Sunday, January 7

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of Russian attack on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on Jan. 6, 2024. (Vadym Filashkin/Facebook)

Air Force: Ukraine downs 7 drones over Dnipro. The Ukrainian Air Force downed seven drones during a Russian attack on Dnipro during the evening hours of Jan. 6, Governor Serhii Lysak reported on Telegram.

Belgorod cancels evening Orthodox Christmas services after attack. Church services on the eve of Russian Orthodox Christmas, celebrated on Jan. 7, have been canceled “due to the operational situation,” Belgorod Mayor Valentin Demidov announced on Jan. 6.

Military intelligence: Satellite images confirm strike on ammunition warehouses in Crimea. Satellite images have confirmed a Ukrainian strike damaged ammunition warehouses in occupied Crimea on Jan. 4, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) reported on Jan. 6.

Media: Businesswoman linked to Defense Ministry graft case owns hotels in Croatia. The NABU said in January 2023 that it had begun to investigate possible corruption in the Defense Ministry’s food procurement before ZN.ua, a news site, published an investigation on the issue.

Rock band famous for 2020 protest anthem detained in Belarus. Three members of Belarusian rock band Nizkiz, whose song “Pravily” became known as a protest anthem during the 2020 pro-democracy demonstrations, were detained in Belarus, independent Russian media outlet Meduza reported on Jan. 6.

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Governor: Russia plans war propaganda museums in occupied Luhansk Oblast.

Russian authorities in occupied parts of Luhansk Oblast had ordered the creation of propaganda centers posing as “museums of the special military operation (a Russian term for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine),” Governor Artem Lysohor said on Jan. 6.

Russian official: Russia aims to produce over 32,000 civilian drones annually by 2030. Backed by the Russian government at the end of December 2023, the “Unmanned Aircraft Systems” project aims to boost domestic drone production for various industry sectors.

ISW: Russia may soon intensify attacks in Kharkiv Oblast. The tempo of operations and configuration of Moscow’s troops in the area does not, however, suggest a major offensive “along the entire Kupiansk-Lyman line, similar to the failed Russian offensive effort in northeastern Ukraine in winter-spring 2023,” the Institute for the Study of War said.

Commander: Air Force hits Russian command center at occupied Crimea airbase. The strike successfully took out a Russian command center, Air Force Commander General Mykola Oleshchuk noted.

Human cost of war

Russian attack injures 4, including twin boys, in Kherson Oblast. Two children have been hospitalized with shrapnel wounds after Russian forces hit the Darivka community east of Kherson, the regional prosecutor’s office reported.

Governor: Russian missile strike on Donetsk Oblast kills 11, including 5 kids. Russian forces used repurposed S-300 air defense missiles to attack the Pokrovsk district.

NYT: US faces missile supply shortage for Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems.

Patriot systems have been crucial for Ukraine’s air defense in repelling Russian air attacks across the country. One Patriot interceptor missile can cost from $2 million to $4 million, according to the New York Times.

Russian airstrikes against Donetsk Oblast kill civilian. Russia launched two airstrikes against Pivnichne in Donetsk Oblast on Jan. 6, killing one person, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Russian shelling of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast’s Nikopol kills 1 civilian, injures 2. Russian forces launched an artillery strike against Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the morning of Jan. 6, killing a 45-year-old man and injuring two other people, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Russian attacks kill 1, injure 7 over past day. Russian forces launched attacks against 10 of Ukraine’s oblasts over the past day, killing at least one person and injuring at least seven, regional officials reported early on Jan. 6.

General Staff: Russia has lost 363,870 troops in Ukraine. Russia has lost 363,870 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 6. This number includes 800 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

Polish government reaches deal with farmers to suspend border blockade.

Polish farmers have agreed to suspend their border blockade at the Shehyni-Medyka crossing after reaching an agreement with government representatives, the Polish Agriculture Ministry announced on Jan. 6.

Media: Denmark to delay F-16 aircraft delivery to Ukraine. In mid-August, Denmark pledged to provide Ukraine with 19 F-16s, with the first batch of six aircraft to be delivered by the end of 2023 and the rest by 2025 as part of the effort by allies to arm Ukraine to repel Russian air superiority.

US official warns of ‘dire’ situation with Ukraine aid. Concerns about the continuation of U.S. support for Ukraine have been growing amid months of infighting in Congress over government spending, including military aid for Ukraine.

Belgian PM: EU needs to reform before further enlargement. Speaking at a Brussels press conference together with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said that the Belgian presidency would work on a negotiating framework for the entry of the two candidate countries.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Toma Istomina, Alexander Khrebet, Oleg Sukhov, Lili Bivings, Oleksiy Sorokin, Elsa Court, and Rachel Amran.

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