Secret service warns of Russia's new mobilization - Despite ceasefire, Putin's army "returns fire".

Created: 06/01/2023, 23:25

By: Florian Naumann, Markus Hofstetter, Bedrettin Bölükbasi, Mark Stoffers, Fabian Müller

Putin's announced "ceasefire" failed, and an air raid alarm was raised in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia is probably planning a new mobilization.

The news ticker.

• Despite

  Putin's "ceasefire"

  : air alert throughout Ukraine

• Attacks

  in

  Russia

  's hinterland

  : London says bomber moves to Far East weaken air force

• Fighting

  in the

  Donetsk region

  : Ukraine claims 800 Russian soldiers have been killed

• This

  news ticker

  on the military situation in the

  Ukraine war

  is constantly updated.

Update from January 6, 5:01 p.m.:

While the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine failed, the Kremlin is apparently secretly working on a new mobilization.

As

claims to have learned from Andriy Chernyak, a representative of the Ukrainian secret service, a new mobilization is expected to be announced in Russia on January 15.

This could demand even more Russian soldiers than in the fall.

At that time, around 300,000 Russians were drafted into the Ukraine war.

Russian recruits board a train at Prudboi station in the Volgograd region after Putin's partial mobilization.

(Archive photo) © Uncredited/AP/dpa

According to the representative, the mobilization from January 15 is expected to bring in around half a million new Russian recruits.

According to Chernyak, this would also affect people in major Russian cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg and those who work in profitable industries.

Defense Minister Resnikov had already warned in December of a new mobilization on January 5.

Ultimately, this did not happen.

Putin also stressed recently that further mobilization was not necessary.

According to Russian information, 6,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war so far, but according to Kiev's estimates the figure is around 100,000.

The military service is therefore counting on a new mobilization, albeit not until mid-January.

“We are ready for any future development and will continue to liberate Ukrainian territory no matter how many new soldiers Russia recruits.

They must surrender or be destroyed,”

a spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense quoted

Air alert in Ukraine: Reason apparently in Belarus – Russia "returns" fire despite Putin's ceasefire

Update from January 6, 3:45 p.m .:

The reason for the air alarm in Ukraine in the middle of the ceasefire declared by Russia is now known: according to media reports, several Russian Air Force aircraft that have risen over neighboring Belarus are said to have been the trigger.

Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to attack the Russian army.

In the small town of Bakhmut, positions of the Russian troops were fired at with 120-millimeter mortar shells as a "gift", according to the Defense Ministry: "The resistance will continue until the last Russian invader on Ukrainian soil is killed!"

According to Russia's military spokesman Igor Konashenkov, there were battles on three front sectors.

In the north near the small town of Lyman, the Ukrainian military fired with grenade launchers, a little further south near the village of Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region with artillery.

Artillery shelling was also fired at Russian positions in the south of the Donetsk region.

Russia is respecting the ceasefire, Konashenko stressed, but at the same time declared: "During the return fire, the positions of the Ukrainian armed forces from which the shots were fired were held down."

Update from January 6, 1:15 p.m .:

Ukraine warns people in Russian-occupied territory against church visits on Orthodox Christmas.

"Ukraine has received information that the Russians are planning terrorist attacks in churches," Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk wrote

in a Facebook post , according to the

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An "open source intelligence" group called "Inform Napalm" also warned about possible attacks, it said.

The aim is to brand Ukraine as an aggressor and to motivate potential recruits to join the Russian army, the portal wrote.

There is no reliable information on the security situation in the affected areas.

Despite Russia's ceasefire, air alert throughout Ukraine - background still unclear

Update from January 6, 12:05 p.m .:

Despite the ongoing Russian Christmas ceasefire, an air alert has been declared across the country in Ukraine.

portal

.

The background was initially unclear.

But the ceasefire could be fragile.

Shortly after the ceasefire came into force, representatives of the Russian occupying power in eastern Ukraine told the state news agency Tass: "The Ukrainian armed forces shelled Donetsk from artillery weapons at exactly 12 noon, when the ceasefire came into force." Fire reacted was initially unclear.

Western experts see two tactical considerations behind the ceasefire announced by Putin.

Ukraine War: Annexation "Financial Burden" for Putin?

Secret service sees heavy mortgage

Update from January 6, 11 a.m.:

According to British government experts, the areas in eastern Ukraine annexed by Russia in violation of international law will cost the Kremlin dearly.

According to the British Defense Ministry's latest intelligence update on the Ukraine war, Luhansk and Donetsk have long been a financial burden on Moscow.

"Now that the Kremlin has openly pledged to support them, they will represent a major political, diplomatic and financial burden on Russia well beyond the current phase of the conflict," the statement said.

At the end of September, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree annexing the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Cherson regions.

© Kremlin POOL/imago-images

Update from January 6, 8:27 a.m .:

Also on Friday night – shortly before the ceasefire announced by Vladimir Putin – Russia apparently continued attacks on Ukraine.

There have been heavy artillery attacks in the Nikopol region of Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Governor Valentyn Resnichenko said, according to the

.

In addition to gas and power lines, a private building and a farm were also damaged.

There were no deaths.

Nikopol is located on the Dnipro River opposite the city of Enerhodar with the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

Ukraine War: Family dies in Russian attack ahead of 'Christmas Peace' in Kherson region

Update from January 5, 11:05 p.m.:

Russia shot at the city of Beryslav in the Kherson region, said the deputy head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, on Telegram about the current situation in the Ukraine war.

Among other things, a projectile is said to have hit a residential building and killed a 12-year-old boy and his parents.

So far, this news has not been officially and, above all, independently confirmed.

“Tragic news in town today.

As a result of an attack by the occupying forces, a projectile hit a house and killed a family,” Tymoshenko wrote.

"In the morning they talk about the 'Christmas peace,' and at noon they kill a whole family." Late in the afternoon, Russia announced that it was planning a ceasefire in Ukraine in anticipation of the upcoming Orthodox Christmas.

Meanwhile, the attacks in the eastern region of Donetsk probably increased again.

Russia is concentrating on an offensive around the cities of Bakhmut and Lyman, according to the Ukrainian general staff on the situation in the contested regions in the Ukraine war.

Taking Bakhmut could allow Russia to launch attacks on surrounding towns in the region.

Ukraine war: Selenskyj thanks for armored personnel carriers from the USA and Germany

Update from January 5, 10:55 p.m .:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj thanked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for the announced delivery of a Patriot air defense system and Marder-type armored personnel carriers.

"We will still get a Patriot system and powerful armored technology, this is really a great victory for our state," said Zelenskyj in his video address on Friday night.

He also thanked the United States, which also wants to supply armored personnel carriers.

Cheetah and marten, soon also leopard for Ukraine?

German tanks can do that.

The Ukrainian head of state had previously written on Twitter: "Together with the previously delivered Iris-T system and the Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, Germany is making an important contribution to intercepting all Russian missiles!" Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev also tweeted the hashtags #Patriot and #Marder as well as three black, red and gold hearts and the words #Thank YouGermany.

Scholz and US President Joe Biden agreed in a telephone call on Thursday that both states would now supply Ukraine with armored personnel carriers to fight the Russian attackers for the first time.

The US sends Bradley tanks.

In addition, the federal government is following suit with the Patriot system, the delivery of which Washington Selenskyj had already promised shortly before Christmas.

Ukraine War: Germany delivers tanks for the first time

Update from January 5, 9:29 p.m .:

After months of hesitation, Germany and the USA are now delivering infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine for the first time to fight the Russian attackers.

The federal government is also providing Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden agreed on this in a telephone call on Thursday, as was subsequently stated in a joint statement.

Germany wants to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, which was developed more than 50 years ago for the Bundeswehr.

The US sends Bradley tanks.

These are the first western-style armored personnel carriers to be received in Ukraine.

So far, only Soviet models have been delivered to the war zone by Eastern European countries.

However, Ukraine received anti-aircraft, armored transport and armored recovery vehicles from Western manufacturers.

Russia may be in trouble with drones – Kremlin apparently increases troops with Belarus

Update from January 5, 4 p.m.:

Belarus and Russia want to further increase their joint troops, as reported by the Belarusian state agency BelTA, citing the Ministry of Defense in Minsk.

The report said that the armed forces were being strengthened in terms of personnel, weapons and special equipment in order to protect the common “union”.

In addition, further activities for “battle coordination” are planned.

In addition, a "tactical flight maneuver" will be carried out together with the Russian Air Force.

Concerns about a possible mobilization are rampant in Belarus.

Ukraine war: Russia is apparently facing drone problem

Update from January 5, 2:40 p.m .:

According to the Ukrainian military observer Alexander Kovalenko, the Russian military has already used a considerable part of the kamikaze drones promised by Iran.

Over the past few months, Russia has deployed 660 of a total of 1,750 promised Shahed drones, the Unian news agency quoted the expert as saying.

Considering that Iran produces around 100 kamikaze drones per month and one batch of this weapon contains 350 pieces, he stressed that it takes more than 3 months to prepare a new batch of Shahed drones.

Therefore, it will take at least 6 months before Iran can deliver all the promised drones - even if production is accelerated.

At the same time, he said that Russia may have about 50 Shahed drones from the last delivery and will continue to use them.

He called on the Ukrainian leadership to prevent further cooperation between Russia and Iran.

Ukraine war: Ukraine intelligence chief expects 'deeper' attacks in Russia

Update from January 5, 12:01 p.m .:

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the military intelligence service of Ukraine (HUR), expects further attacks on Russian territory.

The beatings would be carried out "deeper and deeper" in Russia, he said in an interview with US broadcaster ABC News.

However, he did not say whether Ukraine will be behind these attacks.

The head of the secret service also does not want to take responsibility for the attacks on the Engels air force base, although he was "glad" about it.

Budanov becomes a little more specific when it comes to military activities in Crimea.

"Crimea is Ukrainian territory, we can use any weapon on our territory," he says.

Budanov expects "hottest fights" for March.

He added that Ukraine is planning a major push in the spring.

Then you will see the liberation of areas and the last defeats of the Russian Federation.

"Our goal, and we will achieve it, is to return to the 1991 borders," said the HUR boss.

According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Military Intelligence Service of Ukraine (HUR), Kyiv is planning a major offensive in the spring (archive photo) © Ukrinform/picture alliance/dpa

"Russia is no longer a military threat to the world, but just a fairy tale," he added.

The only remaining problem is Russia's nuclear arsenal "and the uncontrollable regime".

The whole world will recognize the need for Russia's denuclearization, or at least for international oversight of Russia's nuclear arsenal.

"A terrorist country that wields a nuclear baton and utters threats is not a regime that has an ethical or political right to control weapons of mass destruction."

Attacks in Russian hinterland: relocation of bombers Far East weakens air force, according to London

First report from January 5

: Kiev/Moscow - Russia apparently no longer feels safe on its own territory in the Ukraine war.

This suggests a response to attacks on Engels Air Force Base, deep within Russian territory.

An attack in early December killed at least three people and damaged or destroyed several bombers.

At the end of December there was another attack on the base.

“On December 27, 2022, Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, reported that Russia had deployed long-range Tu-95MS Bear heavy bombers and Tu-22M3 Backfire medium bombers to Russia’s Far East,” writes the British Ministry of Defense in his daily situation report on the Ukraine war.

In fact, it was "very likely" that Moscow responded with a general deployment of long-range bombers, it said.

Russia is said to have moved Tu-95 bombers to the Far East after attacks on the Engels base (archive photo) © Russian Defense Ministry Press p

On December 5 and 26, 2022, the Russian air base in Engels was attacked and several aircraft were damaged.

Russia most likely responded to the incidents with a general relocation of its long-range fighter jets, particularly to airfields further from Ukraine.

"The Russian Air Force will continue to be able to fire cruise missiles from the air at Ukraine, as they have a range of 5,000 kilometers, in addition to the flight range of the bombers," it said.

However, operating from different locations means additional maintenance work and will further reduce the limited flight time of these aging aircraft.

Fighting in the Donetsk region: Ukraine claims to have killed 800 Russian soldiers

More than 800 Russian soldiers are estimated to have been killed on Wednesday, according to the Ukrainian military.

Most died in fighting in the Donetsk region in the east, the Ukrainian military said in its daily morning report.

A plane, a helicopter and three tanks belonging to the Russian armed forces were destroyed.

Pictures of the Ukraine war: great horror and small moments of happiness

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The Russian army is concentrating on an offensive in the Bakhmut area, but its attacks in the Avdiivka and Kupyansk areas have been unsuccessful.

However, the figures cannot be independently verified.