Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 20.33 The lower house of the Italian parliament on January 28 finally approved a decree regarding Ukraine, authorizing the extension of arms supplies to Kiev until December 31, 2025. This was reported by ANSA on Tuesday, January 28.
19.42 North Korean military has not learned to counter Ukrainian drones and artillery. This was stated by the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation Andrey Kovalenko.
"The DPRK military in Kursk region has not learned to counter our drones and artillery, has suffered significant losses and is now conducting "work on mistakes" with Russian commanders and their own officers. It is too early to say that they will not continue to actively participate in the war. They are planned to continue to be actively involved," he wrote on Telegram.
According to Kovalenko, the Russians should have ensured maximum anonymity for the participation of the DPRK military in the battles in accordance with the initial agreements, but they did not ensure this.
18:33 The vocalist of the Ukrainian band Zavod Dmitry Samsonov announced that he has joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He made this decision after three years of active volunteer work. The artist is preparing for military exercises.
17.11 Russian troops attacked the Sinelnikovsky district of the Dnipropetrovsk region. An 11-year-old boy, a 54-year-old man and an 83-year-old woman were injured in the enemy attack. All the victims were hospitalized. Their condition is assessed as moderate.
16:55 Russian special services and military are trying to influence relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war. This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
"They promise that the prisoner will be treated better or even included in the exchange if the relatives fulfill certain requirements: pay money, provide intimate photos, collect information, commit some illegal actions, etc.," the headquarters noted.
15:59 The crew of a Leopard tank from the 33rd separate mechanized brigade destroyed a column of five Russian armored vehicles in the Pokrovsky direction. The military released a video from the scene.
15.45 There is no reason to talk about the capture of the village of Dvurechnaya in the Kupyansky district by Russian troops; military actions continue in the village. This was stated by the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov.
"This is not the first statement of this kind (by the Russian Defense Ministry, - ed. ), it has already been in the Russian media, it is purely propaganda, and it differs from reality. Thus, military actions are being conducted on the territory of the populated area, there are no grounds to say that it has been captured," he said.
14.39 A fire covering an area of 1,500 square meters, caused by a Russian UAV strike, has been extinguished at a plant in Kharkov. This was reported by the press service of the State Emergency Service on Tuesday, January 28.
13:05 In the Kherson region, as a result of explosives being dropped from a drone, a 49-year-old man received injuries incompatible with life. It also became known about the death of another resident of Kherson due to an attack by a Russian UAV on January 27.
12:49 Over the course of 24 hours, Russians have carried out ten shelling attacks on populated areas in Donetsk Oblast, with casualties reported. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk OVA Vadim Filashkin on Tuesday, January 28.
12:22 France will transfer Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine by the end of the first quarter of 2025. This was announced by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. According to him, Ukrainian pilots and mechanics have completed flight training on these aircraft.
11:05 Soldiers of the 8th regiment of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during special operations in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation cleared enemy positions. They inflicted significant damage to the enemy in manpower and captured important enemy trophies. Among those eliminated were two DPRK soldiers.
10:40 Over the past week, GUR special forces have destroyed 16 enemy engineering and fortification structures on the front, and damaged another 68. In addition, they have destroyed 15 vehicles of the Russian invaders. This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which published a video.
10:21 On Tuesday night, Russian aggressors launched 100 attack drones and drone imitators at Ukraine. Most of them were either shot down or were affected by electronic warfare. The Ukrainian Air Force reported details.
9:25 In the Kyiv region, debris from a downed Russian drone fell on a building housing a retro car museum. 36 cars were destroyed or damaged. This was reported by the acting chairman of the OVA Mykola Kalashnik. The consequences of the Russian strike were recorded in three more districts of the region. Two private houses, three non-residential premises and three cars were damaged there.
8:49 In Odessa, as a result of an attack by enemy UAVs, there are damages to houses and fires in passenger cars. Three people were injured. This was reported by the city mayor Gennady Trukhanov.
7:55 The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 1,380 Russian occupiers in one day. The enemy's total combat losses from 24.02.22 to 28.01.25 were approximately 833,000 people. This was reported by the General Staff.
7:38 In Uman, Cherkasy Oblast, as a result of a night attack by Russians, an infrastructure facility was damaged; power engineers are working to restore power supply. This was reported by the head of the OVA Igor Taburets. A headquarters for the elimination of the consequences of the emergency was deployed at the scene.
7:23 As a result of the fall of debris from a Russian drone in Chernihiv, two private residential buildings were partially destroyed. This was reported by the head of the Chernihiv GVA Dmitry Bryzhinsky.
5:52 Ukrainian Defense Forces recently repelled previously lost positions near Toretsk. However, the Russian invaders are still advancing at the front near Toretsk, Chasovy Yar, and Kurakhovo. This is evidenced by a report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
3:33 Russian invaders continue to storm the entire front line and are successful in several areas in the Donetsk region. This was reported in Telegram by the DeepState monitoring project, which tracks the current situation at the front.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The hottest area remains the Pokrovskoe direction, where the invaders organized 58 assaults in the areas of 19 settlements.
Since the beginning of the current day, 130 combat clashes have occurred on the front in nine directions. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational report as of 16:00 on Tuesday, January 28.
Thus, in the Kharkov direction, the Russians stormed the areas of Volchansk and Staritsa six times.
In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked seven times in the areas of Kutkovka, Kondrashovka, Petropavlovka, Novaya Kruglyakovka and Boguslavka. Two clashes are still ongoing.
In the Liman direction, the invaders carried out seven attacks near Novoegorovka, Boguslavka, Makeyevka and Serebryansky forest. Two clashes are still ongoing.
In the Seversky direction, the enemy attacked 11 times in the areas of Belogorovka, Novosyolka and Verkhnekamenskoye. Nine combat clashes are still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are repelling 11 enemy attacks in the directions of Predtechino, Belaya Gora and Chasovy Yar. Ten attacks have already ended without success for the Russians.
In the Toretsk direction, 13 armed clashes occurred in the areas of the settlements of Krymskoye, Dilievka, Dachnoye, Toretsk and Shcherbinovka. One battle is still ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the invaders organized 58 assaults in the areas of the settlements of Vodyanoye Vtoroy, Mirolyubovka, Elizavetovka, Promin, Sukhoi Yar, Lisovka, Zelenoe, Vozrozhdenie, Shevchenko, Pokrovsk, Sergeyevka, Udachnoye, Nadeyevka, Uspenovka, Novovasilyevka, Novoaleksandrovka, Alekseyevka, Dachnoye and Ulakli. The defense forces repelled 44 enemy attacks, 14 combat clashes are still ongoing.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, seven enemy attacks took place near the settlements of Konstantinopol, Novoselka and Razliv.
Five enemy attacks have been repelled in the Kursk direction, and another military clash continues.
Let us recall that in the course of 24 hours on January 27, Russia lost about 1,400 soldiers killed and wounded at the front. The total losses of the aggressor country have exceeded 830 thousand people since the beginning of the war.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] Security forces detained a resident of Novorossiysk when he removed an explosive device from a hiding place, which he intended to use for a terrorist attack.
According to investigators, a resident of Novorossiysk born in 1990 contacted members of a pro-Ukrainian terrorist organization on Telegram and received instructions from his supervisor to take an explosive device with a detonator from a hiding place in order to prepare a terrorist attack.
A resident of Novorossiysk arrived at the hiding place and removed an explosive device from it, after which he was detained by security forces. A criminal case has been opened against him for participating in the activities of a terrorist organization; the suspect faces up to 20 years in prison, RIA Novosti reported today, citing the press service of the FSB Directorate for Krasnodar Krai.
"Kavkazsky Uzel" also wrote that on January 25, a resident of the Dinsky district was detained for setting fire to three restaurants in Krasnodar. He said that he committed the arsons under pressure from unknown persons who hacked his social network account and threatened to use the data to commit crimes. Later, during interrogation, he said that his Ukrainian curator promised him 35 thousand rubles for setting fire to three restaurants.
Linked article is available only through a VPN.
[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Liptsy and Volchansk (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 25 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, and two motor vehicles. Two field artillery guns and one ammunition depot were neutralised.
As a result of decisive actions of the Zapad Group of Forces, Dvurechnaya (Kharkov region) was liberated.
Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of one tank brigade, two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU and two territorial defence brigades near Topoli, Zapadnoye, Peschanoye, Lozovaya, Kopanki, Zeleny Gai, Krasnoye Pervoye (Kharkov region), Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Yampol, Grigorovka, and Ivanovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 330 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, to include two U.S.-made M-113 armoured personnel carriers, and six motor vehicles. Four field artillery guns, to include three of Western-made, two electronic warfare stations, and two ammunition depots were eliminated.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Formations of two mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades were hit near Verkhnekamenskoye, Yantarnoye, Zelenovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Chasov Yar, and Dachnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 220 troops, two American HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 105mm M119 gun. One ammunition depot was wiped out.
Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, two national guard brigades, and one territorial defence brigade were hit close to Shcherbinovka, Dzerzhinsk, Lysovka, Krymskoye, Zverevo, Novoyelizavetovka, Vozdvizhenka, Yasenovoye, Novovasilyevka, and Kotlino (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 600 troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, to include one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, seven motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU, one national guard brigade, and one territorial defence brigade were hit near Bogatyr, Vremevka, and Rovnopol (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 115 troops, one tank, two motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns, to include one manufactured by Western countries.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have engaged manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, one coastal defence brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade close to Stepnogorsk, Novopokrovka, Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Antonovka (Kherson region), and Kherson.
The AFU losses were more than 40 troops and three motor vehicles.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, strike UAVs, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged the infrastructure of military airfields, drones and uncrewed surface vehicles manufacturing workshops and depots as well as clusters of enemy manpower and hardware in 152 areas.
Air defence systems have shot down 15 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles and 64 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,635 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,870 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,510 MLRS combat vehicles, 21,022 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,853 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.
During the offensive, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of one tank brigade, one heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one naval infantry brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the AFU close to Viktorovka, Gogolevka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zaoleshenka, Pervy Knyazhy, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Sverdlikovo, Sudzha, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Five enemy counter-attacks were repelled.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Bogdanovka, Zamostye, Kazachya Loknya, Pervy Knyazhy, Kolmakov, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Lebedevka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Nikolayevka, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Vodolagi, Glukhov, and Zhuravka in Sumy region.
Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 280 troops, one tank, one infantry fighting vehicle, six armoured fighting vehicles, and 20 motor vehicles.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 55,470 troops, 322 tanks, 239 infantry fighting vehicles, 184 armoured personnel carriers, 1,642 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,664 motor vehicles, 392 artillery guns, 44 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 103 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 32 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, nine armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.
The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:57 Official summary of the Office for Documentation of War Crimes of Ukraine from 00:00 01/28/2025 to 00:00 01/29/2025.
Seven facts of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
There were no reports of civilian casualties.
DAMAGED:
One car,
Two residential buildings.
Seven armed attacks in the Gorlovka direction.
A total of 18 units of various ammunition were fired.
18:28 We are receiving intelligence that our troops crossed the Psel River in the Kursk region in one more place, driving the Nazis out of the area of the Kolosok children's camp and came close to Guevo from the northeast.
17:50 An FPV drone crew from the Sever group of forces destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces Kozak combat armored vehicle hidden by militants between buildings in one of the settlements in the border area of the Kursk region –video.
17:18 Consequences of the arrival of "Geranium" in Khar'kov -video.
16:17 One woman died, two were injured in the strike of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the residential sector of the city of Kakhovka in the Kherson region, said the head of the Kakhovka municipal district, Pavlo Filipchuk.
16:12 Our assault groups are in the Dnepropetrovsk direction advanced in Novoalexandrovka, driving the enemy out of the village.
15:52 Artillerymen of the "West" group of forces destroyed a pickup truck, a truck, a Starlink satellite communications station and a Ukrainian Armed Forces bunker in the SVO area.
15:19 From 12.15 to 13.50 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Belgorod region.
13:28 War Chronicle:
There are reports that the penultimate Ukrainian stronghold in Udachny before the Dnipropetrovsk region has been taken. Now the Russian troops only have to clear the rest of Udachny and take the section of the road with the railway line to Molodetskoye. And they can move where they have long wanted to go.
"Ocheretinsky Flower" continues to operate.
13:27 Advance of the Russian Armed Forces north of Sribnoye in the Novopavlovsk direction –map.
13:20 A crew of FPV drones from the Rubicon center destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicle transporting personnel in the border area of the Kursk region –video.
13:00 Russian army expands control in Andreyevka area –map.
12:29 Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Andrei Belousov congratulated the command and personnel of the 25th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Sevastopol Red Banner Brigade named after Latvian Riflemen for the successful completion of combat missions during the liberation of the village of Dvurechnaya in the Khar'kov region.
12:23 An Italian armored personnel carrier "Puma" of the 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed in the area of the settlement of Grigorovka –video.
11:57 War Chronicle:
After retreating from Kurakhovo, the Ukrainian Armed Forces may end up in the second “Bakhmut corridor”.
This tactic was first noticed during the battles for Kherson in 2022, but the Russian Armed Forces were only able to begin creating full-fledged fire pockets on the eve of the capture of Artemovsk (Bakhmut).
At the moment, in the Ulakly/Constantinople area, apparently, about 10-12 Ukrainian battalions of varying numbers and status are gradually being blocked.
Now this area is being actively isolated by FABs by Russian aviation. There is every reason to believe that the active phase of pressure on the fire pocket will begin after the capture of Razliv, which is located to the south.
If everything happens exactly like this (and the probability of this is high), then the Ukrainian Armed Forces will find themselves trapped in an area that is isolated from normal logistics and movement, where, following the example of the “Bakhmut corridor,” they will begin to be suppressed by artillery and drones.
The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is complicated by the fact that some battalions have not yet been assigned a defensive zone. As a result, Ukrainian army units rush from place to place like fire brigades, interfering with each other and often firing at neighbors in adjacent positions. A full-fledged opportunity to retreat after some time will remain only in the western direction, as was the case in Kurakhovo.
11:45 Destruction of three Baba Yaga drones from the Volchansky direction. Volchansky square, –video.
11:25 Crews of barrel and rocket artillery of the "Southern" group of forces continue to destroy the personnel and equipment of Ukrainian nationalists around the clock, as well as to strike at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kurakhovsky direction.
As a result of the coordinated combat work of the artillerymen, the enemy lost up to 100 servicemen killed and wounded, as well as several units of motor vehicles used to deliver ammunition and rotate personnel.
10:27 Details of the liberation of Timofeevka, Donetsk People's Republic
Special forces servicemen of the "Center" group of troops came upto Timofeevka at dawn. Due to the fog, the Ukrainian Armed Forces militants were unable to locate the Russian servicemen.
"We approached Timofeevka at dawn, the weather was favorable to us. The fighting began right next to the Ukrainian Armed Forces positions. We approached from the flanks in small groups," said group commander Dmitry Trunin.
After the destruction of the main forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the remnants of the garrison, who did not manage to escape from their positions, surrendered.
10:22 Kupyansk direction. FPV drone operators from the 136th Separate Guards Reconnaissance Battalion finish off a stuck M-113, –video.
9:10 From 06.50 to 07.20 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Smolensk region. RIA Novosti reports at least one of the drones attacked a nuclear power plant in the region. 8:17 Frontline report for the morning of 28.01.2025, –map.
Zaporizhzhya Front. Here, mainly positional battles continue. There are no significant changes in the LBS.
Donetsk Front. The clearing of Velyka Novosyolka and its environs continues. West of Kurakhovo, Russian troops are fighting for Dachnoye, and northwest of Andreyevka. On the Pokrovsky sector, there are more tactical successes of the Russians. In Dzerzhinsk, there are fierce battles for the last defense nodes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ukrainians are holding on to the city with all their might, but in the coming days they will be completely driven out of it.
Chasovoyarsk direction. Assault actions of Russian troops in the city limits continue. There are further tactical successes.
Kursk Region. The settlement of Nikolayevo-Daryino has been reported to have been liberated. Fighting continues in several areas. Russian troops are putting pressure on the enemy's defense, but advances are very difficult. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to bring up reserves, introducing fresh forces into the battle.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] The Russian Armed Forces continue to inflict sensitive defeats on the enemy in Donbass. The main success over the past week was the liberation of the strategically important urban-type settlement of Velikaya Novosyolka in the eastern part of the DPR. The key enemy defense node in the southern Donetsk direction was stormed by the 5th Tank Brigade and the 40th Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet.
The liberation of the settlement was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The department reported that Russian Federation flags have been installed in all areas of Velikaya Novosyolka.
The decisive assault on the city began two weeks ago. Russian forces successively cut off all enemy supply routes, cutting off the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison from the Zaporizhia region in the west and from Pokrovsk in the north.
After this, units of the Russian army began to storm the settlement, cutting the enemy's defense in two. The servicemen of the 110th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who found themselves in the southern part of the settlement, were blocked.
Formally, the enemy still had the opportunity to retreat from the city across the Mokrye Yaly River. Ukrainian Armed Forces engineers were able to create a temporary crossing, which was repeatedly hit by Russian artillery and aviation.
During the retreat from the city, Ukrainian troops suffered heavy losses, front-line sources of the Regnum news agency report. Some of the Ukrainian military were forced to break through and remained in the urban area.
"We understood perfectly well where and how they would try to retreat. All escape routes were zeroed in and studied. Therefore, when they tried to leave one by one or in groups, the entire range of weapons was used. Many decided to stay and surrender so as not to leave along the "road of death," the source told the publication.
In turn, the command of the Ukrainian group did not even try to organize the withdrawal of their charges from the tightening ring, trying to exchange their lives for time. If the Ukrainian Armed Forces planned to tie up the Russian army and prolong the fighting in the city in this way, this plan failed.
During the ongoing assault, Russian troops managed to break through to the center of the settlement and engage in fighting in residential areas.
At the same time, the Ukrainian General Staff continues to deny any problems for itself in the Velyka Novosyolka area. The command of the operational-strategic group "Khortytsia" reported that fighting was going on in the city even after the Russian flag was raised over the local administration building.
During the battles for the village, units of the 110th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered heavy losses. Groups of servicemen who were unable or unwilling to break through were captured. Some of the servicemen were left to cover the retreat and were essentially abandoned to their fate.
After the liberation of Velyka Novosilka, Russian troops reached the border with the Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. The current situation creates a serious threat to the Ukrainian army forces in this area. There are no large settlements and/or heights under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces around which it would be possible to form a defense.
Also, the Ukrainian command did not take care of the construction of a continuous front line in this area in time, which allows Russian troops to soon break out into operational space.
According to local reports, after the liberation of Velikaya Novosyolka, a new front line was established along the Mokrye Yaly River. Fighting continues north of Vremyevka and in the Severnaya Balka nature reserve.
POKROVSK: THREAT OF COMPLETE ENCIRCLEMENT FOR THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
Fighting continues in the Pokrovsk direction, where Russian troops have also reached the border with the Dnepropetrovsk region. The hottest spot here is the Novoelizavetovka-Uspenovka-Kotlino line. Units of the Russian Armed Forces are located several kilometers from the key M-30 highway, which connects Pokrovsk with Dnepropetrovsk via Pervomaysk and Pavlograd.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces Command acknowledges that the situation in the Pokrovsk area is "very complicated" and that the Russian army is bypassing the city from the west. This was stated by Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for the Khortitsa operational command.
"This is their main ambition - to bypass Pokrovsk from the west. Accordingly, there are heavy battles going on there, Ukrainian troops are trying to stop them and not allow them to encircle the city, not allow them to interrupt the logistical routes," Tregubov said.
Ukrainian sources suggest that fighting for the city may begin in the near future. However, before launching the assault, Russian troops will have to completely encircle the entire Pokrovsk agglomeration, including Pokrovsk's satellite city of Mirnograd.
Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces cut off the road between Pokrovsk and Konstantinovka, cutting off the city from the east. However, it will be possible to talk about the complete encirclement of enemy forces only after taking control of the road to Lozovaya, which is north of Pokrovsk, sources of the Regnum news agency note.
"We can say cautiously that the battles for Pokrovsk are entering their final stage. We must remember that ten years ago almost one hundred thousand people lived here. The city is very well fortified, especially the industrial zone. So we will prepare for battles, but first we need to cut off all communications without exception," the source told the publication.
Control over highways and motorways is especially important due to the abnormally warm weather in Donbas. Previously, the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully used frozen dirt roads to supply encircled groups, but earlier warming turned Ukrainian black soil into a swamp, impassable for both wheeled and tracked vehicles.
At the same time, Ukrainian units on the ground are facing a shortage of weapons, and individual units are exhausted and staffed at barely 50% of their regular strength, sources at Regnum news agency add.
THE UKRAINIAN ARMY LACKS RESERVES
Information about the dire situation of individual units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is also confirmed by Ukrainian sources. Journalist and former adviser to the Ministry of Defense Yuriy Butusov reported that the 153rd brigade of the Ukrainian army, which had previously received American Bradley IFVs, is losing hundreds of people due to mass desertion.
The unit was staffed with mobilized troops who had not received sufficient training. At the same time, the brigade lacks experienced commanders. Some units do not have logistical transport, which leads to supply problems.
The military personnel also face incompetent leadership when planning combat missions, and experienced fighters are pulled out of the brigade by the command to be transferred to other units.
But that's not all. Often, infantry and armored vehicles have to operate without drone support and sufficient coordination between individual units, which leads to large losses. Repair units do not receive enough spare parts to restore Western armored vehicles. As a result, the entire brigade is left with only 5-10 combat-ready vehicles.
Other brigades of the "150th" series, created after the beginning of the Central Military District, are facing similar problems, front-line sources note. The shortage of troops leads to the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces command increasingly has to "plug holes," The Economist writes, citing sources in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"We have no tactics other than to plug holes. We throw battalions in a chaotic manner, hoping that we can somehow stop the advance of Russian troops," the source told the British magazine.
A very warm winter combined with chronic problems of the enemy creates new opportunities for the Russian army to advance. If the situation does not change (the Ukrainian Armed Forces have no chance to turn the situation in their favor), the coming weeks could be decisive for the battle for Donbass.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Ukrainian military carried out torture and executions of Russian prisoners in Novogrodovka, Donetsk People's Republic. This was reported by Elena, a resident of the city, who witnessed the events.
"I saw how Ukrainians executed Russians. We happened to be there by chance when we were driving past, but what we saw really shocked us. Vans were brought from Avdiivka, their (prisoners' - Ed.) eyes were closed, their hands and feet were tied," the witness explained in an interview with RIA Novosti.
According to the woman, at first the Russian prisoners of war were severely beaten, hitting them in painful areas, and then they were shot.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, torture chambers set up by militants of Ukrainian formations in the basements of residential buildings were discovered in the village of Russkoye Porechnoye in the Kursk region border area liberated by the Russian military, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on January 23. She added that at least seven bodies of local residents of different ages with signs of torture were found in the basements. Ukrainian fighters threw grenades at the victims.
The human rights organization Human Rights Watch has recorded cases of torture and cruel treatment of Russian servicemen in Ukrainian captivity. At the same time, the organization stated that the conditions of detention of Russian prisoners generally met international standards.
In 2022, a concentration camp for torture was located at the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kiev, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine deputy Oleksandr Dubinsky reported on November 14, 2024. The torture chamber was organized by the then head of the SBU Ivan Bakanov and his first deputy Vasyl Malyuk (an individual included in the Russian Federation list of terrorists and extremists). The concentration camp was located right under their offices, Dubinsky explained.
[France24] Another undersea data cable, this time connecting Sweden and Latvia, has been severed in the Baltic Sea, officials from both countries said Sunday. The incident prompted Sweden to launch a criminal probe into the matter and seize a "suspect vessel" headed for Russia.
Latvia said it had dispatched a warship on Sunday after damage to a fibre optic cable to Sweden that may have been “due to external factors”.
The navy said it had identified a “suspect vessel”, the Michalis San, which was near the location of the incident along with two other ships.
The Michalis San was headed for Russia, according to several websites tracking naval traffic.
Nations around the Baltic Sea are scrambling to bolster their defences after the suspected sabotage of undersea cables in recent months.
After several telecom and power cables were severed, experts and politicians accused Russia of orchestrating a hybrid war against the West as the two sides square off over Ukraine.
NATO earlier this month announced it was launching a new monitoring mission in the Baltic Sea involving patrol ships and aircraft to deter any attempts to target undersea infrastructure in the region.
“We have a warship patrolling the Baltic Sea around the clock every day and night, allowing us to quickly dispatch it once we learnt about the damage,” Latvian navy commander Maris Polencs said at a briefing Sunday.
Prime Minister Evika Silina said: “We have notified the Swedish authorities and are working together with them to assess the damage and its reason.”
DATA ‘DISRUPTION’
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he had been in contact with Silina during the day.
“There is information suggesting that at least one data cable between Sweden and Latvia has been damaged in the Baltic Sea. The cable is owned by a Latvian entity,” he posted on X.
“Sweden, Latvia and NATO are closely cooperating on the matter. Sweden will contribute with relevant capabilities to the effort to investigate the suspected incident,” he added.
The damage occurred in Swedish territorial waters at a depth of at least 50 metres, officials said.
The cable belongs to Latvia’s state radio and television centre (LVRTC) which said in a statement that there had been “disruptions in data transmission services”.
The company said alternatives had been found and end users would mostly not be affected although “there may be delays in data transmission speeds”.
The statement added: “Based on current findings, it is presumed that the cable is significantly damaged due to external factors. LVRTC has initiated criminal procedural actions.”
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her “full solidarity” with the countries affected by the incident.
“The resilience and security of our critical infrastructure is a top priority,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
[IsraelTimes] The United States transferred some 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from Israel to Poland this week to then deliver them to Ukraine, Axios reports, citing three sources with knowledge of the operation.
The US took 90 Patriot air defense interceptors out of storage in Israel and sent them to Poland to pass on to Ukraine this week, according to a Tuesday report that cited three unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The sources told Axios that Ukraine asked the US to pass on the Patriot interceptors to it after Israel announced that it was decommissioning the air defense system, though Israel had dragged its feet at first for fear of retaliation from Russia.
One of the sources, a Ukrainian official, was cited as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dodged Ukrainian calls on the issue for weeks and only agreed to discuss it after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refused to take calls from him on the issue of ultra-Orthodox Israelis making their annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Uman.
Spokespeople for Netanyahu denied that there was any connection between Israel agreeing to the transfer of the interceptors and Uman. They also confirmed to Axios that Israel returned a Patriot system to the US but said they didn’t know if it was then delivered to Ukraine.
Another source, an Israeli official, was quoted as saying that Israel had notified Russia of the interceptors’ transfer back to the US, while emphasizing that the Jewish state was "only returning the Patriot system to the US."
The Pentagon and the US European Command declined Axios’s request for comment.
Throughout the war in Ukraine, Israel has consistently condemned Russia’s invasion, but only provided limited support to Ukraine, including humanitarian aid and an aerial warning system — not weaponry, despite repeated pleas from Kyiv.
Overall, Israel produced a relatively restrained response to the invasion due to Russia’s widespread military presence in Syria, Israel’s northern neighbor, and the need to balance security interests at home and policy abroad while maintaining relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.
The Israeli Air Force began fazing out the use of the Patriot system last year in favor of more advanced Israeli-made air defenses.
As the Patriot, which was known in Israel as "Yahalom" (diamond), was retired for good, its staff was retrained to work with the Iron Dome instead and the remaining batteries and interceptors have since been put in storage.
The US-made system officially entered Israeli service in 1991 but only made its first interception in 2014, downing a Hamas ..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,... drone launched from the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip.
Over the following decade, the system, designed to shoot down aircraft, intercepted only some 10 targets, according to the military, including Syrian fighter jets that breached Israeli airspace in 2014 and 2018.
#2
Clarice Feldman on FB: Paul Sperry
@paulsperry_
·
5h
Soros-tied Celeste Wallander, who became Biden's top military strategist in Ukraine, has been booted from the Pentagon. I'm told she is no longer employed by DOD.
Quote
Paul Sperry
@paulsperry_
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/29/2025 10:27 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Not much to be found about Wallander on the nets.
Washington, January 27, 2025 — The Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is delighted to welcome Celeste Wallander as an adjunct senior fellow.
Most recently, Wallander served in the Biden administration as the 29th assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs. In this role, she led U.S. defense policy in support of Ukraine following Russia’s February 2022 invasion, organized U.S. policy on modernizing NATO, and managed U.S. national security policy toward Europe, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia, the Middle East, and Africa.
“Celeste brings a wealth of insight, experience, and leadership on the most critical issues facing the transatlantic community,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program. “We are thrilled to welcome her onto our team and look forward to partnering with her on the Center’s research agenda.”
The Transatlantic Security Program aims to contribute to a stronger and more cohesive transatlantic partnership through research and analysis on Russia, Ukraine, European politics, and more. They also produce the Brussels Sprouts podcast, providing weekly updates on transatlantic relations and foreign policy.
Wallander is currently a senior advisor with the strategy firm WestExec Advisors. During the Obama administration, she served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia before serving as special assistant to the president and senior director for Russia/Central Asia on the National Security Council. From 2017 to 2022, she was the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Russia Foundation. Wallander is the author of more than 90 publications on European and Eurasian security issues, focusing especially on NATO, Russia, and Ukraine.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...
