STRAIGHT. War in Ukraine: Polish and Slovak aircraft delivered to Kyiv will be “destroyed”, Kremlin says

The video of bogged down tanks was actually from 2022… in Sweden.

The video of the bogged down Leopold 2 tanks has been a lot of hype on social media in recent weeks.

Then several Western countries delivered or promised Leopard tanks to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion. “Many Internet users in the comments conclude that these shots were filmed in Ukraine and show armored vehicles supplied by Westerners, calling them “Poisoned Gift” and ensuring thatRussia will win. AFP reports. According to AFP Factual, the agency’s fact-checking service, it will actually be a video taken during training in 2022… in Sweden. Through a reverse image search, the agency was able to determine the location and context: a demining exercise in a designated area.

AFP has already verified an old photograph “which erroneously claimed that the first Leopard tank delivered to Ukraine was destroyed in March 2023.”

Avdiivka reportedly suffered four airstrikes

According to Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, four airstrikes were carried out on the city of Avdiivka, north of Donetsk. “City checkpoints are maintained 24 hours a day,” he says. “The battle for Avdiivka continues.”

German chancellor reflects on post-war Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Kyiv would need “security guarantees” after the end of the war, although he warned Ukraine and its allies to prepare for a “protracted” conflict. “The discussion about the form of these guarantees has been going on for months,” he said in a lengthy interview with business newspaper Handelsblatt on Friday about the panic in the financial markets. “But for this, there must first be a cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Russian troops,” the German leader continued, adding that “all other issues follow from this.”

Russian aluminum giant in trouble

Russian aluminum giant Rusal announced on Friday that its net profit has fallen by almost 45% in 2022 due to “higher production costs” caused by general inflation in the world, unprecedented pressure and restrictions in 2022” and “an urgent need to find new suppliers and reorganized supply chains, resulting in a 30.2% increase in manufacturing costs,” the group added to justify these results.

Rusal says it was particularly affected by Australia’s “decision to no longer export alumina” to Russia, which accounted for 20% of the group’s demand before the conflict in Ukraine.

Poland donated four aircraft to Ukraine – an important step in supporting the West

“This is a new step in Western military support for Ukraine,” Le Monde notes. Indeed, for the first time, a NATO member country provided Kyiv with fighter jets. These four MiG-29 fighter-bombers could be “quickly handed over to Kyiv pilots who are accustomed to flying planes inherited from Soviet times,” the newspaper continues.

Russia seeks to “restore its offensive potential” while waiting for supplies and troops

The UK Department of Defense, in its daily report published on Twitter, believes that “Russia has one of the lowest rates of local offensive action ever recorded since at least January 2023.” In his note, he believes that this is likely due to the fact that Russian forces “temporarily exhausted the combat power of formations deployed to such an extent that even local offensive actions are currently not sustainable”, concluding that “the leaders of the Russians, likely to seek to restore the force’s offensive capability after resupplying personnel and ammunition.”

Turkey must ratify Finland’s NATO membership

President Erdogan will meet with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö on Friday afternoon, Turkish Anadolu news agency reported. The Turkish president has said he plans to “fulfill” a promise made to Finland regarding its candidacy for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Finland’s membership should allow the alliance to start guarding the area around the Baltic Sea to protect its Baltic members, who are often seen as potential targets of Russian aggression. The inclusion of Finland in the alliance would double the length of NATO’s border with Russia, which now accounts for only 6% of Russia’s land perimeter.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss their “strategic cooperation” next week

The visit, confirmed this morning by Putin, will take place on March 20-22. The two leaders are expected to discuss “deepening the all-round partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China,” including “in the international arena,” the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that “important bilateral documents will be signed.”

A few months earlier, the Russian president had visited the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Xi and Putin then declared their “boundless” friendship.

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