
Ukraine Latest: Weekly Digest for January 13-19, 2025
President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Sir Ker Starmer signed a “100-Year Partnership” treaty in Kyiv covering areas including defense, science, energy and trade. Ukraine launched its most massive attack against Russian military and industrial facilities of the nearly three-year war overnight on Tuesday, targeting chemical plants, energy hubs, and an ammunition storage facility at the Engels airbase, located at ranges up to 700 miles from the front line. Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted multiple regions, including Saratov, Voronezh, and Orel oblasts, as well as Tatarstan.
FLASH NEWS OF THE WEEK
January 15: President Volodymyr Zelensky, as part of an official visit to Poland, held talks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, met students and faculty of the Higher School of Economics, spoke to members of the Ukrainian community in Poland, and also gave a wide-ranging interview to the Polish mainstream media outlets. At the talks in Warsaw, Zelensky and the Polish leaders discussed a wide range of matters, including: further support for Ukraine on its path to EU and Euro-Atlantic integration; Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion; the provision of military assistance to Kyiv; promoting bilateral collaboration on defense production; the provision of robust security assurances to achieve a just peace in Ukraine; support for the Ukrainian community in Poland and creating the conditions to encourage Ukrainian refugees back home. In addition to this, the sides talked over matters relating to the Volhynia massacre of 1943-45, particularly the decision by Kyiv to allow free access for Polish experts to the sites where the remains of those killed are believed to have been buried so that they can be exhumed for proper funerals. As part of his visit, Zelensky presented the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, with the honorary distinction "City Savior" for helping Ukrainian refugees and supporting Ukraine. This honorary distinction was previously awarded to other Polish border cities, among them Rzeszow, Przemysl, Lublin and Chelm.
January 13: Ukraine plans to spend a record high $35 billion on arms production in 2025, of which $17 billion will come from the Ukrainian government coffers, with the remainder being provided by allies, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced following a meeting with U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey in London. Kyiv ramped up domestic production of drones over the past year, while advancing the development and production of new missile weapons. A diverse variety of drones for aerial, naval, and ground missions have been developed and often successfully deployed for reconnaissance, combat, and other tasks throughout the full-scale war with Russia.
January 13: The European Commission has announced EUR 148 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine. The €148 million in new funding will continue to support vital humanitarian aid in Ukraine and Moldova, and will bring the total of humanitarian aid allocated by the European Commission to over €1.1 billion. Of the new package, €140 million is intended for humanitarian projects in Ukraine. The funding will be directed toward providing emergency assistance, including food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, and winter protection. Key priorities include supporting vulnerable populations in the heavily impacted regions of eastern and southern Ukraine. Another €8 million is allocated for humanitarian projects in Moldova. Support will focus on aiding Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan host communities, prioritising cash assistance, access to critical services like healthcare and education, and psychosocial support.
January 15: The Verkhovna Rada adopted a legislation endorsing the presidential decision to extend the validity of the martial law regime for 90 days, until May 9, 2025.
January 15: Ukraine successfully achieved the release of 25 civilians and military personnel from Russian captivity, Andrii Yusov, press officer for the HUR defense intelligence service said on Wednesday. Among those freed were defenders of Mariupol, the Azovstal steelworks, and soldiers who fought in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The exchange was contributed by reciprocal repatriation, with support from the UAE. Many of the freed individuals suffer from severe injuries, illnesses, or conditions such as amputations, vision loss, tuberculosis, cancer, and gangrene, highlighting the harsh conditions endured in captivity. The youngest returnee is 24 years old. All will receive comprehensive medical care and rehabilitation upon their return to Ukraine.
THE WAR AS IT IS
January 13/ Malomuzh: North Korean soldiers fighting in Kursk are thus being trained for future war with South Korea
January 13/ Interview: Olha Stefanishyna on the restoration of e-registers back into operation after Russian massive cyberattack, Fico's trips to Moscow, and the future of Ukraine in the EU
January 14/ Nation of the Invincible series interview with orchestra conductor Nazar Yatskiv: Since 2014, the war was not concerned by everyone, and this was our big mistake
January 15/ Shorts: Andrii Sukhin on the history of the 411th “Yastruby” (‘Falcons”) UAV unit, the largest of this kind in Europe
January 15/ Kramatorsk Station series interview: We flew very close to death, waving at it - "Viking" recalling his missions over Mariupol
January 17/ Shorts_Khrapchynsky: Fixed-wing drone "Parody" simulates the flight of a large aircraft and can travel up to 250 miles
January 15/ A display of substandard quality tourniquets in Kyiv

January 15/ Russian military launched a precision glide bomb on a high-rise residential building in Kramatorsk

January 18/ Russia struck a ballistic missile blow on Kyiv

January 15/ Zaporizhzhia city came under new missile attack from Russia

UKRAINIAN BATTLEFIELDS
Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Volodymyr Zelensky:
January 13: listened to reports from the supreme war command regarding the situation on the Ukrainian front line;
January 13: chaired a Supreme Commander-in-Chief Staff meeting with focus on the domestic programs for the development and production of drones, ground robotic systems, and artillery munitions;
January 17: hosted a Supreme Commander-in-Chief Staff meeting to discuss the progress of national missile and drone programs.
Attacks on the Russian Federation and Russian occupied Ukraine:
January 14: The Defense Forces carried out their most massive aerial attack on Russian territory of the nearly three-year war overnight, hitting military factories, chemical plants and energy hubs hundreds of miles from the frontline. The attacks targeted the following:
explosions were reported heard overnight in Aleksino, Tula Oblast, home to a chemical plant producing gunpowder and ammunition for the Russian military. The SBU reported a successful hit, followed by an intense fire at the facility;
the AFU Unmanned Systems Force, assisted by other AFU elements, carried out a precision strike targeting the Bryansk chemical plant in the town of Seltsovo. The company is engaged in the production of gunpowder, explosives and components for rocket fuel. The plant produces ammunition for cannon artillery, multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), aircraft, X-59 cruise missiles, as well as for the TOS-1 Tosochka thermobaric rocket launchers and Zemledelie remote mine laying systems, and also carries out major repairs of equipment, including Grad, Uragan and Tornado-G MLRS. During the operation, which took place in three waves, Ukrainian drones first overwhelmed enemy air defences, paving the way for missiles that hit the main targets, and the third wave included longer-range drones, which additionally destroyed substations and other important elements of the plant's infrastructure;
the Ukrainian military struck the infrastructure of the Engels-2 military airfield in Russia’s southwest Saratov region for the second time in less than a week. The attack hit the Kombinat Kristall facility, igniting a fire on tanks storing specialized aviation fuel for Russia’s Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160 strategic bombers stationed at the Engels-2 airbase, according to a statement from the Ukrainian military. "The multi-day complex operation to deplete the capabilities of the enemy's strategic aviation has been successfully carried out," the statement said. On Jan. 8, the AFU General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces had struck the same oil depot, which supplies fuel to the Engels-2 military airbase. The depot is believed to store T-8V aviation fuel, a high-density, specialized type required for the Tu-160 bombers. T-8V is produced through a complex refining process at only a few facilities in Russia. The Engels airbase, already a focal point of multiple drone strike in recent months, remains a key target in Ukraine’s strategy to cripple Russia’s long-range aerial capabilities;
the January 14 attacks also targeted facilities in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Tatarstan, where a fire broke out near the Kazan Orgsintez plant, which produces high-strength plastics used in military equipment like armored vehicles.
January 18: Drones launched by Ukraine’s HUR defense intelligence service targeted an oil storage facility in Russia’s Tula region, located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Ukrainian border. “At least ten precision strikes with drones hit the oil depot in Tula region in the early hours of Jan. 18,” said a source in HUR. Despite Russian media reporting on the allegedly successful work of air defenses, an intense blaze broke out at the facility in the aftermath of the attack, igniting at least one storage tank.
January 18: Ukrainian forces are reported to have succeeded in destroying a high valued Russian radar system, the 1L119 Nebo-SVU, in Russian occupied Kherson region. The strike, which marks a strategic blow to Russian air defense capabilities in the area, has been confirmed by multiple sources. The attack occurred on Sturday, January 18, when three Ukrainian UAVs targeted and demolished the radar, which was part of the 90th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade under the 49th Air Defense Army [military unit 54821, Krasnodar Krai]. This radar was considered a critical element in the Russian air defense network, capable of detecting and tracking multiple air threats. Initial assessments suggest the 1L119 Nebo-SBU was damaged beyond repair, representing a major loss to the Russian air defense infrastructure in southern Ukraine. As well as the 1L119 Nebo-SVU radar, the strike also destroyed a supporting diesel power plant, the “DES ED3x30-T400-1PA1M6,” which was integral to the operation of the system.
January 16: Ukraine said Friday it had launched a missile strike on Russia’s western Belgorod region targeting air defence systems and damaging military radars. Kyiv said it had attacked air defense systems under the 568th air defense missile regiment and claimed that an 92N6 radar that supports the operation of the S-400 SAM system had been disabled, rendering the S-400 system inoperative. For that strike, GMLRS rockets with tungsten pellets were reportedly used. Such impacts reliably disable radar stations, essential for the S-400’s operation. The 92N6 radar is considered central to the functionality of the S-400 system.
January 18: Special Operations Forces, in a coordinated effort with other elements of the Defense Forces, hit an oil depot in the town of Lyudinovo in Russia’s western Kaluga Oblast overnight, at 125 miles from the front line, igniting a heavy fire at the facility, as per report from the AFU General Staff. The oil depot is owned by Kaluganefteprodukt, a subsidiary of Russia's state-controlled oil major Rosneft, according to the report. "[This is] a logistics hub that supplies units of the Russian armed forces immediately involved in the war against Ukraine," the AFU General Staff said.
January 16: Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, supported by other elements of the Defense Forces, struck a blow on an oil depot in Russia's Voronezh Oblast in an overnight attack involving at least three long-range drones, causing a large-scale fire at the site, the AFU General Staff reported. The oil depot in Liski, located at approx. 100 miles from the front line, is supplying the fuel needs of the Russian military, according to the report.
January 16: Drones launched by the HUR defense intelligence service hit a gunpowder plant in Russia's Tambov Oblast, according to a HUR source. The plant, located in Kotovsk outside of the regional capital of Tambov, is one of the largest producers in Russia manufacturing military-grade munitions and small-arms gunpowder for the Russian army needs. The plant was previously targeted twice by Ukraine’s military earlier this month and in November 2024.
January 17: Two communication towers outside the city of Krasnodar, the capital of Russia’s southern Krasnodar Krai region, were set on fire and burnt out in an overnight sabotage attack by local resistance groups, Ukraine’s defense intlligence agency (HUR) reported. “Resistance to the criminal war against Ukraine within the the aggressor state is growing,” the HUR said on its official Telegram account.
HOSTILITIES
January 19: The AFU Chief Commander, Lt-Gen Oleksandr Syrsky announced he issued an order prohibiting highly trained Air Force technicians and mechanics as well as those trained abroad on foreign weaponry and military equipment from being transferred to infantry units, although those units have been struggling to find new troops since the start of the war in February 2022. The General Staff, for its part, stated on Telegram that there were no plans to transfer essential Air Force aviation engineering personnel—those who maintain and service aircraft—to infantry roles. “On the contrary, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is increasing the number of technical and flight personnel,” the statement reads. However, they acknowledged that certain categories of Air Force personnel, along with those from other branches of the AFU, are being reassigned to strengthen the Ground Forces and Airborne Assault Forces after receiving preliminary training at military centers. The General Staff also admitted that many frontline areas are experiencing a shortage of infantry, necessitating the reassignment of personnel from other units as a difficult but necessary step to bolster Ukraine’s defenses. The Air Force Command later addressed the controversy. Acting Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Anatoly Kryvonozhko acknowledged that the challenging situation at the front necessitates difficult decisions by military leadership, including the reassignment of Air Force personnel to other branches of the AFU. “Given the media attention regarding the transfer of specialists from the aviation engineering service to other branches and units of the Armed Forces, I officially confirm that such transfers will not occur!” Kryvonozhko stated. According to the report, the reassignment of personnel will not include specialists in critical demand, such as those trained abroad on Western air defense missile systems, mobile fire group operators, and other highly specialized roles that are difficult to replace. The Air Force clarified that while some personnel would be transferred to ground units to bolster frontline brigades, these transfers would exclude individuals in shortage specialties and those involved in essential combat aviation tasks.
January 16: The AFU Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky had a call with Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown. "I briefed him on the challenging frontline situation, where the enemy continues assaults on multiple fronts, leveraging air superiority, long-range firepower, and a significant artillery advantage. We discussed the urgent needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces to hold back Russian occupiers and the next steps in military support," Syrsky said on his official Telegram channel.
January 14: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has released another video showing a captured North Korean soldier undergoing interrogation, accusing Russia of using North Korean troops to "prolong and escalate" its war against Ukraine. The soldier on the video testified that his Russian identification document did not include his portrait and that he didn't know whether his name was on it, because the document was entirely in Russian. Ukraine's military previously claimed that North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia were carrying fake identification documents with false Russian names and birthplaces to conceal their presence.
January 16: Ukrainian airborne assault troops, supported by allied elements of the Defense Forces, captured 27 Russian soldiers as prisoners of war during hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast. "Among them are officers, sergeants, and privates from motorized rifle units, Naval Infantry, and airborne assault troops among other branches of the military, coming from various Russian regions and the occupied city of Sevastopol," the Airborne Assault Troops' press service reported via its official Telegram channel. Ukraine has been fighting in the southwestern Kursk Oblast since August 2024, hoping to use the incursion to gain leverage in potential peace negotiations with Russia.
January 13: Of the 12,000 North Korean troops to have been deployed in support of the Russian army since October 2024, around 1,000 have been killed and 3,000 wounded while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine24. North Korea is believed to have sent thousands of troops last fall to help the Russian military drive out Ukrainian forces that are occupying the southwestern Kursk region. The total estimated North Korean casualty rate of 4,000 — including those killed, wounded, missing or captured — represents 36% of the deployed force. The New York Times, citing an unnamed senior U.S. defense official, reported on Wednesday that Russia is expecting North Korea to send additional reinforcements “within the next two months.” Ukraine, along with the United States and South Korea, has accused North Korea of deploying over 10,000 troops to bolster Russian forces. In mid-January, South Korea reported that 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed and 2,700 wounded since their deployment. Lee Seong-kweun, a South Korean lawmaker said Monday, citing Seoul's National Intelligence Service, that the high casualty rate reflects the soldiers’ lack of experience in modern warfare and their ineffective use by Russian forces.
January 13: Russian forces are attempting to take control of small settlements near Pokrovsk, including Elyzavetivka, Lysivka, Zelene, Promin, and Novyi Trud, according to Viktor Trehubov, press officer for the Khortytsia Strategic-Operational Grouping for Forces. While Russian troops are not targeting the city itself, they are trying to encircle it and reach a forest area near a key supply route, Trehubov said. He added that while they have not succeeded yet, Russian forces are using significant human, technical, and logistical resources. On Jan. 12, reports emerged that Russian forces had changed tactics in the area, attempting to bypass Pokrovsk to the south and west toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Trehubov confirmed the attempts, saying the adversary is looking to bypass Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, while continuing fighting in the suburbs. The AFU General Staff reported on Monday that Ukrainian forces fended off 58 Russian assaults in areas around Pokrovsk, including Elizavetivka and Lysivka, among other communities.
January 13: Commandoes from the 6th Regiment under the AFU Special Operations Forces thwarted an assault by DPRK troops in Russia’s Kursk region, killing 18 North Korean soldiers. Earlier in January, two North Korean officers in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel were taken out in a Ukrainian SOF operation in the surroundings of the village of Makhnovka in the Kursk region, according to the Information Resistance Group. This is probably the first confirmed report of DPRK officers of that high rank being killed while fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region.
January 14: In Toretsk, firce fighting continues within the town, with no significant tactical gains for the invaders, a press officer for the Khortytsia Strategic-Operational Grouping of Forces has said. Russian soldiers are trying to disguise themselves as civilians to conduct reconnaissance and sabotage activities, Viktor Trehubov said. “Torestk has seen heavy urban fighting ongoing, and I therefore would not say that the Russians have captured a significant or otherwise major part of the town, with fighting still going on,” he said.
COMMENT: Oleksandr Kovalenko, military analyst at the Information Resistance Group: “The AFU are still capable of holding out the northern part of the town, benefiting from the use of artificial heights, including the 80-meter-high waste heap at the 12th Coal Mine and the 40-meter-high waste heap at the Fomikha Coal Mine, both for observation and for other roles. That said, the Russians fighting in northern Toretsk agglomeration are in for a hard time”.
January 14: On Kramatorsk and Toretsk frontlines, Russian forces assaulted Ukrainian troops in Chasiv Yar and the surroundings of Stupochky and Dyliivka neighborhoods, as well in Toretsk town proper. Ukrainian defenders lost several of their fortifications destroyed in the assaults. Measures are being undertaken to spot and wipe out what has left of the enemy's assault groups.
January14: Fierce hostilities are underway in Dvorichna outside of Kupyansk, with the enemy infantry attempting to advance and gain ground in that neighborhood. The invading forces were able to advance within just 2-3 kilometers from the town of Kupyansk.
January 15: On Lyman axis, Ukrainian defenders won a significant edge over the opposing forces due to an intensive use of UAV capabilities.
The Russian invaders have intensified their operations in a bid to move closer to Myrnohrad, a town located in close vicinity to the strategic logistic hub of Pokrovsk; they continue their “meat grinder” assaults travelling on Chinese-made golf carts and buggies. The vehicles, while being pretty highly maneuverable, are still easy targets for Ukrainian drones and fires.
January 15: Russia reduced the use of its naval aircraft over the Black Sea after the loss of two Mi-8 helicopters on December 31, 2024.
January 15: The 67th Brigade fended off attempted Russian cross-border assault from the Kursk region towards the village of Zhuravka in Sumy oblast.
January 16: The adversary uses artillery barrage and drone strikes to support its small assault groups seeking to infiltrate into Ukrainian defensive positions on Toretsk axis.
January 16: In Chasiv Yar, the Russians took to night time creeping into the pipes of the Siversky Donets-Donbas canal to amass forces and shelter during wet and bad weather, with bodies of their dead fellows often laying beside them.
January 16: Border guard troops operating in one of the areas of active hostilities, assisted by allied elements of the Defense Forces thwarted an attempted border breach by a Russian armored convoy;
The Russian troops fighting in Ukraine’s eastern regions began using tanks for transport rather than for assaults.
January 17: A Ukrainian airborne assault unit captured seven Russian soldiers as prisoners of war while assaulting Russian fortifications near Kurakhove.
January 17: A Ukrainian Commando squad spotted the Russian soldiers who were identified to have shot down two soldiers from Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, killing some of them and taking several others into captivity.
January 18: There are no Russian troops present in Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Grouping of Forces (OSUV) said in a statement on Saturday, dismissing online reports as fake. “Some media outlets and social networks are sharing reports about the enemy being allegedly present in Pokrovsk. This information is untrue to reality,” the statement said. “The operational situation in the Pokrovsk area remains one of the direst along the entire front line. Heavy fighting continues near the outskirts of the agglomeration,” Khortytsia OSUV said, adding that Ukrainian Defense Forces are “resisting the enemy’s attempts to leverage their numerical advantage for active assault operations.”
January 18: Ukrainian forces launched an aerial attack targeting a Russian-occupied refractory plant in the embattled city of Chasiv Yar, a press officer for the Luhansk Operational Tactical Grouping of Forces said on Saturday. The attack confirms earlier reports that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from the plant. "On the territory of the refractory plant, the enemy tried to gain a foothold, attacking in small and medium-sized groups," Dmytro Zaporozhets said in a televised broadcast. "Thanks to coordinated actions ... [occupying Russian troops] were spotted present in one of the premises at the refractory plant and an air strike was carried out, inflicting losses on the enemy." In the past week, Russian military bloggers reported that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian troops out of the refractory plant in Chasiv Yar. The crowd-sourced monitoring website Deep State also reported on Jan. 12 that Russia had occupied the site. The plant served as reliable fortification for Ukrainian forces, who must now shelter in residential buildings weakened by constant shelling.
January 19: Ukraine’s 28th mechanized brigade posted a video on Telegram showing an unarmed Russian infantryman being taken out as he tried to deliver ammunition to the front line on foot. A tactic developed to bring ammunition, mines and other military equipment to the front lines during the battles of Bakhmut between August 2022 and May 2023 is still being used by Russian forces despite the growing threat from drones, that time around on Toretsk axis. The method is very simple: runners, known as “camels,” would be dispatched on foot to carry critical military materiel to accumulation places in preparation for future assaults. The camel is not even armed, a weapon would only slow him down but wears body armor which offers little more than psychological protection as he runs forward carrying the supplies his combat unit needs. It was risky two years ago when the main threat was from snipers or the odd, unexpected artillery strike. Now in the era of first-person view (FPV) drones it is often little more than a suicide mission, as a video posted by Ukraine’s 28th Separate “Knights of the First Winter Campaign” Mechanized Brigade near Toretsk on Saturday amply shows. Despite all the talk of using remote-controlled unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) to support combat operations and deliver supplies to the line of combat is “risk free,” Moscow’s troops persist with the “kamikaze camel” approach – yet another example, perhaps, of how Russia prioritizes protection of its equipment over its “cannon fodder.”
January 18: Ukrainian forces fought back some of their positions the Russian 11th Army Corps (Leningrad Military District) captured in an offensive operation near Hlyboke, a settlement north of Kharkiv, several days earlier.
January 18: Border guard troops defeated an enemy assault on Vovchansk axis, destroying equipment and taking six Russian soldiers into captivity.
January 19: Russian invading forces, using the bad weather as cover and supported by heavy Armor, staged an offensive operation aimed to blockade the settlement of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk oblast. The Defense Forces repelled the assault, taking out two tanks and five armored fighting vehicles. The enemy is persistently continuing its attacks on the outskirts of Velyka Novosilka, despite suffering heavy losses in personnel and equipment.
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS AND PICTURES
Russian drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhia, Sumy and Kharkiv left 14 civilians dead and 66 others injured over the week reviewed.
January 15: Russian military carried out a combined air strike targeting power grids and infrastructure in Ukraine, launching 117 missile and drones, of which 77 were intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.


WAR AFTERMATH
Human losses & War crimes
At least 240 art and media workers are confirmed to have died in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale war invasion of Ukraine as of January 13.
Russia’s use of munitions containing banned chemical agents against Ukrainian troops has assumed systematic proportions, with at least 5,389 munitions recorded to have been used as of this day since February 2023.
The Russian forces killed more than four dozen priests and pastors over the time since they invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
January 16: A total of 648 Ukrainians who have endured sexual violence at the hands of Russian occupiers have applied for interim reparations, of whom 432 received the payments.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) documented a continued high level of civilian casualties due to intense hostilities near the frontline. At least 105 civilians were killed and 514 others suffered injuries in the aftermath of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine over December 2024. Intensified military operations by Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast and the use of precision glide bombs and short-range drones contributed to the high number of civilian casualties. Most casualties were recorded in Kyiv-controlled areas, particularly in Kharkiv, Kherson and Donetsk oblasts, where the intensity of hostilities “remains the highest”.
Environment
The damage to the environment caused by oil spill from two Russian tankers off the Crimea coast on December 16 is assessed to have reached an impressive USD 14 billion as of now.
UKRAINIAN HOME FRONT
President Volodymyr Zelensky:
January 13: sanctioned 140 entities involved in Russia’s financial services sector;
issued an executive order establishing the Day of the State Security Guard Service of Ukraine to be marked annually on January 15;
enacted a law extending until March 1 the possibility for military personnel who for the first time went AWOL (absent without official leave) without intent to desert or committed desertion, and who voluntarily return to their duty stations to continue their military service without remorse and conflicts with the legislation of Ukraine. Such persons will remain eligible for monetary allowance, food allowance and allowances of other categories as well as the benefits and social security guarantees established by law;
signed into law a bill introducing mandatory registration for military service of male citizens who turn 17 in the year of registration, with an amendment added allowing women to be voluntarily registered for military service after undertaking a basic training session;
January 19: issued an executive order enacting the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) decision to sanction propagandists working for Russia, individuals who have sided with the enemy, and those aiding Russia in continuing the war;
appointed Brigadier General Hennady Shapovalov to lead Ukraine’s mission to the new NATO command in Wiesbaden, Germany, coordinating security assistance for Ukraine.
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January 14: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived on a surprise visit in Ukraine on Tuesday to discuss further military aid as the country is fighting off the Russian war invasion. President Zelensky, during talks with Boris Pistorius in Kyiv, thanked Germany for helping Ukraine and all the Ukrainians from the very onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, and for Berlin’s contribution to saving lives and protecting all of Europe. The President noted that the total amount of assistance provided by Germany represents approximately 16% of all the assistance Ukraine has received from its partners. The key topics discussed during the talks included further military assistance to Ukraine, strengthening of its air defense capabilities, ammunition supplies, and using the Danish model for procurement of Ukrainian-made weaponry and military equipment. These measures are supposed to beef up Ukraine's position at potential peace talks with Russia, and force Moscow to the negotiating table to establish a just and lasting peace. The parties also discussed the potentialities for expanding collaborations on the production and repair of weapons and equipment in Ukraine. Boris Pistorius, for his part, said that that Germany has already ordered 54 new RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers for Ukraine. “I hope they will arrive at the earliest time possible because this is really a very effective and very mobile weapon, which, probably, will help you a lot in your fight, which is not yet over,” the Minister said. He also shared the results of January 13 Group of 5 meeting in Warsaw, which brought together the Defense Ministers of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Poland. Pistorius vowed that Germany’s support for Ukraine would remain "reliable, unwavering, committed, and energetic" regardless of the outcome of Germany’s Feb. 23 elections. Der Spiegel reported On Jan. 9, that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz blocked an additional military aid package for Ukraine, allegedly arguing that the 4 billion euros ($4.1 billion) already budgeted for 2025, along with funds from a $50 billion G7 loan secured by frozen Russian sovereign assets, should suffice. Pistorius denied the report, stating that final decision on the funding has yet to be made as the German government is still discussing a proposed EUR 3 billion ($3.09 billion) aid package for Ukraine.
January 16: The Speaker of Latvia’s Parliament, the Saeima, Daiga Mierinja, arrived in Ukraine on an official visit Thursday. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, at a meeting with members of the Latvian Saeima, discussed matters relating to further support for the Ukrainian defense industries and the continuation of training programs for Ukrainian service members. The Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk met his Latvian counterpart Mrs Daiga Mierinja to discuss further moves deemed necessary to step up pressure on Russia, in particular the preparation of the EU’s 16th sanctions package.
January 16: the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on a surprise visit. President Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a "landmark" 100-year agreement on Thursday, pledging to strengthen defense ties between the two nations. The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in military, energy, scientific, cultural, economic, and other sectors. Zelensky called it a "historic day", saying that the relationship between the two countries is closer than ever. "Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever," Zelensky told media after the signing of the deal. Following the signing ceremony, the two leaders held a joint press conference. Starmer said that the UK will be with Ukraine long after this “terrible war” is over and when the country is “free and thriving once again”. Pointing to the recent attacks by Russia, he said that President Vladimir Putin shows no "stomach" for wanting peace. Starmer announced that in 2025, the UK will extend more support to Ukraine than ever, saying that Britain will deliver a new mobile air defence system, designed by Britain and Denmark. Further, Britain will continue to train Ukrainian troops, while over 50,000 troops have already been trained on British soil since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Starmer said Britain will play a “leading part” when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraine’s security without giving away any specifics. Starmer's visit marks the first step by the UK to show support to Ukraine just days before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The UK has already spent around $15 billion in support to Ukraine and has committed to providing around $3.6 billion in military aid every year.
January 16: The Italian Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto arrived in Ukraine on an official visit. The visit started with a meeting with the Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin, who thanked Italy for providing aid to the legitimate defense of Ukraine and its people. “An opportunity to discuss technical collaboration also in the defense industry sector. Reconstructing the country, at the end of the war, will be of the utmost importance, and Italy can contribute with all the available tools and excellences,” Minister Crosetto said. President Zelensky met Mr Crosetto in Kyiv on Thursday to discuss Italy's ongoing military assistance and robust security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky referred to Ukraine's future NATO membership as "the most effective" security guarantee possible, one that would advance "a just and lasting peace for all of Europe." Other matters addressed included bolstering air defense capabilities, training Ukrainian military personnel in Italy, as well as potential defense industrial collaborations. The Ukrainian president highlighted the importance of investing in Ukraine's defense industries, involved particularly in the production of UAV technologies. The parties also discussed plans for the Ukraine Recovery Conference, set for July 10-11 in Rome. On the sidelines of the meeting, President Zelensky awarded Minister Crosetto with the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise medal, marking his important personal contribution to strengthening cooperation between the two States and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
January 19: The AFU Commander-in-Chief, Lt-Gen Oleksandr Syrsky met visiting Chief of Canada’s Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan to discuss Ukraine’s air and missile defense capability needs. In Kyiv, Mrs Carignan met with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The parties discussed Ukraine's security priorities, including stabilization of the frontline; long-range strikes on critical targets in Russia; the expansion and growth of Ukraine’s defense industrial capacities and capabilities. Umerov specifically emphasized that Ukraine has won leadership positions in UAV technologies, ground robotic systems, and electronic warfare systems, in a large part due to investments from allied countries. He thanked Canada for its strong support, as pertains particularly to providing the funding for UAV technology production in Ukraine for further procurement using the Danish model.
January 18: Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna, met in Kyiv with North Macedonia’s Minister for European Affairs, Orhan Murtezani. Following the meeting, the parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation in Ukraine’s EU accession efforts. “I want to take this opportunity to thank your country’s experts for assisting Ukraine in preparing for our screening process. While Ukraine has a large, inclusive, and professional team working on EU accession, your experience significantly contributed to our success during the screening,” Stefanishyna said. Murtezani highlighted that during this phase of the EU’s enlargement, candidate countries have unique success stories and experiences to share. He emphasized North Macedonia’s completed screening process and its readiness to continue sharing insights with Ukraine. “We are happy to keep sharing our experience. With this memorandum, a strong basis will be built for intensifying and accelerating our cooperation. We share the common goal of EU membership and hope to walk the path together,” Murtezani said. The memorandum outlines areas for cooperation, including harmonizing national legislations with EU laws, implementing EU policies across all needed reforms, and sharing expertise in key areas such as the rule of law, civil rights and freedoms, democratic institutions, and public administration reform. Separately, Deputy Ukrainian Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, Andrii Nadzhos, met with Murtezani at the Saint Sophia Cathedral National Reserve in Kyiv. They discussed protecting and preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage amid the war, defense and security assistance, and advancing cooperation in culture and strategic communications. Nadzhos expressed gratitude for North Macedonia’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Murtezani reaffirmed his country’s clear stance in supporting key international decisions, including sanctions against Russia and restoring justice.
January 17: Kyiv hosted the inaugural Ukraine-Southeast Europe Foreign Ministerial meeting. “This ministerial meeting holds great significance as it advances the Ukraine–Southeast Europe format, implements the commitments made by our leaders, and fosters deeper cooperation between our nations in pursuit of security, peace, and justice across Europe,” Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha said. At the end of the meeting, the ministers adopted a joint communiqué reaffirming their unwavering support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and defense capabilities, emphasizing the necessity of restoring a just and lasting peace, and upholding the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” The communiqué also called upon the international community to cease any form of support for Russia, unequivocally condemned attempts to annex Ukrainian territories, reaffirmed the importance of mutual assistance among candidate states in the process of European integration, and highlighted the necessity of providing security guarantees for Ukraine, including its prospective NATO membership. The participants committed to furthering cooperation on the path toward the integration of Ukraine and the Western Balkans into the European Union. EU member states reiterated their readiness to share their expertise in European integration and to support the candidate countries, including Ukraine. “All of us, the nations aspiring to join the European Union, are not competitors but rather like-minded partners working to contribute to the enhancement of Europe’s security and stability through EU enlargement,” Andrii Sybiha stated. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister expressed his profound gratitude to the participating countries for their steadfast support and solidarity with Ukraine.
January 16: Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met in Kyiv with Eirik Lee, Executive Vice President of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and Pesident of its defence division Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Kongsberg, allied with US-based Raytheon Technologies, is supplying Ukraine with NASAMS air defense systems as part of international military assistance. "This company has already been providing significant support to Ukraine. It is Kongsberg, together with Raytheon, that is involved in the supply of NASAMS air defense systems that reliably protect our cities from air attacks," Umerov said. The parties hashed out the possibility of integrating Ukrainian air defense technologies into NASAMS. The meeting additionally discussed the possibility of localising the production of Kongsberg anti-drone systems in Ukraine, as well as beefing up Ukraine’s naval capability.
The Cabinet of Ministers:
Endorsed the possibility for international companies to assist in Ukrainian projects for the design, development, and updating/upgrading of military equipment for the benefit of Ukraine’s Defense Forces;
Drew up a procedure for compensating domestic and foreign shipowners for the damage caused in the aftermath of Russia’s war aggression and hostilities in Ukraine;
Endorsed the text of a draft law on the reburial of fallen servicemen;
Endorsed the 2030 Strategy for Digital Development of Innovations (WinWin strategy);
Endorsed a decision allowing the remains of Polish victims of the Volhynia massacre buried in Ternopil Oblast, where the village of Puzhnyky was located in the 1940s, to be exhumated beginning in April. The tragic events in Puzhnyky, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 80 local residents, took place in February 1945. The Volhynia tragedy took place during World War II on the territory of then Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Tens of thousands of Poles were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and thousands of Ukrainians were killed in retaliation. The Volhynia massacre has been a contentious topic between Ukraine and Polad, often leading to diplomatic controversies.
January 17: Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, at a foreign ministerial meeting of Southeast European countries, discussed further Russia sanctions, the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets immobilized in Western jurisdictions, and support for Ukraine on the path to EU and Euro-Atlantic integration.
January 18: Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Mihai Popșoi. “I had an important and substantive bilateral meeting with my Moldovan friend and counterpart Mihai Popsoi. Our common priorities are further developing Ukrainian-Moldovan relations, energy security, EU accession, and countering Russia’s hybrid threats. Moldova can count on Ukraine's support”, Sybiha said following the meeting.
January 18: Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin met with Pierre Elbron, the French President’s Special Envoy for Ukraine’s Assistance and Reconstruction, and French Ambassador Gaël Vessier to discuss further cooperation in the defense industrial sector. The talks followed previous agreements made between the two countries in 2024, focused on enhancing defense-industrial collaboration. Smetanin shared that last year, Ukraine and France signed several key agreements regarding defense industrtial cooperation. Many of these agreements are already in progress, with some requiring additional political support to move forward. The discussion centred around how both nations could work together more effectively, with a specific focus on accelerating the implementation of these defense initiatives. The meeting also led to an agreement to establish a bilateral infrastructure to help streamline communication and resolution of any outstanding issues. Smetanin expressed gratitude to the French government for their continued support of Ukraine’s defense sector, emphasising the importance of quick and effective collaboration to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself amid its ongoing resistance to Russian full-scale war invasion.
Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Servicemen and Family Members, Olha Reshetylova said that she had received 3,876 appeals during her first 20 days in office, the majority of them being complains about failures to be sent to military medical examination/treatment or transferred to a different duty station.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets urged international partners to visit the Kherson region to see firsthand how Russia is killing local residents. “Chaotic shelling, destroyed buildings and mutilated destinies have become commonplace for Kharson city residents”, Lubinets said on his Telegram channel.
Ukraine has invited Brazil to join the Coalition for Repatriation of Ukrainian Children, which already comprises 41 countries.
Over 1,000 AFU servicemen have used Army+ mobile app. to request return to their duty stations and continue their military service after going AWOL for the first time.
January 13: Ukraine's HUR defense intelligence service has added a new section to its War & Sanctions database, featuring data on Russian manufacturers of armaments and military equipment, with the initial focus on UAV manufacturers. The database contains company identification data, portfolio of UAV products being manufactured, company profile, and a list of allied companies. Viewing and navigation are available both by company and by UAV product. Some have links to a list of foreign-made components found contained in drones the Russian military is using for attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
January 14: Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday:
Ukraine is anticipating the initial results of talks held with the EU regarding joint customs and border control;
Ukraine has secured more than $50 billion for the national budget from the EU and individual European countries over the time since the outset of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022;
The Government is completing internal preparations for talks with the EU on industrial visa waiver;
Ukraine seeks to extend the validity of an agreement with the EU on “economic visa waiver” and make it permanent through amendments to the Association Agreement;
Ukraine has proceeded from a political decision on the start of accession talks to talks on specific individual clusters.
The Unified Registry of persons missing under specific circumstances contains data on 872 court decisions declaring missing persons dead.
Most recent surveys revealed an extraordinary consensus among the Ukrainian population, 90 percent of whom favor EU membership, and 84% want to see it as part of the NATO alliance, but just 68 percent said they would go to polls and vote in favor of both in a national referendum.
January 15: The key lines from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha’s interview with European Pravda online outlet:
Ukraine’s and Moldova’s simultaneous accession to the European Union is consistent with the best national interest;
Ukraine’s ban on direct negotiations with Putin remains in effect;
Ukraine will not abandon its NATO membership aspirations and will not accept alternatives to full membership;
Slovakia will benefit from the end to Russian gas transit through Ukraine. It is no secret that Russia uses energy as a weapon. And the decisions that seem painful to someone today will play a positive role in the future. Dependence on Russia in the gas issue does not end well—we have been through this and know that the bill Russia presents later is much higher. Sometimes it has to be paid with a part of sovereignty. For Austria, the halt in gas transit was also unwelcome news, but Vienna found alternative suppliers and is now independent of Russian gas;
the transit of Russian gas for Transnistria is unacceptable;
80 percent of the amount of [artillery] ammunition committed under the Czech initiative has already arrived in Ukraine, with the remainder expected to arrive soon;
January 18: On the second anniversary of the deadly helicopter crash in Brovary that killed Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, memorial events for the crash victims were held across Ukraine. The Interior Ministry’s helicopter crashed in Brovary outside of Kyiv on the morning of Jan. 18, 2023, killing Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi, First Deputy Minister Yevhen Yenin and State Secretary of the Interior Yuriy Lubkovych. The helicopter fell near a nursery school and several high-rise apartment buildings, killing 18 people, among them children, and injuring 29 others, including 15 children. All the nine people on board died in the crash.
WAR ECONOMY
In 2024, Ukraine’s sea freight turnover grew 28.2% y/y – up to 97.91 million tons, while overland freight turnover decreased 8.1% – down to 64.3 million tons.
January 6-10: The State Property Fund held six successful auctions, raising UAH 11.1 million for the national budget.
Ukraine terminated production of coking coal at the Pokrovsk Coal Mine in anticipation of imminent Russian offensive.
In 2024, Ukraine’s exports by road transport exceeded 10 million tons worth USD 14.7 billion, representing a five percent increase y/y.
From January 7 to 14, Ukrainian gas stations hiked their prices by 0.20-2.50 UAH/l.
Ukraine’s national registry of individual entrepreneurs contained 1.7 million persons as of January 1, 2025 -- 7.5% (118,943) more compared to the same date a year earlier.
Ukrainian banks issued UAH 10.5 billion worth of special-interest loans for energy infrastructure restoration projects in June through December 2024.
The amount of cash in circulation in Ukraine increased by 7.6% (UAH 58.0 billion) to reach UAH 822.4 billion as of January 1, 2025.
ALLIED AND PARTNERS’ AID
January 15: The Biden Administration issued another round of sanctions against Russia in its final days, with less than a week left in the Administration. This followed on the heels of major sanctions imposed by OFAC on Russia’s energy sector just five days prior. Specifically, on January 15, 2025, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the US Department of State sanctioned nearly 250 entities and individuals for evading US-imposed sanctions targeting Russia. OFAC added nearly 100 entities to the Specially Designated Nationals List. These parties were designated for their involvement in a sanctions evasion scheme that the US Government determined was established between actors in Russia and the People’s Republic of China to facilitate cross-border payments for sensitive goods. These entities are listed in three separate annexes for operating in various sectors of the Russian economy, including the financial services sector, the energy sector, and the defense sector. These designations also target a Kyrgyz Republic-based financial institution.
January 18: The head of the Presidential Office, Andrii Yermak arrived in Paris for talks on the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and France with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot.
January 13: Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov paid a working visit to the United Kingdom and met with the Defense Secretary John Healy. The discussion focused on 2025 plan for bilateral cooperation in key security areas, as well as support for the development of Ukraine’s defense-industrial sector.
January 17: The administration of US President Joe Biden declassified data on its assistance to Ukraine, revealing previously secret support for the country’s military drone industry. US officials said on 16 January that they had made major investments that helped Ukraine start up and expand drone production. Much of the US's aid to Ukraine's military – which includes billions of dollars for missiles, air defence systems, tanks, artillery and training – has been announced to the public. But other support has largely remained in the shadows. The US officials noted that the support included helping Ukraine develop a new generation of drones which US officials say are revolutionising the way warfare is waged. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the support has had a real strategic impact on the war. "We saw how UAVs were becoming increasingly central to the fight in Ukraine and will be central to all future fights," Sullivan said. The United States provided funds to support drone manufacturers and purchase components. Sources familiar with the situation said the United States also sent intelligence officers to Ukraine to help develop the program. During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington D.C. in September 2024, President Biden committed another USD 1.5 billion for Ukraine's drone industry. US officials said on 16 January that they believe these investments have made Ukraine's drones more effective and deadly.
January 15: Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said the Alliance would take over from the United States part of responsibility for coordinating military assistance to Ukraine.
At the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 20 in Washington D.C., China will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng as a special representative of Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Ukraine has become the first user of the new RCH 155 wheeled howitzer after Germany delivered the latest artillery system to Kyiv. Ukraine has already received 36 PzH 2000 howitzers from Germany and partner countries.
US President-elect Donald Trump:
January 14: said that he plans to meet Putin "very soon" after taking over as president.
COMMENT: Vadym Tryukhan, diplomat: "There should be no expectation of any concrete results from this meeting, but it might mark the moment when Trump finally understands that Putin is not negotiable".
January 17: Had a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss trade balance, fentanyl problems, and TikTok among other matters;
announced that he had picked Sean Curran as the next director of the U.S. Secret Service;
January 19: A new meme coin launched by President-elect Donald Trump on Friday has a market capitalization of about $9 billion—after hitting a peak of over $15 billion early Sunday—marking Trump’s latest venture into cryptocurrency and merchandise sales in the lead-up to his inauguration.
January 18: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that achieving peace in Ukraine should be based on a forceful approach. He emphasized the need to start with a ceasefire agreement that would provide a powerful mechanism to deter Russian aggression, as well as further resolve the issue of the occupied territories. He clarified that any solution must provide for a lasting and reliable ceasefire that will not allow Russia to use the pause to prepare for a new attack. “This means that there must be a credible deterrent, because Putin will use any ceasefire to rest, rearm, and then ultimately attack again,” Blinken explained. Regarding the future of the occupied territories, the Secretary of State noted that their status is likely to remain uncertain for a long while. At the same time, he expressed confidence in President Volodymyr Zelensky's ability to find a solution that meets the will and beliefs of the Ukrainian people.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed sending their soldiers to Ukraine as a peacekeeping force after any potential agreement to end the war is achieved.
COMMENT: Andrii Yermak, head of the Presidential Office: “This initiative comes from French President Emmanuel Macron… I would not get into details now, beyond saying that these consultations are in progress. I can confirm that such negotiations are ongoing and, of course, it is very important that they can become part of some security guarantees.”
January 16: Donald Trump's nominee for US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said he would be "100 percent on board" with increasing sanctions against major Russian oil companies if Trump supports the strategy as a way to end the war in Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius denied media reports that Chancellor Olaf Scholz was allegedly blocking an additional €3 billion military aid package for Ukraine, but acknowledged that a decision had not yet been made.
January 16: US House Speaker Mike Johnson has removed Republican Representative Mike Turner -- outspoken advocate for continued U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia -- from his role as chair of the powerful House Intelligence Committee.
On the evening of January 13, US President Joe Biden delivered a final policy speech, summarizing his four years in office, including Ukraine. “Ukraine is still free, and we’ve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more,” Biden said.
January 15: Ukraine and Russia both need to make concessions to end the war between them, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), President-elect Trump's pick for Secretary of State, said Wednesday at his confirmation hearing. There is no way Russia takes all of Ukraine. The Ukrainians are too brave and fight too hard and the country is too big. That's not going to happen," according to Rubio. But, he added, "there's no way Ukraine is also going to push these people all the way back to where they were on the eve of the invasion." Trump's advisers admitted it will take months to settle Russia's war on Ukraine.
January 14: Germany has announced a new security aid package for Ukraine, including self-explosive drones, howitzers, ammunition for LEOPARD 1 tanks, as well as 122-mm and 155-mm artillery shells.
January 14: The European Commission intends to propose a ban on imports of Russian primary aluminium in its 16th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. EU countries hope to pass the 16th package of restrictions in February to mark the third anniversary of the war.
January 13: The new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, formally presented his original credentials to Polish President Andrzej Duda.
January 13: Six European Union countries on Monday called on the European Commission to lower the $60 per barrel price cap put on Russian oil by G7 countries, arguing it would reduce Moscow's revenues to continue the war in Ukraine while not causing a market shock.
January 13: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico proposed President Volodymyr Zelensky a meeting in Slovakia near the border with Ukraine “as soon as possible” to discuss halting the Russian gas transit through Ukraine in his video address on Jan. 13 on Facebook. "Okay. Come to Kyiv on Friday," Zelensky responded a few hours later to Fico's call on X. A day prior, Zelensky reacted to Fico's threats to limit aid to Ukrainians and cut off electricity supplies due to the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe. Zelensky said that Ukraine had offered Slovakia assistance for the adaptation period, but "Fico arrogantly refused." Fico said he would not respond to Zelensky's recent statement to avoid "further escalation of tensions." Fico claimed he wanted to focus instead on "resolving the situation with the shutdown of gas transit."
January 18: Volodymyr Zelensky jokingly responded to the latest statement by the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, about a possible meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, noting that he allegedly constantly misses his destinations whenever he travels somewhere. On Friday evening, Fico said that he offered to meet with Zelensky on Tuesday in Davos, where both will attend the World Economic Forum. The Ukrainian president replied to Bloomberg News that he could not plan anything with Fico, since the Slovak leader "may go to Davos, but end up somewhere in Sochi," hinting at the Slovak leader's affiliation with Russia. “We don’t know who buys his tickets as he constantly misses his destinations,” the Ukrainian president said.
January 13: FBI Director Christopher Wray announced his decision to step down nearly three years early after President-elect Donald Trump signaled his intent to fire the veteran official and replace him with firebrand Kash Patel. His resignation makes him the second straight FBI director driven out by Trump, who during his first term in office fired Wray's predecessor James Comey, after souring on him over the FBI's investigations into alleged contacts between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia.
January 14: NATO launched a new mission, “Baltic Sentry,” to deter attempts by any state or non-state actor to damage critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region bordering Russia. The initiative, announced by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday, described as a multi-domain activity, comes at a time when there has been a surge in unexplained damage to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic in recent months. The most recent example was a series of disruptions to undersea cables connecting Estonia and Finland on December 25, 2024. These incidents raised concerns over the possibility of sabotage, prompting NATO to take action.
January 15: Australia announced ready to expel the Russian ambassador if reports of the murder of its citizen Oscar Jenkins, who fought on Ukraine’s side and was captured by the Russians in late 2024, are confirmed.
WAR & LIFE
January 14: / America under Trump: Is There a Counterbalance to Unlimited Political Power?
QUOTE: The main safeguards against the president's actions in the USA are overcoming the president's veto, hearings in Congress (if something extraordinary occurs). There are enough mechanisms in the US governance system, but they are all tied to Congress.
January 15/ Frontline situation: intense hostilities are ongoing, but the AFU are holding back the defense
QUOTE: "The frontline situation is dire but not catastrophic or apocalyptic. The Russian occupiers, using their superiority in manpower and equipment, never cease assaulting Ukrainian defensive positions. Over 150 clashes every day. Our defenders are slowing down and exhausting the enemy, who is especially active on Pokrovsk front”.
January 15/ A sneak attack on Zaporizhzhia: stories of people who survived the January 8 air raid
QUOTE: “I called my son and said: “I am wounded.” He came running right after the explosions. There was a man next to me, I don’t know who he is, but I am sincerely grateful to this man. He made a tourniquet out of his trousers, and this allowed me to get to the hospital. After the second strike, this same man did not leave, remained by my side. Then there was a lot of blood around, people were injured.”
January 18/ The war will not stop, or What will happen after Trump’s inauguration
QUOTE: “It is only by defeating Putin that Trump will go down in history as a leader who not only made America great, but also established its global role.”
Compiled by Maryna Dmytriv, Kyiv