Newsletter 31/01/2024
Daily news digest
TOP
Ukraine brings home 207 POWs
Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported on Telegram that among those who had been returned from Russian captivity were 95 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 56 National Guard soldiers, 26 border guards, 29 soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces and a representative of the National Police of Ukraine.
Yusov on prisoner swap: Russia did not return POWs who were on exchange list on day of Il-76 crash
Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate said that Ukraine received no evidence that 65 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the crash of a Russian Il-76 plane.
Nuland announces delivery of U.S.-produced bombs to Ukrainian front lines
"Ukrainian defenders have liberated more than 50% of the territory that Russia tried to seize after February 22. Your defenders have inflicted massive damages on Putin's land forces and on the Black Sea Fleet, pushing his ships off the coast. And that in turn has helped Ukraine's economy grow. 4% to 5% at the end of last year and into this year – something that countries around the world should envy," Nuland stressed, noting the restoration of grain exports to the pre-war level.
Ukraine, U.S. sign memo on strengthening control over defense aid
During the meeting, the Chief Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Defense Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening cooperation in the field of monitoring the use of security assistance, Ukrinform reports with reference to the MoD press service.
EU to provide EUR 21B in military aid to Ukraine this year - Borrell
In the two years since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the European Union and its member states have provided Ukraine with EUR 28 billion worth of military equipment, weapons and ammunition, but this year the amount of such aid will reach EUR 21 billion.
War
Russia using North Korean artillery rounds in war against Ukraine - defense intel
"Yes, we can confirm that if we are talking about artillery rounds, such cooperation between the two regimes is being documented. North Korea has already delivered a significant part of artillery rounds to Russia. Some of them have already been used and are being used in the war against Ukraine," said Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine’s defense intelligence.
Russia can produce from 100 tanks each month - ISW
Russia’s sole tank manufacturer UralVagonZavod reportedly produced 20 tanks per month as of March 2023. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev claimed in March 2023 that Russia’s DIB could produce 1,500 main battle tanks in 2023, which suggests an average production of 125 tanks per month.
Defense
Germany hands over another defense aid package to Ukraine
The latest delivery includes 24 armored personnel carriers (the same number as delivered previously), four Bandvagn 206 (BV206) multi-purpose tracked vehicles (previously the Armed Forces received 69 of these), a BIBER bridge-layer with spare parts (14 units are already in use), three WISENT 1 mine-clearing tanks (in total, Ukraine already has 19 of these), and 14 minesweepers (previously, 11 were transferred).
Politics
Convention on racial discrimination: UN Court rejects most of Ukraine's claims against Russia
Earlier, the International Court of Justice ruled that Russia has failed to fulfill its obligations to investigate cases of terrorist financing and individuals who may have financed terrorism. At the same time, the court found that Russia had not violated other clauses of the Convention, which were mentioned in the Ukrainian lawsuit.
This means that the International Court of Justice partially found Russia guilty of violating the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.
Economy
European Commission proposes to prolong trade liberalization for Ukraine, Moldova
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday that the Autonomous Trade Measures in relation to the goods produced in Ukraine and Moldova be extended for another year, which implies continued liberalization of trade between the European Union and both countries.
‘Economic visa-free regime’ for another year: Ukraine hopes for approval by Council of the EU
The European Commission has proposed to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the EU until June 2025, and Kyiv hopes that this decision will be approved by the Council of the European Union.
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