Crosetto: we distrust Russia and diplomats on fake news about landmines
“We warn Russia and its diplomatic terminals from continuing to spread false news on this matter.” Thus the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetti, regarding the photos of allegedly Italian-made mines spread on social media by the Russian embassy in Italy. For Corsetto, the Russian embassy in Italy, like the Russian foreign ministry, «is lying knowing it is lying. The latest tweet from the Russian embassy contains, in particular, deliberately misleading, untruthful and seriously disparaging information», adds Crosetto speaking of «an allusive and tendentious propaganda against our country».
According to Crosetto it is «an allusive and tendentious propaganda against our country which has always respected the norms of international law. Surprising – he continues – is the use of fake news and out-of-context photos to induce the reader to draw completely false conclusions. The mines reproduced in the tweet (one anti-personnel and two anti-tank) are reminiscent of Italian-made “Valsella/Tecnovar” mines, which cannot be Italian for a multitude of reasons. First of all because the production of anti-personnel mines in Italy was interrupted more than 28 years ago with a moratorium by the Italian government and the subsequent law 374/1997 which definitively banned them starting from the accession of our country, among the first signatories of the Ottawa treaty against landmines. Furthermore – the Minister of Defense points out – anti-personnel mines of Italian production were exported only up to the beginning of the 1990s. The production license was also granted to other countries, as can be seen from the initials of the only anti-personnel mine shown in the photo, a ‘Vs50’ not produced in Italy but in the Far East».
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal: “Moscow has turned us into a minefield, the largest in the world”
“Russia has turned Ukraine into the largest minefield in the world, which causes, among other things, serious problems in agriculture, which is one of the main branches of the Ukrainian economy.”
This was stated by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal, according to the Polish site Onet.
Moscow plans a meeting between human rights commissioners for Russia and Ukraine
The Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moscowalkova said he had discussions with the human rights commissioner of the Ukrainian Parliament, Dmitry Lubinets, of the possibility of meeting in Turkey from 12 to 14 January. «I confirm that I am planning this meeting. There will be a big forum in Turkey that the Turkish Commissioner is organizing. And we discussed the possibility of a meeting and a provisional agenda,” he told reporters.
Ukraine, ammunition depot in Melitopol hit: prolonged explosions
A Russian ammunition depot was destroyed in the occupied city of Melitopol, with the detonations continuing for five hours. This was stated by the Ukrainian mayor of the city, Ivan Fedorovquoted by Interfax-Ukraine.
The depot was hit last night, the subsequent explosions lasted from 1 to 6 in the morning and by 13 the depot was destroyed, Fedorov said. The ammunition had been stored in the Hidromash state factoryin the city centre.
Kiev: Moscow has turned us into the biggest minefield in the world
“Russia has turned Ukraine into the largest minefield in the world, which causes, among other things, serious problems in agriculture, which is one of the main branches of the Ukrainian economy.” This was stated by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, according to reports on the Polish website Onet.
Special forces Wagner in Soledar for attack on the city
«The Russian army has sent the most experienced units of the Wagner group to storm the city of Soledar in the Donetsk region». This was reported by General Oleksandr Syrski, commander of the ground forces of the Ukrainian army, according to the Polish portal Onet.
Russian Embassy in Rome: “Italian mines defused”
«These Italian-made mines TS/6.1, ТS50 and TS/2,4 (MATS/2) were defused by Russian sappers on Ukrainian territory and exhibited in the summer of 2022 in an exhibition of captured weapons in the ‘Patriot’ park of Fly. How many of these ‘souvenirs d’Italia’ still remain in Ukraine? People will suffer for a long time to come…” The Russian embassy in Rome wrote it on Facebook posting the photo of the alleged Italian mines.
Zelensky in conversation with Prime Minister Kovachevski of North Macedonia to discuss a possible escalation
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovachevski they discussed the risks of escalation at the front and of the defense cooperation.
It should be emphasized that on 1 January, North Macedonia assumed the presidency of the OSCE.
War in Ukraine, Ursula Von Der Leyen: «Sassoli sounded the alarm about authoritarian regimes»
The words of David Sassoli when we visited the prison camp together Fossoli they were “prophetic” before the invasion of Ukraine.
This was underlined by the president of the EU commission Ursula Von der Leyen, speaking in Rome at the presentation of the collection book of speeches by the late president of the European Parliament.
In the summer of 2021, «David asked me to come with him to Fossoli», recalled Von der Leyen, his speech during the visit was “a love letter to the EU”, born “as a response to the horrors of the past and of war”. “So David asked a simple but powerful question: Have you ever wondered why i authoritarian regimes Is everyone so scared of Europe? there is only one reason, our values scare them, freedom, opportunity and peace». «Let’s not forget who we are, this was months before the invasion of Ukraine, a country that has adopted European values. It was a prophecy», underlined Von der Leyen who, subsequently, also recalled how Sassoli had been declared persona non grata by Russia.
European Commissioner Timmermans travels to Kiev for “green reconstruction”
European Commission Vice-President for the Green Deal, Frans Timmermanstraveled to Ukraine today to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss “state of play in the country and immediate needs on the ground in light of Russia’s intensified attacks on critical infrastructure”.
Through a written note from the European Commission it is specified that Timmermans will discuss “in particular concrete support to the energy sector and energy supply, as well as the government’s plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine”.
In addition to his bilateral meeting with the President, the Executive Vice President will hold various ministerial-level meetings, including one with the Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko and with the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strilets.
In the note, Brussels specifies that support for the reconstruction of Ukraine will be based on the objectives of the European Green Deal “putting the development of renewable energies and a just transition at the heart of the country’s reconstruction plans”
Lavrov-Qin Gang telephone conversation
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang held a telephone conversation in which they discussed Ukraine. The Tax reports it. The two ministers also reportedly agreed that the US policy of “igniting confrontation” between Moscow and Beijing “is unacceptable”. In the conversation, the new minister Qin Gang – Tass reports again – said he was ready to maintain close contacts with Lavrov, underlining that Beijing is ready to continue to advance in relations with Moscow.
War in Ukraine, Prodi: “The crisis in Cuba at least had its balance”
The voice of former Prime Minister Romano Prodi underlines the current war scenario: “Today is an extremely difficult moment, it is the most dramatic of those I have experienced, even the moment of tension from Cuba’s missiles had its own balance” .
Words that come directly from the presentation of the book on David Sassoli “Wisdom and Audacity” at the Teatro Quirino in Rome. «The war in Ukraine has made Europe’s step forward even more important».
Romano Prodi also believes that “war has increased diversity and the polarization of the world is increasing”.
War in Ukraine, missiles on Kharkiv: women among the most affected victims
Two women were killed by missiles fired by the Russian army on a market in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine this morning. Three other women and a ten-year-old girl were injured.
The news was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrainska Pravda.