kyiv announces the delivery of a first British helicopter; Berlin singled out after its refusal to supply its Leopard tanks

Cover image: A woman pauses to look at Ukrainian flags placed in memory of those killed in the war near Independence Square in kyiv on January 20, 2023. Daniel Cole / AP

kyiv lamented on Saturday “indecision” Westerners on deliveries of heavy tanks while some of its European allies have criticized Germany frontally, after its refusal to supply its Leopard tanks to Ukraine, when the Russians are on the offensive.
At Ramstein, the fifty or so countries represented had not agreed on Friday on sending heavy tanks to kyiv. Quoted by The Voice of America, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, however, said that Ukrainian soldiers would soon train on Leopards in Poland.
Mr Reznikov announced on Saturday that he had received the UK’s first Sea King helicopter« an important reinforcement for the Ukrainian Navy”. He did not say how many had been delivered, but London pledged in November to supply kyiv with three helicopters.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Sunday au journal national dominical national picture on sunday that he was planning to visit Ukraine soon, “probably within the next four weeks”.
On Saturday, the Russian army claimed to have carried out “offensive operations” in Zaporizhia Oblast (southern Ukraine)which made it possible to take “ more advantageous lines and positions”without providing further details.
Russia also announced that it had conducted air defense exercises in the vicinity of Moscow. to protect its critical infrastructure in the event of“air attacks”against the background of the conflict with Ukraine.
RT France, the French branch of the Russian channel RT suspended in the European Union, announced on Saturday its ” closing “ the day after his bank accounts were frozen. Moscow has promised to take retaliatory measures against French media in Russia.