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Key developments on Jan. 8:Ukraine strikes Russian oil depot supplying fuel to Engels-2 airbase, military confirmsUkraine strikes Russian command post in Donetsk Oblast, military reportsRussian airstrike on Zaporizhzhia industrial site kills 13, injures at least 32French-trained brigade had ‘systematic shortcomings,’ Ukraine’s top general reports to ZelenskyNext Ramstein meeting may be its last, Polish defense minister saysZelensky addresses Trump’s comments on NATO, stresses security guaranteesUkrainian forces attacked a Russian oil depot in Engels, Saratov Oblast, overnight on Jan. 8, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said after reports of drone attacks.The operation, carried out jointly by Ukraine’s military intelligence, the Unmanned Systems Forces, and other units, targeted the Kristal Plant used to supply fuel to the nearby Engels-2 airbase, the military said.The statement comes shortly after Russian authorities reported a drone attack in the area, with footage of the burning oil facility circulating on social media.The city of Engels lies around 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine.Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin said Ukrainian drone debris struck an unspecified “industrial facility” around 5:30 a.m. local time amid a “massive” drone attack on the city.No information was immediately available as to the extent of the damage caused. Busargin said that there were no injuries as a result of the attack. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that 11 Ukrainian attack drones were downed over Saratov Oblast.”The depot’s destruction creates significant logistical problems for Russian strategic aviation and reduces its ability to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian facilities,” the General Staff said.The Engels-2 base hosts the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, operating Tu-160 bombers, and the 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment with the Tupolev Tu-95 MS planes.Russia uses these aircraft to launch mass strikes on Ukraine, often resulting in heavy damage to infrastructure and civilian casualties. Ukrainian forces have previously launched drone strikes targeting the airbase itself.Source: Ukraine hits Russia’s Engels air base. Can it change how Russia attacks?Russia’s Engels air base has once again come under attack on April 5 after what the Kyiv Independent’s sources in the military intelligence claimed was a drone strike on one of the Kremlin’s most strategically important military installations, deep inside Russia. According to a source in the milita…Ukraine strikes Russian command post in Donetsk Oblast, military reportsUkrainian forces carried out a precision strike against a command post of Russia’s 8th Combined Arms Army in Russian-occupied Khartsyzk in Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 8.The military said that Russia has seized the facility to coordinate attacks against Ukrainian forces and civilians, especially near Kurakhove. After weeks of heavy battles, Russia announced earlier this week it had fully captured Kurakhove.”All necessary measures were taken to limit the risk to civilians,” the General Staff noted. Khartsyzk lies around 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of the Russian-held Donetsk and has been occupied by Russia since the start of its war in 2014.The General Staff did not specify what weapon was used in the attack or the extent of the damage inflicted. Ukraine fields homemade missiles and long-range drones as well as Western-supplied arms like HIMARS, ATACMS, or Storm Shadow missiles.Similar attacks were reported in recent days, including a precision strike against a Russian command post in Kursk Oblast on Jan. 7 and another one in the same region on Jan. 2.Hackers claim to have breached Russia’s real estate database, Moscow deniesA hacker group named Silent Crow has claimed to have hacked and obtained data from Russia’s official cadastre and cartography agency, the independent Russian news outlet Agentstvo reported on Jan. 7.Russian airstrike on Zaporizhzhia industrial site kills 13, injures 32Russian forces targeted an industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia on Jan. 8, killing 13 people and injuring 32, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.The attack was conducted using two FAB-500 gliding bombs, National Police reported.The attack damaged apartment buildings, an industrial facility, and other infrastructure. A tram and a minibus carrying passengers were also hit, as reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office.Aftermath of Russian attack on industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia on Jan. 8. (Governor Ivan Fedorov / Telegram)Zaporizhzhia, home to approximately 710,000 residents before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, is frequently targeted by Russian forces.The attack is part of a broader wave of Russian assaults across Ukraine. Regional authorities reported at least two civilian deaths and 13 injuries nationwide over the past day.Overnight, Russia launched 64 Shahed-type attack drones and various dummy drones across Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.Air defenses intercepted 41 drones over nine oblasts. Of the remaining drones, 22 dummy drones were lost in Ukrainian airspace, three returned to Russia, and one flew to Belarus.Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 2, injure 13 over past dayRussia launched 64 Shahed-type attack drones and various dummy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Air defenses shot down 41 drones over nine different oblasts, while 22 dummy drones were lost in the airspace, three flew to Russia, and one to Belarus, according to the statement…President Volodymyr Zelensky called for caution in interpreting U.S. policy following President-elect Donald Trump’s comments linking Ukraine’s NATO aspirations to Russia’s invasion during a Jan. 8 meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen.The Ukrainian president argued that the absence of NATO membership and concrete security guarantees contributed to Russia’s decision to launch the full-scale invasion.”Putin realized no one would stand up for Ukraine. He thought he could destroy us, but the Ukrainian army proved him wrong,” Zelensky said.Trump had criticized President Joe Biden for provoking Russia’s invasion, claiming Ukraine’s potential NATO membership had long been a significant concern for Moscow.”That’s been like written in stone. And Biden said, ‘No, they should be able to join NATO.’ Then Russia has somebody right on their doorstep,” Trump said.Zelensky dismissed conclusions about NATO, referencing Ukraine’s recent access to Patriot missile systems and other NATO-standard weapons.”Do you remember when Ukraine was told that Patriot systems are only available to NATO countries? Either we have been in NATO for a long time, or we should not jump to conclusions,” he said.Finnish foreign minister emphasized that Ukraine’s NATO membership poses no threat to other countries. “This narrative is similar to the one Russia has long used, blaming NATO and its so-called ‘enlargement’ for its own aggression,” Valtonen said.Reports from The Wall Street Journal suggest Trump’s team may propose delaying Ukraine’s NATO membership by at least 20 years in exchange for Western arms supplies and European peacekeepers to monitor a potential ceasefire.While Ukraine’s NATO membership remains a long-term goal, Zelensky reiterated the need for robust security guarantees in the immediate term. Ukrainian envoy Andrii Melnyk echoed this sentiment on Dec. 27, emphasizing that diplomatic efforts currently center on strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities rather than immediate NATO accession.Zelensky expressed cautious optimism about working with the incoming U.S. administration, reaffirming Ukraine’s commitment to achieving a diplomatic resolution to the war by 2025.Garry Kasparov: ‘You never hear Russian opposition actually say Ukraine must win’The Russian opposition is an odd bunch. While not supporting Russia’s brutal all-out war against Ukraine and its people, the leaders of the so-called opposition don’t want their country to lose. A number of those who oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin and his regime have petitioned for the Wes…Biden’s final $500 million Ukraine military aid to be announced on Jan. 9, VOA reportsThe final military aid package from the Biden administration to Ukraine, amounting to $500 million, is set to be officially announced on Jan. 9, Voice of America correspondent Carla Babb reported on Jan. 8 from Ramstein Air Base.The package, drawn from the Pentagon’s existing stockpile under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) program, is expected to be the last from the outgoing administration before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.Despite previous commitments to exhaust the remaining PDA funds, approximately $3.8 billion will remain unused, according to the Pentagon, leaving the funds at the disposal of the incoming administration.Trump and his team have been vocal critics of U.S. financial support for Ukraine. Michael Waltz, Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor, said on Dec. 15 that “a blank check… just isn’t a strategy.”In a Jan. 5 interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to work with the incoming U.S. administration. He proposed that Ukraine purchase U.S. weapons using $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.Despite previously criticizing U.S. aid for Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 21, citing undisclosed sources, that Trump may not halt U.S. military support for Ukraine.While Zelensky remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution by 2025, the incoming Trump administration’s approach to the conflict and its impact on military aid remains unclear.Finland to host NATO Baltic summit, address Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ sabotage threatsThe meeting, co-organized by Finland and Estonia, will focus on enhancing NATO’s presence in the Baltic Sea and responding to risks posed by Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a group of tankers allegedly used for sanction evasion and espionage.
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