Category: War in Ukraine

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko didn’t apologize to President Volodymyr Zelensky for Belarus's involvement in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Lukashenko's spokesperson Natalia Eismont informed RBC information company on Jan. 6.

Her claims got here after Zelensky mentioned in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman that Lukashenko apologized for Minsk's involvement within the battle shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion started in February 2022.

"No apologies have been made by the Belarusian president to Zelensky, for the straightforward purpose that we’ve nothing to apologize for," Eismont mentioned.

In accordance with the spokesperson, Lukashenko and Zelensky held a cellphone name as a result of "emotional response" of Lukashenko's son Nikolai, who had the variety of Ukraine's president.

Lukashenko mentioned that Zelensky could be "answerable for the deaths of individuals" and urged him to barter with Russia, Eismont claimed.

Zelensky additionally mentioned that Lukashenko proposed Kyiv to strike the Mozyr oil refinery in Belarus. Eismont didn’t touch upon these claims.

Whereas Belarus, an ally of Russia, has indirectly participated within the battle, it has allowed the Kremlin to make use of its territory as a staging floor for its operations in opposition to Ukraine. The nation can be reportedly internet hosting Russian tactical nuclear arms on its territory.

Russian troops operated a torture chamber within the Belarusian city of Naroulia within the spring of 2022, the Belarusian Investigative Heart (BIC) reported in late November. Ukrainian prisoners of battle and civilians kidnapped from Ukraine have been reportedly held there.

Belarus Weekly — 2024 in review: Drone incursions, deepening alliance with Russia, totalitarianismIn 2024, Belarus, under dictator Alexander Lukashenko, continued to descend into totalitarianism, imprisoning people at will and providing full-fledged support to Russia in its brutal all-out war. Lukashenko signed a number of bilateral treaties with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, helping him facilitate…The Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma

The advisor to the top of the Presidential Administration defined why Ukraine wants worldwide safety ensures, not simply agreements with Trump. In 4 years, Putin could assault once more when Trump is not president of the USA.

In 4 years, Donald Trump will not be president of the USA, and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, having no obligations to him within the occasion of an settlement, will have the ability to repeat the aggression. Subsequently, it is vital for Ukraine to obtain all the required ensures that won’t depart this warfare as a legacy to future generations of Ukrainians. This was acknowledged by Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Workplace Serhiy Leshchenko throughout a telethon, UNN experiences.

The President mentioned this immediately in an interview with Lex Friedman. That’s, we’re ready for the inauguration in the USA, after which the President of Ukraine and the President of the USA will meet, a package deal of ensures will likely be labored out, and solely then can we sit down on the negotiating desk with Russia. In accordance with the President, Ukraine can’t sit down unarmed at this negotiating desk. {Our capability} is a assure that Russia is not going to repeat this aggression

– Leshchenko mentioned.

Leshchenko famous that in 4 years, Trump's presidency will finish, and Putin will simply be re-elected.

"In 4 years, Donald Trump will not be president, and for Putin, 4 years is simply one other re-election, as he does so simply. Provided that there are not any elections there. The opposition leaders are of their graves or in exile, and it's not an issue for him (Putin – ed.) to get one other mandate if he desires to. Trump is not going to be right here, and Putin can repeat this aggression in 4 years, with none obligations to Trump. Subsequently, by the point of this assembly, Ukraine desires to obtain all the required ensures that won’t depart this warfare as a legacy to the following generations of Ukrainians," Leshchenko defined.

Addendum

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has acknowledged that to create safety Ukraine wants shut cooperation with worldwide companions and important monetary assets for the event of the army business.

President says whether or not Ukraine can be part of NATO with out occupied territoriesJan 5 2025, 09:00 PM • 101076 views

In December 2024, Zelensky emphasised that European ensures wouldn’t be sufficient for Ukraine. It additionally wants ensures from the USA, so long as Kyiv will not be in NATO.

Ukraine's Protection Ministry has ordered one other 180,000 rounds of 35 mm ammunition for self-propelled Gepard anti-aircraft weapons from the German Rheinmetall arms producer, the corporate introduced on Jan. 6.

The order for a brand new batch of rounds of HEI-T ammunition (Excessive Explosive Incendiary with Tracer) was booked in December 2024 and is funded by the German authorities. The beginning of supply is predicted in 2026, based on Rheinmetall.

Berlin despatched 55 Gepards to Ukraine, which had been decommissioned by Germany's Armed Forces.

"They’ve confirmed their worth in air protection for greater than two years," the assertion learn.

The Gepard, a German-designed weapon first launched into service within the Seventies, was designed to be used towards planes and helicopters. It is usually seen as extremely efficient towards drones, together with the Shahed-type ones, which Russia makes use of in each day assaults towards Ukraine.

Initially criticized for its sluggish supply of navy help to Ukraine following the start of the full-scale invasion, Berlin has turn out to be the second-largest supplier of navy tools after the U.S.

Scholz denies claims that he could meet with Putin in RussiaRoderich Kiesewetter, defense spokesperson for Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said earlier that “there are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before Feb. 23.”The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Estonian Navy Commander Ivo Värk stated there isn’t any dominance of any facet within the Black Sea. Either side have freedom of motion near the coast with air protection, mines and shore help.

Within the conventional understanding of naval warfare, neither Russia nor Ukraine have dominance within the Black Sea. This was said by Ivo Värk, commander of the Estonian Navy, stories UNN with regards to ERR.

Particulars

“At present, the complete Black Sea could be thought-about a disputed maritime territory the place either side even have a sure diploma of freedom of motion,” Värk stated on air on ETV.

He famous that this leeway is clearly extra close to the coast.

“Either side have their very own air defenses, sea mines and shore help for numerous weapons methods,” the Estonian naval commander added.

Complement

The UK Ministry of Protection reported in December that the general tempo of rf maritime operations within the Black Sea stays low as a consequence of Ukraine's profitable actions.

In 2023, Zelensky reportedthat Ukraine was capable of seize the initiative from russia within the Black Sea.

DIU confirms destruction of two Russian helicopters by naval drones close to CrimeaJan 2 2025, 10:20 AM • 25415 views

Editor's notice: This can be a creating story and is being up to date.

Russia's Protection Ministry claimed on Jan. 6 that its forces had totally captured Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, an announcement not confirmed by Ukraine.

Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces reported on Jan. 6 that battles are ongoing within the Kurakhove sector as Russia "conducts assault operations within the city space of Kurakhove within the path of Petropavlivka and Dachne."

The stories come amid heavy Russian offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast that took a long-unseen tempo within the fall of 2024.

"Measures are underway to establish and destroy Russian assault teams making an attempt to infiltrate our battle formations," the Khortytsia group mentioned.

The Kyiv Impartial couldn’t confirm the claims.

Russian forces have centered their effort at Kurakhove in southwestern Donetsk Oblast over the previous few months, turning it into one of many hottest sectors of the entrance.

The Normal Employees of Ukraine's Armed Forces mentioned on Jan. 6 that over the previous day, Ukrainian forces repelled 27 floor assaults close to Kurakhove, Petropavlivka, Dachne, and Slovianka.

The Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reveals Kurakhove virtually fully in Russian arms, with Moscow's forces apparently advancing west towards Dachne.

Ukraine launches new offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcomeUkrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation center, claimed on Jan. 5. Reports by Russian pro-war Telegram channels have echoed the statement, saying that a new Kyiv offensive is underway.The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

The occupiers shelled the village of Orishanka with Twister MLRS, damaging homes and infrastructure. Kamikaze drone assaults in Kharkiv and aerial bomb assaults in Bohodukhiv district have been additionally recorded.

On the morning of January 6, Russian troops shelled the village of Orishanka in Kharkiv area with Twister MLRS, inflicting injury. This was reported by the Kharkiv RMA, UNN reported.

Particulars

“In the present day, from 09:15 to 09:40, the enemy struck close to the village of Orishanka in Bohodukhiv district utilizing Twister a number of rocket launchers. In line with preliminary information, three non-public homes, outbuildings, gasoline and energy grids have been broken. There was no details about the victims,” RMA reported on Telegram.

AddendumAddendum

In line with the top of the Kharkiv RMA, Oleh Syniehubov, Russian troops have carried out a sequence of assaults within the Kharkiv area over the previous day, damaging civilian objects and infrastructure.

At 16:42, a Molniya-1 kamikaze drone fell on the roof of an administrative constructing of an organization in Kharkiv, Kholodnohirsky district. It didn’t explode, however broken the roof. There have been no casualties. At 15:15, one other drone of the identical mannequin broken the home windows of three non-public homes and a automobile in Kyiv district of the town, the RMA head famous.

Within the village of Turove, Bohodukhiv district, at 23:40, two guided aerial bombs destroyed one non-public home and broken eight different buildings, together with outbuildings. In the identical space, within the village of Oleksandrivka, at 12:20, an assault by 4 FPV drones broken one home. The same assault at 09:50 was recorded within the village of Vidrodzhenivske, the place a non-public home was additionally broken.

Kupyansk district additionally suffered from the occupants' actions. At 11:00 the day earlier than, an ambulance was broken by artillery shelling within the village of Kivsharivka.

Recall

Russian occupants proceed to actively advance with infantry in Kharkiv area.

Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t love his nation and folks as he’s sending Russia's youth to die in his wars of aggression, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman launched on Jan. 5.

"He doesn’t love his individuals. He loves solely his internal circle," Zelensky stated in response to Fridman's suggestion that Putin is a "severe one that loves his nation."

"What’s his nation? He occurred to think about Ukraine his nation," the president responded within the three-hour-long interview, stating that Putin had beforehand additionally launched a harmful conflict towards Chechnya, now a constituent republic of the Russian Federation.

Putin rose to energy through the Second Chechen Warfare in 1999-2000, through which Russia forcibly subjugated the area and seized its capital, Grozny, after a devastating siege.

"Who’re the Chechens? A distinct individuals: One other religion… One other language. A million individuals eradicated…. How did he kill them – with love?" Zelensky requested rhetorically.

Ukraine's head of state additionally confused that Russia's all-out conflict towards Ukraine resulted in 780,000 of its troopers killed or wounded, including that Putin "calls all of them Russians, even those that don't know the way to communicate Russian, on his territory of Russia, all the pieces they've enslaved."

"He's (Putin) sending 18-year-boys (to die in conflict)… It's not that the fascists got here to his nation, and he must defend it. He got here to ours, and he sends them," Zelensky continued, offering different examples of Moscow's wars and army interventions in Syria, Chechnya, Georgia, and Africa.

Although the precise Russian losses within the full-scale invasion are tough to determine with certainty, The Economist wrote that they already outpace Moscow's battlefield losses in all of its post-1945 wars mixed.

Ukraine launches new offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, mixed reports surface on outcomeUkrainian troops attacked Russian forces in several directions in Kursk Oblast, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation center, claimed on Jan. 5. Reports by Russian pro-war Telegram channels have echoed the statement, saying that a new Kyiv offensive is underway.The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

At evening, Russia attacked Ukraine with 128 Shahed drones and a couple of X-59 missiles from totally different instructions. Ukrainian air protection forces shot down 79 UAVs and each missiles, and broken civilian objects in a number of areas.

Russia attacked Ukraine in a single day with 128 drones and a couple of X-59 missiles, destroying 79 drones and each missiles, the Ukrainian Air Power reported on Monday, UNN experiences.

Particulars

In keeping with the Ukrainian Air Power, on the evening of January 6 (from 18.00 on January 5), the enemy attacked with two X-59 guided missiles from the south and 128 Shahed-type strike UAVs and varied sorts of imitator drones from the instructions of Bryansk, Millerovo, Orel, Kursk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk – Russian Federation.

The air assault was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, digital warfare items, and cellular hearth teams of the Ukrainian Air Power and Protection Forces.

As of 09:00, two X-59 guided missiles and 79 Shahed-type assault UAVs and different sorts of drones have been confirmed downed in Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, and Vinnytsia areas. No hits have been recorded. 49 enemy imitator UAVs have been misplaced within the space (no unfavorable penalties)

– the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on social media.

The autumn of downed enemy drones reportedly induced injury to companies, establishments and personal houses in Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Poltava and Kyiv areas. No casualties have been reported.

“As of 8:30 a.m., new teams of enemy UAVs are coming in from the north. Care for your self, observe the protection necessities!” – the Ukrainian Air Power mentioned.

Shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion started, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko apologized to President Volodymyr Zelensky over the nation's involvement within the warfare, Zelensky revealed in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman revealed on Jan. 5.

"A couple of days into the warfare, I spoke with Lukashenko on the cellphone, and he apologized… he mentioned, 'It was not me, missiles have been launched from my territory, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin was the one launching them.' These are his phrases, I’ve witnesses," Zelensky mentioned in his wide-ranging interview.

"'And I apologize,' he mentioned. 'However imagine me' — that's what he instructed me — 'Volodya (referring to Volodymyr Zelensky), this isn’t me. I’m not in cost,'" Zelensky added.

In response, Zelensky mentioned that he known as Lukashenko "a assassin," questioning why Lukashenko allowed Russia to launch missiles at Ukraine from Belarusian territory.

Lukashenko grew to become more and more reliant on Russia after isolating Belarus from the West, following Belarus' 2020 election. Lukashenko's opposition and the West condemned the outcomes as fraudulent.

Lukashenko cracked down on mass protests that broke out in response to the fraudulent election outcomes. Since then, Belarusian authorities have more and more suppressed political freedoms and have turn into complacent in Russia's warfare in opposition to Ukraine.

Regardless of not being straight concerned in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops and missiles on its territory.

Lukashenko requested Putin on Dec. 6 to deploy the Oreshnik missile programs in Belarus, a weapon Russia just lately used to strike Ukraine, Russian state-controlled information company RIA Novosti reported. As many as 10 missile programs will likely be deployed, in line with pro-Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev.

Belarus will likely be holding its subsequent presidential election on Jan. 26 the place Lukashenko is anticipated to be handed a seventh time period in workplace.

Lukashenko to visit China ahead of Belarus presidential electionsThe reported visit will be Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s third trip to China in three years. Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said.The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Over the previous day, Ukrainian troops eradicated 1,550 militants. Additionally they destroyed 14 tanks, 45 infantry preventing autos and 65 enemy artillery programs.

Terrorists have misplaced 1550 troopers. This was reported by the Normal Workers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, UNN reviews.

Particulars

Fight losses of the aggressor for the interval from 24.02.22 to 06.01.25:

– Personnel: 798 040 (+1550).

– Tanks: 9700 (+14).

– Armored fight autos: 20164 (+45).

– Artillery programs: 21665 (+65).

– RSVP: 1258 (+1).

– Air protection programs: 1034 (+2).

– Airplanes: 369.

– Helicopters: 331.

– UAVs of operational and tactical stage: 21625 (+178).

– Cruise missiles: 3006.

– Ships/boats: 28.

– Submarines: 1.

– Automotive gear and tankers: 33056 (+116).

– Particular gear: 3681 (+4).

There have been 148 fight engagements within the frontline: Protection forces repel 41 assaults in Kursk area – Normal StaffJan 4 2025, 07:04 AM • 26713 views