Russian Forces Strike Ukraine's Foreign Mercenary Deployment Point in DPR

©Sputnik/Stanislav Krasilnikov/Go to the mediabank

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the recent progress of the special military operation.

"Over the past 24 hours, the Russian armed forces have hit a temporary deployment point for foreign mercenaries of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)," the Russian MoD reported.

"The ammunition depot of the 31st mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed, the temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries in the area of the Konstantinovka settlement of the Donetsk People's Republic was damaged, as well as 127 artillery units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in firing positions, personnel and military equipment in 129 areas," the ministry specified.

The Russian Armed Forces have also liberated the village of Krakhmalnoye (Kharkov region) thanks to the successful actions of the 'Zapad' troops.

In addition, the Russian army repelled numerous attacks from Ukraine with the help of air and artillery.

For example, in the Donetsk region, Russian soldiers thwarted attacks by the Ukrainian 47th Mechanized Brigade and 5th Assault Brigade with artillery support. As a result, the enemy lost over 310 personnel, a tank, two armored vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and a Grad MLRS.

In the Kherson region, Russian forces used artillery, missiles and drones to destroy Ukrainian ammunition depots and hit a deployment point for foreign mercenaries. The enemy forces also suffered losses in the Zaporozhye region.

"Russian troops, supported by artillery, defeated the personnel and equipment of the 117th mechanized brigade, the 128th mountain assault brigade, and the 3rd brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine near Zaporozhye's Verbovoye, Rabotino, Pyatikhatki and Nesteryanka settlements".

"The enemy lost more than 30 personnel, two vehicles and a D-20 howitzer," the Russian MoD added.

According to official figures, Ukraine has lost a total of over 560 soldiers over the past 24 hours.

Belgian minister pledges country’s support for genocide case against Israel

Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez. (X: @carogennez)

A Belgian minister has pledged her country’s backing for the case filed by South Africa with the International Court of Justice seeking to stop Israel’s aggression in Gaza.

In a post on X on Sunday, Caroline Gennez, Belgium’s minister of development cooperation, said: “If the International Court of Justice calls on #Israel to cease its military campaign in #Gaza, our country will fully support it.”

In a previous on the same platform, she said: “Belgium pleads in the EU and internationally for permanent ceasefire, full humanitarian access, unconditional release of the hostages, respect for international law and a two-state solution as structural solution to this conflict

Satisfied: Belgium reaffirms full support for @CIJ_ICJ in this case. If the International Court of Justice calls on #Israel to cease its military campaign in #Gaza, our country will fully support it. pic.twitter.com/k2AAOro3o1

— Caroline Gennez (@carogennez) January 19, 2024

In a previous on the same platform, she said: “Belgium pleads in the EU and internationally for permanent ceasefire, full humanitarian access, unconditional release of the hostages, respect for international law and a two-state solution as structural solution to this conflict.”

She noted that Belgium’s position was a “step in the right direction.”

Gennez added: “Our country is taking its responsibility, for human rights and humanitarian law. Meanwhile, I remain committed at all levels to making full humanitarian access to #Gaza a reality as soon as possible.”

South Africa has asked the ICJ to order Israel to immediately stop the war, describing Israeli actions as “genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part” of the Palestinians in Gaza.

It said Israel’s war on Gaza has violated the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The convention was drawn up in the aftermath of World War II, during which more than 6 million Jews in Europe were said to have been exterminated by Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime in Germany.

As defined in the convention, genocide are acts such as killings “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.”

The death toll in Gaza had passed 24,000 as of Jan. 15, more than 100 days into Israel’s war against Hamas, according to Palestinian officials.

Israel launched a full-scale assault on the Palestinian enclave in reaction to the surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which saw 1,200 people killed and 250 military personnel and civilians taken hostage.

The hearings were held in the court in The Hague on Jan. 11 and 12, during which South Africa presented its case and Israel stood to refute the charges.

A report by Turkiye’s aa.com said Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter “also made a similar call and said her country could not remain silent against Israel’s threat of genocide in Gaza and urged support for the lawsuit filed by South Africa.”

She reportedly said: “Belgium cannot just watch from the sidelines the endless suffering of the people in Gaza. We must act against the threat of genocide.

“I want Belgium to follow South Africa’s lead and take action at the International Court of Justice. I will make this proposal to the Belgian government.”

Russia reacts to Germany’s support for Israel in genocide case

Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
©Sputnik / Russian Foreign Ministry

Russia is not surprised that Germany has decided to defend Israel in a genocide case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as unconditional support for the Jewish state is obligatory in Washington’s ‘rules-based international order,’ Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

In late December, South Africa brought proceedings against Israel at the ICJ, alleging it had breached the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in its aerial and ground bombardment of Gaza in response to the Hamas cross-border attack on October 7.

It also asked the court in The Hague to order Israel to “immediately suspend its military operations in and against Gaza.”

Berlin has disputed the genocide charge. On January 5, a spokesperson for Germany’s Federal Foreign Office said that Israel’s “targeted action against armed attackers; that is, fighters in an armed conflict, is not action with the intention of destroying an ethnic group.” 

“We have made it very clear that, in our opinion, the claim that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip is false and not covered by the Convention,” the official added.

More than 25,000 people have so far been killed in Israel’s offensive, Palestinian health officials say, while about 1,200 people died in the Hamas attack last October. Another 240 were seized as hostages.

Last Friday, Germany announced that it would intervene on behalf of Israel as a third party in the case – effectively telling the ICJ that it objects to the interpretation of the genocide convention, and how it is being applied to Israel.

This development is not surprising, Zakharova said on Sunday, telling the media that it “comes against the backdrop of the unconditional support that Berlin always provides Israel, regardless of consequences.” 

“This line of the German authorities has long and firmly occupied an important place among the unspoken dogmas of the ‘rules-based order’ defined by Washington,” she added.

Zakharova also claimed Berlin was trying to position itself as an “expert” on issues regarding the mass extermination of an ethnic group. “What to do with the crimes against humanity committed by Germany against other peoples and nationalities during the Second World War?” she asked.

“History knows many examples when criminals who committed serious offenses took the path of correction using their knowledge of illegal experience, they helped prevent similar atrocities,” Zakharova added. “But this was always possible only in the presence of active repentance and unconditional recognition of one’s own guilt without the slight hint of attempts to justify one’s own crimes, much less repeat them.”

Ukraine conflict is ‘America’s war’ – congresswoman

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene
©AFP/Anna Moneymaker

It’s Washington, not Kiev, that’s interested in the continuation of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) has said.

Greene took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to comment on an article entitled “Zelensky Calls for Peace, Not More Weapons, in Davos,” which had been published by the New York Times earlier this week and reported on the Ukrainian leader’s speech at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps.

“Zelensky is asking for peace talks in Switzerland and the warmongers in Washington are desperately trying to fund $60 billion to keep the war in Ukraine going. This is sick,” she wrote.

MTG was referring to the ongoing resistance by herself and other hardline Republican lawmakers to attempts by the administration of President Joe Biden to push through another $60 billion in military aid for Kiev.

“This is America’s war and they are proving it,” the Republican Representative said, referring to the conflict in Ukraine. “No more money to Ukraine! Let them make peace!” she stressed.

Zelensky came to Davos to promote his so-called ‘Peace Formula,’ which, among other things, calls for Russia to withdraw from all territories claimed by Kiev, for Moscow to pay reparations, and for the formation of a war-crimes tribunal. Russian authorities instantly rejected the proposal as “unrealistic,” arguing that it was a sign of Ukraine’s unwillingness to look for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

The NYT also acknowledged in its article that Kiev’s demands “are considered, by analysts and even politicians backing the proposal, to be unreachable given the current balance of forces on the battlefield.”

In late November, Zelensky said that the Ukrainian troops were switching to a defensive posture, acknowledging that Kiev’s much-hyped counteroffensive, which had begun in early June and aimed to cut Russia’s land bridge to Crimea, had ended without success. According to Moscow, Russian forces have improved their position in many areas along the frontline since then by carrying out what the country’s defense minister, Sergey Shoigu, described as “active defense.”

Zelensky has been reluctant to engage in direct dialogue with Russia, even signing a decree in the fall of 2022 that officially bans him from negotiating with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated that Moscow hasn’t ruled out the idea of peace talks but stressed that all the goals of the country’s military operation in Ukraine must and will be achieved.

Watch Russian T-80BVM Tanks Wipe Out Ukrainian Deployment Area Near Krasny Liman

Russian modernized T-80BVM tank displays its technical superiority and precision in an operation targeting position area of a Ukrainian unit in Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has released footage showing Russian tank crews belonging to Battlegroup Tsentr hit Ukrainian temporary deployment points in special op zone.

After acquiring intelligence on the location of enemy military groups in a forest belt, the tank platoon on modern T-80BVM tanks took up a firing position.

Taking advantage of the high speed and low noise of the combat vehicle, the tankers marched to the point and fired a series of shots at the identified target in the forest belt occupied by the Ukrainian forces.

With pounding fire, the Russian units exhausted the enemy and disrupted their missions at the positions. As a result of the combat mission, the Ukrainian units lost their fortification, an ammunition dump and a whole fortification group.

Watch Russian Grad MLRS Obliterate Ukrainian Troops in Special Op Zone

Multiple Launch Rocket Systems are designed to destroy enemy infantry and motorised infantry units en masse. Grad is one of the most advanced and lethal MLRS, capable of rapidly firing up to 40 122mm rounds.

The Russian defence ministry has released footage showing Grad units in combat, raining down fire on Ukrainian troops near Artemovsk (known as Bakhmut before its liberation).

"After receiving a combat order to destroy Ukrainian troops detected on the frontline in an outpost, the Grad MLRS crew moved to the designated area, took up a firing position and conducted an attack on the designated location," the ministry said in a statement.

According to officials, the number of troops killed was almost equivalent to an entire platoon. Surviving Ukrainian troops left the outpost, which was quickly taken by Russian airborne units.

Oil Depot Catches Fire After Drone Downed in Russia's Bryansk Region

A Ukrainian drone was suppressed by electronic warfare in Russia's Bryansk Region; when the target was destroyed, ammunition was dropped at the Klintsovsk oil depot, causing fire, Alexander Bogomaz, the region's governor, said on Friday.

©Photo : Russian Defense Ministry

Currently, fire and rescue crews of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Bryansk Region and the Bryansk Fire and Rescue Center are working on the site, the governor added.

"Ukrainian terrorists attempted to attack targets in the city of Klintsy using a UAV. An aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicle was suppressed by electronic warfare equipment of the Russian Ministry of Defense. When an air target was destroyed, ammunition was dropped onto the territory of the Klintsovsk oil depot. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties. There is a fire in tanks in the embankment," Bogomaz wrote on Telegram.

US’ 'toxic' reaction validates Moscow’s position on strategic stability — Russian MFA

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
©Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Washington's "toxic reaction" to Moscow's stance on talks about strategic stability serves to affirm that Russia is in the right, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

She was commenting on criticism from Pranay Vaddi, a senior director for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation at the National Security Council under US President Joe Biden.

"Such a toxic reaction from Washington reaffirms we are right in firmly defending Russia's interests. We will continue to be steadfastly guided by the principled approaches outlined by [Russian Foreign Minister] Sergey Lavrov," the statement said.

Vaddi earlier commented on the proposed agreements for security guarantees between Russia and the West by alleging that Russia refused to engage with the US on the issue on strategic stability.

Russia can’t trust West – Lavrov

The Ukraine conflict has helped Russia overcome the misconception that it can trust the West, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. ©Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday on Moscow’s diplomacy in 2023, Lavrov argued that Russia’s military operation against Kiev has had positive consequences domestically, including a reinvigorating effect on society which has helped to bring people together.

He added that the conflict, which also ushered in unprecedented Western sanctions, allowed the country’s economy to make great strides in both civilian and military production.

The West’s “hybrid aggression,” which encompassed many areas, played a role in “making us understand how to go on living,” Lavrov said. “If there had been any illusions left over from the 1990s, that the West would open its arms to embrace us and that democracy would unite us all, they have been completely dispelled.”

“The West cannot be trusted. Even now, it wants only one thing – to live at the expense of others and to be more clever than others.”

Lavrov’s comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted last month that he was “naive” early on in his political career, despite having served in the Soviet KGB. He said he believed that there was no fundamental reason for the West and Moscow to be at odds after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

However, in reality, the former was seeking to break Russia into several entities with less ability to protect their national interests, the president stated. Putin had previously warned that a breakup of the country could lead to the Russian people ceasing to exist altogether, adding that unity is the key condition for the country’s success.

Indonesia, Slovenia to speak on new charge against Israel at ICJ

Indonesia foreign minister Retno Marsudi (left) and Slovenia foreign minister Tanja Fajon

Indonesia and Slovenia are set to present a new charge against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on February 19 at The Hague, regarding the violations of Palestinian rights.

Both the countries will participate in an advisory opinion process on Israel’s control and policies over the occupied Palestinian territory. This comes after UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2022 requested the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on whether Israeli policies against Palestinians violated international law.

“This is a very broad spectrum of alleged violations that have been committed in the region for decades and whose horrific consequences are still visible today,” said Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon

“In the light of recent events in Gaza and the West Bank, Slovenia, as one of the few EU countries, has decided to actively participate and present its views in these proceedings before the International Court of Justice, which has been asked to give an advisory opinion,” she added.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is gathering input from international law experts to deliver a statement against Israel, her ministry said.

🇮🇩🇮🇱INDONESIA TAKING ISRAEL TO ICJ COURT ON NEW CHARGE

In a separate case to the one brought by South Africa, Indonesia claims Israel’s occupation of Palestine is illegal.

Indonesian FM: “International law must be upheld. Israel’s occupation of Palestine, which has lasted for… https://t.co/oOvwhAfUGU pic.twitter.com/3TUYZXxbdQ

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 19, 2024

“Indonesia supports the efforts of the UN General Assembly to obtain an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice. International law must be upheld,” Marsudi said ahead of a discussion with international law experts in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 16.

“The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination must be respected. Israel’s occupation of Palestine, which has lasted for more than 70 years, will not erase the right of the Palestinian people to independence,” Marsudi said.

She stated that various Israeli policies, such as the annexation of Palestinian territories, settlements in the West Bank, and changing the status of the city of Jerusalem, are not valid according to international law.

“Israel’s invalid actions must be stopped, and there needs to be accountability for the violations of the law that have occurred. Countries must cease their support for Israel. The international community, including the UN, must not recognize the legality of Israel’s actions.”

“Indonesia’s appearance before the International Court will complement various diplomatic steps taken by Indonesia to support Palestine,” Marsudi added.

In a separate case at the ICJ, public hearings were held on Thursday, January 11 and Friday, January 12, for South Africa’s case that accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

Israel launched continuous air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas surprise attack on October 7 that killed approximately 1,200 people.

Since October 7, more than 24,600 people, most of them women and children, were killed in the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed a complaint with the ICJ, saying that Israel was violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide signed in 1948 following the Holocaust during World War II. ,

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