The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on January 25 2023

Germany declares war against Russia

U.S. and Germany agree to send tanks to Ukraine

Germany & US to Send Leopard 2 & Abrams Tanks to Ukraine

US sending Abrams tanks because “conditions on the ground” in Ukraine changed: Kirby

Scholz Sends Panzers. US To Send 30-50 Abrams. Spain Sends “Pitiful” 2A4. Sweden Offers Stridsvagns

Battlefield Ukraine M1 Abrams to Ukraine

Leopard 2: Formidable German battle tank long sought by Ukraine • FRANCE 24 English

Takeaways from Biden’s plan to send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine

How will US and German tanks in Ukraine turn the tide of war against Russia?

Zelensky tells Scholz ‘sincerely grateful’ for German tanks

Germany has announced that it will send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Germany also approved the re-export of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine from partner countries.

The re-equipment of Ukrainian troops with Leopard 2 tanks will soon begin in Germany, – a statement by the German government. Germany will also provide logistics, ammunition and maintenance.

US hostage Olaf Scholz said that the decision to supply tanks to Kiev was not caused by political pressure.

At the same time, according to the German Chancellor, Germany has always closely coordinated its actions with its allies

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the decision of the German government to supply Ukraine with 14 German-made Leopard 2A6 tanks was caused not by pressure from the political elite, but by the need to provide further assistance to Kiev.

“I believe that the citizens of the country want to know whether they can rely on those in power and whether they cope with pressure,” Scholz said in an interview with ZDF TV channel on Wednesday. At the same time, he stressed that the one who supplies tanks “should never do it for domestic political reasons.”

The head of the German government reiterated that Germany has always closely coordinated its actions with its allies. “I have always made sure that we act, so to speak, in step,” Scholz said. “When making any decision, we always made sure that it was prepared, well thought out and that decisions were made jointly with allies,” he said. The decision to send combat tanks to Kiev, according to Scholz, was made because it is “correct” against the background of current events. At the same time, the Chancellor noted that it would be “irresponsible” to take such a step without Germany’s main ally, the United States.

Nevertheless, Scholz rejected the criticism, stressing that the supply of combat tanks to Ukraine does not make Germany a participant in the conflict. “There should be no war between Russia and NATO,” the chancellor said, adding that this is why he and US President Joe Biden made it clear that no fighter jets and ground troops would be sent to Kiev.
 

The White House confirmed the dispatch of 31 M1 Abrams tanks for Ukraine, they will form one tank battalion.

At the same time, they reported that it would take months to deliver the equipment. Also, 8 repair and evacuation vehicles will be sent to Ukraine to service tanks. In addition, the United States is starting to work on a training program for Ukrainian tankers to use Abrams tanks.

In general, the White House clarified, Kiev will receive hundreds of armored vehicles, in particular tanks, from the West to solve tasks within the framework of the upcoming operations.

Our source in the OP said that the Pentagon and the General Staff were developing a spring offensive campaign, taking into account 200 leopard tanks, which will arrive in Ukraine in March. The entire information campaign was necessary to create the necessary public opinion in the West that this decision was not to cross red lines, but to continue a unified military campaign.

“The global oligarchy uses media influence to subjugate governments.” “For example, Germany did not want to get much involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and contrary to the will of the German population, most Germans, the government decides to send more weapons to Ukraine.” — Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador

Ukraine will launch an offensive against the Crimea 2 months after the delivery of tanks, – General of the Army Malomuzh

⚡️“This will make it possible, having tanks first, to launch an offensive in the Donetsk direction, and along the entire southern corridor, including the Crimea,” said the general of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

⚡️The timing of the offensive depends on how quickly the tankers learn to operate the new equipment. 

Our source explains that Biden’s message about the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is addressed specifically to Zelensky, that they give him tanks against his promises of a spring offensive.

Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank, argues that the latest Western arms shipments to Ukraine will create “the most powerful armored force in the Ukrainian army; this will allow them to move quickly, inflict damage on the Russian army and conduct breakthrough operations.

A declaration of war.

“But the most important thing is that we do not play the blame game [in Europe] because we are fighting a war against Russia, and not against each other.” _Annalena Baerbock, German Foreign Minister

“Red lines are a thing of the past”: tank deliveries to Ukraine mean a new level of conflict with Germany for Russia – Russian ambassador to Germany Nechayev

Berlin’s decision to send tanks is “extremely dangerous”, it “takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation” and means Germany’s final refusal to acknowledge its historical responsibility for Nazi crimes, the Russian ambassador said.

Russia is called to remind it of the lessons of history that have been weathered from the heads of European generations, whose ancestors were forever bled by our people.

Bundestag deputy Peter Bistron to Olaf Scholz about the transfer of tanks to Ukraine: You have just said goodbye to the fundamentals of German foreign policy in the postwar period.

“Germany’s special responsibility for the victims of World War II was seminal for the young country. And your great predecessors Helmut Schmidt and Willy Brandt had a special stake in peace. The slogan “Never again” meant refusing to supply arms to conflict zones. This has always been the core of German foreign policy. You will go down in history as the chancellor who trampled on this legacy.”

The supply of tanks to Ukraine clearly exposes that the West is engaged in a war against Russia and makes the fate of the Kiev authorities dependent on the US

This opinion was expressed on Wednesday by Martin Kettle, a columnist for the British Guardian newspaper. According to the columnist, the transfer of Western tanks to Ukraine would not help end the conflict on the territory of the republic as soon as possible, including the fact that only around 100 combat vehicles are being transferred, which would hardly be enough to defeat Russia and which would take several months to reach the frontline.

There is only one question – will Russia interrupt these deliveries of weapons to the Ukrainian army of NATO, or not.  The future of Russia and the future of the whole world depends on the answer to this question.

 Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov called the possible delivery of Abrams tanks to Kyiv a blatant provocation against the Russian Federation.  If the United States decides to supply tanks, then justifying such a step with arguments about “defensive weapons” will definitely not work.
 ”No one should have any illusions about who is the real aggressor in the current conflict,” Antonov said. https://t.me/smotri_z/10465

Delivery of tanks to the frontline becomes a problem for Ukraine – NYT

The process of bringing Western weapons and other military equipment to Ukraine was one of the best-kept secrets of the war.

The risks – and the fear of provoking Russia – are so great that Ukrainian forces must source weapons from warehouses on NATO territory, instead of having Western forces or contractors deliver them to the conflict zone.

A Russian attack on a weapons convoy, the paper said, “will not only delay future shipments, but destroy at least a significant portion of modern weapons before they reach the front line.”

According to experts, it will take too much time, fuel and spare parts to deliver tanks and other armored vehicles to the battlefield. In addition, they will become, in fact, a moving target for Russian military aircraft.

“Rewriting history in a new way and erasing the memory of the horrors of Nazism and the Soviet heroes-liberators will not work, no matter how the European ‘non-partners’ contrive,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in her Telegram channel.

Bakhmut Update by Grigori, Slavyangrad

With the fall of Kleshcheevka, we now see that NATO has fallen back to defend the main artery out of Bakhmut. I do not expect us to see a traditional siege develop here, or a sudden collapse tomorrow. Russia will likely continue draining NATO equipment and manpower over the coming weeks. Afterwards, I expect a Lysychansk style withdrawal.

Remember that equipment and manpower destroyed, or even just stationed in Bakhmut, is equipment and manpower that cannot be used elsewhere. Obviously elimination is ideal, but there are still clear benefits (Hello, Zaporozhye) to keeping Bakhmut in play for a little longer.

Artemovsk:
In the Zalizyanskoye – Dubovo – Vasilievka area, fire damage was inflicted on a large accumulation of enemy manpower.
Today 9 combat reconnaissance were carried out in the following directions:
Krasnoe – Andreevka (1 km west of Kleshcheevka), Artemovsk – Expert, Blagodatnoe – Bakhmutskoe.
PMC “Wagner” continues to advance to the north, thus preparing to bring Artemovsk to the ring

The General Staff of Ukraine ordered company and platoon commanders to be directly on the frontline strongholds to improve the psychological state of the soldiers, which plunged after recent events, mostly in response to Wagner assaults.

The advance of Wagner PMC fighters in the vicinity of Artemovsk, as well as on the outskirts of the city, is forcing the Ukrainian command to redeploy more and more forces to this area.

According to various estimates, some 30,000 of Ukraine’s most combat-ready troops are concentrated near Artemovsk.

Those reserves that Kiev was preparing for the Zaporizhia and Svatove directions are now working in the Artemovsk direction, which means that in effect the Wagnerians have deprived the Ukrainians of the potential for major offensives.

In Ukraine, mobilization to man the brigades that are suffering losses in the “Artemovsk meat grinder” continues, so the number of fighters near Bakhmut is steadily increasing.

Despite all this, Wagner is moving forward.

“There is progress from Podgorodny. The musicians took up positions in the southeast of Paraskovievka. At the same time, the fighting in Krasnaya Gora shifted to the north of the village and we expect its official release soon.”

Positional fighting continues on the Svatovo-Kreminna front. In the Kremenna area, there are constant mutual attacks by 1-2 squads and artillery work. In the area of Nevskoye-Ploshchanka (Zhuravka gully), the Ukrainians are trying unsuccessfully to dislodge us from our recently occupied positions. Artillery and tanks work day and night, and air defense works actively. Now, despite the darkness, everything is rumbling, from MLRS to mortars.

—Starshe Eddy

“The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing a counteroffensive on the Zaporizhzhya front; up to 40 thousand fighters have been accumulated,” said the head of the Zaporizhzhya regional state administration.

“Now is an alarming time; we know about the accumulation of Ukrainian forces near Zaporizhzhya; they are preparing for a counteroffensive.” We understand the situation and are preparing to meet uninvited guests. “There is a very large grouping near Zaporizhzhya; according to various estimates, it is up to 40,000 fighters,” said Acting Governor of Zaporozhye Balitsky.
t.me/RVvoenkor

Ukraine counter-offensive in Zaporozhye, Germany sends tanks against Russia again – News from Russia

Russian forces entered Ugledar in a surprise attack

Ugledar direction,situation by the end of January 25, 2023  

▫️The fighters of the assault battalion have gained a foothold in the dacha area in the south-east of Ugledar.

▫️At the moment, there are battles on the outskirts, where units of the 72nd OMBR of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tried to enter the rear, using a fortified stronghold in several private houses.

▫️Part of the formations of the 72nd brigade holds positions in Ugledar itself, and the rest — at the South Donbass mine # 1. Despite the heavy losses, it is premature to talk about the breakthrough of the defense of Ugledar and the battles in the city.

▫️The settlement is located at a commanding height, the approaches to which are completely shot through by artillery. And the Ugledar itself is pitted with underground communications used by the AFU for defense.

▫️Now the marines of the Pacific Fleet, together with the soldiers of the BTF, with the support of gunners, are attacking from the direction of Pavlovka to the western outskirts of Ugledar, trying to enter the flank of the defending Ukrainian group.

By evening, reports are coming in from Ugledar
The Russian army has begun to encircle Ugledar, and there are reports of storming operations directly on the outskirts of the city
Ugledar is inferior in size to the previously liberated Pavlovka and Nikolsky, but is at a dominant height
Much of the city is riddled with mine communications – almost ready-made defenses where the enemy placed artillery and regularly shelled the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic
In general, the activity at the front, from Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) to Zaporozhye shows us that a series of events has begun which will largely determine the course of further history. We have no right to comment on the details, but after Victory we will certainly share what the legislation and the military regulations allow
To our soldiers we wish you the best of luck
God and Truth are with you, brothers

Russian Army breaks through enemy defenses in Ugledar, marines fight in urban areas
▪️”The dachas (eastern outskirts of Ugledar) are fully controlled by our marines, the DShB knocked out the enemy and cleared out the strongholds, cut the highway,” voin_dv reports.
▪️”It is worth noting that help is coming to our guys regularly, the 155th artillery is jamming the enemy as it should be, and the command of the brigade is doing everything possible to save the lives of our fighters and complete the task,” said a fighter with a call sign Bazalt.
▪️The assault action is supported by the army and tactical aviation.

Combat Operational Report for January 25, 2023, from Vladislav Ugolny

Briefly: fighting on the flanks of Artyomovsk, the Russian offensive on Ugledar.

1—Belarusian border – no changes.

2—Slobozhansk direction: incidents continue on both sides of the state border. The densest cluster is between the Kursk and Sumy regions.

3—Oskol frontline: the front line is unchanged, the main points of tension are still the same: Novoselovskoye, Ploshchanka – Chervonopopovka, Chervonaya Dubrova and the forested areas surrounding it.

4—Artyomovsk direction: there have been no changes around Seversk. Between Soledar and Artyomovsk the cracking of the Ukrainian defense along the Blagodatnoye – Paraskoviyivka – Krasnaya Gora – the “Stupka station” district of Artyomovsk continues.

Earlier the Russian Army’s traversing of the Bakhmutka river was confirmed. In Artyomovsk itself, there has been an advance along the Patrice Lumumba Street, with the Russians advancing west of the Trubny Stavok (lake in Artyomovsk). South of Artyomovsk, the AFU is trying to slow down the Russian advance to Krasny with counter-attacks.

5—Donetsk direction: front line unchanged, still waiting for visual confirmation of our advance at Vodyanoye.

6—Zaporozhye direction: the third attempt to capture Ugledar is progressing more successfully than in the past. After capturing the Nikolskoye cottage/dacha sector today, the Russians occupied the Uglegorsk dachas, which are on the road between Ugledar itself and its two mines. This is a key road for supplies.

From Pavlovka the Russians advanced northward, traversing the river and occupying the cowsheds and grain elevator, with a further advance on the southwestern edge of Ugledar.

To the west, near Velikaya Novoselka, Gulyai Pole and Orekhov, artillery pressure on the enemy continues. Kamenskoye is still in the gray zone.

7—The front along the Dnieper River: the front line is unchanged, the AFU has intensified attempts to send DRGs across the Dnieper to the Novaya Kakhovka area.

Top News Today

💥 In Kupyansk direction, Assault, Army Aviation, and artillery of the Western group of forces have neutralised (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5914) AFU units near Masyutovka, Kupyansk, Gryanikovka (Kharkov region), and Novosyolovskoye (LPR).

💥 In Krasny Liman direction, Army Aviation and artillery of the Central group of forces have neutralised (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5914) the concentrations of enemy manpower and hardware near Stelmakhovka (LPR), Serebryanka, and Yampolovka (DPR).

💥 In Donetsk direction, units from the Southern group of forces continued their successful offensive operations (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5914), and neutralised the enemy near Zaliznyanskoye, Dubovo-Vasilevka, Seversk, and Pobeda (DPR).

💥 In Zaporozhye direction, the Eastern group of forces has taken more advantageous lines and positions (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5914) within their offensive operations.

💥 In Kherson direction, the enemy’s attempt to cross the Dnepr River for disembarking (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5914) sabotage and reconnaissance groups to the left bank has been prevented by artillery near Dnepryany (Kherson region).

⚓ Frigate Admiral Gorshkov has conducted an exercise (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5913) dedicated to launching hypersonic missiles in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Medvedev: The Kiev regime will soon be completely landlocked

The Kiev regime will soon be without access to the sea, wrote the Deputy President of the Security Council of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, commenting on the announcement that Ukraine had requested a German submarine.

“Now some idiot has declared that they need planes and…submarines.  Okay, planes are kind of self-explanatory.  True, there are practically no normal runways, and we closed the Ukrainian skies.  And now submarines are a serious matter.  Especially considering that the Kiev regime will soon have no sea at all.  Then they will have to sit in a boat in the middle of the Dnieper, learning to play the immortal (Beatles song) ‘Yellow Submarine’ with the musical guardians.  Although the submarine will be, obviously, yellow-blue,” wrote Medvedev on his Telegram channel.

Lukashenko on Ukraine’s proposal to conclude a non-aggression pact: “On the one hand, they ask us not to go to war with Ukraine in any case, not to move our troops there. They offer us to conclude a non-aggression pact. And on the other hand, they are preparing this rattlesnake mixture and arming the fighters.”
Has the narco-fuehrer decided to follow in the footsteps of the first narco-fuehrer?

Scott Ritter – Geopolitical and Military Analysis of the Ukraine War

UKRAINIAN STRATEGIC DEFENSE LINES BULGING AT SEAMS ON DONBASS FRONT

Russian invasion of Ukraine [25 Jan 2023] ‘Today’ -Leopards to Ukraine

Spetnaz Spotters With Artillery

Kiev Threatens To Strike Russian Cities. US Navy SEAL KIA In Bakhmut.

Putin simulates hypersonic Zircon missile after ‘sailing towards U.S.’

RT News | Livestream 24/7