Russia-Ukraine updates: Moscow, Kyiv dispute control over Soledar
All the updates from January 13 as they happened.
This live blog is closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday, January 13.
This live blog is closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday, January 13.
- Russia’s Ministry of Defence says its forces have captured Soledar, where bloody battles have raged for days.
- If Russia’s claim is confirmed, the town’s fall would mark a rare victory for Moscow after months of setbacks.
- Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian parliament and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, suggests seizing the assets of Russian critics.
- Belarus might enter the conflict in Ukraine if Kyiv decides to “invade” either country, a Russian official says.
No victims in Lithuania gas pipe explosion: Operator
The explosion that damaged a gas pipeline in northern Lithuania has caused no injuries, according to the operator Amber Grid.
The explosion happened at about 5pm (19:00 GMT) in the Pasvalys district, said the statement posted on its website.
“According to initial data, no people were injured,” it added. “The explosion took place away from residential buildings.”
Explosion at Lithuania-Latvia gas pipeline: Operator
A gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia has been hit by an explosion but there was no immediate evidence of an attack, according to Lithuanian gas-transmission operator Amber Grid.
A video published by Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT showed a fire raging at the blast site in the Panevezys county in northern Lithuania.
Russia praises ‘courageous’ Wagner forces in Soledar
The Russian army has praised the “courageous” forces of mercenary group Wagner after Moscow announced control of Ukraine’s Soledar, in an unusual recognition of the private fighting force.
“This combat mission was successfully implemented by the courageous and selfless actions of the volunteers of the Wagner assault squads,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement, referring to the group’s storming of Soledar.
How will Russia’s military shake-up change the conflict?
Russia’s latest appointment to chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, comes as the country repels battlefield losses and claims the highly sought-after town of Soledar.
But Russia’s military shake-up signals something more than just occurring because of its failures to maintain the territory it claimed in the early days of the war.
To Nikolay Mitrokhin, a historian at Germany’s Bremen University, the reshuffle of top generals was a sign that Moscow failed to set up a new offensive on Kyiv at the start of the new year.
Read more on what the Russian military reshuffle means for the future of the conflict.
Poland, Lithuania want nuclear sanctions in new EU package
Poland and Lithuania want to lower the price cap on Russian oil and target its nuclear sector under new EU sanctions against Moscow and Belarus over the war in Ukraine, two senior diplomats say.
The EU’s leading Russia hawks will propose that the bloc bans more “Russian propaganda” media outlets and cuts more Russian banks from the SWIFT global messaging system for financial transactions.
“It is more and more difficult to get the necessary unanimity in the EU for more sanctions,” one of the diplomats told the Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity. “Nonetheless, we will propose an ambitious new package.”
They said the 10th package of EU sanctions since the war began should be ready in time for the first anniversary of the invasion on February 24.
Russia has both condemned EU sanctions and dismissed their impact.
Von der Leyen: EU must increase pressure on Russia
The EU needs to keep increasing pressure on Russia and supporting Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says.
“We need to keep increasing the pressure on Russia, and we will continue, of course, our unwavering support for Ukraine,” she said at a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Kiruna, Sweden.
Von der Leyen said Russia had cut 80 percent of its gas supplies to the EU since the start of the war but the bloc had compensated by diversifying its suppliers.
“Hard work has paid off. Gas prices are lower now than before Russia’s invasion,” she said.
Everything you need to know about Russian Commander Gerasimov
Earlier this week, the Russian defence ministry announced a shake-up of its military commanders and appointed Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov to oversee the military campaign in Ukraine.
Gerasimov, like the defence minister himself, Sergei Shoigu, has faced sharp criticism from Russia’s military bloggers for multiple battlefield defeats.
The changes at the top of the armed forces are designed to increase the effectiveness of military operations in Ukraine, according to a statement by the ministry.
“The increase in the level of leadership of the special military operation is connected with the expansion in the scale of tasks … the need to organise closer contact between different branches of the armed forces and improve the quality … and effectiveness of the management of Russian forces,” the ministry statement said.
Read more about the man overseeing the war in Ukraine.
Chancellor: Germany will consider ‘every step’ of arms deliveries to Kyiv
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he will “weigh every step carefully” and consult with allies on further weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
Critics have complained about Scholz’s hesitancy to take the next step regarding weapons deliveries, specifically on sending German-made Leopard 2 tanks, which Kyiv has asked for.
Scholz has insisted Germany would not send such heavily armoured equipment to Ukraine on its own and pointed to a need to ensure NATO does not become involved in the war with Russia.
Scholz said Berlin would keep its “leading position” as one of Kyiv’s top supporters but signalled he had no intention of being rushed on “such serious things that have to do with peace and war, with the security of our country and of Europe”.
Russian, Iranian foreign ministers to meet next week
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is expected to visit Moscow on Tuesday to meet his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
Discussions would include the Iran nuclear deal, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters
The situations in Syria, Afghanistan and the Caucasus would also be on the agenda along with “interaction between the two countries at international platforms, including the UN”, state news agency TASS quoted Zakharova as saying.
Iran and Russia have become closer during the Ukraine war. Tehran supports Moscow with drones and has blamed the West for instigating the conflict.
The view from Russia on Soledar: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Moscow, says there are two viewpoints in Russia on Soledar.
While the Russian defence ministry says different forces were employed to capture the eastern town, the Wagner Group claims the opposite on its Telegram channel.
“The Wagner Group issued a statement in the form of an answer to a question on its Telegram channel, emphasising that only Wagner Group fighters were present in Soledar … and that trying to discredit this group from taking Soledar is due to some bureaucracy, corruption within the official ranks,” Hashem said.
“However, this does not really affect the fact that Soledar, according to the Russians, has fallen to their hands, and this is going to be a big push for them to try to take Bakhmut.”
Hashem explained that Russia is clearly on the offensive, especially given its recent military shakeup.
What Russia has called the “liberation” of Soledar will “impact how the battlefield is going to look like”, he said.
Ukraine denies fall of Soledar, says fighting still continuing
The spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command denies that Russia has seized control of Soledar and says Ukrainian units are still there.
“Our units are there, the town is not under Russian control,” the spokesperson, Serhiy Cherevatyi, told the Reuters news agency by telephone.
Situation remains ‘unclear’ in Soledar: AJ correspondent
Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford, reporting from the outskirts of Bakhmut, says Ukrainian special forces in the city believed Soledar was going to “imminently fall” to Russian troops, if it had not already.
“They said there were very few Ukrainian soldiers left in Soledar and there were plans for getting the remainder of those out,” Stratford said.
“But things remain unclear – there has been no official recognition by the Ukrainians that it indeed has fallen,” he added.
Stratford said if Russia were to capture Soledar, it would put “huge pressure” on Bakhmut, which sits approximately 10km (6.2 miles) to the south.
“So the situation in the city is seemingly increasingly tenuous … all focus now, if indeed Soledar has fallen, will be on Bakhmut.”
The Take podcast looks inside the secretive Wagner Group
Wagner Group mercenaries have taken a prominent role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and are seen as vital to the Kremlin’s war efforts.
The Russian group is also understood to have undertaken missions in Syria, Libya and the Central African Republic.
Al Jazeera’s The Take spoke to a former Wagner fighter about what it is like being a mercenary.
Who controls what?
Here are four maps we update daily to chart the latest war developments:
US, German defence ministers to meet on Thursday
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will meet German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht in Berlin on Thursday, a spokesperson for the German ministry told the Reuters news agency.
Washington and Berlin have coordinated sending aid and weapons to support Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies have also proposed sending German-built Leopard battle tanks.
Germany: Jailed Russian politician Navalny needs ‘urgent medical assistance’
Russian authorities should provide “urgent medical assistance” to jailed opposition politician Alexey Navalny, whose condition is critical given inhumane prison conditions and solitary confinement, a German government spokesperson said.
The German government is trying to help Navalny but it is difficult in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the spokesperson said.
France hopes to deliver light combat tanks to Ukraine soon
France aims to deliver AMX-10 RC light combat tanks to Ukraine in two months, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu says in a statement.
The statement contained a summary of his phone conversation on Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov.
Russian Ministry of Defence claims capture of Soledar
Russia’s Ministry of Defence says its forces have taken control of Soledar, the state-owned TASS news agency reports.
“On the evening of January 12, the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed, which is important for the continuation of successful offensive operations” in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the ministry said.
Russia’s capture of the town would allow its troops to cut off Ukrainian forces from the nearby, much larger city of Bakhmut.
Al Jazeera was unable to verify Russia’s claim.
Finland: Some Leopard 2 tanks could be sent to Ukraine
Russia’s neighbour Finland could donate some German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if other European nations also decide to do so, its president, Sauli Niinisto, says.
Kyiv has requested heavy military vehicles, such as the Leopard 2. If its allies send the tanks, it would represent a significant increase in Western support.
Finland could only share a limited number of tanks because the country’s weapons are needed to guard its long border with Russia, the president told the Finnish news agency STT.
Poland has said it would send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine if there were a larger coalition of countries doing so. Germany has said it has no plans to send any.
Russian sanctions need to end, says Hungarian PM
Hungary’s prime minister says the European Union’s sanctions on Russia are a mistake and should be ended.
Speaking to Hungarian state radio, Viktor Orban said if the sanctions on Russia are lifted, energy prices and inflation will fall in half.
According to Orban, the EU must take a political decision.
“It is certain that America won the war and Europe lost. There’s a debate over whether Russia won or lost. If we talk in terms of money, we can’t say that Russia lost too much”, he said.
He added that Hungary has no power to end the sanctions, but countries like France and Germany do.
Zelenskyy and general staff discuss reinforcements for Soledar
President Zelenskyy, in his Thursday night address on Telegram, has said that during a meeting with general staff over Soledar, they “analysed in detail what decisions are needed, what reinforcements are needed, what steps should be taken by commanders in the coming days”.
“We discussed the situation with the supply of weapons and ammunition to the troops, relevant interaction with our partners.”
He added that the paratroopers of the 77th and 46th air brigades continue to hold their positions in Soledar.
Military troubles led to command shake-up: Pentagon
The Pentagon says Russia’s continuous troubles in Ukraine likely led to the latest shake-up in military leadership.
On Wednesday, Moscow appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to oversee the military campaign in Ukraine.
It was only in October that Russia put Sergey Surovikin in that position, who will now remain a deputy of Gerasimov.
“It likely does reflect some of the systemic challenges that the Russian military has faced since the beginning of this invasion,” Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told a news briefing.
“We’ve talked about some of those things in terms of its logistics problems, command and control problems, sustainment problems, morale and the … failure to achieve the strategic objectives that they’ve set for themselves”.
Belarus military drills designed to deter ‘escalation’: Russia
A Russian foreign ministry official says joint military drills between Russia and its close ally Belarus were designed to deter “potential opponents from escalation and provocations”.
Russia used Belarus as a springboard to invade Ukraine in February 2022, and the October deployment of a joint troop group to Belarus raised fears in Kyiv that Russia could be preparing to launch a new offensive from its northern neighbour this year.
Putin ally suggests confiscating property of Russian war critics
A close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested confiscating the assets of Russians who discredit the country’s armed forces and oppose the war in Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Russian Duma, said current measures, such as fines for those who speak out against what Moscow calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, were not strict enough.
Russia says Belarus may enter Ukraine conflict if ‘invaded’
A Russian foreign ministry official has said Belarus may enter the conflict in Ukraine if Kyiv decides to “invade” either country.
In an interview with state media, Aleksey Polishchuk said Russia’s joint drills with Belarus were designed to prevent escalation, but warned that Belarus may join the Ukraine conflict if it or Russia were invaded.
“From a legal point of view, the use of military force by the Kyiv regime or the invasion of the territory of Belarus or Russia by the armed forces of Ukraine are sufficient grounds for a collective response,” Polishchuk told TASS news agency.