Following Zelensky's peace proposals, Russia remains determined to sustain its war objectives
Moscow persists in its objectives in Ukraine despite Kyiv's attempts at negotiation. As per Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, once these objectives are achieved, irrespective of the method, the special military operation will conclude. Peskov reacts to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statements during his US trip, where he indicated that an end to the conflict could be nearer than anticipated. Zelensky presents his alleged victory strategy in the US, aiming to pressure Moscow into dialogue. Moscow's objectives include controlling the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, along with preventing Ukraine's NATO membership. Previously, the overthrow of the Kyiv government was also mentioned. Various experts believe that Russia's ultimate goal is dominance over the entire Ukraine.
11:59 Deterioration in Wuhledar's Situation - Russians May Employ Deceptive TacticsThe Deepstate channel close to the Ukrainian military reports a critical situation in and around Wuhledar, which is worsening. "The Russians are attempting to surround the settlement while simultaneously reducing it to rubble using artillery and such." Deepstate has not reported any entry of Russian troops (as of 09:27). "Hanging on until the end is not an option, as it would cost our military dearly. We should have considered the consequences earlier, but it's too late now. The soldiers of the 72nd Brigade are not giving up and are pushing forward despite the challenges." According to the Eastern European platform Nexta, Russia is again employing its scorched earth tactic, fiercely assaulting Wuhledar from the air:
11:15 High-resolution Satellite Images Show Extensive Damage in Russian Ammunition DepotsUkraine has recently carried out successful attacks on ammunition depots, destroying substantial amounts of Russian rockets, artillery shells, and other resources. High-resolution satellite images from Maxar reveal the extent of the latest attacks in Oktyabrsky and Toropez:
10:46 Devastating Attacks on Saporizhzhia: One Dead, Several Injured, and Substantial DamageRussian attacks on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Saporizhzhia have resulted in one fatality and six injuries, according to official reports. The area was hit by "large-scale air strikes" within two hours past midnight on Monday night, as reported by the state emergency service. "One person died and six others were injured, including a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy," Regional Governor Ivan Federov writes on Telegram. Infrastructure facilities and residential buildings were also set ablaze. According to a city administration employee, 74 apartment blocks and 24 private houses were damaged in various parts of the city.
10:07 Munz on Russian Aircraft Carrier Crew: "Aircraft Carrier is Likely to Remain Docked Forever"The crew of the Russian aircraft carrier "Admiral Kuznetsov" is being deployed to the front, according to a Forbes report. The ship is notorious for its series of malfunctions, explains ntv correspondent Rainer Munz from Moscow. The transfer of the crew could be another indication of Russia's financial problems.
09:27 Fortress of Resistance: Wuhledar in Peril? Russian Troops Reportedly InfiltratingRussian troops have started an assault on the eastern Ukrainian town of Wuhledar, according to state media and bloggers. "Russian units have entered Wuhledar - the assault on the city has commenced," writes Yuri Podolyaka, a pro-Russian military blogger born in Ukraine. Other pro-Russian war bloggers are also reporting the attack. State-run Russian media reports that the city, located in the Donetsk region, is being encircled and combat is underway to the east of the settlement. Military expert Colonel Reisner also tells ntv.de that Russian troops are advancing towards the city from various directions like a pincer. "Wuhledar is at risk of being encircled. It must be assumed that the 72nd mechanized brigade, equipped with tanks and combat vehicles, will not be able to hold the area."
08:59 Russia and Ukraine Clash with Drones All Night LongRussian air defenses have shot down 13 Ukrainian drones overnight, according to state reports. Six were intercepted over the Belgorod and Kursk regions, and one over the Bryansk region, as reported by the official TASS news agency, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force claims that Russia attacked it with 81 drones and four missiles overnight, with 79 drones shot down or forced to crash. There are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
08:17 Denmark's Blunt Remarks on Long-Range Attacks on RussiaDanish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is advocating for the permission to use Western weapons with extended reach against Russia. "My proposition is that we conclude the debate about red lines," Frederiksen says in an interview with Bloomberg. The most important red line has already been breached. "And that was when the Russians invaded Ukraine." She will never permit anyone from Russia to determine what is valid in NATO, Europe, or Ukraine, Frederiksen says.
07:38 Russian Soldiers Likely Hidden and Declared Missing to Avoid Payments According to a leaked phone call released by Ukrainian military intelligence, deceased Russian soldiers on the battlefield are being buried secretly and reported missing, thereby allowing the military to avoid paying generous compensation to their families. "They kill them, the fighting continues, it's hot, they start to smell, so we bury them right there, and then they're considered missing. And if they're missing, the family doesn't get paid. Got it?" a man explains to his conversation partner, a resident of the Russian Belgorod region, in the phone call published by Kyiv Independent. The reported compensation for each fallen soldier ranges between $67,500 and $116,000.
06:59 No Peace Prospects from Russia While Ukrainian President Zelensky advocates for a "victory plan" in the US, there is no sign of Russian interest in ending the conflict. The Kremlin continues to show disinterest in a peace agreement that does not involve the complete surrender of the Ukrainian government and the annihilation of Ukraine itself, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Top-tier Russian representatives have recently expressed opposition to participating in the upcoming peace summit, and the Kremlin spokesperson, Peskov, has reiterated that Russia is not open to negotiations without Ukrainian surrender, also viewing NATO and the West as a shared enemy. The ISW asserts that the Kremlin is uninterested in genuine peace negotiations with Ukraine and will merely reference "peace plans" and "negotiations" to pressure the West to force Ukraine to make preventive concessions regarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
06:27 Selenskyj: Stronger Cooperation with US Can Speed Up End to Russian Aggression According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj, stronger cooperation between Ukraine and the US could expedite the end of Russian aggression against Ukraine in the upcoming year. "Now, towards the end of the year, we have a genuine opportunity to strengthen ties between Ukraine and the US," Selenskyj wrote in a recent post on his Telegram channel, following a meeting with a bipartisan US congressional delegation. Selenskyj is currently in the US to participate in UN General Assembly sessions and present his "victory plan" to the US government.
05:44 Teenagers Allegedly Set Fire to Mi-8 Helicopter in Omsk Two teenagers allegedly set fire to a Mi-8 helicopter at a Russian air force base in Omsk using a Molotov cocktail, as per a report on Telegram channel Baza. The 16-year-olds were later arrested and reportedly confessed to being offered $20,000 through Telegram to execute the attack. The helicopter was severely damaged, as per Russian media reports. This incident follows a similar attack on September 11, when two boys set fire to a Mi-8 helicopter at the Nojabrsk airport in the Tyumen region. There have been recurring instances of sabotage in various regions of Russia, including train derailments. In January, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) claimed that some of Russia's railways were targeted by "unknown adversaries of the Putin regime".
04:44 G7 to Discuss Long-Range Missiles for Ukraine The foreign ministers of the G7 nations will discuss potential deliveries of long-range missiles capable of reaching Russian territory to Ukraine on Monday, as announced by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during the UN General Assembly. He also mentioned that Russia has been receiving new weapons, including Iranian rockets, despite Iran's repeated denials.
03:50 Zelensky: "Peace is closer than we think" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for an imminent end to the war with Russia. "I think we are closer to peace than we think," Zelensky stated in an interview with U.S. broadcaster ABC News. He implored the US and its partners to remain supportive of Ukraine during this time.
02:50 Casualties from Russian Attacks on Saporizhzhia Russian forces launched another attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Saporizhzhia in the evening, resulting in one fatality and five injuries, including a 13-year-old girl, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. A city official, citing Suspilne, reported the injuries. At least 23 people were harmed in earlier attacks on the city, with two houses destroyed in the latest assault, although it is unclear what weapon was used. Russian forces also focused on destroying infrastructure in the city, setting a fire that was promptly extinguished by rescue services without causing further harm.
01:29 Ukrainian Army Under Strain in Pokrovsk The Ukrainian military is under pressure in the eastern part of the country, according to its own reports. "The situation in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove region remains tense," the General Staff in Kyiv stated in their evening situation report. Of the 125 Russian attacks along the front, over 50 occurred in this sector. "The main efforts have been directed towards Pokrovsk," the Ukrainian military leadership clarified. While independent observers attribute the Ukrainians' success in slowing down the Russian advance on Pokrovsk, the situation remains precarious for the defenders around Kurakhove. Russian troops' advances near the mining town of Hirnyk pose a threat of encircling several units there. A similar outflanking tactic is also noted further south near the town of Vuhledar, which the Russians have previously failed to capture through frontal assaults.
00:28 American Perp in Russian Prison for Child Kidnap AttemptAn American citizen has been slapped with a six-year jail term in Russia for his attempts to depart the country with his Russian son, disregarding the mother's agreement, according to court reports. A court in Kaliningrad ruled against the man, convicting him of attempted "kidnapping" and ordering him to serve his sentence in a penal labor camp. According to the ruling, the American attempted to leave Russia with his four-year-old son in July 2023. "Without securing the mother's consent, he made an attempt to extract the child from the country," the court explained through the Telegram messaging service. He was caught red-handed as he tried to smuggle the boy across the border into Poland through a forest, but was apprehended by border guards before he could complete his mission. Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have been sky-high due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
23:14 Casualties Reported in Russian Village After Attack by Ukrainian TroopsAccording to local authorities, a Russian village near the Ukrainian border was struck by the Ukrainian military, resulting in three fatalities. The village of Archangelskoe, around 5 kilometers from the border, was under 'heavy artillery fire' by the Ukrainian army on Monday, as reported by the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, on Telegram. Two adults and a teenager lost their lives, while two others, including a child, were injured in the incident.
22:13 Gratitude from Zelensky After Meeting with Scholz in New YorkAfter spending some quality time with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in New York, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his deep gratitude to Germany for its unwavering support. "We are immensely thankful to Germany for its backing," Zelensky tweeted. "Together, we've managed to save countless lives, and we can certainly do more to bolster security across the entire European continent." Scholz, however, reiterated Germany's refusal to provide Ukraine with advanced weaponry.
21:35 Forbes: Russia's Lone Aircraft Carrier's Crew Deployed to Ukraine ConflictRussia's solitary aircraft carrier, the "Admiral Kuznetsov," has been making headlines for the past few decades due to its lack of deployments despite numerous mishaps since its launch in the 80s. Now, according to Forbes magazine, soldiers from the 15,000-strong Admiral Kuznetsov crew are being deployed to the Ukraine conflict, not on their aircraft carrier, but as a separate battalion. Forbes reports that this is one of the measures being taken to meet Russia's monthly recruitment needs, estimated at 30,000 new fighters each month. Meanwhile, the Admiral Kuznetsov is reportedly deteriorating at a rapid pace and may become a permanent resident of the Murmansk coastline, where it has been lying for some time.
You can catch up on all previous developments here.
The European Union expressed concern over Moscow's objectives in Ukraine, including its stance on Ukraine's NATO membership and its efforts to control certain territories. Despite Moscow's persistence and its use of deceptive tactics in places like Wuhledar, their ultimate goal of dominance over Ukraine continues to be met with opposition from various international entities.
Amidst ongoing tensions, some experts suggest that the European Union could play a significant role in pressuring Russia into dialogue and ultimately pushing for a peaceful resolution, given its influence and stake in the region's stability.
