U.S. and Germany to send tanks to Ukraine; Russia says heavy weaponry for Kyiv is a 'blatant provocation'

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Pentagon's upcoming training for Ukrainians using the M1A1 Abrams tanks will take place outside of Ukraine.

Kirby said the U.S. has not yet decided on a specific location or timing for the training.

He also said that the Pentagon does not have extra tanks to pull from its current arsenal to provide for Ukraine.

"We just don't have them," Kirby said, adding that "even if there were excess tanks it would still take many months anyway." He also declined to provide a timeline of when the M1A1 Abrams tanks would be ready for Ukrainian forces.

— Amanda Macias

A parliamentary panel in Switzerland has recommended waiving a law that bars countries from re-exporting Swiss armored vehicles, weapons and other war material to Ukraine for its defense against Russia, insisting the move would not violate the country's much-vaunted neutrality.

The Security Policy Committee of the lower house of Switzerland's parliament voted 14-11 Tuesday to allow a re-export exception for cases involving a use of force that violates international law — notably, Russia's invasion of Ukraine 11 months ago.

Adherence to the concept of neutrality is enshrined in the Swiss constitution. The National Council committee's vote amounts to only a small first step, and it remains far from certain whether the government would authorize such a waiver.

"The majority of the committee believes Switzerland must offer its contribution to European security, which requires more substantial aid to Ukraine," the committee said in a statement. It insisted the proposed changes "respect the law of neutrality" because they would not involve direct exports of Swiss war materiel to conflict zones.

— Associated Press

The Kremlin expressed alarm that the "Doomsday Clock" had edged closer to midnight than ever, even though the scientists who moved the symbolic dial cited Moscow's own "thinly veiled threats" to use nuclear weapons.

The "Doomsday Clock," created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists to illustrate how close humanity has come to the end of the world, on Tuesday moved its "time" in 2023 to 90 seconds to midnight, 10 seconds closer than it has been for the past three years.

Midnight on this clock marks the theoretical point of annihilation. The clock's hands are moved closer to or further away from midnight based on scientists' reading of existential threats at a particular time.

"The situation as a whole is really alarming," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, calling for a sober appraisal of the tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine crisis.

He said there was no prospect of any detente, based on "the line that was chosen by NATO under U.S. leadership."

"This imposes on us a duty to be particularly careful, to be alert and to take appropriate measures," he added.

On Tuesday, the Bulletin's president cited repeated warnings by President Vladimir Putin and other Russian politicians that Moscow might be prepared to use nuclear weapons as a key factor in the decision to advance the dial of the "Doomsday Clock."

— Reuters

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said on Telegram that Germany plans to transfer a batch of Starlink terminals to Kyiv.

Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk's SpaceX, has been crucial in keeping Ukraine's military online during the war against Russia, even as communication infrastructure gets destroyed.

Last year, Musk reversed his previous decision to cut off funding for Starlink in Ukraine.

"The hell with it," the billionaire later tweeted, "even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we'll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free."

— Amanda Macias

The State Department downplayed reports that Germany and the U.S. were at odds over whether to provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 and M1A1 Abrams tanks.

"Time and again, Germany has proven itself as a stalwart ally of the United States," Price said, adding that Berlin and Washington have only had constructive discussions in the weeks leading up to the separate security assistance announcements.

Earlier on Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin would provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.

Germany said its goal was to "quickly assemble two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine." The country will supply 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks in what it called a "first step."

— Amanda Macias

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his decision to provide Kyiv with 31 Abrams tanks as well as training and maintenance support.

Zelenskyy said the transfer of M1A1 Abrams tanks is, "an important step on the path to victory."

"Today the free world is united as never before for a common goal – liberation of Ukraine," he added.

— Amanda Macias

The Biden administration approved a $400 million in fresh military aid for Ukraine that will include 31 U.S.-made M1A1 Abrams tanks.

Here's a look at the latest package which brings U.S. commitment to $27.1 billion since Russia's invasion nearly a year ago:

The capabilities in this package include:

•             31 Abrams tanks with 120mm rounds and other ammunition

•             8 tactical vehicles to recover equipment

•             Support vehicles and equipment

•             Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment

— Amanda Macias

The White House said that President Joe Biden spoke with his counterparts from Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom ahead of his announcement that Washington was ready to provide Ukraine with M1A1 Abrams tanks.

The addition of the U.S. tanks to the latest military aid package follows German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision to provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks.

Germany said its goal was to "quickly assemble two tank battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine." The country will supply 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks in what it called a "first step."

— Amanda Macias

The Biden administration said it will equip Ukraine with the mighty M1A1 Abrams tank, a key reversal in the West's effort to arm Kyiv as it prepares for a fresh Russian offensive.

The 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which amount to one Ukrainian tank battalion, will expand on the more than $26 billion the U.S. has committed to Kyiv's fight since Russia invaded nearly a year ago.

The U.S. plans to purchase the new M1s using funds from the congressionally approved Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

It will "take some time" for the tanks to be delivered to Ukraine, a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday. "We are talking months as opposed to weeks," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Read the full story here.

— Amanda Macias

Ukrainian forces have conducted an organized retreat from a town in the eastern region of the Donbas, an official said, in what amounted to a rare but modest battlefield triumph for Russia after a series of setbacks in its invasion that began almost 11 months ago.

The Ukrainian army retreated from the salt mining town of Soledar to "preserve the lives of personnel," Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine's forces in the east, told The Associated Press.

The soldiers pulled back to previously prepared defensive positions, he said. Russia claimed almost two weeks ago that its forces had taken Soledar, but Ukraine denied it.

Moscow has portrayed the battle for the town not far from the Donetsk province city of Bakhmut, as key to capturing all of Ukraine's Donbas region, where Russia-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian troops for almost nine years and controlled some territory before Russia's full-scale invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin cited the safety of ethnic Russians living in Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province, which together make up the Donbas, as justification for the invasion. Putin illegally annexed the Ukrainian provinces and two others in late September.

The withdrawal of Ukraine's troops from Soledar takes the Russian forces a step closer to Bakhmut, but military analysts say the town's capture is more symbolic than strategic. The fighting in eastern Ukraine has stood mostly at a stalemate for months.

— Associated Press

Russia expressed mounting fury at the prospect of modern Western tanks being sent to Ukraine, calling it "extremely dangerous" and saying previous "red lines" were now a thing of the past.

Germany announced earlier Wednesday that it was ready to send 14 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, and to allow other countries to send their own German-made tanks to Kyiv. The U.S. is also expected to announce imminently its own intention to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

The Russian Embassy in Berlin called the German government's decision "extremely dangerous" and said it "takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation" while the foreign ministry warned that "red lines" were a "thing of the past" as it slammed what is saw as the West waging a "hybrid war" against Russia.

The use of modern Western tanks by Ukraine is likely to add momentum to its efforts to push Russian forces out of occupied areas of the country, particularly the eastern Donbas region, but Russia sees the gift of tanks as further evidence that the West is fighting what it sees as a proxy war against it in Ukraine.

Read more on the story here.

— Holly Ellyatt

Norwegian police said on Wednesday they would not seek to intern a former commander of Russia's Wagner mercenary group who recently fled to Norway, ordering him instead to stay at a secret location for security reasons.

Andrei Medvedev fled Russia by crossing into Norway on Jan. 13. He has said he fears for his life after witnessing what he said was the killing and mistreatment of Russian prisoners brought to the front lines in Ukraine to fight for Wagner.

On Monday police said he was detained by immigration police and held at the Trandum immigration detention centre outside Oslo, due to "disagreement" about measures taken to ensure his safety.

Trandum is where asylum seekers who have been turned down are held before they are deported. Police have denied suggestions Medvedev might be deported to Russia.

"The police's immigration unit releases Medvedev from ... Trandum under an order to be at a specific place of residence," police said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Police had until Wednesday to decide whether to seek a court order to intern him.

Medvedev's Norwegian lawyer, Brynjulf Risnes, was not immediately available for comment.

On Monday, Risnes had said Medvedev had been detained due to "disagreement" about measures taken to ensure his safety and said that there was "zero chance" he would be deported to Russia.

— Reuters

Ukraine's President Volodymy Zelenskyy thanked Germany and Chancellor Olaf Scholz for its decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and to allow other countries to re-export their own German-made tanks.

"German main battle tanks, further broadening of defense support & training missions, green light for partners to supply similar weapons. Just heard about these important & timely decisions in a call with @OlafScholz," Zelensyy said on Telegram, adding that he was "sincerely grateful" to the chancellor and Germany for the decision.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also expressed his thanks to Berlin, saying Ukraine now expected "to involve a wide range of partners in the tank coalition in order to obtain as many tanks as possible in the shortest possible time."

Germany released a statement on the phone call between President Zelenskyy and Chancellor Scholz earlier today, saying the leaders had "exchanged views on the political, military and humanitarian situation in Ukraine."

 "The Chancellor reiterated unwavering solidarity with Ukraine in the face of Russian Federation's aggression and announced that Germany will continue to increase military support to Ukraine in close coordination with European and international partners," the statement read.

— Holly Ellyatt

An official has confirmed that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the town of Soledar in Donetsk but said they had done so to save personnel.

Speaking to NBC News, Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson of the Eastern Group of Ukrainian Armed Forces, said the withdrawal had taken place "in order to preserve the lives of the personnel, the Defense Forces moved away from Soledar and are now staying on previously prepared defense lines."

Cherevatyi said the defenders of Soledar, where fighting has been intense for weeks, had performed a "real feat" holding their positions in the town and inflicting "huge losses" on Russia, given they were fighting Russian forces that that were up to five times larger.

—  Holly Ellyatt

The Netherlands is prepared to deliver battle tanks to Ukraine if needed, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.

"If a contribution from the Netherlands helps, we are prepared to do so," Rutte told Dutch broadcaster RTL.

Rutte said the Netherlands could opt to buy tanks it currently leases from Germany, and supply those to Ukraine.

— Reuters

Germany's decision to offer a number of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, and to allow other countries with the same weaponry to send their own stocks to Kyiv, has been greeted positively.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hailed the move as a "big step." Poland had already sent a request to Germany on Tuesday asking if it could send 14 of its own German-made Leopards to Ukraine before Berlin's announcement.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner wrote on Twitter that battle tanks for Ukraine would strengthen the country and said "it is an important step that the US participates alongside the #Leopard."

Meanwhile, the vice president of the German Bundestag and Greens member, Katrin Goering-Eckardt, tweeted "the Leopard's freed" and that "hopefully now it can quickly help Ukraine in its fight against the Russian attack and for the freedom of Ukraine and Europe."

The U.K.'s defense secretary also said he was "delighted" at Germany's decision.

There has been no official response from Ukraine's president yet but Kyiv will be pleased with Germany's decision as it paves the wave for other allies to send their own German-made tanks to Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, simply tweeted a leopard emoji.

— Holly Ellyatt

Germany has announced that it is ready to send 14 of its own tanks to Ukraine and to allow others to do so, in an U-turn from its previous position.

Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Wednesday that Germany will provide Ukraine with 14 Leopard 2 tanks out of its own Bundeswehr (German armed forces) stocks.

Here is the statement from the Germany government, translated by NBC News:

— Holly Ellyatt

While international news headlines are focusing on the issue of tanks for Kyiv, the country continues to experience missile strikes on the north, northeast, east and south.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported Wednesday that Russian forces had launched four missile and 26 air strikes over the past 24 hours and more than 100 strikes using multiple launch rocket systems, an update noted.

There had been "multiple attacks" by Russia in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine, the updated noted.

"The threat of Russian air and missile attacks remains high across Ukraine," the update said, adding that "despite numerous losses, Russia does not cease attempts to advance on Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Novopavlivka axes. However, the enemy stays on the defensive on Kup'yans'k, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson axes."

Other regional officials reported shelling in Kherson city and the rest of the southern region, with Yaroslav Yanushevych, the head of the Kherson regional military administration reporting on Telegram that the region was shelled 52 times yesterday, and that shells had hit a maternity hospital, school, polyclinic, seaport and residential building, leaving one civilian dead and six others injured.

In Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, the Head of the Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov said on Telegram a number of settlements have been shelled overnight and early Wednesday morning, causing damage to residential and industrial areas and injuring two people.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said Wednesday that the northern border regions of Sumy and Chernihiv had been shelled the previous day.

CNBC was unable to immediately verify the information.

— Holly Ellyatt

A top Russian official has said that any delivery of American tanks to Ukraine would be seen as "another blatant provocation" by the West.

"If the United States decides to supply tanks, it will be impossible to justify such step using arguments about 'defensive weapons'," Russia's Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Telegram Wednesday.

"This would be another blatant provocation against the Russian Federation. No one should have illusions about who is the real aggressor in the current conflict," he claimed.

The U.S. is expected to announce soon that it will send a number of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, with Germany expected to say Wednesday that it is ready to send Leopard 2 tanks. The decision to send tanks comes after months of requests from Kyiv, and as Russia is expected to launch new offensives in Ukraine in spring.

The Russian ambassador to the U.S. is a vocal critic of the West, claiming that "Washington is deliberately trying to inflict strategic defeat on us." He said American tanks would be "destroyed as all other samples of NATO military equipment."

Ukraine's NATO allies have supported Ukraine throughout the war with billions of dollars' worth of military and financial aid, fearing that a victory for Russia in Ukraine could only spur on Moscow's apparently expansionist aims in other former Soviet republics like Georgia and Moldova.

— Holly Ellyatt