Because the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its 342nd day, we check out the principle developments.
Right here is the scenario because it stands on Tuesday, January 31, 2023:
Preventing
- Russian missiles have killed three individuals within the southern Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson, whereas combating rages within the japanese Donetsk area the place Russia once more shelled the important thing city of Vuhledar, Ukrainian officers mentioned.
- Russia has moved further forces and tools to its western Kursk area on the border with Ukraine, in line with the area’s governor.
Weapons:
- President Emmanuel Macron has mentioned France doesn’t exclude sending fighter jets to Ukraine, supplied such tools won’t be used “to the touch Russian soil” or “weaken the capacities of the French military”.
- Norway will ship a part of its fleet of German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine “as quickly as potential”, maybe by late March, its defence minister mentioned.
- Croatia’s president has criticised Western nations for supplying Ukraine with heavy tanks and different weapons, saying such arms deliveries will solely lengthen the conflict.
- France and Australia have agreed to cooperate to fabricate “a number of thousand” 155mm shells to assist Ukraine.
- Tanks supplied by the UK to Ukraine might be on the entrance line earlier than summer time, defence minister Ben Wallace mentioned.
- Ukraine’s navy will spend practically $550m on drones this yr, and 16 provide offers have already been signed with Ukrainian producers, the defence minister mentioned.
- Russia’s deputy overseas minister says it’s “fairly potential” the New START nuclear arms management treaty with the USA would finish after 2026.

Diplomacy:
- Ukraine’s president says he met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen within the southern Ukrainian area of Mykolaiv and mentioned the impact of Russian missile and drone strikes with regional officers.
- Finland’s overseas minister says it’s sustaining its plan to affix NATO similtaneously Nordic neighbour Sweden regardless of a potential Turkish block on the latter’s bid.
- NATO Secretary-Normal Jens Stoltenberg has urged South Korea to extend navy assist to Ukraine, citing different international locations which have modified their coverage of not offering weapons to international locations in battle following Russia’s invasion.
- The Kremlin has accused Boris Johnson of mendacity after the previous British prime minister mentioned President Vladimir Putin had threatened the UK with a missile assault throughout a cellphone name within the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine.
- Iran has summoned Ukraine’s cost d’affaires in Tehran over feedback by a Ukrainian official on a drone assault on a navy manufacturing facility within the central Iranian province of Isfahan, in line with the semiofficial Tasnim information company.
- Senior Chinese language diplomat Wang Yi is ready to go to Moscow in February, Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper says, citing two sources.
