German Defence Minister resigns amid Ukraine row

Berlin, January 16

German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned from Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government on Monday, the culmination of growing doubts about her ability to revive Germany’s armed forces against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.

Her decision is a blow to Scholz at a time when Germany is under pressure to approve an increase in international military support for Kyiv, and Germany’s defence capabilities have been called into question after several Puma infantry tanks were put out of service during a recent military drill.

Blow to scholz

• The resignation by Christine Lambrecht (57) is a blow to Olaf Scholz at a time when Germany is under pressure to approve an increase in military support for Kyiv
• She has been blamed by critics for failing to get the German armed forces back in shape quickly, despite a 100 billion euro special fund being agreed for that purpose

The pressure to find a successor is also mounting because US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is expected in Berlin on Thursday and will attend a conference on Friday at the US military base in Ramstein, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, to discuss further support for Ukraine, including whether to send German-built tanks.

Lambrecht asked the Chancellor to dismiss her, as formally required, and Scholz has accepted it, a government spokesperson said. The Chancellor would propose a successor promptly, the spokesperson added, refusing to comment on names. The Chancellor would propose a successor promptly, the spokesperson added, refusing to comment on names.

Lambrecht has been blamed for failing to get the German armed forces back in shape quickly, despite a 100 billion euro special fund being agreed for that purpose after Russia invaded Ukraine. — Reuters

Dnipro Toll rises to 40

Kyiv: The toll at an apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro that was hit during a Russian missile attack rose to 40 on Monday, with 30 persons still unaccounted for, a local city official said. The official, Gennadiy Korban, said on the Telegram messaging app that 75 persons, including 14 children, were wounded in the strike on Saturday. Ukraine says the building was struck by a Russian Kh-22 missile and that it doesn’t have the air defences to shoot down. Reuters