Here is the latest update on Wednesday, January 29:
Clashes on the Frontline
- The Ministry of Defence of Russia reported that Moscow’s air defenses successfully took down 32 Ukrainian drones in a nighttime assault. Nearly half of the drones were intercepted over the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, according to the ministry.
- The Ukrainian Air Force claimed that Kyiv’s forces shot down 57 out of 104 Russian drones in an overnight attack. The air force also stated that 39 drones were lost in the process. The series of attacks allegedly caused a fire at an industrial facility in western Ukraine, as well as damage to infrastructure facilities, an apartment block, and private residences. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties.
- Russia announced that it had regained control of and “liberated” Nikolayevo-Darino, a small village in the Kursk region that was previously captured by Ukraine’s forces.
- The State Bureau of Investigation in Ukraine detained a deputy commander for allegedly falsifying documents in order to misappropriate 24 night vision devices valued at around $95,000.
- The Prosecutor General’s Office in Ukraine announced the sentencing of a woman to 11 years in prison for aiding Russia and supporting its invasion through social media. Additionally, a Russian citizen received a 10-year sentence for allegedly spying on the Ukrainian army in Kharkiv.
- Qatar News Agency (QNA) referenced the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reporting that the total number of Russian forces lost in combat in Ukraine since February 2022 reached approximately 831,620 personnel.
- According to the human rights group OVD-Info, a retired teacher in Russia was handed an eight-year prison sentence for criticizing the government and discussing allegations of Russian atrocities.
- The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, mentioned that a recent Russian attack set a private business ablaze. No information regarding potential casualties was immediately available.
Assistance for the Affected
- AFP news agency reported concerns among humanitarian projects in Ukraine following a freeze on foreign aid by the United States. Sources from the USAID mission in Ukraine indicated that most projects had received instructions to halt operations.
Political Developments and Diplomatic Talks
- EU’s foreign commissioner-designate Kaja Kallas confirmed that the EU’s foreign ministers had agreed to extend existing sanctions against Russia into the current year.
- The EU is set to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply of gas to Europe, with Hungary and Slovakia also participating in these discussions, as reported by Reuters.
- The EU has pledged $32 million in emergency aid to secure gas for Transnistria, Moldova’s separatist region, following a cutoff in supplies by Russia. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed the bloc’s commitment to ensuring basic services for all individuals on the continent and emphasized the importance of standing by allies during challenging times.
- The Kremlin mentioned that the United States had not made any contact regarding a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia believes the US is still interested in organizing a meeting, after Trump expressed his desire for immediate talks with Putin.
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Moldovan ambassador in Moscow to protest against “unfounded accusations” made by a Moldovan political party against the Russian ambassador in Chisinau.
- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Poland to participate in the 80th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz. During the visit, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss security guarantees and Ukraine’s potential accession to the EU.
