noted that increasing defence spending to 4% “could mean that this will be the highest percentage… among all Nato countries.” Poland, which shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, previously announced that it would purchase 116 US-made Abrams tanks, with the first deliveries scheduled to begin this spring.

Numerous Western nations have reviewed and, in many cases, increased their military spending as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Beginning in 2024, members of the Nato Western military alliance will spend at least 2% of their GDP, a measure of a nation’s economic output, on defence. The alliance has long sought to achieve the percentage of 2%.

Recently, France announced plans for a significant expansion of its armed forces, partially in response to the conflict in Ukraine. France said the next seven-year budget will rise from €295 billion to €413 billion (£360 billion) from 2024 to 2030.

As part of their efforts to join NATO, Sweden and Finland have pledged significant increases in their military spending.

Germany committed an additional €100 billion of the budget to the military forces in the days following the invasion in February 2022.

Additionally, the UK committed to raising spending to 2.5% of GDP in June under former prime minister Boris Johnson.

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