Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid News
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Table of Contents 📖
"Certain days have more moral importance than other days in terms of what you can and can't do. You can murder on this day, but not on that day, because that day is a non-murder day."
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:19⏩
Jonathan welcomes viewers to the second part of his Ukraine War Update for 27/12/2024 which will focus on Military Aid and Assistance being provided to Ukraine as well as what Russia is doing in the same context.
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EU Aid to Ukraine
🎦 00:19-00:58⏩
- The EU has agreed to provide €150 to Ukraine to fund school meals, agricultural support and infrastructure restoration.
- This represents the second tranche of the €300 million rapid reconstruction agreement according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmihal.
- Jonathan notes that Ukraine appears to be an important part of the EU's future both in terms of security and as part of the wider community.
- The Netherlands has allocated €3.8 billion to Ukraine since the war began, with plans to provide an additional $6 billion soon, according to the Dutch ambassador to Ukraine, Alec Dohut.
Japanese Aid to Ukraine
🎦 00:58-01:17⏩, 01:18-02:17⏩
- Jonathan notes that there has been a lot of piecemeal reporting on this topic.
- Kyiv Independent reports that Japan is to transfer $3 billion from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, according to Zelensky.
- Jonathan notes that other countries (e.g. UK) have also released funds from frozen Russian assets.
- Japan is to provide an additional $3 billion to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets according to Zelensky, who confirmed this in a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Christmas Day.
- Zelensky expressed his gratitude to Japan for its support of Ukraine which has totaled $12 billion, which he said has made it possible to save thousands of lives.
- Jonathan believes this figure from Japan is likely to be in the form of financial and humanitarian aid.
US Aid to Ukraine
🎦 02:17-03:20⏩
- President Biden has instructed The Pentagon to increase military assistance to Ukraine following the missile strikes on 25/12/2024.
- Jonathan reads and agrees with a comment from viewer Bertolt who questioned why people are more upset about attacks on Christmas Day than any other day. Jonathan agrees with Bertolt highlighting the hypocrisy of outrage on certain days (non-murder days).
French Mirage Fighter Jets for Ukraine
🎦 03:20-09:55⏩
- Six months of training for Ukrainian pilots and mechanics on the Mirage 2000-5F has come to an end at the Nancy base. Jonathan notes that this includes training on logistics and mechanics, not just flying.
- Ukraine has reportedly requested 12 Mirage fighter jets, receiving six so far.
- There are conflicting reports about numbers of Mirage fighters already delivered to Ukraine by France and the numbers that will be delivered. Some reports suggest Ukraine will receive 12-20, with some potentially coming from other countries such as Greece. Jonathan believes it's unlikely to be this many, suggesting it will be closer to six.
- The Mirage 2000-5 is the oldest French Army aircraft still in service (launched over 25 years ago) with only 26 still in service as of 2024.
- The Mirage 2000-5 has been adapted so that it is able to fire at ground targets (e.g. using Scalp EG cruise missiles and AASM "Hammer" bombs).
- Jonathan is impressed at how quickly France managed to train Ukrainian pilots and mechanics, putting this down to reduced bureaucracy and the lack of a language barrier (with training in English). Jonathan speculates that Ukraine may have selected pilots with good English skills for this reason.
- Jonathan is unsure whether the Ukrainian pilots selected for training were experienced pilots or new recruits. At the start of the war, experienced pilots were selected for the F-16 training. Training existing pilots who have experience on Soviet aircraft to fly NATO planes is challenging (referencing Justin Bronk, Royal United Services Institute) so it may be that Ukraine has opted to train new pilots from scratch. Jonathan believes that due to the short training timeframe, it's likely that new pilots have been trained to fly the Mirage and that this presents an element of risk given their lack of experience.
German 155mm Shell Deliveries to Ukraine
🎦 09:55-11:34⏩
- Germany delivered a further 52,000 155mm shells to Ukraine in early December, bringing the total delivered in 2024 to over 320,000.
- Jonathan analyses a graph (from Edward Hunter-Crisiachi) showing German deliveries of 155mm High Explosive, Smoke and Illuminating shells, noting the significant ramping up of production and delivery from July 2022 onwards, in particular the Volcano smart shells (range 70km).
Portuguese KA-32A-11BC Helicopter donated to Ukraine
🎦 11:34-12:05⏩
- Footage has emerged of a Portuguese KA-32A-11BC utility helicopter operating in Ukraine. Portugal donated six earlier this year which were inoperable at the time, but Ukrainian engineers appear to have restored at least one to flying condition.
Ukraine to simplify procurement of Drones and EW equipment
🎦 12:05-12:45⏩
- Kyiv will simplify the procurement process for drones and electronic warfare equipment to enable the military to plan more effectively and for manufacturers to focus on technological development and scaling up production according to Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
- Jonathan believes that drones have replaced manpower to a degree, with Ukrainians more willing to be drone operators than infantrymen.
- Huge numbers of drone operators are needed, and whilst the war is largely being fought defensively in the air, boots are still needed on the ground and this remains Ukraine's biggest challenge.
Latvian Vehicle Donations to Ukraine
🎦 12:45-13:34⏩
- Latvia has donated 612 vehicles to Ukraine - all vehicles that were confiscated from drunk drivers.
- Since 2023, Latvia has donated all such vehicles to Ukraine, with a total value of €2.25 million.
- Jonathan is impressed with this initiative.
Ukrainian Basic Training Extended
🎦 13:34-14:47⏩
- The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has announced that Ukraine will extend its basic training program to two months (from the current six weeks).
- The previous 30 day basic training program has already been extended to six weeks.
- It is believed reluctance to volunteer is partly driven by a mistrust of the recruitment/mobilisation process, poor quality units, lack of equipment and poor training. Extending the training program, improving the quality of units and providing better equipment is hoped to address these concerns and encourage more volunteers.
Russian Combat Aircraft Production
🎦 14:47-17:55⏩
- The Russian Defence Complex has delivered just 24 combat aircraft in 2024 (10 Su-34M, 6 Su-35S, 6 Su-55M, 2 Su-30SM and 2 Su-57s), barely covering its losses, according to Defense 24.
- Jonathan is concerned that Russia is able to replace its losses.
- Jonathan notes that we have not seen many Russian fighter jets being shot down recently, speculating that this may be because Russia is being more risk averse in its operations.
- Jonathan does not believe that 24 aircraft represents an impressive output given that Russia is at war, and believes that Russia is likely to struggle most to replace high value, technologically advanced equipment. He cites an interview on Decoding Geopolitics with Justin Bronk (RUSI) who discusses the challenges Russia faces with high precision/quality engineering, drawing comparisons with the Su-57 (supposedly a stealth jet) where rivets are visible, and describing it as poorly assembled.
- Jonathan believes that Russia is better at producing cheaper but still dangerous jets.
- Jonathan believes that China faces similar challenges to Russia with the production of high end military equipment - it's not that they are unable to do it, but that it's lower down their list of priorities.
Russian Shahid Drone Production at Alabuga
🎦 17:55-19:10⏩
- The Russian drone factory at Alabuga (which produces Shahed drones) has significantly increased production using Chinese components and low skilled labour - including Russian teenagers and African women according to CNN.
- Production in 2023 was 2,738, increasing to 5,760 for the first nine months of 2024 (more than double) and this is evident in the numbers used by Russia.
Russian Anti-Drone Buggy
🎦 19:10-20:44⏩
- Russia has unveiled a new anti-drone buggy which is armed with a turret with six assault rifles and what looks like a mini-Grad (multiple barrels welded together firing 12 gauge cartridges).
- Jonathan initially believes the systems on the buggy are not remotely operated. On closer inspection he notices an operator for the mini-Grad but is unsure whether the assault rifles are remotely operated or not.
- Although this new anti-drone buggy is low tech, Jonathan highlights the innovation.
New Russian Missile uses Western Components
🎦 20:44-21:39⏩
- According to The Financial Times, job listings posted in 2024 by the developers of a new Russian missile specified experience of operating German and Japanese metalworking systems.
- Analysis of the debris of a Russian missile that exploded in Dnipropetrovsk suggests that it was made in 2017 and used western components.
- The use of western technology and components in Russian weapons remains a serious concern.
Wrap Up
🎦 21:39-21:44⏩
Jonathan thanks viewers for watching and for their support and signs off.
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🤖❓ AI Debrief (post task) - anything the AI didn't understand
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🤖💭 AI Plan (pre task) - the AI's step by step thought process
This is a military aid and assistance video so I will need to pay attention to who is providing what and values. I can see there is a potential spelling mistake "Toon Pips" - this is likely to be "Tone Pipes" which Jonathan says at the end of his videos. There is also mention of French aid, Portuguese helicopters, Japanese/EU aid. I will also need to create topic titles for the introduction, Jonathan's sign off and the various news items.