Russia launches powerful weapons, Ukraine plans to "play big" in Crimea? The future of India-China relations

The tit-for-tat "blows" between Russia and Ukraine, the deadly plane crash in Japan, the conflict in the Middle East, India-China relations... are some of the prominent international events in the past 24 hours.

A Japan Airlines A350 caught fire at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan on January 2. (Source: Reuters)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights:

Russia-Ukraine

* Russia and Ukraine fired missiles at each other: On January 2, on Telegram , the Ukrainian air force said that many missiles were flying in the sky over Kiev city and that the country's air defense systems participated in repelling the attack.

A few hours earlier, the force said that Russia had launched a total of 35 drones to attack Ukraine but were all destroyed by air defense systems.

Meanwhile, Russia announced that it shot down four missiles launched by Kiev at the Russian border city of Belgorod at around 12:00 local time (16:00 Vietnam time). According to the statement, Kiev launched the "Vilkha" ballistic missile.

The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky both said on January 1 that Moscow and Kiev were determined to step up their attacks. (Reuters, AFP)

* Russia is setting up a powerful group of reconnaissance satellites over Ukraine that will help intercept all missiles supplied to Kiev by the West, according to retired Colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Oleg Starikov.

In a video posted on YouTube , Mr. Starikov said that among the satellites, there was a satellite that detected the missile launch through the flames emitted when the engine was running.

According to him, thanks to the above "weapons", Russia will be able to very effectively intercept HIMARS rockets, ATACMS missiles and Taurus missiles produced by the West that the Ukrainian army currently has.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Ukraine also began equipping unmanned attack boats of the "Sea Baby" class with the NURS (S-8 guided rocket system). These rockets have a range of 8-10 km.

The "Sea Baby" boats are capable of carrying explosives weighing up to 800 kg, posing a real threat.

* Ukraine is determined to isolate the Crimean peninsula and destroy Russian military facilities on the peninsula by 2024, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with The Economist.

Affirming that these are Ukraine's main military goals, Mr. Zelensky said: "Isolating Crimea as well as weakening Russia's military potential there is extremely important for us, because this is a way to reduce the number of attacks from this region."

According to the leader, Kiev hopes that the “successful” operation in Crimea will become an “example” for the whole world, and will also have a “huge impact” internally in Russia.

President Zelensky stressed that he will not abandon the main task of “fully liberating” Ukraine and moving towards the 1991 borders, but now this will not depend on any time frame.

He set the immediate task of “protecting” eastern Ukraine, “saving” the most important cities of Ukraine, including Kharkov, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Kherson and Nikolaev.

Europe

* The EU has started visa-free travel for people from Kosovo since January 1 after visa-free short-term stays in the European Union (EU) came into effect the same day.

In April 2023, the European Parliament approved an agreement on a visa-free regime for short-term stays in the Schengen area for Kosovo citizens. Accordingly, Kosovo passport holders can travel to the EU without a visa for 90 days within any 180-day period. (AFP)

* Russian long-range aviation forces to receive new aircraft in 2024 , according to information from Commander of the long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Sergei Kobylash.

“These will be completely new aircraft, based on new principles, with new aerodynamic and combat characteristics,” General Kobylash said in a statement posted on the website of the Russian Defense Ministry.

* Norway has authorized direct arms sales to Ukraine, in a historic decision that will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide said: “In the current security emergency, it is important that we continue to support Ukraine. This support is important not only for Ukraine but also for the security of all of Europe and Norway. Therefore, the decision to allow direct arms sales is a strategic and necessary step.”

According to the statement of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the export of weapons and defense products will be carried out strictly in accordance with the confirmed needs of Ukraine and the control of the end-user forces.

All export licenses for direct arms sales will be granted on a case-by-case basis and each application will be carefully considered. (Ukrinform)

Asia

* India predicts the future of relations with China in 2024: On January 2, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that whether India and China can resolve their differences in 2024 depends on "China's policy".

In an interview with ANI , Mr. Jaishankar stressed the importance of “interaction” between the two countries, stating: “We have tried to build a relationship based on three interactions… If that interaction is not recognized, this relationship will not progress.”

Recalling the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in the Ladakh region, the diplomat said: “Now, part of the problem is that… in 2020, agreements were flouted and the engagement that was supposed to be there in the relationship was not properly implemented.”

* Plane collision in Japan: On January 2, NHK television broadcast footage showing fire on a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane parked on the runway at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan.

According to initial information, the plane may have collided with a Japan Coast Guard plane, which was en route to Niigata airport to provide relief to people in the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa prefecture, which suffered an earthquake on January 1.

Japan's Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said five people on board the Coast Guard plane died in the collision, with only the captain surviving. Meanwhile, JAL said all passengers and crew, a total of 379 people, escaped the plane.

On January 2, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio instructed relevant ministers to make every effort to promptly investigate the incident, pledging to provide information to the public appropriately. (Kyodo, AFP)

* Earthquake in Japan: On January 2, NHK television quoted Japanese officials as saying that the number of victims killed after a series of strong earthquakes shook the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture and coastal areas in central Japan has increased to 48.

The Japanese government has dispatched a search and rescue force of 3,000 police, military and firefighters from across the country to the earthquake zone.

About 120 people are waiting to be rescued, according to a Japanese government spokesman, while authorities received about 900 emergency calls after the earthquake.

According to NHK , Noto Airport was forced to close due to runway cracks and other serious damage to the terminal area. At present, 500 people are still trapped in the airport's parking lot.

* South Korea plans to strengthen deterrence with the United States against possible military actions by North Korea, according to South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho.

According to Mr. Kim, the South Korean government will build a "denser and higher" deterrence system and North Korea will eventually have to give up nuclear weapons if it encounters a strong "deterrence wall" of Seoul-Washington.

Meanwhile, on the same day, KBS reported that the South Korean Army announced that it had conducted simultaneous artillery drills on all eastern and western fronts, simulating a situation where the enemy used provocative hot weapons.

All Army units participated in the maneuver and live-fire drills, including K9A1 and K9 self-propelled artillery; K2 and K1A2 tanks; K21 armored vehicles; and K600 mine clearance vehicles.

Earlier, on January 1, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea Kim Myung-soo boarded the Air Force's early warning and control aircraft, commanding airspace protection; and at the same time, directed the forces dispatched abroad to "take decisive action".

On the same day, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik also visited the 2nd Marine Division of the Cheongryong (Blue Dragon) force, listened to reports on the combat situation at frontline guard posts, and instructed the army to respond appropriately when the enemy provokes.

Middle East

* Israel rejects new Hamas proposal on hostage release deal: Axios news portal quoted sources as saying that Israeli leaders have rejected a new proposal by the extremist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip on a deal regarding the release of hostages.

Earlier, on December 31, Hamas, through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, sent Israel a new proposal for a deal that would release the hostages in three phases. Each phase would include a pause in fighting for more than a month in exchange for the release of the hostages.

An unnamed Israeli official told Axios that Israeli officials considered the proposal "completely baseless and we asked the mediators to try to come up with a more acceptable proposal."

* Israeli military prepares for "prolonged war": On January 1, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the IDF is preparing for "prolonged war... with additional missions and equipment until the end of this year".

According to Mr. Hagari, Israel will withdraw some units, especially reserve units, to reorganize "to ensure planning and preparation for war continues in 2024".

On the same day, IDF Commander in the South Yaron Finkelman also announced that the IDF's offensive in the Gaza Strip "will continue with different methods, different intensities and different ways". (EFE)

* Israel continues to strike Syria: Syrian state news agency (SANA) quoted a military statement saying that an Israeli airstrike early on January 2 from the direction of the Golan Heights targeting positions in the suburbs of Damascus caused some material damage.

The Israeli military also said it attacked Syrian military facilities on the night of January 1 and early morning of January 2 in response to previous shelling by Syrian gunmen.

On the evening of January 1, the Israeli army also attacked Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon.

Africa

* Somalia has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, saying a controversial port deal signed by Ethiopia with the breakaway region of Somaliland violated Somalia's sovereignty.

“Somaliland is part of Somalia under the Constitution and Mogadishu considers this move a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and unity,” the Somali cabinet said in a statement.

The statement also affirmed that the agreement signed by Ethiopia with Somaliland is “null and void and has no legal basis. Somalia will not accept it.”

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre also said Somalia would defend its territory with "all possible legal means" following a deal allowing Ethiopia to use the Red Sea port of Berbera.

The Somali government stressed that it is calling on international organizations including the United Nations and the African Union to stand with Somalia. (AFP)

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