Russia launched a drone assault towards Kyiv Oblast the night of Jan. 16, inflicting a hearth and injuring a baby, Mykola Kalashnyk, performing head of the regional navy administration, reported.
Air protection items intercepted targets over an unnamed city in Kyiv Oblast, Kalashnyk said. Falling wreckage from the downed drones injured a 12-year-old boy.
The boy has been hospitalized and is receiving medical consideration, Kalashnyk mentioned. No different casualties had been reported.
The falling particles additionally brought on a hearth to interrupt out in a restaurant and the connected boiler room. The fireplace, which coated an space of round 200 sq. meters, has now been contained. The blast broke home windows in a close-by constructing.
Russian drone attacks towards Kyiv Oblast and the town of Kyiv surged in late fall 2024. Drone strikes have focused residential areas and significant power infrastructure within the area.
As Moscow intensifies strikes, it additionally goals to ramp up domestic drone production, with plans to fabricate 6,000 Shahed-style assault drones per 12 months on the Alabuga Particular Financial Zone in Tatarstan.
Ukraine needs peace, however not “at any price” – Kyslytsia on the UN Safety Council
Ukraine's Everlasting Consultant to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, stated that Ukraine won’t settle for “peace at any value.” In line with him, solely “peace by means of energy” and the implementation of the “Peace Components” will have the ability to cease the aggressor.
Ukraine, UK signal 100-year partnership settlement, pledges $3.6 billion in army help
Ukrainian drones strike oil depot, gunpowder manufacturing unit in Russia
Ukrainian paratroopers seize 27 Russian troopers in Kursk Oblast
Ukraine extends cooperation with Norwegian NASAMS programs provider
Ukrainian army releases footage of uncommon Russian reconnaissance drone downing
President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a 100-year partnership settlement throughout their assembly in Kyiv on Jan. 16.
The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in army, vitality, scientific, cultural, financial, and different sectors.
The settlement builds upon the commerce and partnership settlement signed by the 2 international locations in 2020 and the bilateral safety deal penned in January 2024.
The doc, printed by Ukraine's Presidential Workplace, contains 10 essential pillars from strengthening defefense capabilities and supporting Ukraine's NATO aspirations to cooperation in commerce, vitality, and justice and accountability.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest companions has been a monumental strategic failure," Starmer mentioned in a press release.
"As a substitute, we’re nearer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the subsequent stage."
The UK will even present new army help for Ukraine, together with 150 artillery barrels, a cell air protection system, and an expanded coaching initiative with allied nations, the federal government introduced on Jan. 16.
This yr, the U.Okay. plans to ship unprecedented army help to Ukraine, with 3 billion kilos ($3.6 billion) already dedicated for deadly help.
"This funding won’t solely help Ukraine but in addition bolster the U.Okay.'s protection trade, creating jobs throughout the nation," the assertion reads.
The primary 1.5 billion kilos ($1.8 billion) of a 2.26-billion-pound ($2.7 billion) mortgage, a part of the G7 mortgage program to Kyiv, will even be launched for main procurement initiatives. The mortgage will probably be repaid utilizing earnings from immobilized Russian property.
The army help contains artillery barrels manufactured by Sheffield Forgemasters, the primary such manufacturing within the U.Okay. in over 20 years. The barrels are anticipated to be delivered to Ukraine inside weeks.
The U.Okay. will even present a cell air protection system developed in partnership with Denmark, geared toward enhancing Ukraine's means to counter Russian missile and drone assaults.
The coaching initiative builds on the success of Operation Interflex, which has skilled over 51,000 Ukrainian recruits previously two years. The U.Okay. plans to develop this effort in collaboration with worldwide allies.
Ukrainian drones strike oil depot, gunpowder manufacturing unit in Russia
Ukrainian troopers struck the Liskinskaya oil depot in Voronezh Oblast and gunpowder manufacturing unit in Tambov Oblast with drones in a single day on Jan. 16, Ukraine's army mentioned.
In keeping with Ukraine's Basic Employees, the focused oil depot saved gas used for the wants of the Russian military. The assertion got here after Russian reviews of the oil depot on hearth in Voronezh Oblast.
The village of Liski in Voronezh Oblast lies over 150 kilometers (98 miles) east of the Ukrainian border.
In an assault performed by the Particular Operations Forces and different models of Ukraine's Protection Forces, a minimum of three drones hit the ability, inflicting a large-scale hearth, the Basic Employees mentioned.
A Ukrainian drone strike additionally reportedly focused a Russian gunpowder manufacturing unit within the village of Kuzmino-Gat in Tambov Oblast in a single day on Jan. 16.
Eyewitnesses within the close by metropolis of Kotovsk heard the sound of a drone engine because it was passing over their homes, presumably heading to the manufacturing unit, the Shot Telegram channel reported.
Russia's Protection Ministry claimed its forces downed 27 Ukrainian drones over numerous areas in a single day, together with three in Tambov Oblast.
Russian authorities mentioned there have been no casualties on account of the assault in Tambov Oblast and that the roof of a home was broken by drone particles. It’s not instantly clear whether or not the plant suffered any harm because of the assault.
The Kyiv Impartial couldn’t confirm these claims.
The Kuzmino-Gat gunpowder manufacturing unit is "one of many key amenities of the Russian military-industrial complicated concerned within the warfare in opposition to Ukraine," mentioned Andrii Kovalenko, the pinnacle of the counter-disinformation division at Ukraine's Nationwide Safety and Protection Council.
"The gunpowder produced right here is used for numerous varieties of small arms, artillery, and rocket launchers." The plant additionally produces colloxylin, which is used to fabricate explosives and different merchandise, Kovalenko added.
Kuzmino-Gat lies roughly 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the Russia-Ukraine border.
Ukrainian paratroopers seize 27 Russian troopers in Kursk Oblast
Ukrainian paratroopers and different models captured 27 Russian service members throughout hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast, the Airborne Assault Troops' press service mentioned on Jan. 16.
"Amongst them are officers, sergeants, and privates from motorized rifle models, Marines, airborne troops, and different models, coming from numerous Russian areas and the occupied metropolis of Sevastopol," the press service introduced on its Telegram channel.
Ukraine has been preventing in Russia's southwestern Kursk Oblast since August 2024, hoping to make use of its positions there as a trump card in potential negotiations with Russia.
Moscow has ramped up its efforts to throw Ukraine out of its territory, deploying North Korean troops and reportedly retaking round half of the world initially taken by Kyiv.
"We name on different Russian troopers not to withstand and give up!" the Airborne Assault Troops' press service mentioned, promising to deal with Russian prisoners of warfare (POW) in accordance with worldwide humanitarian regulation.
Solely a day earlier, Ukraine's Nationwide Guard introduced the seize of 23 Russian troopers throughout fight operations close to Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast.
Ukraine and Russia often maintain prisoner exchanges, most lately on Jan. 15 when 25 Ukrainians, together with Azovstal defenders, had been launched.
Ukraine extends cooperation with Norwegian NASAMS programs provider
Kyiv is extending its cooperation with Norwegian protection firm Kongsberg, one of many suppliers of NASAMS air protection programs to Ukraine, Protection Minister Rustem Umerov mentioned on Jan. 16.
The protection minister met with Eirik Lie, govt vice chairman of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and president of Kongsberg Protection & Aerospace. The 2 mentioned anti-drone programs and the opportunity of localizing their manufacturing in Ukraine, in addition to the event of maritime capabilities.
Ukraine and Norway additionally mentioned the opportunity of integrating Ukrainian-made air protection programs into NASAMS "to extend its effectiveness," Umerov mentioned.
The NASAMS programs have been in service with Ukrainian forces since November 2022, when the U.S. delivered the primary batteries amid escalating Russian airstrikes.
Ukraine has lobbied worldwide companions for extra air protection capabilities within the wake of intensifying Russian strikes concentrating on vitality infrastructure.
Norway has been considered one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe. In keeping with Umerov, Oslo allotted 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for army help to Ukraine in 2025.
Ukrainian army releases footage of uncommon Russian reconnaissance drone downing
The 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade shared a video on Jan. 16 purporting to indicate the downing of Russian forces' uncommon reconnaissance drone Merlin-VR.
All through the full-scale invasion, drones have turn into pivotal for each Ukraine and Russia, used on and off the battlefield for assault and reconnaissance functions.
"A uncommon chicken was shot down by anti-aircraft gunners and pilots of the 63rd Brigade — a Russian experimental Merlin-VR reconnaissance drone," the brigade's statement learn.
The Merlin-VR was shot down by a Ukrainian first-person-view (FPV) drone. The brigade didn’t specify the place the air battle came about.
Russian builders offered the Merlin-VR in 2021, and the Russian army has been utilizing it on the battlefield since 2022.
The drone reportedly has a hybrid engine, which reduces its noise whereas in movement. It could additionally fly for as much as 10 hours and attain altitudes of as much as 5 kilometers (3 miles).
Varied aerial, naval, and floor drones have been developed and infrequently efficiently used for reconnaissance, fight, and different duties by Ukrainian troops.
Britain to play 'full position' in any peace talks on Ukraine – Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared his readiness to play a “full position” in peace talks on Ukraine. This contains the opportunity of deploying British troops to help peace.
NATO scrambled Norwegian F-35 fighter jets stationed in Poland for the primary time to guard airspace throughout a Russian assault on Ukraine on Jan. 15, the NATO Air Command reported on X.
Russia attacked Ukraine utilizing cruise and ballistic missiles on Jan. 15, concentrating on essential infrastructure in a number of oblasts. Ukrainian forces shot down 30 missiles and 47 drones.
"That is the primary time the Norwegian jets have scrambled within the energetic air protection of Polish Airspace, demonstrating Allied dedication to NATO's jap flank," the assertion learn.
Two F-35 fighter jets have been concerned within the protection of NATO airspace, in response to the NATO Air Command.
Poland introduced on the identical day that it was scaling up its air drive as a consequence of Russia's mass assault on Ukraine, with extra pairs of fighter jets deployed and ground-based air protection and radar programs on excessive alert.
Russian drones and missiles have beforehand entered Poland's airspace throughout assaults on Ukraine. Nevertheless, Polish allies suggested the federal government to train restraint when coping with unidentified airspace violations, in response to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Most Poles imagine the Polish army ought to shoot down Russian drones that enter Polish airspace throughout aerial assaults on Ukraine, in response to a survey printed on Sept. 1 by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
Polish Overseas Minister Radoslaw Sikorski mentioned in September that Poland and neighboring nations to Ukraine are "liable for defending their very own airspace," regardless of NATO's opposition.
Ukrainian Armed Forces maintain 131 fight engagements within the frontline, probably the most intense within the Pokrovske and Kursk sectors – Normal Workers
There have been 131 fight engagements over the past day, most of them within the Pokrovske and Kursk sectors. The enemy carried out 30 air strikes and fired over 4,300 occasions, dropping 300 troops within the Pokrovsk sector.
Critically missing manpower on the entrance traces the place Russia continues to make use of its huge manpower benefit to make grinding advances, Ukraine has been scrambling specialists into the infantry in an effort to replenish losses.
Criticized broadly by troopers and specialists for a “wasteful” use of specialist troops which have spent years honing their abilities, the short-term resolution has ceaselessly led to their dying or damage, in accordance with troopers interviewed by the Kyiv Impartial over 2024.
Ukraine has been scuffling with a manpower scarcity — particularly within the infantry — whereas Russia has intensified its offensive in Donetsk Oblast because the summer time of 2024.
The problem of sending specialist troops to infantry models had largely been hidden within the shadows till a video surfaced on-line on Jan. 14, prompting responses from President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Basic Workers of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
'An actual problem'
Within the nearly three-minute-long video, round a dozen Ukrainian servicemen from the Air Pressure stand, as one reads aloud a message about what they describe as “an actual problem” that would “destroy the very basis of our aviation.”
“Since 2014, we have now been making ready and sustaining the plane, making certain fight missions in probably the most tough circumstances, each day and evening, defending our homeland from the enemy,” the speaker of the group – all sporting masks — says.
A Ukrainian Tactical Aviation pilot poses within the cockpit of his MIG-29 fighter jet at sundown in jap Ukraine on Aug. 1, 2023. (Libkos / Getty Photographs)
The aviation and technical personnel, who say that they’ve been fulfilling missions on Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets for over a decade, stated they obtained an order to ship "nearly all technicians to the infantry, which implies we will probably be left with out technical personnel to service our plane."
The Ukrainian army command was making an attempt to switch 218 specialists to the infantry when the video was launched, and 250 had been beforehand transferred, in accordance with the speaker.
“The technical workers is definitely being destroyed, and with out us, the aviation won’t be able to perform,” he says.
In line with the Ukrainian on-line newspaper Ukrainska Pravda, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi issued an order on Jan. 11 to switch over 5,000 Air Pressure personnel to Floor Forces models.
A senior Air Pressure officer, talking anonymously to the outlet, stated transfers started in spring 2024 and have now reached a "vital degree," with unit staffing dropping to 50%.
An Air Pressure serviceman talking on the situation of anonymity to the Kyiv Impartial, painted an excellent grimmer image.
He stated round a pair thousand Air Pressure servicemen had already been transferred to the infantry because the starting of the full-scale warfare, with about 40 % being killed, and 40% wounded within the first days in the event that they had been instantly despatched to the entrance, whereas some had been nonetheless preventing.
He added that these are sometimes individuals who studied for round 4 years, and additional constructed their information over years of service, stressing the difficulty dampens morale.
'There have been no plans'
In a uncommon instance of a public outcry reaching the Ukrainian authorities, Zelensky on Jan. 14 tried to reassure that such transfers wouldn’t be made.
“There was a lot concern and dialogue right this moment relating to these reassignments," he stated in his night deal with.
"I’ve instructed that all the pieces be defined to the general public and to not cut back the ranks of specialists vital to the Air Pressure — aviation, air protection, and cell hearth models."
The Basic Workers of Ukraine’s Armed Forces additionally insisted on the identical day that "there have been no plans to switch the acute scarcity of specialists of the Air Pressure’s engineering and aviation service who preserve plane to infantry models."
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press convention in the course of the European Council Assembly in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Pier Marco Tacca / Getty Photographs)
“As a substitute, the Air Pressure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is rising the variety of technical and flight personnel,” it added.
Acknowledging the "not straightforward" state of affairs on the entrance, and that "many areas lack squaddies," the Basic Workers stated the switch of some personnel is "a mandatory step" to strengthen protection by reinforcing fight brigades with troopers from different branches of the Armed Forces.
Nevertheless it harassed that Syrskyi prohibited the switch of high-tech specialists and people skilled overseas on international fashions of weapons and gear.
Understanding the complexity of the difficulty, some troopers nonetheless stay pessimistic in regards to the prospect of doable enhancements going ahead.
The core challenge is that nobody is bearing duty, in accordance with the nameless Air Pressure serviceman. He stated that the order involves switch a sure quantity from a specialist unit, and the native commander has to select whom to ship, which he stated is commonly tough as a result of “we’d like everybody” and there’s no replenishment.
“Perhaps for them (within the army management), it's only a quantity, not folks,” the Air Pressure serviceman stated, including there must be a “duty and accountability” mechanism for the generals making the selections.
Glen Grant, a former British military lieutenant colonel who has suggested the Ukrainian Protection Ministry, and carefully observes army points in Ukraine, stated that useful resource administration issues persist as a result of lack of competent generals, and the shortcoming to study from errors.
“You simply don't take your technicians and put them into hurt's method since you want them as technicians,” the Latvia-based army knowledgeable instructed the Kyiv Impartial.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 performs a fight mission in jap Ukraine on Aug. 1, 2023. (Libkos / Getty Photographs)
“You might strengthen one space, however you then weaken one other space, so the compensation is misplaced. You're nonetheless again the place you’re, besides you’re truly twice worse off since you in all probability lose the technicians, useless.”
A few latest appointments, resembling that of Basic Mykhailo Drapatyi because the commander of Ukraine's Floor Forces in November 2024, provides hope, in accordance with Grant, however it’s nonetheless unclear whether or not will probably be sufficient to vary the general dynamics of the Ukrainian army management.
“The message is evident that the folks don't worth soldier's lives in the event that they're going to ship them into the entrance line with out being correctly skilled,” Grant stated.
“The message is evident that the folks don't worth soldier's lives in the event that they're going to ship them into the entrance line with out being correctly skilled.”
Ukrainian army knowledgeable Mykhailo Zhyrokhov however stated he was skeptical of the variety of specialists that the Air Pressure members stated had been being transferred to the infantry.
He argued that the state of affairs is “ambiguous” as a result of there is no such thing as a affirmation that such a quantity is thrown into the front-line trenches, and he doubts the Ukrainian army management would “shoot itself within the foot” and “destroy aviation” as has been claimed.
“It’s typical human habits — no person needs to go to the entrance, even supposing they’re skilled troopers, they’re contract troopers, they usually have been there all this time, these final twenty years defending the sky,” Zhyrokhov instructed the Kyiv Impartial.
He additionally raised questions on how the servicemen obtained the numbers when the data was “secret.”
With the Air Pressure step by step Westernizing its Soviet-era fashions of plane, there’s a surplus of specialists who’re solely aware of the older variations who can be despatched to the reserves if the nation was not at warfare, in accordance with Zhyrokhov.
He stated he believed that the excess, such because the guards based mostly on the airbases, can be despatched to non-combat roles as an answer.
Mentioning Air Pressure personnel who fought in sizzling spots within the east in 2023, resembling within the Battle of Bakhmut, Zhyrokhov argued that Air Pressure servicemen have to right away get used to the grim realities of the warfare, identical to civilian-turned-soldiers.
“In wartime, such circumstances exist, have existed, are current, and can live on,” Zhyrokhov stated.
Ukrainian open-source warfare monitoring web site DeepState, which stated that it obtained 100 experiences from troopers in regards to the challenge regarding the switch of Air Pressure and Air Protection specialists to the infantry after the scandal got here to mild, stated that a big quantity stated they obtained only some days’ coaching earlier than being despatched into brigades and "the image there may be not the most effective.”
“The deliberate sending of specialists who’ve particular abilities, information and expertise and their absence instantly impacts the work of the unit,” DeepState stated in a Telegram publish.
Summarizing it an “absurd phenomenon,” DeepState stated the effectiveness of the switch of specialists to infantry “has all the time been minimal” and in addition resulted within the lack of some servicemen who attained precious abilities overseas.
The Netherlands will allocate 27 million euros to assist Ukraine: the place will the cash go
The Netherlands is offering €7 million for the UCAP help bundle and €20 million for the Power Assist Fund for Ukraine. That is further help to the full army assist of €10.4 billion.
The 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade repelled an assault of Russian troops close to the village of Zhuravka in Sumy Oblast on the border with Russia's Kursk Oblast, in accordance with the brigade's Jan. 15 assertion.
Sumy Oblast, situated on Ukraine's northeast border with Russia, is topic to each day assaults and is located simply throughout from Russia's Kursk Oblast — the area topic to Ukraine's ongoing incursion.
Russia has amassed troops alongside the border close to Zhuravka and tried to assault the settlement however has up to now failed, in accordance with the brigade. "The enemy is predicted to repeat the actions, as they’ve assets there," the assertion learn.
The estimated Ukrainian advance within the Russian Kursk sector of the entrance line, as of Jan. 16, 2025, in accordance with DeepState. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)
The 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade didn’t specify when the breakthrough try was made. In the meantime, the crowd-sourced monitoring web site Deep State reported that the depth of the preventing in Kursk Oblast has decreased in latest days in comparison with final week.
Assault actions proceed primarily within the course of Lebedevka-Sverdlikove, and battles are additionally going down to manage the village of Nikolayevo-Darino, in accordance with Deep State.
0:00/1×Footage purporting to point out Ukraine repelling a Russian assault in Sumy Oblast on the border with Russia's Kursk Oblast in mid-January 2025. (The 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade)
The Sumy Regional Navy Administration reported on Jan. 14 that the data circulating about Russian troops breaking via the border close to the settlements of Zhuravka and Prokhody was false.
Earlier in December, Deep State stated that Russian forces had superior in Sumy Oblast close to the border village of Oleksandriya.
Sumy Oblast authorities, together with head of the Navy Administration Volodymyr Artyukh, rejected the notion that Russian forces had breached the border, calling the experiences "pretend" and describing them as disinformation.
“We got here there from Greenland": Azov fighters take an Eskimo prisoner
Within the Toretsk sector, fighters of the twelfth Azov Brigade captured a Russian soldier of Eskimo origin. The prisoner spoke about discrimination in opposition to indigenous peoples in Russia.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
