Russian forces take more advantageous lines during offensive in Donetsk area — top brass

©Defense Ministry's Press Service/TASS

The units of the Southern Group of forces occupied more advantageous lines and positions during the offensive in the Donetsk direction, more than 115 Ukrainian servicemen were killed, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Sunday.

"In the Donetsk direction, during the offensive operations, units of the Southern Group of Forces captured more advantageous lines and positions. The group's missile forces and artillery defeated accumulations of manpower and equipment of the 110th mechanized, 35th and 36th brigades of the Marine Corps of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as of the 118th territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Spornoye, Avdeevka and Krasnogorovka of the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.

According to him, over 115 Ukrainian servicemen, three infantry fighting vehicles, four vehicles, as well as a D-20 howitzer and a D-30 howitzer in the areas of the settlements of Yasnobrodovka and Pobeda of the Donetsk People's Republic were destroyed in a day.

Russian armed forces destroy over 130 servicemen of Ukrainian army in a day

"More than 130 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions as a result of artillery fire and active operations of the Vostok group of troops," Konashenkov said.

Also, according to him, ten pieces of equipment were destroyed.

"Two tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, two armored fighting vehicles, two vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, as well as D-30 and D-20 howitzers were destroyed," he said.

Ukrainian forces lose over 120 servicemen in Krasny Liman area

"In the direction of Krany Liman, as a result of artillery fire and successful offensive operations by units of the Center group of troops, the defeat was inflicted to units of the 25th airborne, 71st chasseurs, 95th airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces and the 27th National Guard Brigade in areas of settlements of Novosadovoye, Yampolovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, Stelmahovka, Chervonaya Dibrova of the Lugansk People's Republic, as well as Serebryansky forestry," Konashenkov said.

According to him, the manpower and equipment of the enemy were eliminated.

"Enemy losses per day in this direction amounted to: over 120 Ukrainian servicemen, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored combat vehicles," Konashenkov said.

Russian armed forces kill up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen in Kupyansk area

"In the Kupyansk direction, artillery fire from the Western group of forces inflicted fire damage on units of the 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka, Ivanovka, Berestovoye of the Kharkov region and Novoselovskoye of the Lugansk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.

According to him, the activities of six sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkov region and the Lugansk People's Republic were curbed.

"Up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored combat vehicle and two vehicles were destroyed," Konashenkov stressed.

Russian air defense systems down 2 drones, 11 Uragan and HIMARS shells

"The air defense systems destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Yegorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic and Alyoshka in the Kherson region. Also, during the day 11 rockets of the Uragan and HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems were shot down in the areas of the settlements of Volnovakha in the Donetsk People's Republic and Tokmak in the Zaporozhye region," Konashenkov said.

Russian armed forces hit 111 artillery units of Ukrainian army "During the day the missile forces and artillery of the groupings of troops of the Russian armed forces inflicted defeat to 111 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 142 districts," Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman added.

Russian army destroys 4,000 artillery pieces, mortars during special operation "In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, (the Russian armed forces) have destroyed: 382 aircraft, 206 helicopters, 3,023 unmanned aerial vehicles, 403 anti-aircraft missile systems, 7,750 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,007 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 4,003 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 8,272 units of special military vehicles," Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman reported.

Ukrainian artillery munitions depot hit by Russian forces near Ugledar "An artillery munitions depot of the Ukrainian army has been struck near the settlement of Ugledar," Konashenkov continued.

'Putin Never Threatened Me or Germany,' Olaf Scholz Says in Wake of Boris Johnson's Missile Claims

Scholz denied Germany’s decision to deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine was a threat to Russia | Maja Hitij/Getty Images

The Kremlin blasted Boris Johnson for “lying” last week after the former prime minister of Britain alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally threatened to take him out in a missile strike during a telephone call.

Vladimir Putin has never threatened Germany or its leadership, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

“No, Putin didn’t threaten me or Germany. During our telephone calls, our very different perspectives on the war in Ukraine have become very clear,” Scholz said in an interview with German media published Sunday when asked to comment on Boris Johnson’s explosive claims.

Scholz said he made “very clear” to the Russian president Berlin’s position that Moscow alone was responsible for the Ukrainian crisis, and that Russia purportedly launched its special military operation “for no reason.” “We cannot simply accept that, because it's a fundamental violation of the European peace order. That is why we support Ukraine financially, through humanitarian aid and also with arms,” Scholz said.

The chancellor’s comments on the absence of threats against Germany by Russia stand at odds with remarks made by Johnson in a documentary which aired last week, in which the former prime minister said that Putin had told him “Boris, I don’t want to hurt you but, with a missile, it would only take a minute or something like that. Jolly.”

Johnson’s tendency to exaggerate, embellish or outright lie to voters, constituents and parliament was a consistent staple of his reputation in his own country, with media even putting together compilations of his “worst lies, gaffes and scandals” after his resignation in disgrace last summer.

The Kremlin responded to Johnson’s Putin ‘missile’ comments with alarm, asking whether the lies were conscious or unconscious, and reiterating that what Putin actually told him was that if Ukraine joined NATO, “the potential deployment of NATO or American missiles at our borders (would) mean that any missile (would be able to) reach Moscow in a matter of minutes.” These comments appear to echo remarks Putin and other Russian officials made publicly before the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis last February.

Tanks for Ukraine

Commenting on Germany’s decision to approve the deployment of Leopard 2 main battle tanks in Ukraine, Scholz dismissed concerns aired by Moscow that the move was a reminder of German panzers in Ukraine during the Second World War, characterizing the latter as “a series of abstruse historical comparisons.” The chancellor assured instead that Berlin was sending “battle tanks to Ukraine so that they can defend themselves,” and that every arms shipment was being “weighed” in coordination with NATO and Washington to prevent the conflict from escalating.

Scholz said there was a “consensus” among Western powers that Ukraine would not use its NATO-provided weapons to attack Russia.

As for Ukraine’s bid for European Union membership, the chancellor said that “every candidate has to meet the necessary criteria” for consideration, including “issues of the rule of law, democracy, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption.” Asked if there could be some kind of special consideration for Kiev in light of the current conflict, Scholz reiterated that “the requirements for joining are the same for everyone.”

Ukraine has faced criticism even among sympathetic Western media for its government’s decisions to ban nearly a dozen so-called ‘pro-Russian’ political parties, consolidate state control over television and print media, and institute a campaign of repression against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, again allegedly over its links to Russia. Ukraine has consistently ranked among the most corrupt countries in Europe, with corruption-related concerns exacerbated amid questions about where the $100+ billion in US and EU aid to Kiev has gone, and evidence that arms sent to help fight Russia have wound up in the hands of criminal gangs in Europe and conflict zones far from Ukraine’s shores

Russian artillery kills 18 servicemen of Ukrainian armed forces in Kherson region

©Defense Ministry's Press Service/TASS

Russian artillery in the Kherson region hit the location of the fighters of the Ukrainian armed forces near the village of Naddnepryanskoye on Saturday.

As a representative of the region's emergency services told TASS on Sunday, 18 servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces were killed and 10 more were injured.

"Yesterday, an artillery strike was carried out at the location of one of the units of the Ukrainian armed forces in the area of Naddnepryanskoye. As a result, the enemy's losses amounted to six units of vehicles, 18 dead soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces. Ten soldiers were injured of varying severity," the representative said.

Also at night, a 120-mm mortar with ammunition and crew was destroyed by artillery fire near the village of Lvovo, two servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces were killed, four were injured.

Two people wounded in Donetsk as a result of shelling by Ukrainian military — militia

Two civilians were wounded in Donetsk on Sunday as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces, the Donetsk Mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of issues related to Ukraine’s war crimes reported.

According to the mission, two men were wounded in the Petrovsky and Kuibyshevsky districts. Earlier on Sunday, the city mayor Aleksey Kulemzin, said that a civilian woman was killed in the shelling in the Petrovsky district.

According to the Donetsk Mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of issues related to Ukraine’s war crimes, Ukrainian security forces have shelled Donetsk twice since Sunday morning, firing a total of eight 155 mm NATO artillery shells into the city. The Kuibyshevsky, Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts of the city came under fire.

Air raid alert in seven regions in central and eastern Ukraine cancelled

The air raid alert declared earlier on Sunday in the central and eastern regions of Ukraine, was canceled after about 30 minutes, according to an official alert resource.

The alert was declared at 08:20 (09:20 Moscow time) in Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkov, Cherkassy and Chernigov regions, as well as the Kiev-controlled part of the Zaporozhye region. At 08:53 (09:53 Moscow time), all-clear signals began to arrive. The last regions - Chernigov and Cherkasy - left the "red zone" at 09:13 (10:13 Moscow time) and 09:12 (10:12 Moscow time).

Wagner founder confirms fierce battles "for every street" in northern parts of Artemovsk

The founder of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed that there are fierce battles literally "for every street" in the northern quarters of Artemovsk (the Ukrainian name is Bakhmut).

©EPA-EFE/OLEG PETRASYUK

"I am clarifying the situation. The Ukrainian armed forces are not retreating. They are fighting up to the last ditch. In the northern quarters of Artemovsk, there are fierce battles for every street, every house, every stairwell," he said. His words are published on his’s press service Telegram Channel.

"Of course, it's nice that the media wish the retreat of the Ukrainian armed forces, but this is not happening either in the northern quarters, or in the south, or in the east," he said, answering a question from journalists about media reports on the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the northern districts of the city.

Earlier, the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin said that Russian forces were systematically working to cut off the supply lines of the Ukrainian group in the Artemovsk region and to pincer it. He also reported that fighting was already taking place on the outskirts of the city, directly in the quarters that had recently been held by Ukrainian units.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel of the People's Militia of the Lugansk People's Republic Andrey Marochko informed that Russian forces had about 10 km to go to close the ring around Artemovsk.

Special operation, February 4th. Main:

63 captured servicemen returned to Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry said

a group of 63 Russian military included persons of a “sensitive category”, the exchange of which became possible thanks to the mediation of the UAE authorities, the Ministry of Defense also reported

The Russian Federation does not set itself any restrictions when responding to attacks, depending on the nature of the threats, Russia is ready to use all types of weapons, Medvedev said

A number of British officials opposed the transfer of NLAW missile systems to Ukraine, not wanting to provoke Russia, Johnson said

more than 8,000 residents of new regions of the Russian Federation daily apply for the issuance of Russian passports, RIA Novosti was told in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation

Ukrainian troops were knocked out from the outskirts of Dvurechnoye in the Kharkiv region, in a day Kyiv lost more than 130 soldiers in the Kupyansk and Krasnolymansk directions, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

Russian aviation, missile troops and artillery hit the manpower and military equipment of Ukraine in 108 districts in a day, the Russian Defense Ministry added

Participants of the Ukraine-EU summit in Kyiv will be disappointed, they will be responsible to the population for financing the geopolitical game "to the last Ukrainian," Zakharova said.

Russian Forces Have Destroyed Over 1,000 MLRS During Special Op, MoD Says

The Russian armed forces have destroyed more than 1,000 combat vehicles of multiple rocket launch systems (MLRS) during the special military operation, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Saturday.

"A total of 382 Ukrainian warplanes, 206 helicopters, 3,021 unmanned aerial vehicles, 403 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,737 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,007 multiple rocket launchers, 3,996 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,262 special military motor vehicles have been taken out since the special military operation began in Ukraine," he said at briefing on the course of the special military operation.

Russian forces eliminated a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system launcher during counter-battery warfare on the Kherson direction, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov reported Saturday.

The artillery of the Southern Military District is actively suppressing and destroying strongholds and manpower of Ukrainian militants in the Zaporozhye direction. According to a correspondent of RIA Novosti, almost every gun crew works out on detected targets 3-4 times a day.

"A BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system launcher was destroyed during counter-battery warfare near the settlement of Novokairy, Kherson Region," he said.

According to Konashenkov, Russian forces also eliminated an ammunition depot near the settlement of Tokaryovka, Kherson Region

Russian air defenses down 13 drones, four Olkha, HIMARS rockets, one Tochka-U missile

Russian air defense forces destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones, four Olkha and HIMARS rockets as well as one Tochka-U missile in the zone of the special military operation over the past day, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Saturday.

Footage of the destruction of a Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle by Russian artillery in the Krasnolimansky direction in the DPR

"Over the past 24 hours, the anti-aircraft defense weapons destroyed 13 unmanned aerial vehicles near Raigorodka, Belogorovka, Kremennaya, Golikovo, and Krasnorechenskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic; Aleksandrovka, Novosyolovka, Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic; Malaya Tokmachka and Stepanovka in the Zaporozhye Region, and Tyaginka in the Kherson Region," he said at a briefing on the course of the special military operation.

According to Konashenkov, four rockets of the HIMARS and Olkha multiple launch rocket systems, as well as one Tochka-U tactical missile, were shot down near Oborotnovka and Goncharovka of the Lugansk People’s Republic, and Terny in the Donetsk People’ Republic.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 382 Ukrainian warplanes, 206 helicopters, 3,021 unmanned aerial vehicles, 403 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,737 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,007 multiple rocket launchers, 3,996 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,262 special military motor vehicles have been taken out since the special military operation began in Ukraine.

Russian forces push enemy from western outskirts of Dvurechnoye, Kharkov Region

Russian Armed Forces on Kupyansk direction pushed Ukrainian forces away from western outskirts of the settlement of Dvurechnoye, Kharkov Region, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported Saturday.

"Offensive action of the Western group of forces on Kupyansk direction pushed the enemy from western outskirts of the settlement of Dvurechnoye, Kharkov Region," he said.

Konashenkov also noted that aviation and artillery defeated units of Ukraine’s 92nd Mechanized Brigade neat settlements of Krakhmalnoye and Berestovoye.

"Over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored vehicles and three cars were eliminated," he said.

Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️The Russian Army drove out Ukraine troops from the western outskirts of the Dvurechnoye village, Kharkov region.

▪️Russian forces eliminated over 100 Ukrainian soldiers in the Krasny Liman direction;

▪️Russian troops eliminated about 60 Ukrainian troops, destroyed a Msta-B howitzer, an Akatsiya howitzer and a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher;

▪️Russian air defenses shot down 13 UAVs, four Olkha MLRS and HIMARS rockets and a Tochka-U ballistic missile;

▪️The Russian Army destroyed two Ukrainian ammunition missile-artillery weapon depots in the areas of Kramatorsk and Ugledar;

▪️Russian forces eliminated more than 35 Ukrainian soldiers in the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions.

Russian MFA’s latest statements:

All participants in the meeting on February 3 will be severely disappointed - the goals of Russia's special operation will be fully achieved, the MFA says, commenting on the results of the Ukraine-EU summit;

Statements by Brussels officials following the summit with Ukraine cross out the principles on which the EU was once built;

Brussels' calls for peace are hypocritical in conditions where it declares its readiness to invest in the continuation of hostilities.

Rusia Menyeru Anggota Parlemen Eropa untuk Mengutuk Pelaku Pembakaran AlQuran

©Photo : mehrnews.com

Moskow sangat prihatin dengan serangkaian protes pembakaran Alquran baru-baru ini di Eropa utara dan menyerukan kepada anggota parlemen Eropa untuk secara terbuka mengutuk dan menghukum mereka yang bertanggung jawab atas penodaan peninggalan agama, kata ketua majelis tinggi Rusia Valentina Matviyenko pada hari Sabtu.

"Senator Rusia meminta anggota parlemen Eropa untuk secara terbuka mengutuk tindakan ekstremis radikal sebagai manifestasi dari intoleransi agama dan mengambil langkah-langkah untuk melindungi hak kebebasan beragama umat Islam dan perwakilan agama lain, serta membawa pelaku ke pengadilan," Matviyenko tulis di Telegram.

Pembicara majelis tinggi Rusia menambahkan bahwa anggota dari semua agama di seluruh Rusia, dan tidak hanya Muslim, sangat terkejut dengan penodaan Alquran. Sementara itu, "kurangnya tanggapan yang memadai terhadap tindakan ekstremis dari pemerintah dan parlemen negara-negara Eropa" sangat mengganggu, tambahnya.

Pembicara majelis tinggi Rusia menambahkan bahwa anggota dari semua agama di seluruh Rusia, dan tidak hanya Muslim, sangat terkejut dengan penodaan Alquran.

Sementara itu, "kurangnya tanggapan yang memadai terhadap tindakan ekstremis dari pemerintah dan parlemen negara-negara Eropa" sangat mengganggu, tambahnya.

Kontroversi meletus bulan lalu, ketika Rasmus Paludan, pemimpin partai politik Denmark Stram Kurs, membakar salinan Alquran di Swedia dan Denmark sebagai protes terhadap otoritas Turki, karena mereka menolak untuk menyetujui tawaran NATO Swedia sebelum Stockholm menyampaikan tuntutan mereka. .

Paludan berjanji akan membakar kitab suci umat Islam setiap Jumat sampai Ankara menyetujui tawaran Swedia untuk bergabung dengan aliansi tersebut.

Protes serupa dilakukan oleh politikus Belanda dan pemimpin gerakan politik anti-imigran Pegida Edwin Wagensveld di Belanda, ketika dia merobek beberapa halaman dari salinan Alquran dan membakarnya di depan gedung parlemen di Den Haag. Setelah penodaan Alquran, pejabat Turki menyatakan bahwa "dalam kondisi saat ini" Ankara tidak akan meratifikasi aksesi Swedia ke NATO.

Pembela Hak Asasi Manusia 'Membiarkan Pembakaran Alquran di Swedia, Denmark Ancam Kelompok Agama Lain'

Memberikan izin kepada politisi sayap kanan Denmark Rasmus Paludan untuk membakar kitab suci Islam Quran di Swedia dan Denmark atas dasar "hak demokrasi" dan "kebebasan berekspresi" memicu ketidakpercayaan dalam masyarakat dan mengkhawatirkan kelompok agama lain, menurut seorang aktivis HAM Swedia.

Helene Sejlert, seorang ilmuwan politik dan pembela hak asasi manusia, mengatakan kepada Anadolu bahwa tindakan anti-Islam Paludan menyebabkan lebih banyak masalah dan membahayakan lebih banyak orang.

"Tindakannya adalah rasisme, Islamofobia, dan antisemitisme. Jika hukum tidak bisa menghentikannya, jelas ada yang salah dengan hukum!" kata Sejlert.

Tindakannya merugikan banyak orang, katanya. "Kelompok besar (berbeda) sekarang takut hanya mengatakan bahwa mereka adalah Muslim atau Yahudi."

“Meningkatkan kebencian terhadap kelompok-kelompok ini tentu juga menjadi tujuan fanatik seperti Paludan,” imbuhnya.

Paludan, yang berkewarganegaraan Denmark dan Swedia, pekan lalu membakar Alquran dalam dua kesempatan terpisah, pertama di luar Kedutaan Besar Turki di Swedia dan kemudian di depan sebuah masjid di Denmark.

Membakar Quran 'gema mengerikan dari mentalitas Nazi'

"Pembakaran Al-Qur'an adalah gema yang mengerikan dari pembakaran buku Nazi, di mana 'yang lain' dijelek-jelekkan dan orang atau materi yang 'tidak murni' harus dimusnahkan," kata Sejlert. "Ini adalah retorika yang digunakan Paludan (dan ekstremis lainnya) saat menangani apa yang dilihatnya sebagai 'Masalah Muslim'."

Dia juga mengatakan ada "sedikit pengetahuan tentang cara menangani dan memerangi rasisme dan Islamofobia" di masyarakat Swedia.

Pendapat yang diungkapkan oleh beberapa orang radikal, seperti dalam kasus Paludan, bukan "hanya acara yang murah dan terisolasi, disebarkan oleh serigala gila," kata Sejlert. "Ini lebih merupakan cerminan dari masyarakat tempat kita hidup dan perpanjangan dari kebencian yang tumbuh di setiap sudut jalan kita. Sering kali kebencian ini diarahkan pada umat Islam."

Dia melanjutkan: "Beberapa orang radikal ini mendapatkan tumpangan gratis dari media yang memberi mereka platform untuk melampiaskan rasisme dan Islamofobia mereka, dan kemudian media sosial mendorong topik tersebut ke titik didih.

"Saat emosi semakin liar, batas normal pelanggaran kesopanan, kata-kata yang digunakan menjadi semakin emosional dan penuh kebencian terhadap 'yang lain' dan mulai menarik kelompok yang lebih luas."

UK ‘Has No More Heavy Guns’ After Giving Them to Ukraine - Report

CC BY 2.0 / Defense Visual Information Distribution Service /

A report claiming two Royal Artillery regiments were left completely disarmed due to Downing Street’s decision to send the guns to Ukraine comes as British hawks step up their public relations campaign to convince taxpayers to submit to a surge in military spending.

The British Army has no more heavy guns left after having given them all to Ukraine, according to a recent report.

All of the UK’s 30 serviceable AS-90 self-propelled artillery guns have been sent to the Zelensky regime, The Sun is reporting.

“The decision to give them away has stripped two Royal Artillery regiments, based on Salisbury Plain, Wilts, of all their working weapons,” wrote the outlet, which added that an artillery source told them: “If gunners don’t have guns we can’t fight, we can’t train.”

The news comes amid a high-profile push by British war hawks to convince the public to cough up for newer and fancier toys for the military.

Claiming that British fighting capabilities have been “hollowed out by spending cuts,” the former head of the UK’s Joint Forces Command, retired General Richard Barrons, wrote in a recent op-ed that “years of cuts to ammunition production mean that, for some types of key weapons, the army would run out in a busy afternoon.”

Opining that the UK’s military is now “barely tier two” – a designation which would place it among the ranks of Germany and Italy, rather than “tier one” militaries like those of the US, China, Russia, or France – Barrons insisted the Brits will have to fork over an additional £3 billion to return to the upper echelon.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace also recently echoed the view the British military has been left “hollowed out and underfunded” in light of his government’s continuing campaign to pump Ukraine full of deadly weapons. “As the world gets more dangerous, defense should get a growing proportion of spend,” he reportedly urged.

The possibility that the UK would likely be left flat-footed in a military engagement has been greeted with increasing concern among British military members, but across the Atlantic, news that UK military supplies have been gutted has provoked a decidedly different response.

“The UK Is Giving Ukraine Lots of Artillery — Now The British Army Can Get Newer And Better Guns,” cheered Forbes in one particularly shameless headline.

By “donating to Ukraine more and more of its artillery,” the British Army is “effectively forcing the government in London finally to spend real money on new guns and launchers,” the author crowed.

But there’s little indication that view aligns with those of working-class Britons, who have endured one of the toughest years in recent memory. With half a million Brits on strike Wednesday amid the worst cost-of-living crisis in generations, issues like better pay and an end to draconian public spending cuts tended to be at the top of the list of demands – but ‘new heavy weapons’ was nowhere to be found.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The granting in kind of AS90 will provide an important increase in Ukraine's capabilities and will help to accelerate Ukrainian success on the battlefield. 

'Concurrently, the Army is continuing to meet its operational AS90 commitment in Estonia.'

The spokesperson said the Army is now focused on accelerating the 'Mobile Fires Platform project which is designed to deliver an enduring replacement this decade'.

There are concerns the decision could leave Britain in a vulnerable position, particularly given the guns linked to the Mobile Fires Platform aren't due to arrive until 2029.

In a letter obtained by the Daily Mail last week, General Sir Patrick Sanders spelled out the realities for Britain of donating so much of its military equipment. 

The UK is sending 14 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks, along with recovery vehicles, vast quantities of spare parts, hundreds of armoured vehicles, the AS90 artillery heavy guns, high-velocity rockets and drones.

Ini Identitas Pengunjung BTM yang Lompat dari Lantai 3

Identitas pengunjung BTM lompat dari 3, terungkap. Alami depresi.

Terungkap sudah indentitas seorang pria belasan tahun yang loncat dari lantai 3 Bogor Trade Mall (BTM) pada hari Jumat, 03/02/2023. Ternyata pria belasan tahun tersebut berinisial R warga Kota Medan, Sumatera Barat.

Sementara itu, Kasubsie PID Polresta Bogor Kota Ipda Asep Herdianto R menjelaskan saat kejadian tersebut pria belasan tahun sedang dalam kondisi depresi.

Menurut keterangan Ibu Korban Rosmalia Dewi (59) Korban bersama ibu dan adiknya hendak menuju ke Vihara Dhanagun.

Sebelum menuju Vihara Dhanagun korban bersama ibu dan adiknya makan siang di dekat Alun-alun Kota Bogor, setelah makan siang korban baru sadar bahwa handphone si korban telah hilang kemudian korban bersama Ibu dan adiknya melanjutkan perjalanan menuju Vihara Dhanagun.

“Setelah tiba Depan Mall BTM. Korban tiba-tiba lari masuk kedalam Mall kemudian melompat dari Lantai 3 dan jatuh di lantai G,” ujar Asep.

Asep menjelaskan, korban sendiri telah dibawa ke RS PMI Bogor, untuk penangan lebih lanjut.

“Sementara untuk keadaan korban hanya luka ringan, Karena sempat mendarat di counter baju-baju,” ucap Asep.

Diketahui sebelumnya, Seorang pria diperkirakan berusia belasan tahun, nekat loncat dari lantai 3 Bogor Trade Mall (BTM). Pria berusia belasan tahun ini loncat dari lantai 3 ke lantai Ground pada Jumat, 03/02/2023, sekitar pukul 14.00 WIB.

Kejadian ini pun sempat membuat heboh orang yang ada di Mall BTM.

Salah seorang saksi dan juga seorang penjaga toko di Lantai 3 menceritakan, kejadian ini bermula ketika pria ini berada di lantai 3.

Saat di lantai 3, pria ini lari dari arah lorong pertokoan menuju ujung eskalator.

“Tadi rame banget. Dari belakang (lorong) sini dia lari. Pas diujung dia buka sendal. Langsung loncat ke bawah,” kata saksi yang enggan disebutkan namanya saat dijumpai di Mall BTM.