Ukrainian troops destroy a Russian Su-34 fighter jet over Luhansk region on Monday, Ukraine’s General Staff says. Hungary’s Orbán confirms he is ready to stop blocking EU’s Ukraine aid, but reiterates a yearly review demand for the funding. Ukraine is among the countries that have made the most progress in 2023, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index.
Ukrainian troops destroy Russian Su-34 fighter jet over Luhansk region, Ukraine’s General Staff says
Ukrainian troops shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber over Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine on Monday, spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalyov said on Ukrainian television on January 30.
Russia has lost a total of 332 aircraft and 324 helicopters since the invasion, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
On Monday, there were 70 combat engagements, it said in a separate message. Russian forces launched 114 airstrikes at Ukraine. Ukraine’s Air Force struck 20 sites where Russian troops, weapons and military equipment are deployed, and two sites with air defense systems.
On Monday, Russia lost 960 troops, 10 tanks, 29 armored personal carriers, 31 artillery systems, three air defense systems, an aircraft, 35 drones, 42 vehicles and fuel tanks, and five pieces of specialized equipment, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a daily update.
Hungary’s Orbán ready to stop blocking EU’s Ukraine aid, but reiterates yearly review demand for funding
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán confirmed he was ready to soften his stance on a proposed EU 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine, but offered to split the funding into annual tranches. According to his suggestion, the bloc’s governments would be asked to approve it unanimously on a yearly basis, Orbán said in an interview with French weekly Le Point published Tuesday.
Earlier this month, Hungary proposed that the EU hand out EUR 12.5 billion in grants and loans every year to Ukraine, Politico quoted a diplomat with knowledge of the proceedings as saying. Under the original EU Commission proposal, the EUR 50 billion comprised EUR 17 billion in grants and EUR 33 billion in non-budget loans until 2027.
“Hungary is ready to participate in the solution of the 27 (EU member nations) if you guarantee that each year we will decide whether or not to send this money. And this annual decision must have the same legal basis as today: it must be unanimous”, Orbán was quoted as saying.
European heads of government are due to vote on a EUR 50 billion aid facility for Kyiv on February 1. Without it, and a similar amount in funding due from the U.S., experts say Ukraine will not be able to keep fighting Russia, or sustain what remains of its battered economy, for long, according to Politico.
Ukraine hopes to avoid “economic doomsday” of not getting Western financial aid, it said.
“We are not currently even considering an option of not receiving this assistance,” Danylo Hetmantsev, head of the finance and tax committee of the Ukrainian parliament, told Politico.
Ukraine among countries that make most progress in 2023, according to Corruption Perceptions Index
Ukraine gained three points on the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, a ranking by Transparency International, showing one of the best results in the world in the past year, Andriy Borovyk, Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine said in a column for Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda.
“Ukraine gained 36 points out of 100 on the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Now our country ranks 104th out of 180 countries,” Borovyk said.
“Ukraine’s climb of three spots up is one of the best results in the world in the past year. Ukraine is also one of 17 countries that have demonstrated their best performance ever in this edition of CPI,” the column reads.
In the past ten years, since major reforms began after the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine has gained a total of 11 points.
The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories around the globe by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, scoring on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Steady climbing up the ranking ladder is no less important than a ranking spot.Transparency International’s report cites the scores of other EU candidate countries. Georgia lost three points (got a score of 53 points and ranks 49th), Montenegro gained one point (46 points, 63rd spot), Moldova gained three points (42 points, 76th spot), North Macedonia gained two points (42 points, 76th spot), Albania gained one point (37 points, 98th spot), Serbia’s ranking has not changed (36 points, 104th spot), and Bosnia and Herzegovina gained one point (35 points, 108th). Turkey lost two points (34 points, 115th spot), showing the worst result among EU candidate countries.
Lithuanian public broadcaster fundraises to send anti-drone equipment, night vision devices to Ukrainian troops
Lithuanian public broadcaster, LRT with its partners is launching the second donation campaign Radarom!, seeking to raise funds to send Lithuanian-made safe soldier packs to Ukraine.
The 7,500-euro packages, each consisting of a night vision monocular, a laser sight, and an individual anti-drone, are meant to help Ukrainian soldiers stay better protected as they fight against the Russian invasion.
The equipment is manufactured in Lithuania by Brolis Semiconductors and NT Service.
“Our nation has not grown tired, and we continue to support the fighting spirit of Ukrainian soldiers. And we must do so because their fighting spirit is a shield for us and for Europe. We have the opportunity to support Ukrainian soldiers with equipment that is made in Lithuania and, most importantly, is essential for the soldiers on the frontline,” says Jonas Ohman, founder of the NGO Blue/Yellow that provides military support to Ukraine.
Donations are invited for one month until 24 February, the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Five-euro donations can be made by calling 1485 (from Lithuania). More options can be found on radarom.lt.
The four-week fundraising campaign is organised by LRT together with the organisations Blue/Yellow, Laisvės TV, Stiprūs kartu, and the journalist Rita Miliūtė. The campaign will end with a special broadcast on LRT TV, LRT RADIO and LRT.lt on February 24. The broadcast will conclude with a final benefit concert in the evening.
