Russo-Ukrainian war, day 685: German defense company builds military repair hub in Ukraine to facilitate servicing of Leopards

Exclusives

Media: Supplier for Ukraine’s army acquires Croatian hotels. One of Ukrainian defense contractors supplying food to Ukraine’s military inflated egg prices, and used profits to buy luxury hotels abroad, Ukrainian journalists revealed.

Military

German FFG defense company builds military repair hub in Ukraine. This facility aims to repair various German military equipment currently used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, like Leopard 1A5 tanks.

Drones hit oil depot, energy facility in Russia’s Oryol. The drones reportedly hit the Oryolnefteprodukt oil depot and the building of an Oryolenergo energy provider.

ISW: Western air defense supplies remain crucial for Ukraine as Russia adapting to current capabilities. As Ukraine strives to expand domestic defense production over time for self-reliance, sustained Western aid supplying air defense systems remains essential now to protect facilities from Russian attacks, according to ISW.

As of 09 Jan 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 365990 (+820)
    • Tanks: 6036 (+5)
    • APV: 11203 (+9)
    • Artillery systems: 8672 (+6)
    • MLRS: 954 (+1)
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 638
    • Aircraft: 329
    • Helicopters: 324
    • UAV: 6823 (+1)
    • Cruise missiles : 1805 (+18)
    • Warships/boats: 23
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 11552 (+10)

Intelligence and technology

German FFG defense company builds military repair hub in Ukraine. This facility aims to repair various German military equipment currently used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, like Leopard 1A5 tanks.

Ukraine to launch production of microchips and components for high-precision weapons. Ukraine plans to launch a network of chip companies by 2024 to restore the domestic microelectronics industry and produce missile parts, targeting a capacity of 50,000 chips monthly by 2025, officials said.

International

Estonia to allocate GDP’s 0.25% to Ukraine’s defense in next four years. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has pledged to provide military aid to Ukraine equal to 0.25% of the country’s GDP for the next four years, urging other nations to match this level of support.

US-Ukraine online meeting focuses on economic boost for Ukraine. Ukraine’s economic resilience amidst Russian aggression was a pivotal point of discussion in the talks between US and Ukrainian officials.

Zelenskyy, Duda discuss Ukraine-Poland defense cooperation, Ukraine’s EU aspirations. “Our common border should be a true European border. A border of unity. There should be no borders between our people,” Zelenskyy said.

Sweden provides $ 4.8 mn to NATO assistance fund for Ukraine. Sweden is contributing $4.8 million to NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) Trust Fund for Ukraine, aimed at procuring military aid for projects already determined but lacking funding.

White House officials meet on accessing advanced US battlefield tech to boost Ukraine defense. White House officials met for five hours with American technology and defense industry executives about accessing drones, demining equipment and other technologies to bolster Ukraine’s defense against Russian invasion.

Humanitarian and social impact

Intel: Russia intensifies forced mobilization in occupied territories of Ukraine. Virtually all men aged 18 to 65, and often even 16 and 17-year-old teenagers, are under threat of forced mobilization, with Moscow compelling them to join the occupying army, GUR reported.

Political and legal developments

Russian billionaire family exploits EU sanctions loopholes to support Russian military – investigation. KAMAZ, a Russian truck manufacturer supplying vehicles for Russia’s war against Ukraine, acquires spare parts from Austria through relatives of its owner Sergey Kogogin, who are still not subject to EU sanctions

Politico: Hungary may lift veto on EU’s four-year Ukraine aid package if aid disbursed and approved yearly. Hungary says it may lift its veto over the €50 billion EU financial assistance package for Ukraine if the aid is disbursed and reviewed each year, granting Orbán influence to block funding annually.

Ex-Donetsk prison ward who hid in Kyiv for two years to spend 11 years in jail for torturing Ukrainians. Former chief of Russian-run Donetsk prison has been sentenced to 15 years for overseeing torture of Ukrainian prisoners, but denies committing atrocities despite victim accounts of abuse on his orders.

New developments

Media: Ukrainian hackers leave part of Moscow without internet access. Ukrainian hackers allegedly tied to security services attacked a Moscow internet provider, erasing 20TB of data and websites, disrupting internet access; called it a “warm-up” attack before a bigger one in revenge for a hack on a Ukraine telecom, as per security source.

Read our earlier daily review here.

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