On the 1055th day of the war, Russia launched an extensive drone attack on 12 regions in Ukraine. These were either shot down by air defense or disappeared from radar without hitting their targets, but in some regions, the fallen debris caused damage.
The Ukrainian army struck a Russian troop command post in the Donetsk region. The operation is part of a broader strategy to destroy Russian command posts in this region, aiming to disrupt the tactical activities of Russian troops and block their command on the battlefield.
On the other hand, the Russians managed to advance towards eight localities in the Donetsk region, according to the latest report from Ukrainian military analysts.
From Moscow comes a "peaceful message": Russia will not attack NATO countries and has no plans for such aggressive measures, stated the director of the Department for European Affairs at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
And a South Korean lawmaker stated that 300 North Korean soldiers were killed on the front lines. He cited Seoul's intelligence services, which reported that North Korean authorities pressured soldiers to commit suicide by detonating themselves to avoid being taken prisoner.
ADVERTISING
Frontline Situation
- Over 100 Drones over Ukraine - Russia launched 110 drones over Ukraine last night, with 78 being shot down by air defense in 12 regions, while 31 disappeared from radar. Debris from destroyed drones caused damage in the Sumy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Zaporizhzhia regions, but initial reports do not indicate casualties, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force.
- Ukrainian Strike in Donetsk - The Ukrainian army conducted a precision airstrike on the command post of the Russian 2nd Combined Army in the occupied city of Novohrodivka in the Donetsk region. The operation is part of a broader strategy to destroy Russian command posts in the Donetsk region, as reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The General Staff in Kyiv stated that Ukrainian attacks aim to disrupt the tactical activities of Russian troops and block their command on the battlefield. According to American military analysts, the 2nd Combined Army is currently leading Russian operations south of Pokrovsk, the 3rd Army Corps is operating near Ceasiv Yar, and the 8th Army Corps is leading Russian efforts near Kurakhove.
- Russians Advance - Russian troops have advanced towards eight localities in the Donetsk region, according to DeepState. "The enemy has advanced in Ceasiv Yar, Toretk, Yantarne, Novovasilivka, Yelyzavetivka, Zelenyi, Zvirove, and Kotline," reported the Ukrainian military analysis group cited by Ukrainska Pravda last night.
ADVERTISING
What's Happening in Russia
- Attack Repelled in Kursk - The Special Operations Forces of the Ukrainian army repelled an attack by North Korean troops in the Kursk region and killed 17 North Korean soldiers. The battle, whose date was not disclosed, lasted from morning until evening, as reported by the Special Operations Forces press service cited by Ukrainska Pravda. Ukrainian soldiers caught a North Korean soldier who had set a trap for them - when they approached, he detonated a grenade and committed suicide. Ukrainian soldiers noticed the danger in time and quickly left the impact area. No one was injured, as reported by the source.
- Message from Moscow to NATO - Russia will not attack NATO countries and has no plans for such aggressive measures, stated a senior Russian diplomat in an interview with Izvestia, according to TASS. "The relationship between Russia and NATO is not only at its lowest level since the end of the Cold War. The Alliance clearly pursues a course of countering our country and limiting a 'threat' that we would represent," said Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Department for European Affairs at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Russia has never tried to damage relations with NATO. The Alliance is entirely to blame for their deterioration. We will not attack NATO countries, nor do we make such aggressive plans," he continued. According to the diplomat, Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance maintain so-called hotlines and opportunities for emergency contacts. As for normal contacts and dialogue mechanisms that could be used to seek ways to reduce tensions, the Alliance has rejected them. It was not our choice. In 2014, NATO unilaterally ceased cooperation with us within the Russia-NATO Council in military and civilian areas," he recalled.
- Imprisoned for Supporting Ukrainians with Money - A Russian from Siberia has been sentenced to nine years in prison for treason in favor of Ukraine, announced the local branch of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on Monday, according to Reuters. The Khanty-Mansiysk Regional Court in Western Siberia found Sergey Loktyov guilty of transferring money to fund the Ukrainian armed forces and sentenced him to nine years in a "strict regime" prison. "Being hostile to Russia's foreign and domestic policy," this resident of Surgut contacted an unidentified person on Telegram to transfer funds to the Ukrainian army, the prosecutors claimed.
ADVERTISING
Other Relevant Information
- North Koreans Trained to Self-Detonate - Approximately 300 North Korean soldiers, out of the thousands deployed by Pyongyang in Russia to support the war against Ukraine, have been killed, announced a South Korean lawmaker on Monday, citing Seoul's intelligence services, as reported by AFP. "Estimates show that the number of casualties among North Korean forces has exceeded 3,000, with about 300 dead and 2,700 injured," said Lee Seong-kweun after a press conference by South Korean Intelligence Services. "Notes found on the bodies of the dead soldiers indicate that North Korean authorities pressured them to commit suicide," including "blowing themselves up to avoid capture," the lawmaker continued. According to Lee Seong-kweun, memoirs found on the corpses reveal that Pyongyang uses the soldiers' "hopes of being admitted to the Workers' Party (North Korea's ruling party) or benefiting from an amnesty" in exchange for sending them to battle, suggesting that some may be detained in their country. Volodymyr Zelensky announced over the weekend that Ukraine had captured two North Korean soldiers.
- Poland Supports Trump's Call - Poland supports Donald Trump's call for NATO countries to spend 5% of GDP on defense. Trump's call for alliance members to double their defense budget target has elicited a mixed reaction among European governments facing financial challenges. However, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz told the Financial Times on Sunday that Warsaw can be the "transatlantic link" between Europe and the challenge posed by the future U.S. president, as reported by POLITICO. The Polish minister acknowledged that "it will take another decade" to reach Trump's proposed target but said the U.S. President-elect "should not be criticized for setting a truly ambitious goal, as otherwise some countries will continue to debate whether more spending is truly needed." The 5% target is higher than what any NATO member currently spends. Poland comes closest to this goal, spending 4.12% of GDP on defense in 2024 and aiming to increase spending to 4.7% this year. The U.S. spent 3.4% of GDP on defense last year.
- Lithuania Sends Thousands of Drones - The Vilnius government will deliver over 4,500 drones to Ukraine this week, announced Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė on X. "I am proud to announce that Lithuania is sending 4,500 drones worth 5 million euros to Ukraine this week," she said.
- When Trump and Putin Will Talk - It is expected that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will have a phone conversation in the coming days or weeks, but it is unrealistic to seek the expulsion of Russian soldiers from every inch of Ukrainian territory, stated Trump's future national security advisor, Mike Waltz. Details HERE.
- Warsaw Did Not Ban Slovak Delegation Flight - The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied claims by Slovak far-right parliamentarian Andrej Danko that Warsaw did not allow a Slovak delegation to travel to Moscow through Polish airspace, as reported by Polsat news on Sunday. "We did not refuse the flight; the Slovak side simply sent us incomplete documents... when asked to complete them, they informed us of a route change," stated the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson. The delegation, led by Danko, the leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS) and vice president of parliament, and Tibor Gaspar, a member of Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer (Direction) party, arrived in Moscow on January 12 to discuss Russian gas deliveries to Slovakia.