Live – Ukraine: Five governors and four deputy ministers sacked

Corruption is corruption

The government announced on Tuesday that five regional governors and four Ukrainian deputy ministers had been removed from their posts.

According to Taras Melnytchouk, a government representative in parliament, the governors of Dnipropetrovsk (center), Zaporijjia (south), Sumy (north), Kherson (south) and the capital Kyiv will leave their posts. The Deputy Minister of Defense, the Minister of Social Policy and the Deputy Ministers of Regional Development have both been sacked.

Warsaw increases the pressure

Poland’s defense minister has announced that he has asked Germany for an agreement to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to advance on the ground.

“Germany has already received our request,” Minister Mariusz Blaszak said on Twitter, and appealed to Berlin to join the “coalition of countries supporting Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.”

“nothing”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Preskov said the delivery of German tanks to Ukraine “is not good for Russian-German relations” as Germany is under pressure to concede. According to him, verification of tank supplies “will leave an indelible mark”.

The Ukrainians were trained in the use of Panther tanks

Germany’s defense minister said allies looking to supply Panther tanks to Kyiv could start ‘training’ Ukrainians as Germany comes under pressure to allow the tanks to be donated to Ukraine.

The solution for tanks?

The NATO chief said there were “no signs” that Russia had changed its “intentions” as the Russian offensive continued in eastern Ukraine. Regarding tanks claimed by Ukraine, but whose donation must be verified by Germany, which has yet to respond, Jens Stoltenberg said he was “hopeful” and ruled that a solution would be found “soon”.

Corruption is corruption

Several senior Ukrainian officials announced their resignations on Tuesday. After reports of alleged purchase of military equipment at inflated prices came to light.

Among the officials who resigned were Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, responsible for logistical support for the armed forces, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kyrillo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko.

Help “win” the war

“We support Ukraine so that it does not fail, so that it wins this war against Russia,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with German television ZDF.

“Germany is doing more for this than any other ally, except the US,” he promised, while the German government should authorize its NATO allies to supply Ukraine with German-made Panther heavy tanks.

Finland without Sweden in NATO?

If the joint membership of the two Nordic countries is still desired, the head of Finnish diplomacy, Bekka Havisto, said on public television Yle, that she does not rule out the option of NATO membership without Sweden.

“Obviously we have to assess the situation if something happens that Sweden can no longer move forward in the long term,” he said shortly after Turkish President Erdogan rejected the green light for the Swedish candidacy from Ankara. Nevertheless, the head of diplomacy ruled that it was “too early to take a stand”.

Update on the situation

On this 335th day of war, you can find all the information related to Russia’s conflict in Ukraine in the last 24 hours in the article below.

Greater border control?

Anyway, the amendments tabled in the Duma go in this direction. According to some, advised by the BBC, anyone leaving Russia or entering Russia should register a specific date and time in advance. If lawmakers approve, the new system will take effect March 1.

Residences under the highest surveillance

Hello everyone, welcome to this new live dedicated to the war in Ukraine. Follow us for updates this Tuesday, January 24.