liveblog
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, nine out of twelve Russian drones were destroyed during the night. According to former Federal President Gauck, Germany can do more for Ukraine. All developments in the live blog.
10:29 am
Zelensky thanks medical staff
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj thanked the rescue workers and paramedics on the front via X. These worked under “the most difficult conditions”.
8:03 a.m
Gauck: “Germany can do more”
Former Federal President Joachim Gauck is in favor of better support for Ukraine. “We are not at the end of our possibilities. Germany can do more,” he told the newspapers of the editorial network Germany. It is true that Germany supports Ukraine more than neighboring European states do. “But measured in terms of economic performance and population size, the contribution of the Baltic countries is higher.”
“Anyone who thinks that this is not our war and that the costs are too high may be in for a rude awakening,” Gauck continued. “If we don’t help Ukraine to defend itself and push back the aggressor, then the European peace order as a whole will falter – with unforeseeable consequences for other countries as well.” Unlike Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Gauck says he does not see any German involvement in the war in a delivery of “Taurus” cruise missiles to Ukraine. Relevant international law experts and military experts would not see this either, said Gauck and warned against being too fearful.
07:23 am
Zelensky warns against a steady retreat
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj appealed for military aid from the USA in drastic terms in the Washington Post. “If there is no US support, that means we have no anti-aircraft defense, no ‘Patriot’ missiles, no electronic warfare jammers, no 155-millimeter artillery shells,” he told the newspaper. “That means we are retreating, retreating, step by step, in small steps,” he said. “We’re trying to find a way not to retreat.”
There is currently no new military aid for Ukraine because Republicans are blocking it in Congress.
7:05 a.m
Kyiv: Nine Russian drones intercepted
The Ukrainian Air Force reports shooting down nine drones in night attacks. In total, Russia deployed twelve “Shahed” missiles from Crimea against targets in Ukraine, writes the Kyiv Independent newspaper. The Russian army also launched four S-300 missiles at targets in the Donetsk region. There are said to be no deaths or injuries.
4:16 a.m
MBDA demands speed in defense contracts
The defense company MBDA is calling for faster decisions from the federal government about orders. “We can do much better and faster here in Germany,” said the head of the German subsidiary, Thomas Gottschild, to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. Despite improvements, there is still a lot of potential to procure defense equipment more quickly. The joint venture between Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo is, among other things, the producer of the “Taurus” cruise missile and “Patriot” anti-aircraft missile.
Gottschild pointed out that “Taurus” missiles would no longer be manufactured because the defense industry was not allowed to produce stocks without orders. Stopping production would be a “challenge,” said the manager. “In such cases, our suppliers, who are often small and medium-sized companies, have stopped production.” For new orders, suppliers would first have to reposition themselves and, for example, secure raw materials. Given the high demand worldwide, there are bottlenecks, especially for raw materials for explosives.
12:38 a.m
Friday’s developments to read.
Ukrainian army chief Syrsky is urgently calling for more military aid. Russia has six times more ammunition than Ukraine. Experts speak of Russian gains in territory.