Since the war started in February 2022, the US Congress has agreed to give more than $110 billion in military and economic help to Ukraine. The Biden administration has been saying for months that most of the money has already been given out.
Frederick Kagan, who works at the American Enterprise Institute and used to teach at the US Military Academy, says that the delays in funding are causing actual problems for Ukraine in the war. The plan to fight back against Russia is being reduced and there is uncertainty about future actions to get back the land that has been lost.
“He said that the people from Ukraine have to make a difficult decision here. ” “If they don’t think they’ll get more from the United States, then they need to save what they already have. ”
He said that the Ukrainian military needs tanks, vehicles, planes, drones, and long-range weapons. The US is the only country that can give them these things quickly and in the amounts they need in the next year.
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress still mostly agree on giving more help to Ukraine, even if it’s not as much as the White House wanted. Converting the approval from Congress into laws that the president can approve has been very difficult.
The Republican and Democratic senators in the US are talking about a big $106 billion spending plan. It will help Ukraine and give military help to Israel and Taiwan. It will also give more money for security at the US-Mexico border.
However, it is this part of the package that has caused the most political upset. Democrats are hesitating to agree to new immigration rules. These changes include how people seeking asylum at the border are handled and making it harder to qualify to enter the US.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas said on TV that if we give more money to Ukraine, they have to make big changes to their border rules.
Chuck Schumer says he will try to pass a bill for military aid this week, but it’s not clear if enough Republicans will vote for it without agreeing on immigration issues.
The US media says that there was a big argument on Tuesday at a secret meeting about the help the Biden administration is giving. Senate Republicans said Democrats are not listening to their request for money to keep the border safe.
Even if the Senate approves aid to Ukraine, it’s not clear if the House of Representatives will also approve it. Speaker Johnson said he’s for giving Ukraine more money, but he voted with 117 other Republicans to stop $300 million in extra help for Ukraine.
If he brings a large aid package for a vote in the Senate and relies on Democrats to pass it, he could split the Republicans and risk losing power before budget negotiations next year.
A lady walks past a picture of a Ukrainian soldier shooting a Javelin anti-tank missile made in the US.
“The United States is expected to have a deficit of over $2. 5 trillion this year,” said Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale of Montana in an interview with BBC World Tonight’s James Coomarasamy on Tuesday.
“Why should the US take money from China and give it to Ukraine. That’s not good for us. ”
The White House is trying to get more support from Congress by offering more aid to Ukraine for its economy and national security. Ms Young wrote to Congress saying she needed money to make weapons in different factories all over the country.
“We will update important weapons and gear like Javelins made in Alabama, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems made in West Virginia, Arkansas and Texas. ” “Also, there are artillery shells made in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Iowa, and many other states,” she writes.
As the election gets closer, the White House may want members of Congress to talk about how their work is helping the economies in their districts.
Mr Kagan said he was not surprised that the US is arguing more about giving money to Ukraine as the conflict there continues for three years.
He says the American people should have their representatives talk about what America’s interests are and have a real debate about how to spend the large amount of money.
But eventually, he said the situation was obvious.
“The result of this war will mainly depend on what the Ukrainians do, but also on what the United States decides to do. “
Tag: Ukrainian military
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Winning second term is about stopping Trump – Biden
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Ukraine loses 16 armoured vehicles made in the US
Open-source intelligence analysis shows that 16 US-supplied armoured vehicles have been lost by Ukraine in recent days. This comes after the Ukrainian military declared that three Russian settlements had been taken during an attack in the eastern Donetsk region.
According to Jakub Janovsky of the Dutch open-source intelligence website Oryx, which has been gathering visual proof of military equipment losses in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24, 2022, the 16 US Bradley infantry fighting vehicles either destroyed or damaged and abandoned in recent days represent nearly 15% of the 109 that Washington has given Kyiv.
The Bradley fighting vehicle, which moves on tracks rather than wheels, can hold around 10 troops and is used to transport personnel into battle while providing supporting fire.
When the first batch of more than 60 Bradleys were sent to Ukraine at the end of January, US Army Lt. Col. Rebecca D’Angelo, commander of the Army’s 841st Transportation Battalion, said the armored vehicles would be important to Kyiv’s offensive operations.
“This is going to hopefully enhance their capabilities to provide forward advancement in the battlefield and regain lost ground, by having equipment that matches or exceeds what the Russians have,” D’Angelo said in a US Army report.
But when Washington announced in January it would supply to Bradleys to Ukraine, CNN military analyst James “Spider” Marks, a retired general, said the Bradleys would need the right mix of other abilities, including air support, long-range artillery and incisive intelligence.
“A single piece of equipment like the Bradleys is wonderful, but it needs to be used in conjunction with all those other enablers,” he said at the time.
Air support is one area where Ukraine’s military is lacking, although Kyiv’s forces are expected to get F-16 multi-role fighter jets from Western allies in the future.
The Bradleys are among almost 3,600 pieces of military equipment Ukraine has lost in the war, according to Oryx. Meanwhile, the website says it has documented the loss of more than 10,600 pieces of Russian military equipment.
In a statement in Monday, Moscow claimed it had destroyed multiple Ukrainian armored vehicles in the Zaporizhzhia region.
“Enemy armored forces are currently launching more and more attacks in the [Zaporizhzhia] direction. However, Russian anti-tank troops stand in their way, cold-bloodedly turning Western armored vehicles into scrap heaps,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.
The statement did not say what kind of vehicles were destroyed.
Despite the loss of the Bradleys, Ukraine reports it has taken back at least three villages from Russian forces in fighting over the weekend.
Ukraine’s advance south from the front-line town of Velyka Novosilke in the Donetsk region now stretches somewhere between 5 and 10 kilometers (3 to 6 miles), according to information released by Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar.
Writing on Telegram Sunday evening, Maliar said the village of Makrivka had been recaptured from Russian control – the third in a string of settlements that sit along the Mokri Yaly River to be declared liberated by Ukrainian forces over the course of the day.
Earlier, videos emerged showing soldiers hoisting the Ukrainian flag from buildings in Neskuchne and Blahodatne.
CNN military analyst Mark Hertling said the situation was positive for Ukraine from both morale and battlefield perspectives.
“It reinforces the fact that they are moving forward,” Hertling told CNN’s Jim Acosta.
Meanwhile, “every single piece of land Ukrainian forces can pull back to their sovereign territory is going to be part of a march toward operational success,” Hertling said.
Reporting on developments, Russian military bloggers offered a pessimistic assessment of the situation facing the Kremlin’s forces in the area. The Rybar Telegram channel suggested late Sunday that Ukraine’s offensive looked set to continue, adding that Russian forces “should expect the pressure to intensify in the near future.”
Fighting is taking place near the village of Urozhaine, slightly further down the river, Rybar reported. The channel added that heavy cloud and rain were also limiting Russian forces’ ability to use drones to repel the Ukrainian advance.
A Ukrainian army spokesman said Russian forces had blown up a dam on the river, adding that there was flooding on both banks but saying it “would not affect our counteroffensive actions.”
On Monday, Ukraine accused Russia of blowing up another small dam along the border between Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, near the village of Novodarivka.
Floodwaters spilled over both banks of the Mokri Yaly River after the dam of a small reservoir near the village was destroyed, according to Ukraine’s Military Media Center.
Novodarivka is one of several villages in the area that Kyiv’s troops have claimed in recent days.
In its most recent battlefield roundup, Russia’s Ministry of Defense made no mention of retreats but said its forces had “destroyed the concentrations of manpower and equipment” of three Ukrainian brigades operating in the same area.
Further west, in neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, Russian airstrikes and artillery fire by the Vostok brigade had succeeded in pushing back three Ukrainian advances south of Orikhiv, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian army spokesman told CNN that Kyiv’s forces have been counterattacking around the eastern city of Bakhmut for a week but downplayed its importance saying, “this is not a major offensive.”
“These are counterattacks where we take advantage of the fact that the enemy is rotating, that the enemy has not fully reconnoitered, has not fully coordinated its units, has not fully dug in. We take advantage of this and counterattack them,” Serhii Cherevatyi told CNN by phone.
He said Russian forces continue their shelling towards Ukrainian positions but said Ukraine’s forces had advanced up to two kilometers (1.25 miles) in places.
Cherevatyi said Russia’s presence in Bakhmut was maintained by airborne troops, with support from infantry personnel and mercenaries from several smaller private military companies.
While Russian forces continue to hold the city, Ukraine’s forces have concentrated their efforts on areas to the northwest and southwest.
Hertling noted that Ukraine has been using a “deep-strike capability” to disrupt Russian supply lines well back from the front lines.
“Ukraine has been very good in terms of striking deep targets that effect the logistics support,” Hertling said.
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Ukrainian military describes its intentions in pursuing high value’ Russian targets
As per information provided by a Ukrainian military business, commandos are being trained for missions behind Russian lines.
In response to the ongoing occurrences of’mysterious’ damage on territory controlled by the Kremlin, the Omega Consulting Group (OCG) has upgraded the skills of over 1,000 soldiers, including the ‘exceptional’ operators.
As well as sending experts to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the security and defense consultancy also participates in covert operations that it claims it is unable to discuss just now. The Crimea, which Vladimir Putin’s forces illegitimately annexed in 2014, was the subject of CEO Andrei Kebkalo’s interview with Metro.co.uk while drone attacks continued there.
The security and defence consultancy is providing specialists for the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as itself taking part in shadowy missions which it says it cannot yet disclose. Chief executive Andrei Kebkalo spoke to Metro.co.uk as unclaimed drone strikes continued in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Vladimir Putin’s forces in 2014.
Snipers, bomb technicians, fire controllers, survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots and anti-tank operators are among those being trained by his firm.
Drone training is also incorporated into a three-week reconnaissance course for Special Operations Forces (SOF).
The Ukrainian Omega Consulting Group delivers training in long-range reconnaissance (Picture: Omega Consulting Group) ‘After completing the training courses trainees return to their assigned units for continued service,’ Mr Kebkalo said.
‘Some of them are going straight to Bakhmut, the hotspot of fierce clashes between Russian and Ukrainian troops.
‘Some of them with extraordinary skillsets are taking part in clandestine operations behind enemy lines.’
Headquartered in northern Ukraine on the border with Belarus, OCG became involved in conventional and then guerilla warfare from the first day of the full-scale invasion, Mr Kebkalo said. The base in Chernihiv was directly in the path of Moscow’s fiercely repelled advance towards Kyiv and the quickest overland route to Chernobyl in eastern Ukraine.
The company’s founder spoke as a steady stream of explosions, UAV attacks and assassinations continues behind Russian lines, with no party claiming responsibility. The incidents include the double drone attack on the Kremlin in the early hours of May 3, which is still defying explanation amid a plethora of competing theories.
Mr Kebkalo did not specify who he thought was responsible but emphasised that Ukraine’s military and irregular resistance movements have volunteers from across the world, including the International Legion, said to have fighters from 52 countries, and Belarus and Russia.
In December, Metro.co.uk told how a secretive ‘Black Box Project’ funded through donations to the Ukrainian Come Back Alive foundation was being used for the stated purpose of degrading Russia’s offensive capability.
Working in partnership with Kyiv’s military intelligence services, the civilian group gave away few details other than oblique references to ‘accidents’ behind Russian lines.
‘This truly hybrid war created a tremendous number of military and paramilitary units, supporters and sympathisers, people and organisations who are willing to help Ukraine in its struggle against the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,’ Mr Kebkalo said.
‘Many people support us. I know about the existence of guerrilla movements not only in our occupied territories but also in Russia and Belarus. I presume some of them possess the necessary skills, technologies and motivation to create such “mysterious bangs”.’
Damage within Russia’s established borders has been a moot point, with the US, Ukraine’s biggest military backer, not sanctioning such attacks.
However Mr Kebkalo drew a distinction with territory that had been in Ukrainian control before Moscow’s aggression began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the Donbas war.
At the weekend, 10 drone attacks were carried out in the peninsula, where at least eight Russian war planes were damaged or destroyed at Saky airbase in another strike last August.
Some of the ‘mysterious’ incidents behind Russian lines
August 9, 2022Crimea air base attack
At least eight Russian war planes were damaged or destroyed in an attack on Saky airbase. The site lies more than 100 miles from the frontline.
October 8, 2022CRIMEA BRIDGE EXPLOSION
The key bridge linking Crimea to Russia was struck by a huge explosion. The blast degraded one of Moscow’s key military supply lines.
December 4, 2022AIR BASE ATTACKS
Attacks take place on two air bases deep inside Russia. Heavy bombers are damaged in what is said to be Ukraine’s most daring operation up to that point.
FEBRUARY 28, 2023oil depot fire
A large fire breaks out at the facility in the southern Russian city of Tuapse. Two drones exploded at the terminal in the early hours, according to local reports.
April 29, 2023crimea fuel depot fire
A huge fire breaks out at a fuel depot in the port city of Sevastopol after a suspected drone strike described as ‘God’s punishment’ by Ukrainian intelligence
May 3, 2023Kremlin Drone attack
Two drone strikes are carried out on the Kremlin citadel, the most protected area of Moscow. The explosions are filmed at the top of the Senate Palace.
In November, OCG shared a picture on social media of graduates who had completed training in disciplines such as sniping, demolition, subversion, long-range reconnaissance, topography and weapons manipulation.
The company says more than 1,000 soldiers have received training on courses ranging from basic infantry to SOF levels since April 2022, with the majority of the equipment and instruction at NATO standard.
‘Perhaps somewhere mysterious bangs might be heard,’ the post said.
‘If it is our territory, firstly we have all rights to attack the invaders in their rearguard,’ Mr Kebkalo said. ‘Secondly, it is quite important because we can damage or destroy high value targets that are out of reach for our soldiers and technical means on the frontline.
‘I am talking about radar, surface-to-air missile systems, MLRS [Multiple Launch Rocket System], fuel depots etc.
‘Cutting the supply lines is also very important.
‘In terms of sabotage operations on foreign land, then in my personal opinion, and considering the level of Russian hate and barbarism towards Ukrainian people, any damage to enemy military assets is welcome, even if such damage was accidental, through negligence, lack of vigilance, lack of competence, resources or corruption, you name it.
‘I would also highlight that sabotage is quite a symbolic thing.
‘The symbolism of sabotage itself is sometimes more important than its military consequences.’
The most spectacular unclaimed attack in the 15 months of war to date was the explosion on the Kerch Strait Bridge, which degraded one of Moscow’s key military supply lines linking Crimea to Russia.
Mr Kebkalo described the incidents as ‘audacious, effective and somehow symbolic’ without acknowledging who was responsible.
He instead quoted ex-CIA executive director Alvin Bernard ‘Buzzy’ Krongard, who said: ‘The war will be won in large measure by forces you don’t know about, in actions you will not see and in ways you may not want to know about, but we will prevail.’
Speaking ahead of a widely expected Ukrainian counter-offensive, Mr Kebkalo described Western military aid, which has included US HIMARS missile systems and British Challenger 2 tanks, as a vital part of the country’s dogged resistance effort.
‘Foreign military help is invaluable to Ukrainians and definitely an irritating bone in the throat to Russians,’ he said. ‘Yes, sometimes it is not enough, sometimes it is slow, but we are getting literally the best equipment.
‘I want to say thank you to all our foreign partners for supporting Ukraine in the largest war of the 21st Century. United we stand.’
The UK Ministry of Defence said at the weekend that six Russian regions, Crimea and 21 cities had cancelled their May 9 Victory Day parades due to security concerns. The UAV strikes on the Kremlin were said in the intelligence update to have raised Moscow’s ‘threat perception’ over the annual commemorations of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
Russia launched a missile blitz on Ukraine overnight, thought to be one of the biggest since the start of the all-out war. More than 100 drone, missile and air strikes took place ahead of the Victory Day holiday tomorrow.
British military expert Sean Bell told Sky News that Vladimir Putin was ‘desperately trying to seize the initiative’ ahead of Kyiv’s much anticipated counter-offensive.
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A rumored effort to assassinate Putin mentioned in messages on Russian drones
According to the Ukrainian military, messages aboard Russian drones that were launched towards Odesa overnight read “for Moscow” and “for the Kremlin,” which are ostensibly references to an alleged murder attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The words on the drones’ two tails can be seen in photos published by Ukraine’s Southern Command, which the command claimed demonstrated the apparent “reason for the attack.”
15 Shahed-131/136 drones were fired at Odesa, according to the Southern Command, and 12 of them were shot down by mobile fire units and air defense forces. The other three impacted student housing at a university.
Ukraine has denied any involvement in what Russia says was a drone attack on the Kremlin and an assassination attempt against Putin early Wednesday morning.
Video on social media shows a bright flash and a puff of smoke over a part of the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president and the most potent symbol of power in Moscow. Putin was not in the building at the time, said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the accusations, saying during a news conference: “We don’t attack Putin or Moscow.”
US officials said they were still assessing the incident, and had no information about who might have been responsible.
Meanwhile, A former Russian lawmaker linked with militant groups in the country told CNN the alleged attack was the work of Russian partisans, not the Ukrainian military.
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Moment Ukrainian soldiers return home to their families after an agreement with Russia
In a prisoner swap with Russia, more than 100 Ukrainian military have been returned to their families.
On camera yesterday, 130 soldiers, sailors, and border guards—many of whom were injured—carried one another home.
On the same day as millions of Ukrainians celebrate the Orthodox Christian Easter holiday, footage shows people embracing their relatives.
Andriy Yermak, the 51-year-old chief of staff, said: “It has been happening over the past few days in various stages.” Our citizens are returning home.
‘The quintessence of Easter is hope. This is exactly what the relatives who had been waiting for them for so long felt.
‘This task sounds short: Bring everyone back, and they will return.’
The soldiers were draped in Ukrainian flags as they returned to their families (Picture: Reuters) 
They embraced each other as they walked the road to freedom (Picture: Reuters) But the founder of Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was filmed threatening the prisoners before they were released.
He could be heard saying: ‘I hope you don’t fall back into our hands.’
Last week 106 Russian prisoners were swapped for 100 Ukrainians.
The men were returned to Ukraine on the day Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter (Picture: Reuters) 
They were warned by Russia they better ‘not fall back into their hands’ before they left (Picture: Reuters) Everyone was given food and multiple people were brought to tears while talking about their experiences.
One fighter said: ‘We are very thankful that we were released. We have been waiting for this day.’
Another was heard on the phone to their mum saying: ‘It’s okay, I’m back, alive, healthy. It’s okay mommy.’
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Ukraine getting ready to retaliate against Russia
Weather the storm, wear out the adversary, and then respond.
Since the winter, prominent US and NATO officials have repeated the Ukrainian military’s catchphrase, which has been in use for months.
So much for that notion.
However, can it be put into action, and if so, how, when, and where?
When they scan the 1,000-kilometer front line for Russian weak spots, the Ukrainians may not even be aware of this as of yet, just as they did when they abruptly launched their surprise onslaught in Kharkiv’s northeast in September.But they are aware it will be a crucial chapter in the conflict. Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, said in an interview last month that Russia and Ukraine will fight “a decisive battle this spring, and this battle will be the final one before this war ends.”
That suggests the Ukrainians may take their time to maximize capabilities. Predictions are a fool’s errand; there will be plenty of bluff and disinformation about intentions in the coming weeks. But preparations are well underway.
The essential preconditions for a Ukrainian counteroffensive include the completion of training and integration of new units, degrading the Russian rear, a resilient logistics chain and real-time intelligence.
The “intelligence picture will inform things like where there might be weaknesses in Russian defensive deployments, as well as locations of Russian HQ, logistics, and reserve force locations,” said Mick Ryan, formerly a general in the Australian army who was recently in Ukraine.
Ukraine is standing up several new corps, each of which would comprise several thousand troops. “Included in these will not only be new Western tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, wheeled vehicles and other equipment but also a lot of engineering equipment,” Ryan told CNN.
These units may be nearly ready.
“Ukrainian sources have already telegraphed that they’re forming or have formed six to nine new brigades for counteroffensives,” said Kateryna Stepanenko at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in Washington DC.
Ryan says such ambitious offensives consume large amounts of fuel, munitions, food, medical supplies and spare equipment. The logistics chain – which may be hampered by poor weather more than armor – is critically important.
Senior US and Ukrainian officers carried out “table-top” simulations last month. The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, said: “The Ukrainians are moving things around on these maps to determine what is their best course of action, and they determine the advantages and disadvantages of the risks associated.”
One clue – though it may be well-camouflaged – will be operations to strike logistics hubs, rear bases and ammunition stores deep behind the Russians’ front lines, both with long-range Western weapons, such as HIMARS, and sabotage operations. There’s already been an uptick in such attacks in southern Zaporizhzhia and Crimea.
Ryan, who writes the Futura Doctrina newsletter, said: “We could reasonably expect offensive action probably of different scales in at least two (and possibly more) locations in the east and south,” not least to confuse the Russians about where the main thrust will occur.
The south represents the greater dividend: an opportunity to split the Russian land corridor to occupied Crimea and reclaim some of Ukraine’s best farmland. Apart from Mariupol, much of the south has suffered less destruction than the cities of eastern Ukraine.
A successful strike southwards would make Russia’s defense of parts of Kherson it still holds untenable. It could also pave the way for Ukraine to recover control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the canal that supplies fresh water to Crimea.
But Stepanenko agrees it would be a mistake solely to focus on one area. Offensives in the east and south could be mutually supporting, posing the Russians additional logistics and deployment challenges.
A counterattack in the Bakhmut area by a well-prepared force might signal the beginning of offensive action. Last week, the commander of Ukrainian land forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, was in the Bakhmut area and said: “Our task is to destroy as many enemies as possible and create the conditions for us to launch an offensive.”
The Ukrainians are showing off the stream of Western hardware that’s begun to arrive to enhance their ground forces. They’ve been sending tank crews for training on Leopard 2s and Challenger tanks in Germany and the UK, respectively.
Their missile defenses are steadily improving, and with the deployment of Patriot batteries will improve further. The first group of Ukrainian soldiers to train on the Patriots are now back in Europe.
But integrating units will be critical.
“Ukraine needs to increase its capabilities for combined arms warfare ahead of their counteroffensive. This requires a high degree of coordination between various Ukrainian brigades and integrating fires to support maneuver,” said Stepanenko at ISW.
Such warfare has not traditionally been part of the Ukrainian playbook and is not learned overnight. While the sweep through Kharkiv last September was a triumph and exploited Russian deficiencies in the area, the slog to regain Kherson was far more costly in personnel and materiel.
Over the last few months, the Ukrainians have been receiving equipment vital for any offensive action: demolition munitions, mine clearance hardware, mobile bridging capabilities and MRAPs – mine resistant vehicles.
In addition, more than 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers have completed combined arms training in Germany, including two brigades equipped with US-supplied Bradley Fighting Vehicles and US-made Stryker vehicles.
Two motorized infantry battalions consisting of 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers are still being trained in Germany.
Training to use engineering equipment supplied by the US is also going to be essential. The latest package of US aid announced in March included armored vehicle-launched bridges, which would accompany advancing units — as well as demolition munitions.
“This is important because the fight to come will need the Ukrainians to engage in combined arms obstacle-crossing to break into and penetrate Russian defenses, which include mines, anti-tank ditches, dragons’ teeth and the enhancement of natural obstacles,” Ryan said.
He says “there is no military endeavor that is more difficult to plan, orchestrate and execute.”
Western aid has sought to address Ukraine’s key capability gap in mobile firepower.
“Armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles will help ensure Ukrainian mechanized infantry can deploy safely to the combat zone,” Stepanenko said.
Western tanks will act as the “tip of the spear” but the question is whether sufficient numbers have arrived to make a decisive difference. Open-source information suggests that fewer than 100 Western main battle tanks are in Ukraine.
Russia is of course acutely aware that Ukraine is planning fresh offensives. It has used the last several months to construct multiple layers of defense, especially in the south.
Ryan says that in addition the Russians likely have mobile counter-attack forces ready. Intelligence gathering and long-range strikes to degrade such units is an important element in Ukrainian planning.
Military historian Stephen Biddle writes that “shallow forward defenses can be ruptured with well-organized combined arms attacks, but deep defenses with meaningful reserves behind them still pose much harder problems for attackers.”
But Biddle also makes the point that the “best single predictor of outcomes in real warfare has … been the balance of skill and motivation on the two sides,” and this may augur well for the Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian armed forces have proved themselves agile, adaptable and innovative; most units have demonstrated high morale in the face of superior force. Over the past year, Western militaries have provided training in almost every facet of conflict, from tank warfare to logistics and leadership.
By contrast, Russia’s fall mobilization has not moved the needle much on the battlefield, and reports of dissent and poor leadership in a very top-down system suggest that the size of Russian capabilities may not be matched by performance.
Which brings us back to the exhaustion factor. For three months, Russian forces – including some of their best divisions – have been trying to break down Ukrainian defenses in four main zones. Apart from incremental gains in the Bakhmut area, they have made virtually no progress.
The quandary for the Russian high command is when and whether to tilt from offense to defense.
“At some point, [their offensives] are likely to culminate,” Ryan said. “They will need to decide whether they assume a more defensive posture in the coming weeks in order to absorb or respond to any Ukrainian offensives.”
Many constellations have to align if a Ukrainian counteroffensive is to succeed.
“They will want not only to surprise the Russians with the time and location of their main and supporting thrusts, but will want to generate an operational tempo that overwhelms the Russian ability to respond quickly or at the right time with the right force,” Ryan said.
Success in the early stages would generate momentum. “The Ukrainians only have to make one penetration of the Russian tactical defensive lines to then flow through a torrent of exploitation forces,” which “in turn could force large-scale Russian realignments and withdrawals of its forces,” Ryan added.
That’s what the United States hopes for. “What Ukraine wants to do at the first possible moment is to establish or create momentum and establish conditions on the battlefield that continue to be in its favor,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in February.
The Ukrainians know that having received armor and other equipment worth tens of billions of dollars, and training for thousands of their troops, they need to show results to sustain the faith and support of the coalition. Next year, the US goes into election mode, with all the distractions that is likely to bring – something not lost on Moscow as it seeks to draw out the conflict.
The Ukrainians will want to have everything tried and tested, rehearsed and rehearsed again, before committing themselves to what will likely be a pivotal episode in the conflict.
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UK has “specialized military operating inside Ukraine – leaked files claim
UK military special troops are operating in Ukraine, according to ‘top secret’ papers that have leaked.
According to the documents, there may have been more than half British special forces in Ukraine between February and March of this year.
Since the start of the conflict, the administration has kept secret the presence of special troops in Ukraine.
The UK embassy in Kyiv reported in June 2021 that its special troops had trained alongside Ukrainian military prior to Russia’s invasion.
Dozens of classified US documents that have been leaked online paint a detailed picture of the war in Ukraine, including sensitive details of Ukraine’s preparations for a spring counter-offensive.
Images of the classified files from the Pentago have appeared on messaging app Discord since February.
Complete with timelines and dozens of military acronyms, the documents, some marked ‘top secret’ also offer information on China and allies.
It is unknown where the forces are based in Ukraine (Picture: Getty) The US government says it is investigating the source of the leak.
According to the document the UK has the largest contingent of special forces in Ukraine (50), followed by fellow Nato states Latvia (17), France (15), the US (14) and the Netherlands (1).
The document does not say where the forces are located or what they are doing.
In line with its standard policy on such matters, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has not commented, but in a tweet on Tuesday said the leak of alleged classified information had demonstrated what it called a ‘serious level of inaccuracy’.
It said: ‘Readers should be cautious about taking at face value allegations that have the potential to spread misinformation.’
It did not elaborate or suggest which specific documents it was referring to. However, Pentagon officials are quoted as saying the documents are real.
UK special forces are made up of several elite military units with distinct areas of expertise, and are regarded to be among the most capable in the world.
The units, which conduct undercover operations as well as covert surveillance and reconnaissance operations, are the UK military’s most secretive organisations.
Unlike the intelligence services, the special forces are not subject to external parliamentary oversight.
The British government has a policy of not commenting on its special forces, in contrast to other countries including the US.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Department of Justice had opened a criminal investigation and he was determined to find the source of the leak.
‘We will continue to investigate and turn over every rock until we find the source of this and the extent of it,’ he said.
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Shark drones to be used in Ukraine battle field
As the battle approaches what has been called a “now-or-never” moment, the Ukrainian military is expected to launch a wave of drones with a shark design.
The high-end unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are paid for by a philanthropic project that uses donations from sales at a nation-wide network of gas stations.
These will give the military of Kiev greater surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, supplying information for weapons such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. A counteroffensive is anticipated for this spring (HIMAR).
The eastern city of Bakhmut has become the focal point of a conflict where Ukraine’s military has been utilising Western lethal aid and improvised drone systems to exact heavy losses on Russian forces ahead of the expected push-back.
The sharks have been rapidly designed and put into production by a Ukrainian aerospace company during the full-scale invasion.
A total of 25 intelligence complexes consisting of 75 ‘birds’ overall are due to be deployed on the frontline through the initiative run by Come Back Alive, a charitable foundation which supports the armed forces.
Two UAVs are already on the battlefield, with the supporting complex including associated equipment such as command and control systems, ground vehicles and launch ramps.
The UAVs have a striking shark design and a camera able to track moving targets (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive) The ongoing collaborative effort has so far raised 287 million hryvnias (£7.2 million) towards a target of 325 million, with the newly deployed kit being the first results of the amount raised to date.
Mykola Bielieskov, senior analyst at the foundation, told Metro.co.uk: ‘The shark intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance UAVs have critical importance because they will provide data for the most formidable rocket systems like HIMARS and M270 MLRS at a range of 75-plus kilometres.
‘As HIMARS and MLRS can target the enemy at a range of 85 kilometers we need to have the comparable intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance equipment. The UAVs are also being provided in preparation for a possible upcoming counter-offensive.
‘Private enterprise and charity are combining behind this window of opportunity so that our artillery systems can be utilised to the fullest possible extent. This project and others run by the Come Back Alive foundation are examples of how civil society is mobilising behind the military and as you can see, the work is bearing fruit.
‘All Ukrainians pay taxes which go to the Ministry of Defence’s budget but all Ukrainians realise that it is not enough. They are also ready to spend money to purchase fuel and to buy these incredible UAVs.’
The first of the new UAVs have been deployed with the aim of eventually providing 75 drones (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive) The funding was raised through a partnership with the Ukrainian OKKO fuel station network whereby a hryvnia from every litre of premium Pulls petrol and diesel sold goes to the shark project.
Ukrainian firm Ukrspecsytems has entered the drones into production during the full-scale invasion, equipping the systems with encrypted communications, a 30x optical zoom camera and 150mph top speed.
The Kyiv-headquartered foundation has already provided large consignments of high-tech equipment, together with training, to troops.
Donations have included a strike drone complex, armoured vehicles, pick-up trucks and thousands of pieces of thermal imaging kit.
‘The birds were designed and produced in the space of a year, during the war, from the drawing board, to prototypes, to testing and now to the battlefield,’ Mr Bielieskov said.
The drones have been made from a blueprint drawn up by a Ukrainian company during the full-scale invasion (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive) ‘The private enterprise drew on their previous accumulated expertise, knowledge and experience going back to 2014 when Russia began its war on Ukraine to produce the UAVs, which are incredible not only in terms of range but with their high quality cameras and ability to operate day and night and track moving targets.
‘They are state of the art in terms of what Ukrainian private enterprise can produce for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and tactical range. The project was made possible because our charity is constantly finding the best ways to raise money and use it to the greatest effect.
‘We are now entering a period of “now or never” with this upcoming half a year going to be the most critical time yet to double down.
‘There’s a window of opportunity to provide assistance to the military as Ukraine prepares for a possible counter-offensive before Russia enters another round of mobilisation. It’s not the end of the confrontation but we now have an opportunity to do things right and begin the end game of what started on February 24, 2022.’
The supplied kit includes intelligence complexes with take-off ramps and guidance systems (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive) Phillips O’Brien, professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, described the foundation’s work as a matter of life and death.
Professor O’Brien said: ‘As Ukraine is gearing up for a counter-offensive, it needs to arm its soldiers with both the new heavy equipment being supplied by its friends, but also a large number of smaller systems, from UAVs to SUVs to body armour. Come Back Alive is an organization that has strong support across Ukraine to get such systems in the hands of their soldiers as they prepare for this vital action.
‘In the case of some Ukrainian soldiers, the support of Come Back Alive will make the difference between life and death.’
The sharks are part of what the Come Back Alive foundation anticipates could be a critical phase in the war (Picture: Come Back Alive/@BackAndAlive) Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops near the frontline in the eastern Donetsk region today, presenting medals to ‘heroes’ who he said had protected ‘the sovereignty of our country’.
The Ukrainian president’s visit came as Chinese leader Xi Jinping landed back in Beijing after meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow, a meeting said by Western analysts to mark an aligning of their interests against the US.
On the battlefield, there were signs of Ukrainian forces shoring up their ground in Donetsk, with fighting near embattled Bakhmut reported by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The update on Twitter stated: ‘Over recent days Ukrainian forces initiated a local counterattack to the west of the Donetsk Oblast town Bakhmut, which is likely to relieve pressure on the threatened H-32 supply route.
‘Fighting continues around the town centre and the Ukrainian defence remains at risk from envelopment from the north and south.
‘However, there is a realistic opportunity that the Russian assault on the town is losing the limited momentum it had obtained, partially because some Russian MoD units have been reallocated to other sectors.’
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Ukraine’s new US rockets sends great fear to the Russians
The Ukrainians’ capacity to deploy freshly delivered Western systems to attack Russian command centres, logistical hubs, and ammunition dumps far beyond the front lines is a new and potentially extremely important component in the ongoing combat in Ukraine.
The Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions have all had large explosions in the last week.
The targeting has been very successful, according to the data, which includes satellite imagery and analyses by Western analysts.The Ukrainian military has been pleading with Western allies for long-range, precise artillery and rocket systems for months.
Now that they have them, they are using them effectively throughout the east and south of the nation.The Ukrainian military is not giving away many specifics but Vadim Denysenko, a senior official at the Interior Ministry, said Wednesday that in the past two weeks, “above all things thanks to the weapons that Ukraine received, we were able to destroy approximately two dozen warehouses with weapons and stocks of fuel and lubricants. This will certainly affect the intensity of fire” the Russians can muster, he said.
Best-in-class is the US-supplied HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, but the Ukrainians have also received M777 howitzers from both the US and Canada, and Caesar long-range howitzers from France.
In addition, the UK has committed to providing M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), which are more powerful than HIMARS, but it’s unclear when Ukraine will complete training on the system and deploy it.
The HIMARS’ versatility is in its name: the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. Its mobility makes it harder to target and it can be crewed by just eight soldiers. The rockets supplied to Ukraine have a range of 70 to 80 kilometers (about 50 miles). And their GPS guidance systems make them extremely accurate.
As Mick Ryan, a military analyst and former Australian major-general, puts it: “It is used to destroy critical communications nodes, command posts, airfields, and important logistics facilities.”
Senior Russian officers are therefore especially vulnerable. HIMARS’ accuracy also means the Ukrainians can worry less about civilian casualties. The guided rockets are accurate to within two to three meters, two defense officials told CNN, allowing the Ukrainians to use far fewer rounds to hit targets precisely at distance.
The HIMARS appears to have been used in a massive strike against a warehouse in the town of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region on Monday night. The strike set off secondary explosions and caused widespread damage, according to satellite imagery reviewed by CNN. The imagery showed how precise the attack had been, leaving just one small crater.
Local pro-Russian officials said parts of one HIMARS rockets were recovered; the serial numbers matched the weapon.
There were also large explosions in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, setting off multiple detonations. The same happened at Shakhtarsk in Donetsk and in the Kherson region at the weekend, as well as near Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia last week.
Altogether, it appears that about a dozen targets deep behind Russian lines have been hit in July, most of them at least 40 kilometers behind the front – a distance at which accuracy with old Tochka-U missiles would be difficult.
The Ukrainians have also been firing HIMARS at night, making it more difficult for the Russians to spot and strike the launchers. Russian forces have struggled to fight at night since the beginning of the conflict, and the Ukrainians are still using this to their advantage.
Targeting may also have been made easier by the way the Russian military stores and moves its weapons.
Phillips O’Brien, professor strategic studies at St Andrews University, says the Nova Kakhovka strike is revealing “about the state of the logistics war and the real problems the Russians face.”
The target was adjacent to a rail hub, vital to the Russian logistics effort to sustain their offensive, and so was an obvious target.
“The Russians left a ludicrously easy to locate, major supply depot exactly where someone would expect to find it. Either the Russians are unable to react because of command failure or they can’t actually move the depots because they lack the road movement,” O’Brien tweeted.
One Ukrainian official hinted that targeting the warehouse had been easy. Serhiy Khlan, a member of Kherson regional council, said on Facebook: “In Nova Kakhovka minus one Russian ammo depot. They brought, brought, stockpiled, stockpiled and now have fireworks at night.”
Ben Hodges, the former commander of the US Army in Europe, tweeted after the Kherson attack at the weekend: “Least favorite job in the Russian Army? Ammunition handler.”
In a briefing last week, a senior US Defense Department official said that “the focus on higher capability, precision, further-range weapons” for Ukraine was front and center.
On Friday, the Pentagon announced a shipment to Ukraine of 1,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells – but a newer munition with greater accuracy, according to the official. The Ukrainians have been expending 155mm munitions at a rate of 3,000 a day. Like HIMARS, the more accurate rounds should mean fewer are needed.
The official contended that HIMARS was changing the battlefield. “What we’ve seen is the ability of the Ukrainians to use these HIMAR systems to significantly disrupt the ability of the Russians to move forward.”
“If the Russians think they can outlast the Ukrainians, they need to rethink that,” the official added.
A Russian military reporter, Yuri Kotenok, said this week that the HIMARS represents “a serious threat. The liberated areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, the DPR and the LPR, as well as the territory of Russia, fall under the possible fire of HIMARS.”
Kotenok, who has nearly 300,000 followers on Telegram, said Russian air defenses need to be improved – as does the targeting of HIMARS, whether in transit or deployed. He said that “If this continues, it is necessary to hit the decision-making centers. Our limitations in retaliatory strikes against the enemy are to some extent incomprehensible to me.”
Another Russian reporter, Roman Sapenkov, said he witnessed the strike at the weekend on the Russian base at Kherson’s airport.
“I was struck by the fact that the whole packet, five or six rockets, landed practically on a penny. Usually MLRS lands in a wide area, and at maximum range they scatter like a fan,” he wrote, referring to multiple launch rocket systems that are less advanced than HIMARS or the M777.
“It is clear this is just the beginning … They will cover all the command posts and military facilities; the data for this has been collected for the last 4 months.”
One problem for the Russians may be the way they transport munitions, which is where the humble pallet comes into play.
Few Russian military trucks include a crane to lift heavy munitions, which are rarely carried on pallets but loaded and unloaded by hand. Plenty of ageing Soviet ZIL trucks have been seen in Ukraine.
Moving weapons and ammunition this way is cumbersome, time-consuming and potentially gives enemy surveillance a greater opportunity to detect such shipments. By contrast, the UK and US militaries palletize much of their ammunition or carry it in containers.
The Russian way of war – as witnessed over the last three months in eastern Ukraine – relies on huge artillery barrages to pulverize targets before moving forward. Russian military doctrine has always emphasized a massive use of artillery, MLRS and mortars. That demands constant resupply: Some analysts calculate that Russia is using at least 7,000 shells and rockets a day in Donbas, and often many more.
Serhiy Hayday, head of the Luhansk regional military administration, said Wednesday: “The Russian army does not stop shelling. However, most likely, it saves the existing stocks of shells, because their supply has been interrupted by the work of our new long-range weapons.”
Ukrainian officials claim that the Russians are being thrown off-balance by their growing capability for long-range precision attacks.
In and around Melitopol, for example, the Russians have imposed restrictions on civilian movements in recent days. The area has seen at least two major strikes this month against Russian bases.
But for the Ukrainians to sustain this rate of strikes requires an unimpeded conduit of munitions from the West. The Ukrainian military is transitioning from an organization largely reliant on Soviet-era artillery and rocket systems – with inadequate ammunition – to using precision Western weapons with enough ammunition in a matter of months.
Also unknown is whether any of the handful of HIMARS so far shipped have been taken out by Russian fire. The Ukrainian military and defense ministries avoid providing details about their deployment.
Ryan cautions that while the HIMARS “has provided the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a new ‘Long Hand’ to attack the Russian invaders, there is no such thing as a silver bullet solution in war.”
But US officials are confident that the accuracy of the weapon – as well as other accurate long-range systems – will progressively change the battlefield.
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A big number of Russian soldiers stationed believed to have been killed
According to the Ukrainian military, pro-Russian military bloggers, and former officials, an apparent Ukrainian strike in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine appeared to have killed a significant number of Russian troops residing adjacent to an ammunition depot.
Both Ukrainian and pro-Russian accounts claim that the strike occurred at Makiivka, in the Donetsk region, just after midnight on Sunday, New Year’s Day, at a vocational school housing Russian conscripts.
The attack has led to vocal criticism of the Russian military from pro-Russian military bloggers, who claimed that the troops lacked protection and were reportedly being quartered next to a large cache of ammunition, which is said to have exploded when Ukrainian HIMARS rockets hit the school.
The Ukrainian military claimed that around 400 Russian soldiers were killed and 300 were wounded, without directly acknowledging a role. CNN cannot independently confirm those numbers or the weapons used in the strike. Some pro-Russian military bloggers have also estimated that the number of dead and wounded could run in the hundreds.
The Russian Ministry of Defense on Monday acknowledged the attack and claimed that “63 Russian servicemen” died.
Video reportedly from the scene of the attack is circulating widely on Telegram, including on an official Ukrainian military channel. It shows a pile of smoking rubble, in which almost no part of the building appears to be standing.
“Greetings and congratulations” to the separatists and conscripts who “were brought to the occupied Makiivka and crammed into the building of vocational school,” the Strategic Communications Directorate of the Chief Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Telegram. “Santa packed around 400 corpses of [Russian soldiers] in bags.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense said that the Ukrainian attack used HIMARS rockets.
Daniil Bezsonov, a former official in the Russia-backed Donetsk administration, said on Telegram that “apparently, the high command is still unaware of the capabilities of this weapon.”
A Russian propagandist who blogs about the war effort on Telegram, Igor Girkin, claimed that the building was almost completely destroyed by the secondary detonation of ammunition stores.
Girkin has long decried Russian generals whom he claims direct the war effort far from the frontline. Girkin was previously minister of defense of the self-proclaimed, Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic, and was found guilty by a Dutch court of mass murder for his involvement in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014.
Sergey Markov, another pro-Russian military blogger, said there was “a great deal of sloppiness” on the part of the Russian command.
Boris Rozhin, who also blogs about the war effort under the nickname Colonelcassad, said that “incompetence and an inability to grasp the experience of war continue to be a serious problem.”9:22 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Ukraine waiting for first portion of $19 billion aid package from EU, Zelensky says
From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin and Victoria Butenko
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine was waiting for the first tranche of a $19 billion support package from the European Union in January, following a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
He added in a tweet that Ukraine was also awaiting the first “batch of LED-lamps school buses, generators and modular houses.”
“We feel support and will win together,” Zelensky finished.
Von der Leyen tweeted that she had conveyed her “wholehearted support and best wishes for 2023 to the Ukrainian people,” to Zelensky on their first call of the new year.
“The EU stands by you, for as long as it takes. We support your heroic struggle. A fight for freedom and against brutal aggression,” she said.9:03 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
It’s mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here’s what you need to know
Five people have been injured by a Russian attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Beryslav, and another person was injured in Kyiv Monday amid strikes which have left the Ukrainian capital struggling to maintain electricity supply.
Here are the latest headlines:
- Strikes on Beryslav:Five people have been injured by alleged Russian tank fire on a market in the southern Ukrainian town of Beryslav, according to the regional governor. “Presumably, the fire was conducted from a tank from the temporarily occupied Kakhovka,” said Yaroslav Yanushevych, governor of Kherson region, where Beryslav is located, on his official Telegram channel. Kakhovka is on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.
- Russian attack wounds one in Kyiv: One man was injured early Monday as a result of a Russian attack on Ukraine’s capital. The 19-year-old man was hospitalized after suffering a lacerated foot while in an eighth-floor apartment in Kyiv’s Desnianskyi district.
- Second victim from Saturday strikes: A 46-year-old man who was injured by a Russian attack on Kyiv on Saturday has died in hospital, according to city mayor Vitaly Klitschko. Another person died and 20 others were injured in Saturday’s explosions, Klitschko said.
- Kyiv struggling to maintain electricity: The capital was experiencing power outages Monday, after overnight strikes damaged energy infrastructure facilities in the city, said Klitschko. Some heat supply facilities were disconnected from the power supply, but the city’s water supply remains normal, he added. Kyiv authorities are urging residents to reduce their electricity consumption after the third day of Russian attacks damaged infrastructure.
- Zelensky hails “unity” of Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his first address of the year to underline the “sense of unity” in the country, and contrast it with the “fear” he said is felt in Russia. “Our sense of unity, authenticity, life itself – all this contrasts dramatically with the fear that prevails in Russia,” said Zelensky in an address published Sunday evening local time.
- Russia reportedly takes down Ukrainian drone: Russian air defenses downed a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone approaching the southwestern Russian city of Voronezh on Sunday night, Russian state news agency TASS reported Monday, quoting local authorities. There were no reports of casualties or damage, according to TASS, quoting the regional government.
7:02 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Russian air defenses reportedly down Ukrainian drone near city of Voronezh
From CNN’s Radina Gigova
Russian air defenses downed a Ukrainian drone approaching the southwestern Russian city of Voronezh on Sunday night, Russian state news agency TASS reported Monday, quoting local authorities.
“Last night, air defenses detected and downed a small reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle approaching Voronezh, which had been launched from Ukraine,” a statement from the regional government reads, as quoted by TASS.
There were no reports of casualties or damage, according to TASS, quoting the regional government.
Voronezh is located in southwestern Russia.
CNN has not been able to independently verify the TASS reporting.6:41 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
One injured in Monday’s strikes on Kyiv
From CNN’s Olga Voitovych in Kyiv
Ukrainian servicemen use searchlights as they search for drones in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 1. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) One man was injured early Monday as a result of a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, according to the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine.
The 19-year-old man was hospitalized after suffering a lacerated foot while in an eighth-floor apartment in Kyiv’s Desnianskyi district.
“Firefighters of the nearest fire and rescue units immediately arrived at the scene,” the SES said on its official Telegram channel.
“Upon arrival, the firefighters found out that as a result of the rocket fragments falling on the roadway, balconies and windows on 3, 4, 6 floors of a 9-story residential building were damaged.”
The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down 39 Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones overnight into Monday, but said that debris had nonetheless damaged infrastructure facilities and residential buildings.4:52 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Five injured by Russian attack on market in southern Ukrainian town of Beryslav
From CNN’s Olga Voitovych
Five people have been injured by alleged Russian tank fire on a market in the southern Ukrainian town of Beryslav, according to the regional governor.
“This morning Russians attacked the center of Beryslav – they shelled the city market,” said Yaroslav Yanushevych, governor of Kherson region, where Beryslav is located, on his official Telegram channel.
“Presumably, the fire was conducted from a tank from the temporarily occupied Kakhovka,” he added. Kakhovka is on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.
Of the five people injured, three are in critical condition, Beryslav said.
On Sunday, one person was killed and four injured by Russian attacks across the Ukrainian-controlled portions of the Kherson region, according to Beryslav.
Russian forces attacked the region 71 times on Sunday, he said, using artillery, multiple-launch rocket launchers (MLRS), mortars and tanks.4:27 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Kyiv authorities urge sparing electricity use after Russian strikes damage energy infrastructure
From CNN’s Olga Voitovych and Mick Krever
Authorities in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are urging residents to reduce their electricity consumption after a third day of Russian attacks damaged infrastructure facilities.
On Monday, energy company DTEK said that it had been forced to implement emergency power cuts, and Oleksii Kuleba, head of Kyiv regional military administration, called on residents of the capital to keep an eye on their energy use.
“We are currently observing an increase in electricity consumption and excessive load on the grid,” Kuleba said on Telegram. “Therefore, it is important not to forget about reasonable consumption of electricity – to use energy-intensive devices in turn and to use electricity sparingly.”
The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down 39 Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones overnight into Monday, but said that debris had nonetheless damaged infrastructure facilities.
Eleven private houses were also damaged by falling debris, according to Kuleba.
However the Prosecutor’s General Office of Ukraine said that there do not appear to have been any casualties.
“Prosecutors and investigators are working at the scene to document violations of international humanitarian law by the aggressor country,” the office said in a statement.4:43 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Zelensky hails “sense of unity” in first address of 2023
From CNN’s Jack Guy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers his first address of the year on January 1. (President of Ukraine) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his first address of the year to underline the “sense of unity” in the country, and contrast it with the “fear” he said is felt in Russia.
“Our sense of unity, authenticity, life itself – all this contrasts dramatically with the fear that prevails in Russia,” said Zelensky in an address published Sunday evening local time.
“They are afraid. You can feel it. And they are right to be afraid. Because they are losing. Drones, missiles, anything else will not help them. Because we are together. And they are together only with fear.”
Zelensky congratulated Ukrainian forces for shooting down 45 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia on the first night of the year
“Russian terrorists were pathetic, and they entered this year staying the same. Our defenders were awesome, and on January 1 they showed themselves very well,” he said.
Zelensky went on to thank “everyone who is fighting the enemy at the frontline every day and every night,” as well as energy and utility workers restoring infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.
“And it is very important how all Ukrainians recharged their inner energy this New Year’s Eve,” said Zelensky.
“And how we thanked our warriors. How we thanked our loved ones. How millions of times all over Ukraine, all over the free world, our wish – the wish of victory – has sounded and still sounds.”3:48 a.m. ET, January 2, 2023
Second victim of New Year’s Eve strikes on Kyiv dies in hospital
From CNN’s Olga Voitovych, Mayumi Maruyama, Yulia Kesaieva and Gul Tuysuz
A 46-year-old man who was injured by a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital on Saturday has died in hospital, according to city mayor Vitaly Klitschko.
“One of the injured as a result of the Russian attack on the capital on December 31 died this morning,” Klitschko said on his official Telegram channel. “The 46-year-old man was in intensive care in serious condition.”
Another person died and 20 others were injured in Saturday’s explosions, Klitschko said.
Out of the injured, 14 were hospitalized, while six others were provided with medical assistance on the spot, he said.
Several school buildings in the capital suffered severe damage from the explosions, the mayor added.