Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that Ukraine and its people should take the initiative in deciding the fate of the war, the president of Ukraine said this after returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he called on the West to increase sanctions pressure on the Kremlin and strengthen support for Kyiv. “Ukraine needs an ambitious and proactive perspective, so that the initiative lies with our country, and not with the enemy, so that the end of the war depends on Ukraine’s actions,” Zelenskyy said in his video speech at night.

All information about the war in Ukraine – day 694 – LIVE on HotNews.ro:

09:32Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday morning that its anti-aircraft units had intercepted and destroyed a Ukrainian drone over Moscow Oblast and another over Leningrad Oblast, which surrounds the country’s second-largest city, St. Petersburg. The incidents happened around 1:30 am, according to a message posted on Telegram.

Earlier, the mayor of Moscow Serhii Sobyanin said that air defense units shot down a drone that was heading to the capital. The fragments fell to the ground without causing damage or casualties, he added, according to Reuters.

01:34 Volodymyr Zelenskyi, just back from Davos, appeared on Wednesday night to propose a new strategy in the war with Russia: Ukraine should not limit itself to defense, but should go on the offensive against Russia and take the initiative in this sense.

In the usual evening video address to his compatriots, he said that in the afternoon he had a meeting with the main people responsible for the fate of the war with Russia.

00:38The Ukrainian press reports border protests by Romanian hauliers and farmers, who are blocking the transportation of goods, putting them in a mirror against the Poles, who have just decided to take a “strategic pause” until March 1, after reaching an agreement with the government

A brief summary of recent events:

• ‘We need NATO transformation for war’: Alliance military chief says anything could happen at any time.
• The Ukrainian border service reports that Romanian transporters and farmers will block the third checkpoint on the border with Ukraine, Halmeu-Diakovo, on Thursday.
• Belarus has included the use of nuclear weapons in its military doctrine, Minsk Defense Minister Viktor Grenin told the media on Tuesday.
• The Chinese Prime Minister refused to meet with Zelensky in Davos. Ukrainian leaders have made no secret of their desire to meet with Chinese officials in Switzerland this week, but President Zelensky went home without the desired meeting.
• Dmytro Medvedev admits: Russia will never leave Ukraine alone. The vice-president of the Russian Security Council said that Russia will always fight with Ukraine, and the reason for the attack will be found in 10 or 50 years.
• “We defeated the Russians in 2022 on land, and in 2023 – at sea”: Ukraine’s new goal for 2024. Ukraine said on Wednesday that its goal this year was to achieve air supremacy in its war with Russia, but warned that victory still needed time and help from the West.
• “Giving in to Orbán’s blackmail must stop right now”: The European Parliament responded with an appeal to the Court of Justice of the EU regarding the funds transferred to Hungary.
• Investigating wiretapping of journalists. Ukrainian authorities announced Wednesday that they are investigating “illegal wiretapping and videotaping” of journalists working in a media investigation.
• Russia has asked Kazakhstan to increase its supply of eggs to Russian traders amid shortages in the country, the Kazakh government said on Wednesday, after President Vladimir Putin himself apologized for raising prices.
• A rare event in Russia: Thousands of people protested in Bashkiria following a court order. The squires intervened by force.

——————

• Wednesday’s events related to Russian aggression were broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro