1. Russia 'not ' in absorbing Belarus, says Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned on Monday that his nation “has no curiosity” in absorbing Belarus, its closest ally.
"Russia has little interest in absorbing anybody," mentioned Putin throughout a press convention together with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. "It simply would not make sense."
But the Russian chief introduced the pair held "substantial" talks on strengthening their cooperation in "all areas", particularly defence.
They'll collectively manufacture and ship arms, in addition to different "widespread measures" to make sure their safety, he mentioned.
Russia may also proceed to coach Belarusian servicemen to fly Soviet-designed Belarusian plane able to deploying nuclear bombs.
Belarus is Russia's principal regional ally and Russian forces used its territory to invade Ukraine in the beginning of the warfare.
The 2 leaders met for talks on Monday as Russian troops put together to conduct workouts in Belarus. This has brought about nerves in Kyiv that the nation might once more function a base for a renewed assault on Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has mentioned Ukraine is prepared for all attainable defence eventualities in opposition to Moscow and its ally.
"Defending our border, each with Russia and Belarus -- is our fixed precedence," Zelenskyy mentioned after a gathering on Sunday of Ukraine's prime navy command. "We're making ready for all attainable defence eventualities."
Officers in Kyiv have warned for months that neighbouring Belarus -- considered one of Russia's closest allies -- might be a part of Russian forces and serve once more as a launching pad for a brand new assault to kind a second entrance within the months-long warfare.
Belarus allowed its territory for use as a launchpad for Moscow's February 24 invasion of Ukraine however has not joined the preventing straight. Lukashenko has mentioned repeatedly he has no intention of sending his nation's troops into Ukraine.
Russian troops that have been moved to Belarus in October will conduct battalion tactical workouts, the Russian Interfax information company reported, citing the Russian defence ministry.
2. Moscow rejects claims that Putin is pushing Belarus to enter the battle
Moscow has denied that Putin’s go to to Belarus was to push Minsk to interact extra straight within the Ukraine warfare, the RIA Novosti information company mentioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed such stories have been "groundless" and "silly".
Putin’s Minsk go to is his first there in over three years.
The Kremlin describes the Russian president's journey, his first to Belarus for 3 and a half years, as a broad "working go to".
3. Moscow unleashes ‘kamikaze’ drones on Kyiv
Russia launched a "kamikaze" drone assault on Monday, hitting key infrastructure in and across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Within the third Russian air assault on Kyiv in six days, the Ukrainian Air Drive reported that its air defences shot down 30 of 35 incoming drones.
Since October, Russia has been attacking key Ukrainian infrastructure and its energy grid, inflicting widespread blackouts amid frigid winter climate situations.
Nobody has died or been wounded in Monday's assaults, Kyiv's mayor mentioned in accordance with preliminary info.
"Air defence programs are at work within the area," Oleksiy Kuleba, governor of the Kyiv area mentioned on Telegram. "Keep in shelters and secure locations till the alarm is over. Deal with your self and your family members."
A number of loud blasts have been heard, but it surely was not instantly clear whether or not they have been air defence programs destroying the drones or drones hitting their targets.
4. Zelenskyy asks Western leaders for extra weapons
Zelenskyy on Monday requested Western leaders assembly in Latvia, together with UK PM Rishi Sunak, to beef up weapon provides to assist finish the warfare sooner.
Western allies, led by the US, have been supporting Ukraine with funding, navy coaching and weapons, however Kyiv has mentioned nonetheless extra was wanted to permit them to win in opposition to Russia.
"Rather a lot is determined by you - how this warfare will finish. The extra profitable our defence forces are, the sooner the Russian aggression will fail," Zelenskyy mentioned throughout his video hyperlink deal with to leaders of nations within the Joint Expeditionary Drive, a British-led grouping of Northern European states.
"I ask you to extend the potential of supplying air defence programs to our nation, and to assist velocity up the related choices to be taken by our companions," the Ukrainian President mentioned, addressing Sunak.
"A 100% air protect for Ukraine. that may be probably the most profitable stops in opposition to Russian aggression and these things is required proper now," he added.
With out straight addressing the request, Sunak mentioned that the leaders could be "speaking about how greatest” to help Kyiv.
Zelenskyy additionally made a thinly veiled criticism of Germany — which isn't a part of the grouping and never current on the convention — saying "there is no such thing as a clarification" why Ukraine shouldn't be equipped by German-made Leopard tanks.
The Joint Expeditionary Drive is configured to reply swiftly to crises in northern Europe and is made up of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
5. Russian drones fly over Ukrainian nuclear plant, says Energoatom
Ukraine’s atomic power company accused Russia of disregarding nuclear security by sending a "kamikaze" drone over a part of the South Ukraine Nuclear Energy Plant within the Mykolaiv area shortly after midnight on Monday.
Energoatom claimed the Iranian-made Shahed drone had been detected at 00:46 over the station and mentioned it was urging the worldwide nuclear neighborhood to guard atomic websites from the preventing.
"That is a fully unacceptable violation of nuclear and radiation security," Energoatom wrote on Telegram.
Russia at present occupies one other Ukrainian nuclear energy plant, the Zaporizhzhia advanced, Europe's largest, close to entrance traces in Ukraine's southeast. Talks are ongoing to determine a security zone across the plant.
Each side are accusing one another of endangering its security and risking a nuclear incident.
In October, Putin issued a decree transferring the Zaporizhzhia plant from Energoatom to a subsidiary of Rosatom, a transfer Kyiv described as amounting to theft.
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