Category: War in Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia have reached a "preliminary settlement" to conduct common prisoner exchanges all year long, specializing in the return of severely ailing and severely wounded prisoners of conflict (POWs), Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets introduced on Jan. 6.

In an interview with the state-run parliamentary broadcaster Rada, Lubinets expressed hope that Russia would honor its dedication.

"I don’t want this to return throughout as an official announcement simply but. However we’ll see if the Russian aspect retains its phrase. In the event that they do, Ukrainian society will discover the systematic nature when it comes to amount, timing, and classes [of prisoners returning home]."

Underneath the revised method for getting ready change lists, precedence will now go to those that are severely injured or critically ailing, adopted by prisoners who’ve been in captivity the longest.

"For the primary time, we managed to ascertain that we’ll create lists based totally on bodily well being," Lubinets added.

In 2024, Ukraine performed 11 prisoner exchanges and secured the return of 356 extra folks than in 2023. Because the begin of the full-scale invasion, 3,956 folks have been launched, together with 1,358 in 2024.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the numbers in his New 12 months video deal with revealed late on Dec. 31.

On Dec. 30, Ukraine efficiently secured the discharge of 189 captives from Russian detention, together with navy personnel and two civilians.

The coordination headquarters described it as one of many largest exchanges because the begin of the full-scale conflict. Amongst these freed had been defenders of Azovstal, Mariupol, the Chornobyl Nuclear Energy Plant, Snake Island, and different key entrance traces.

I survived a Russian torture camp. So I had to see Assad’s Sednaya prisonEditor’s Note: Stanislav Aseyev is a Ukrainian writer, journalist, veteran, and a survivor of the Izolyatsia prison in Russia-occupied Donetsk, infamous for its torture of prisoners. He was the first Ukrainian journalist to see to the Sednaya prison and death camp in Syria after the fall of Bashar a…The Kyiv IndependentStanislav Aseyev

Enemy drones have been noticed within the skies over Kirovohrad, Cherkasy and Poltava areas. The drones are transferring within the western and northern instructions, and the inhabitants is urged to take shelter.

The motion of enemy assault drones is noticed within the Ukrainian sky. That is reported by the Air Drive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, UNN studies.

Particulars

Air Drive studies UAV trajectories in three areas.

In Kirovohrad area, the drones are transferring westward. In the meantime, in Cherkasy and Poltava areas, the drones have been noticed on northern routes.

Native residents are suggested to remain in shelters and to not ignore air raid warnings.

Enemy assaults: UAV strikes noticed in 8 areas at onceJan 5 2025, 11:47 PM • 23154 views

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Jan. 6 that Russian forces had sustained vital losses over 5 months of preventing in Russia's Kursk area.

"In the course of the Kursk operation, the enemy has already misplaced 38,000 of their troopers on this route alone, with practically 15,000 of those losses being irreversible," Zelensky added in his night tackle.

He didn’t present proof to help the figures he cited for Russian casualties, so the Kyiv Impartial couldn’t instantly confirm the knowledge.

The Kursk area lies on the border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, which has been experiencing every day assaults since Russian troops had been pushed out of the oblast and again throughout the border in April 2022.

Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale operation within the Kursk area in early August, capturing sections of the territory. Nevertheless, the Russian army claims it has regained management over a lot of that land. On Jan. 5, Ukraine reported initiating a brand new offensive within the space however shared restricted details about it.

Stories from Ukrainian and Western sources recommend that round 11,000 North Korean troops are aiding Russian forces within the area. Russia has not confirmed or denied their involvement.

The Russian Protection Ministry reported on Monday that Ukrainian forces had been stopped, and their major items had been destroyed close to Berdin, a settlement alongside a highway main northeast to the town of Kursk.

Zelensky highlighted the creation of a "buffer zone" within the Kursk area, the place Russia had stationed substantial army reinforcements. In accordance with him, this growth has hindered Moscow’s means to deploy these forces to vital battlefronts in japanese Ukraine.

"Importantly, the (Russian forces) can not now direct all this energy to our different instructions, explicit to Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, or Zaporizhzhia oblasts," he stated.

There have been 199 fight engagements within the frontline, with the biggest variety of assaults within the Pokrovsk sector – 40 breakthrough makes an attempt. The enemy is conducting lively offensives in numerous components of the frontline, together with the Kupyansk, Lyman and Kramatorsk instructions.

There have been 199 fight engagements within the frontline. The aggressor's military continues to conduct lively offensive actions within the Pokrovsk sector. That is reported by the Basic Workers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, UNN studies.

Particulars

Within the Kharkiv sector, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled three terrorist assaults close to Vovchansk. The invaders additionally launched air strikes close to Orishanka, Zolochiv and Udy, and attacked Hraniv in Kharkiv area with a number of rocket launchers.

Within the Kupyansk sector, the enemy performed three assaults within the areas of Synkivka, Petropavlivka and Zahryzove.

Within the Liman sector, the occupants fired 13 instances close to Nadiya, Pershotravneve, Terny, Yampolivka, Zarichne and Makiivka.

Within the Northern sector, the enemy made two makes an attempt to assault positions close to Bilohorivka.

Within the Kramatorsk sector, 4 fight engagements have been registered close to Chasovyi Yar, Bila Hora and within the path of Stupochky.

Within the Toretsk sector, the aggressor attacked eight instances close to Shcherbynivka and Toretsk.

Within the Pokrovsk sector, enemy forces tried to interrupt by way of 40 instances close to the settlements of Myroliubivka, Promin, Sukhyi Yar, Pishchane, Kotlyne, Ukrainka, Yasenove, Novoyelizavetivka, Tarasivka, Yelizavetivka, Lysivka, Zelene, Novyi Trud and Pokrovsk.

Within the Kurakhove sector, the enemy attacked 25 instances close to Slovianka, Sribne, Andriivka, Petropavlivka, Kurakhove and Dachne.

Within the Vremivsk sector, terrorists carried out 13 assaults close to Kostyantynopil, Yantarne, Dachne and Kostyantynopilske.

Within the Orikhivsk sector Ukrainian troops repelled one assault close to Novodanilivka.

Within the Prydniprovskyi sector, the aggressor attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops as soon as with none outcomes.

Ukrainian Armed Forces repel occupants' assaults: the place is the most popular spot on the frontline – Basic StaffJan 1 2025, 08:13 PM • 34411 views

Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of Ukraine’s Floor Forces, acknowledged vital challenges throughout the French-trained one hundred and fifty fifth "Anne of Kyiv" Mechanized Brigade, together with excessive desertion charges and poor group, throughout a Jan. 6 press convention.

"After all, it is a unfavorable lesson, a unfavorable expertise, nevertheless it must be transformed into some form of preventative motion," Drapatyi mentioned.

The final's remarks adopted a media investigation that claimed troopers of the unit, at present deployed close to Pokrovsk, have suffered losses and gone AWOL (absent with out go away) in giant numbers attributable to poor command and group inside Ukraine’s army management.

The one hundred and fifty fifth Brigade, shaped with help from Ukraine’s Western companions, was meant to be a flagship venture to coach new army items outfitted with heavy weaponry. French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement in June that France would supply coaching and army provides was a part of this initiative.

The brigade was meant to encompass about 5,800 troops, however fewer than 2,000 have undergone coaching in France. Regardless of Paris fulfilling its commitments for coaching and arms provision, an investigation led by Yurii Butusov, editor-in-chief of Ukrainian media outlet Censor.web, pointed to issues within the creation and administration of the brigade allegedly resulting in 1,700 circumstances of troopers going AWOL from the unit earlier than it fired a shot.

In response to Butusov, the failure to offer vital gear, similar to drones and digital warfare instruments, hampered the brigade’s fight readiness when it was deployed in November.

Ukraine investigating French-trained brigade after reports of desertions, mismanagementThe statement comes following a media investigation that claimed that soldiers of the unit, deployed near Pokrovsk, have suffered heavy losses and went AWOL in large numbers due to poor command and organization on Ukraine’s side.The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

"There are issues, and there have been issues in staffing, coaching, and partially within the command employees," Drapatyi mentioned. "That is all consciously analyzed, and sure conclusions have been drawn."

The final added that classes realized from these difficulties are getting used to enhance the brigade and keep away from comparable points sooner or later.

Drapatyi acknowledged these challenges, mentioning that desertion was usually pushed by worry and a scarcity of fight expertise.

"There are a lot of manifestations of unauthorized abandonment of army items, however there are additionally causes for this," he mentioned. "There’s the worry of the personnel […], and typically the shortage of sensible expertise in fight operations."

Of the 1,924 troopers despatched to France, solely 51 had greater than a yr of army service, whereas 1,414 had served lower than two months, in response to the Censor.web investigation.

The commander emphasised that the army is actively addressing the brigade’s points. "I verify that there have been problematic points with the command employees and the coaching course of, and they’re all being resolved now," he mentioned.

Regardless of the challenges, Drapatyi remained optimistic in regards to the brigade’s future. "The brigade is creating, preventing, inflicting losses on the enemy," he mentioned.

The report comes amid rising requires reform inside Ukraine’s army management as Kyiv grapples with intensifying strain in its battle with Russia.

As Russians inch closer to Pokrovsk, civilians in the area are left with a choice — stay under fire or leave life behindBILOZERSKE, Donetsk Oblast — Less than 30 kilometers north of embattled Pokrovsk, a market was in full swing in the town of Bilozerske. Meters away, however, a crowd has gathered in front of a building, nervously awaiting the doors to open. Tensions were visibly mounting as the doors remained close…The Kyiv IndependentEmmanuelle Chaze

Within the Korabelny district of Kherson, an enemy drone attacked a shuttle bus with passengers. Because of the assault, 9 individuals had been injured and one man was killed.

In Kherson, the variety of victims of an enemy assault has elevated to 9 individuals. This was reported by the Nationwide Police of Ukraine, UNN experiences.

Recall

As we speak, a tragedy occurred within the Korabelny district of Kherson – a terrorist drone attacked a bus carrying passengers.

Because of this assault, 9 individuals had been injured, together with 7 ladies aged 26 to 58 and a 21-year-old boy. All of them sustained mine-blast accidents, shrapnel wounds and contusions. Sadly, the 50-year-old man didn’t survive – his accidents had been incompatible with life.

Legislation enforcement officers urge residents to be as cautious as potential, keep away from crowds and instantly report any suspicious objects or conditions.

Russian assault on a minibus in Kherson: what is understood concerning the victimsJan 6 2025, 04:42 PM • 14747 views

A Russian drone strike focused a bus in a Kherson neighborhood on Jan. 6, killing one particular person and injuring six others, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

The person killed, Volodymyr Shum, 50, was a specialist within the municipal companies and landscaping division of the Kherson Metropolis Council's municipal economic system division.

Among the many injured have been 5 girls, aged between 29 and 57, and the 66-year-old driver, all of whom have been hospitalized with blast accidents and are present process medical analysis.

Kherson and settlements on the west financial institution of the Dnipro River endure each day Russian assaults as Moscow's forces preserve management of the river’s east financial institution. Prokudin reported a rise in assaults as Russian troops try and solidify their positions within the area.

Kherson and its surrounding areas have been liberated throughout Ukraine’s fall 2022 counteroffensive however stay underneath frequent bombardment. A Dec. 1 assault on a shuttle bus in Kherson killed three and injured eight, in response to native authorities.

Russian troops allegedly kill 3 Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk OblastRussian troops have allegedly killed three Ukrainian prisoners of war in Donetsk Oblast’s Volnovakha District, Ukraine’s ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets wrote on his Telegram channel on Jan. 6.The Kyiv IndependentBoldizsar Gyori

City preventing continues in Kurakhovo, with Ukrainian items holding positions within the western a part of town. Russia's claims of full management over the city will not be true.

In Kurakhove, Donetsk area, the protection of town continues, preventing is going down within the western half, however Ukrainian items are nonetheless within the metropolis. There isn’t any speak of full Russian management over the city. This was acknowledged by the spokesman of the "Khortytsia" navy unit Viktor Tregubov throughout a telethon, UNN reviews.

We don’t verify, as a result of in our newest report, which was a number of hours in the past, there’s details about city preventing within the metropolis itself. The protection is ongoing within the metropolis, it's occurring within the western a part of town, however our items are nonetheless there and nonetheless preventing. That’s, we’re not speaking about full management of town by the Russians

– Tregubov mentioned.

Addendum

On the morning of January 6, the Russian Ministry of Protection introduced on Telegram that the Russian military had allegedly fully captured Kurakhove.

Additionally on the afternoon of January 6, on Suspilne. Studio, Ruslan Mykula, co-founder of the Deep State analytical venture, mentioned that as of the morning there was no such info.

Yesterday night, at the very least within the western and northern elements of the thermal energy plant, there have been positions of the Protection Forces, and we have no idea something about their loss. Due to this fact, we can’t verify this info,

Mykula mentioned.

Within the afternoon, Tregubov reportedthat city preventing had been occurring in Kurakhove for every week, and the city was in a dilapidated state. The enemy was clearly in a rush to make statements in regards to the seize of the city.

Recall

As of 16:00 , 108 fight engagements passed off in varied sectors of the frontline. Most enemy assaults had been recorded within the Pokrovsk sector – 16 makes an attempt to assault.

Additionally within the Kurakhove sector, the enemy attacked seven occasions close to Slovianka, Petropavlivka, Kurakhove and Dachne. Six battles are over, one other one remains to be ongoing. Andriivka was hit by an assault from an unmanned aerial automobile.

Two Russian airliners had been pressured to return to their departure airports as a consequence of engine failures shortly after takeoff, The Moscow Occasions reported on Jan. 4, citing Russian media.

Western sanctions imposed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine have severely impacted the nation’s aviation business. Lower off from components and assist from Western producers, Russian airways have struggled to keep up plane.

An Airbus A321neo operated by Ural Airways skilled a left engine failure at an altitude of 4,500 meters (2.7 miles) on Jan. 4 whereas flying from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to Yekaterinburg. The crew reported the malfunction and returned to the departure airport.

Equally, a Boeing 737 belonging to NordStar Airways suffered a left engine failure at 11,300 meters (7 miles) throughout a flight from Volgograd to Ekaterinburg on Jan. 2, prompting its crew to return to Gumrak airport in Volgograd.

The airways confirmed that each planes have been grounded for technical inspections and situation assessments.

In line with Russia's Izvestia newspaper, as of Nov. 13, about 30 Russian airways — accounting for 26% of home passenger visitors — face potential chapter in 2025 as a consequence of gathered money owed and difficulties leasing overseas plane.

Within the meantime, Russia has struggled to scale back its reliance on foreign-made passenger jets, as seen in a lethal crash in July 2024. A domestically-produced Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed in a forest close to Moscow throughout a check flight following scheduled upkeep, killing all three crew members on board, state-controlled TASS information company reported.

‘Absurd versions’ — Azerbaijan’s president accuses Russia, condemns Putin’s denial in plane crashAzerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev again accused Russia of causing the Dec. 25 crash of Airlines Flight J2-8243, which killed 38 people, and criticized Vladimir Putin for not admitting guilt during a Jan. 6 meeting with victims’ families and surviving crew members. The flight, en route from Baku to…The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Within the Shumensky district of Kherson, a Russian drone attacked a taxi, killing one particular person and wounding 9. Over the previous day, the occupiers shelled 40 settlements within the area.

In Kherson right this moment, January 6, a Russian drone struck a minibus. Based on preliminary reviews, one particular person was killed and 9 others had been injured. This was reported by the top of the RMA, Oleksandr Prokudin, in accordance with UNN.

At about 17:00, Russians attacked a taxi within the Shumensky district of Kherson with a UAV. Preliminary, one particular person was killed and 9 others had been wounded

– wrote Prokudin.

Addendum

In Kherson area, a 45-year-old native resident in Zelenivka was injured in a drone assault. Over the previous day, Russian troops shelled 40 settlements within the area, killing one particular person and wounding 13.