Russia is sending mechanized teams to Chersonesos, among other places. Kyiv expects an early decision on the supply of Leopard tanks. Overview.

Russia increases its forces in Ukraine. The new Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, announced that he would send more troops to Chersonesos and Zaporizhia. Eleven months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed cooperation with the Allies. In his daily video address Monday night, Zelensky said the eleven months of Russia’s „predatory total war” have brought Ukraine, the United States and all other allies together as closely as possible. His Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made it clear that he was counting on the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks in the near future. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Russia will deploy three more mechanized infantry divisions to Ukraine’s Chersonesos and Zaporizhia regions, according to Russia’s new chief of staff Valery Gerasimov. The regions were illegally annexed in September, but Moscow considers them part of the Russian Federation. „The main goal of this work is to ensure the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country,” Gerasimov told the online news website Argumenti i Fakti. Usually, Russian divisions numbered up to 8,000 men. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had already announced in a speech on January 17 that there would be a restructuring and that new units would be created.

„We are fighting every day to protect our people, our borders and our values, and we have been able to stop the spread of Russian aggression,” Zelensky said. He can now say with confidence that „this evil on Ukrainian soil” can be overcome. Although Russia found a terrorist partner in the Iranian regime that supplies the Kremlin with weapons.

Zelensky also defined the term he used for „predatory war”. He did not choose these words by chance. „The looting is widespread throughout the entire Ukrainian territory, which was temporarily occupied by Russian forces,” Zelensky said. „Everything they don’t destroy, they steal and take to Russia. Everything.” In addition, about two million Ukrainians have been deported to Russia. After all, Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian lands, in violation of international law, is „the continuation of its greedy policy.”

In the international tug-of-war over the delivery of German-made Leopard battle tanks, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expected a solution to be found soon. „There are only a few steps and a half left,” he said on Ukrainian television Monday evening. The British have already delivered their main battle tanks, and France has offered light wheeled tanks and is considering the delivery of Leclerc main battle tanks. “I have no doubt that the cheetah will come for us too, we are already in the final race.”

According to Ukraine, it needs „several hundred” battle tanks to reoccupy the regions occupied by Russia. „Every combat-capable tank should be on our front today,” Andrei Yermak, head of the presidential office, wrote on Monday via the Telegram news channel. Recently, Kyiv received modern Soviet-style tanks from the Czech Republic. Great Britain, Poland and Finland offered Western Kyiv tanks, including German-made Panthers. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had been delaying a decision on the delivery of Leopard main battle tanks for weeks.

In the controversy surrounding the supply of Western-style main battle tanks to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized NATO unity and once again called for more arms supplies. Stoltenberg said Monday on Welt TV that since the start of the war nearly a year ago, there has been an „unprecedented level of support” in the alliance, including Germany. There is now a consultation process on what kind of equipment should be supplied to Ukraine. „My message is that the allies must deliver more, they must deliver heavy equipment, equipment, combat systems to Ukraine. This is very urgent.”