The Kremlin sends tanks to Donetsk
NATO missiles arrive in Ukraine
02/23/2022 at 8:21 PM
Due to the impending attack on Ukraine, the Baltic states are supplying Kiev with anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Germany is examining the delivery of vehicles and night vision devices. Meanwhile, journalists reported that a Russian convoy of nine tanks was on its way to Donetsk.
Ukraine received a shipment of anti-aircraft missiles from Latvia. The Latvian Ministry of Defense announced in Riga, that the Stinger weapons systems have arrived in Kiev and have been delivered to Ukraine. No information was available on the number of missiles delivered. The extradition was decided by the government of the Baltic states of the European Union and NATO in a closed meeting on February 15. This is aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense capability. Latvia, along with two other Baltic states, Estonia and Lithuania, announced that it would supply Kiev with US-made weapons systems – with Washington’s approval. Lithuania has also previously sent Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, and Estonia has delivered Javelin anti-tank missiles.
Latvian President Eagles Levits called on his allies to further strengthen the so-called eastern flank of NATO. “This is a signal to Moscow not to continue its aggression,” Levits said in an interview with NTV. “This is an appropriate response to the aggravation of the situation caused by Russia.” At the same time, he called on the allies to supply weapons to Ukraine so that it could defend itself.
Levits welcomed the decision to suspend the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline for the time being and cautioned that half the measures are not enough. According to Secretary of State Annalina Barbuk, the federal government is considering the delivery of night vision devices and vehicles to Ukraine. This is what the Foreign Minister said at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag.
Armament also continues on the Russian side: according to a Reuters correspondent in the early evening, two convoys carrying military goods were moving from the Russian border towards the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Nine tanks are part of the convoy. In a second, trucks and tankers move. Vehicle IDs cannot be set.
Large-scale cyber attack on Kiev
Fears are growing of an invasion of Ukraine in the face of a massive build-up of Russian troops on its border. Kremlin President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and announced that Russian soldiers would be sent to the region.
Meanwhile, in Kiev, it was said that Ukraine had once again become the target of a “massive” cyberattack. Deputy Prime Minister Mikhailo Fedorov said in Kiev that government websites and several banks were affected by the attack. For example, the websites of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine could not be opened this afternoon. However, most major news portals in Ukraine worked, as did the websites of most banks and public institutions. Fedorov said the job sites were able to “redirect traffic to another provider to minimize damage”.
Ukraine was already the target of a cyber attack in January. Also at that time, government websites and the online presence of many banks were paralyzed for several hours. Kiev blamed Russia for the attack. Moscow denied the allegations.