More Ukrainian Corruption Is Dealt With
Putin talks of facing German tanks again as a response German permitting Leopard tanks being re-exported to Ukraine
Day 344 (2 February)
Russian soldiers who have resigned from the army and who have defected have provided evidence of the alleged war crimes that Russians committed in Ukraine. This includes photos, testimonies in specific areas, and what methods of torture were used consistent with injuries. What this tells us is that there are Russians who do not want this war and who do not believe in it, which is why it must end so that the Russians who seek peace can have a chance at life.
In Russia, it was the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad (Volgograd) where Putin used it as an opportunity to spread further propaganda. He claimed Russia was to face German tanks again after Germany approved the re-exportation of German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. It also gave him an opportunity to claim Ukraine was full of Nazis. If only Germany hadn’t hesitated on what was inevitable, then Putin would not have these propaganda opportunities. Putin also made a claim that he would not hesitate to use weapons other than armoured hardware. Some might interpret that as a nuclear threat.
Russia attacks at least 9 regions today. Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhzia, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
The SBU have detained an official in Odesa accused of accepting bribes for land from businessmen.
The SBU have also detained five suspects who are said to have sold food products at inflated prices to the Defence of Ministry. This includes a military officer who is alleged to have kept black books, other military personnel, and representatives of the companies that supplied the goods.
In Kyiv, the sacked deputy defence minister was remanded. Vyacheslav Shapovalov was in charge of army logistics and resigned the day before he was charged with allegations of corruption.
More corruption—the accountant for Kostyantyn Zhevago’s company Ferrexpo has been charged with tax evasion and forgery. Zhevago was arrested in Paris, but is out on bail of €1 million.
Four Russian diplomats are to be expelled from Austria. Two are to be expelled from the Russian Embassy for actions that are no compatible with their diplomatic status, and the other two are diplomats of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN, whose actions are contrary to those agreed with the UN. They must leave by 8 February 2023, and the Russian Foreign Ministry has not made a comment on the move. According to the Austrians, these are high ranking officials involved in technical intelligence gathering which endangers the security of the country.
We are at a point where allied countries can no longer hesitate in supplying weapons. Nor can countries push Ukraine to settle for a peace deal, which appears to be what some countries are still hoping for. They say they will not demand Ukraine to make a deal, but they would not oppose such a move either.
Day 345 (3 February)
Germany has agreed to send in 88 old Leopard 1 tanks once they have been repaired and made fit to use. This is in addition to the 14 leopard 2 tanks agreed last week.
The EU-Ukraine summit is held in Kyiv as air raid sirens sound across the country as leaders from the EU arrive in Kyiv for discussions on Ukrainian membership in the EU, and also further sanctions to be made against Russia and now Belarus
The next round of sanctions are to target technology that is found in Russian missiles and drones, which could originate from other countries such as Iran
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Up to 40 countries could boycott the 2024 Olympics as Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia collectively rejected the IOC's proposal to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete in the Olympics under a neutral flag. The US has expressed concerns over permitting Russians an Belarusians from competing, and there is a suggestion that a coalition will be created to boycott the games which would make them pointless. The IOC has criticised the comments and said that boycotting the games only harms the athletes. There is a meeting on 10 February with the National Olympic Committees of the various countries who have concerns. The IOC has said that if a NOC boycotts the games, it violates the Olympic charter as all countries are obliged to send athletes. I think they are confusing the issue here because there is a potential World War that countries are trying to prevent, so a ‘violation’ of the Olympic charter is irrelevant when the NATO and UN charters have been breached and that has resulted in war crimes and deaths.
It was a positive meeting where EU leaders were confident that Ukraine would become a member of the EU within a couple of years after making progress with recommended reforms.. Other countries such as North Macedonia and Albania have been waiting for years, and Ukraine appears to be given special treatment. however, the position is a unique one where it needs EU funding to be rebuilt, and also it needs EU protection to prevent any further invasions. As Ukraine borders several prominent EU borders, it is in the interests of the EU to have Ukraine as a member.
The recent anti-corruption drive has shown that Ukraine will do what is necessary to be an EU member, and Zelenskyy has dismissed many from his own government in order to achieve this.
Reports claim that North Korea is to send personnel to Donetsk and Luhansk for reconstruction purposes. The alleged claim is that those selected will be married men between 19-27 years of age, and this is to ensure they are strong, fit, and because they are married possibly with children, they will be less likely to defect or surrender.
The EU has stated they they intend to use the frozen assets from sanctioned Russians to help pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
In retaliation, Russia has stated they will confiscate Ukrainian assets in occupied Crimea as a ‘nationalist’ move. This will include banks, property, and other infrastructure.
The Office of the Prosecutor General is issuing charges against the head of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, where the charges will include encroaching on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and waging an aggressive war. The punishment would be up to 15 years in prison or even life imprisonment.
More corruption unravelled. the SBU have detained the deputy head of the Central Military Medical Commission of the Ministry of Defence for bribery. He took bribes from conscripts of $5,000 in exchange for a certificate claiming that they were unfit for service to avoid being mobilised.
The new Czech president, Petr Pavel has stated that the West should give Ukraine whatever weapons they need except for nuclear weapons, stating that Ukraine needed aerial vehicles in order to defend itself against Russia.
Lithuanians donate €1 million to buy radars for Ukraine.