Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,056.
Donetsk region. Russian shelling killed one resident and wounded seven others in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk oblast, or region, on Jan. 11.
A 56-year-old man died in hospital on January 11, succumbing to injuries sustained in a Russian drone attack last week on a bus station in the southern city of Kherson.
Kharkiv region. In northeastern Ukraine, Russian shelling killed a civilian in Kupiansk, a key logistics hub that was liberated from Russian occupation during Ukraine’s 2022 counteroffensive. Russian forces are slowly advancing on the city, located in the eastern part of the region, and are now less than two miles away.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was being arranged, but no timeline was given, Reuters reported on Jan. 10. While Trump’s return to office raises both concerns and hopes for a diplomatic settlement to the war, fears in Kyiv are growing that a quick resolution of the conflict could come at a high cost: Trump’s advisers have proposed compromises with Russia, potentially ceding Ukrainian territory. Despite the Biden administration’s $175 billion in aid to Ukraine throughout nearly three years of the war, Trump’s stance on future assistance remains unclear.
Ukraine has won the first $3 billion tranche of a $50 billion subsidized loan through the G7, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on January 10. Financed with proceeds from frozen Russian assets, the loan aims to support Ukraine’s economic stability while defending its rights. . sovereignty. The total EU contribution to the G7 loan will amount to around $20 billion.
The U.S. unveiled some of its toughest sanctions against Russia’s energy sector on Jan. 10, in an effort to further erode a cornerstone of the Kremlin’s economy powering its war machine. The Biden administration has imposed its most severe sanctions to date, targeting Russia’s top energy companies, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects, and over 180 vessels tied to oil exports. Key energy companies Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, which collectively account for nearly 20% of Moscow’s crude oil exports (up to 30 million barrels per month), are now blacklisted along with their subsidiaries.
U. S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is under pressure that the sanctions would increase dangers to maritime and monetary support for Russia’s oil trade, further isolating its energy sector. Analysts expect an increase in discounts on Moscow’s crude oil as transaction prices rise and the shortage of tankers is greater. it will probably intensify. Although short-term disruptions are expected at the global source, capacity expansion for new LNG projects in the U. S. is expected to be unsuccessful. The U. S. government stabilizes the market and reduces dependence on Russia. White House adviser John Kirby estimates that the sanctions could cost Russia billions in monthly revenue, dealing a blow to an already strained economy. The UK has added additional proxy sanctions along with the United States.
The sanctions expand the scope of existing measures and now penalize any global entity involved in the Kremlin’s oil and fuel sector, isolating key players and disrupting supply chains. All transactions with those entities will have to be suspended until February 27, putting additional pressure on Russia’s energy export infrastructure. However, the sanctions package offers a grace period until March 12 to end unfinished energy-related transactions.
Two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region on Jan. 9 said during questioning that they believed they were being sent abroad for training, rather than to fight in the war. The soldiers were part of a contingent of as many as 12 thousand North Korean troops sent to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine, under a Russian-North Korean military collaboration that has raised concerns among Ukraine’s western allies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the strategic significance of the capture as hard evidence of the Kremlin’s reliance on North Korea to bolster its depleted military.
According to South Korean intelligence, at least 300 North Korean soldiers have died and 2,700 have been wounded during this mobilization. The high casualties are being attributed to the troops being unfamiliar with modern warfare, as well as under orders to commit suicide in order to avoid capture.
British intelligence reported a reduction in Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, with around 1,700 attacks in December 2024, compared to 2,300 in November, the first decline since last spring. Ukrainian forces intercepted 53% of the drones, while others were neutralized by electronic warfare. or he veered off course. Despite this reduction, Russia is expected to conduct at least 1,500 drone launches per month. On January 13, Moscow announced 110 drones, 78 of which were shot down by air defense.
Mike Waltz, Donald Trump’s new national security adviser, called on Ukraine to lower the draft age from 26 to 18 to stabilize the front line, in a Jan. 12 interview with ABC News. The Florida Republican congressman noted that expanding the allowance to include other people ages 18 to 25 could attract thousands of new recruits. Waltz said Ukraine, which is asking the world to take risks for democracy, will have to take ambitious steps, including reviewing its mobilization policies, to defend itself and ensure an eventual solution to the war.
By Danylo Nosov and Karina L. Tahiliani
A community. Many voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our network aims to connect others through open and thoughtful conversations. We need our readers to share their perspectives and exchange ideas and facts in one space.
To do this, please comply with the posting regulations in our site’s terms of use. We summarize some of those key regulations below. In short, civilized.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thank you for reading our Community Standards. Read the full list of posting regulations discovered in our site’s Terms of Use.