Ukraine denies firing its commander-in-chief. Meanwhile, the pressure on Olaf Scholz is increasing. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
Switzerland sends Leopard 2 tanks to Germany
7:08 p.m.: Switzerland has handed over the first nine of a total of 25 Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks to the manufacturer Rheinmetall. The Swiss government said the tanks were transported by train. The remaining leopards followed suit by Wednesday.
Last week, German Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius assured that the tanks would remain in Germany or other NATO and EU countries and would not be delivered to Ukraine.
Russian military aircraft flies over Rügen
7:02 p.m.: A Russian Ilyushin 20 reconnaissance aircraft was once again spotted over the Baltic Sea flying without a recognition signal. According to the Air Force, this triggered the start of the alarm squad at the Laage Air Base in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Tuesday. The Russian military aircraft was “identified in international airspace off Rügen and briefly accompanied before it turned back east,” according to a statement from the Air Force on Platform X (formerly Twitter). The plane was flying without a transponder signal. There had already been an almost identical incident in April 2023.
The alarm squad usually consists of two Eurofighters that rise within minutes to check possible threats or, if necessary, ward them off. However, the mutual checks are largely routine.
Report: Zelensky wants to replace commander-in-chief
4:41 p.m.: According to a newspaper report, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj wants to replace the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army. Zelensky offered Valery Zalushny another job on Monday, but the general declined, the Financial Times reported, citing four people familiar with the matter. On Monday, the Defense Ministry denied rumors that Saluzhny had been fired.
Russian Minister: Doubled production of ammunition for anti-aircraft defense
3:31 p.m.: According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russia has doubled the production of missiles for its anti-aircraft systems. According to his ministry, Shoigu said this while inspecting defense factories in the city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals. The production of launch pads for the S-300 and Buk anti-aircraft systems has also been increased. They should be put into service in 2024. The minister did not give exact production figures.
The Russian air defense system had recently shown weaknesses in operations against incoming Ukrainian drones. Drone hits damaged a liquid gas terminal on the Baltic Sea and an oil refinery on the Black Sea.
According to the Interfax agency, Shoigu had also inspected the production of two weapons systems against which Ukraine could hardly defend itself. These are the Iskander surface-to-surface missiles and the Kalibr ship-launched cruise missiles. The Iskanders in particular, which strike with practically no warning, have inflicted heavy losses on Ukraine on several occasions.
Orbán promises agreement in the dispute over EU-Ukraine aid
1:19 p.m.: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has signaled a concession in the dispute over a 50 billion euro financial aid package from the European Union for Ukraine. Hungary is ready to take part in an agreement between the 27 EU member states if it is guaranteed that a decision will be made every year whether this money will flow or not, Orbán tells the French magazine “Le Point”. “And this annual decision must have the same legal basis as today: it must be unanimous.” Orbán blocked an agreement on the financial aid package at the EU summit in December. It should be back on the table at the next EU summit on Thursday.
Forecast: Russia’s war economy is stalling
12:06 p.m.: According to a forecast, the Russian economy, fueled by the arms boom, can no longer continue its rapid growth. “It is now operating at the limit of its capacity and is showing increasing signs of overheating,” says the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW). According to the think tank specializing in Eastern Europe, the economy expanded by 3.5 percent last year. Because of high inflation and key interest rates that have been raised to 16 percent, the WIIW expects growth of just 1.5 percent this year.
