Russia-Ukraine War Briefing - The New York Times, Jan 25, 2023

The New York Times, Jan 25, 2023 

By Carole Landry Editor/Writer, Briefings Team

Welcome to the Russia-Ukraine War Briefing, your guide to the latest news and analysis about the conflict.

Ukraine said that its forces had retreated from Soledar, bringing Russian forces closer to the eastern city of Bakhmut. Several top Ukrainian officials including a deputy defense minister were fired amid a growing corruption scandal. The U.S. will boost its production of artillery shells by 500 percent within two years to make up for shortfalls caused by the war. A cemetery used by the Russian mercenary group Wagner has grown rapidly in size over the past several months, according to satellite imagery and video footage. Get the latest updates here.

A U.S. Abrams tank during military exercises in Poland in 2016.David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters

Tanks, finally

Germany and the U.S. announced today that they would send battle tanks to Ukraine, a move meant to unlock a wave of heavier aid to help Ukrainian forces beat back Russian forces.

President Biden spoke just hours after Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany would send an initial shipment of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and lift export restrictions to allow other nations to send their own.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said the U.S. would provide 31 Abrams tanks, addressing Germany’s insistence that it would not supply the weaponry unless the U.S. did the same.

In recent weeks, the dispute with Germany had turned bitter, exposing divisions within NATO. Some German politicians and European leaders argued that Berlin was squandering a chance for leadership in Europe and actively hindering its allies.

While the pledges fell far short of the 300 tanks that Ukraine had said it needed to gain a decisive upper hand on the battlefield, Germany’s announcement prompted Finland, the Netherlands and Spain to say that they would also send tanks to Ukraine or were open to doing so.

Poland said yesterday that it was seeking Germany’s permission to send Leopard tanks from its own stocks. Britain has pledged to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks.

With Germany finally on board, attention turned to getting the tanks to the front lines quickly. It could take months for the first Leopard to arrive on the battlefield, and a year or longer for the Abrams.

A German Leopard 2 tank in 2011.Michael Sohn/Associated Press

“Sending the armor has the potential to be a game-changer,” said Daniel Fried, a former U.S. ambassador to Poland. “But it depends on when they get there. If you add up the tanks, plus the Bradleys, plus the German Marders, plus the French armored vehicles — once they all get there and are integrated into the Ukrainian forces, the Ukrainians are going to have a lot more punch.”

The Pentagon had been reluctant to send Abrams tanks, in part because they are challenging to operate and maintain. The Leopard 2 is a natural choice for Ukraine because it is easier to operate and there are already hundreds potentially available in Europe.

After Ukraine’s Russian-made tanks were destroyed or disabled in combat, there were fewer replacements to be found, my colleague John Ismay, who covers the Pentagon, told me.

Along with the deliveries of Abrams and Leopard tanks, “NATO nations also have stockpiles of ammunition and spare parts that Ukrainian troops can use to keep them engaged in combat against Russian forces,” he said.

Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergey Nechayev, warned that Germany’s move was an “extremely dangerous decision” that “takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation.”

The decision by the U.S. and Germany will generate enough tanks for about three new Ukrainian battalions. Western officials say that providing tanks and other heavy weaponry to Ukraine will prevent a long and static war that could favor Russia’s military.

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In Ukraine

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, writes in Politico that the mistakes of previous cease-fire deals with Russia must be avoided to prevent an even bloodier war. Ukrainians have donated about $500 million directly to the army. Two British volunteers were killed while trying to rescue an elderly woman in Soledar, the BBC reported. Fifteen journalists were killed in Ukraine in 2022, according to a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists. Foreign Affairs asked experts whether Ukraine would end up making territorial concessions to Russia.

Around the world

Swiss lawmakers are weighing whether to relax their policy of neutralityand allow countries to provide Swiss-made armaments to Ukraine. The Spanish police have arrested a 74-year-old man on suspicion of carrying out a letter bomb campaign that targeted several offices including the U.S. and Ukrainian embassies. Turkey has indefinitely postponed a meeting with Finland and Sweden to discuss their bid to join NATO. Russia and Estonia downgraded relations and each ordered the other’s ambassador out of the country. Latvia said that it, too, would downgrade relations with Russia. Russia’s invasion shook up Radio Free Europe’s operations, bringing in new audiences and highlighting the importance of its mission. The Doomsday Clock was set to the closest to midnight it had ever reached, largely because of Russia’s invasion. The U.S. has confronted China with evidence that some Chinese state-owned companies may be providing assistance for Russia’s war effort, Bloomberg reports.

We also recommend

From Opinion: A U.S. Special Forces soldier writes about the U.S.-trained Afghan commandos who have been recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine. A collection of five episodes from “The Daily” looks back on the war.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back Friday. — Carole

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