Romania's Protection Ministry confirmed on Jan. 17 that it had discovered Russian drone fragments in two communities located on the Romania-Ukraine border.
The 2 assault drones, positioned within the communities of Chatalchioi and Kiliya Veche in Tulcea County, have been discovered following a Russian in a single day drone assault on Ukraine. Residents within the Romanian border communities obtained air raid alerts amid the assault.
Ukraine's Air Drive reported it had downed 33 out of the 50 drones launched by Russia in a single day on Jan. 16 – 17. One other 9 have been "misplaced," and yet another drone flew within the course of Romania, based on the assertion.
Romania's Protection Ministry saidthat the Russian drones didn’t trigger any casualties or harm.
It was not the primary time that wreckage of Russian droneshave been discovered on Romanian territory, which is a NATO nation. Russia has repeatedly focused Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River that separates Ukraine and Romania.
In earlier incidents, Romania's navy scrambled F-16 fighter jets to guard the nation's personal airspace.
The nation beforehand publisheda draft regulation that will permit the navy to shoot down plane that illegally violate Romania's airspace. Regardless of the legislative efforts, Bucharest has but to down Russian drones over its territory.
Commander of the volunteer forty eighth Separate Particular Forces Brigade Lenur Islyamov dismissed from his put up
The commander of the forty eighth separate assault battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhan, Lenur Islyamov, has been dismissed. Troopers of the battalion opposed this resolution, emphasizing the significance of sustaining the unit's fight functionality.
Editor's be aware: This can be a growing story and is being up to date.
A hearth erupted at an oil depot within the metropolis of Lyudinovo in Russia's Kaluga Oblast following a Ukrainian drone assault on the ability on Jan. 17, regional Governor Vladislav Shapsha stated.
Varied Russian Telegram channels, citing residents, reported sounds of explosions within the area. Movies which seem to point out a big hearth at an oil depot within the metropolis had been posted to social media.
Shapsha confirmed a fireplace had erupted at a "industrial facility" round 9:30 p.m. native time, moreover claiming that no casualties had been sustained on account of the assault.
The Kyiv Unbiased can’t confirm claims made by Russian officers. Ukraine's army has not but commented on the assault.
0:00/1×Video of a purported hearth at a erupted at an oil depot within the metropolis of Lyudinovo in Russia's Kaluga Oblast following a Ukrainian drone assault on the ability on Jan. 17, 2025. (ASTRA/Telegram)
The total extent of the injury was not instantly clear.
The assault comes amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone operations concentrating on Russian vitality infrastructure.
Ukraine has focused Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as a part of its technique to undermine a key funding supply for Russia's conflict effort. Drone strikes on refineries in Tuapse, Ilyich, and Novoshakhtinsk have led to reductions or suspensions in operations.
In a single day on Jan. 14, Ukraine carried out its "most huge" strike on Russian army and industrial amenities inside a spread of as much as 1,100 kilometers (620 miles), in keeping with the Basic Employees of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Targets included chemical crops, refineries, and ammunition depots on the Engels airbase, a supply in Ukraine’s Safety Service (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.
Amid an uptick in drone assaults, Russia's seaborne exports of petroleum merchandise declined by 9.1% to 113.7 million metric tons in 2024, Reuters reported on Jan. 17.
There have been 155 assaults within the frontline: the best strain was within the Pokrovsk sector
There have been 155 fight engagements in numerous sectors of the frontline. Essentially the most intense preventing passed off within the Pokrovsk sector, the place the enemy carried out 64 assaults within the neighborhood of 13 settlements.
In his farewell speech from the White Home on Jan.15, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden took the chance to spotlight his achievements in workplace in an try to assist cement his legacy.
But, regardless of being one of many world's largest worldwide crises that spanned a lot of Biden's time period in workplace, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine solely gained a single point out.
"Ukraine remains to be free, and we've pulled forward of our competitors with China and a lot extra," Biden mentioned as he listed his administration's accomplishments, together with a stronger NATO navy alliance.
"It’s going to take time to really feel the complete influence of what we've executed collectively. However the seeds are planted, they usually'll develop, they usually'll bloom for many years to come back," he added.
"It’s going to take time to really feel the complete influence of what we've executed collectively. However the seeds are planted, they usually'll develop, they usually'll bloom for many years to come back."
The Biden administration offered Ukraine with $65.9 billion in navy help since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion, making it the most important donor in absolute phrases.
However how this help was given has commonly attracted criticism, notably over the pace of the decision-making course of within the White Home.
Massive ticket weapons, together with heavy tanks, F-16 fighter jets, and the choice to greenlight long-range missile strikes deep inside Russian territory usually solely got here after weeks or months of political wrangling, hampering Ukraine's potential to combat again towards Russian forces.
Then there’s Biden's assertion that "Ukraine is free" — Russia continues to occupy roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory whereas its forces are pushing ahead in Donetsk Oblast.
We requested Ukrainians for his or her evaluation of Biden's presidency, his legacy in regard to the full-scale invasion, and what he might have executed extra to assist Ukraine.
Professor at Kyiv Mohyla Academy, and analysis advisor on the Democratic Initiatives Basis
We’re grateful to the U.S. and personally to President Biden for all of the assist they’ve given to Ukraine, together with navy assist. It was of immense significance in rebuffing Vladimir Putin of Russia.
I consider that for Biden, Ukraine turned a private problem that he took deeply into his coronary heart.
Nevertheless, on a regular basis assist was delayed and never sufficient. There are totally different causes for that however the primary one is Putin's nuclear blackmail which labored, as within the case with different Western leaders, sadly.
Because of this we weren’t ready sufficient for the counteroffensive in late 2022 and summer time 2023. The shortage of weapons and, due to this fact, the dearth of success have decreased the degrees of optimism for Ukrainian troopers within the conflict of attrition and, amongst different causes, created further issues for mobilization.
U.S. President Joe Biden within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, U.S. on Jan. 10, 2025. (Leigh Vogel / UPI / Bloomberg through Getty Photos)
Khrystia Vengryniuk
Creator, and e-book writer
Firstly of the conflict, I believed that NATO would intervene, shield us, that their planes would fly and shut the sky over Ukraine, and that this hell would finish in a short time.
This didn’t occur. And once they have been destroying Mariupol, I used to be merely satisfied, minute to minute, from everyday, they’d shut the sky over at the least this metropolis, the place 1000’s of individuals and kids have been killed every single day. The world knew what was occurring there, however nobody intervened.
"The world knew what was occurring there, however nobody intervened."
Now they are saying that 117,000 folks died in Mariupol, 15,000 of them kids. This may solely imply one factor — everybody was afraid of Russia. They have been so afraid that they might not even shield harmless civilians.
However would we’ve survived as a state if it weren’t for America and Europe? No, we might not have survived. And the truth that we nonetheless exist is certainly a really nice, if not the best, benefit of the U.S. in the course of the Biden presidency. All of the weapons, help, and sanctions from the U.S. helped us maintain out.
We misplaced 20% of our territory, we misplaced lots of of 1000’s of individuals, however we’re right here and we will probably be, because of Joe Biden firstly.
the chair of the parliament's international affairs coverage
I anticipated the outgoing U.S. president to commit extra consideration to Ukraine in his farewell speech. Ukraine was talked about solely as soon as. I perceive that it was worded very fastidiously, but it surely doesn't sound optimistic sufficient. It doesn't say one thing encouraging and sure about the way forward for Ukraine.
I wish to hear from the outgoing president one thing extra optimistic and inspiring, one thing like: 'The folks of the U.S. won’t ever depart Ukraine alone, and American associates of Ukraine is not going to enable anybody to throw Ukraine beneath the bus.'
This point out of Ukraine is only a assertion of a truth, but it surely's not about our future.
Only one point out of Ukraine after three years of adverse wrestle will not be sufficient.
Biden is aware of that we’re anxious about our future in reference to the brand new administration, and some extra phrases of assist and encouragement can be psychologically applicable.
“Navy is harmful": Navy spokesman and two officers weren’t allowed to enter Kyiv hostel
Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk and two officers have been denied service at Hostel Vshokoladi as a result of “the navy is harmful.” Pletenchuk emphasised that society ought to adapt to veterans, not the opposite approach round.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has declassified beforehand undisclosed efforts to assist Ukraine's drone business, together with $1.5 billion funding despatched in September 2024, The New York Instances reported on Jan. 17, citing nameless officers.
Ukrainian drones have been utilized for reconnaissance, fight, and different missions, showcasing their versatility and influence in countering Russian forces.
U.S. intelligence officers reportedly assisted in advancing Ukraine's drone capabilities, serving to to design a brand new technology of drones supposed to revolutionize trendy warfare.
Whereas a lot of the U.S. support for Ukraine has been publicly disclosed — protecting missiles, air protection techniques, tanks, and coaching — assist for the drone sector has largely remained secret.
The declassified information reveals that the U.S. allotted funds for drone manufacturing and facilitated partnerships between U.S. tech corporations and Ukrainian drone producers.
These efforts intensified throughout preparations for Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive, which struggled to attain important territorial positive factors, reportedly as a consequence of Russia's in depth drone use. In response, the U.S. accelerated support to Ukraine's drone sector.
Officers reportedly imagine this funding has made Ukrainian drones simpler and lethal. Ukrainian maritime drones, credited with destroying 25% of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, and aerial drones deployed on the entrance traces have slowed Russian advances in japanese Ukraine.
By the top of 2024, Ukraine had delivered over 200,000 domestically produced drones to frontline items, Protection Minister Rustem Umerov mentioned in December.
He died in a hand-to-hand fight towards the occupier: Zelensky awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Dmytro Maslovsky
Dmytro Maslovsky of the 71st Ranger Brigade was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine for combating 5 invaders. The warrior killed 4 enemies and engaged in hand-to-hand fight with the final one, detaining him at the price of his personal life.
Ukraine's Particular Operations Forces reported on Jan. 17 that they’d situated and focused Russian troopers accountable for executing two Ukrainian prisoners of warfare (POWs).
In line with the unit, a number of had been killed, and three had been captured. The detainees are reportedly offering testimony.
The focused Russian troopers had allegedly taken two Ukrainian Territorial Protection Forces fighters captive days earlier, later executing them on the orders of their firm commander, the Particular Operations Forces mentioned.
The unit performed an operation to remove the group, recuperate the our bodies of the Ukrainian troopers, and seize any surviving members.
The captured Russians had been recognized as marines from the fortieth Arctic Brigade. Throughout interrogations, they allegedly admitted to taking the Ukrainian POWs and executing them below orders.
Ukrainian forces reportedly killed three members of the firing squad in the course of the operation, whereas three others, together with one recognized by the decision signal "Yaryy," had been captured.
The Kyiv Unbiased can not confirm the claims.
All through the full-scale warfare, Ukraine has documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russian forces, together with the execution of at the very least 124 Ukrainian POWs, in line with the Prosecutor Basic's Workplace.
Experiences of torture, homicide, and abuse of Ukrainian captives — significantly in Donetsk Oblast — have surged in latest months.
Visible proof of those atrocities continues to emerge, underscoring Russia's disregard for worldwide regulation.
97 fight engagements on the frontline: the place is the most well liked and what’s taking place
During the last day, 97 fight engagements had been registered, with probably the most energetic combating within the Pokrovske, Kramatorsk and Lyman sectors. The enemy made 41 makes an attempt to assault within the Pokrovsk sector, 27 of which had been repelled.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
