Monday, January 15

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Aftermath of a Russian strike on a granary in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast. Jan. 14, 2024. (Serhii Bolvinov/ Facebook)

Media: Ukraine downs Russian A-50 plane over Azov Sea. Ukrainian forces allegedly shot down a Russian A-50 military aircraft over the Azov Sea, RBC Ukraine reported on Jan. 14, citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian military. An additional Russian military plane, the Il-22M, was also allegedly damaged.

Zelensky: ‘Good news’ on air defense systems to come soon. Zelensky did not elaborate on the comment, likely alluding to Ukraine receiving more air defense systems in the near future.

Police: Russia destroys granary in Kharkiv Oblast. Two air-dropped gliding bombs were launched over the previous night, hitting grain storage facilities and a processing building. According to Bolvinov, the security guards on duty were not injured and no casualties were reported.

Defense Minister proposes international working group to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine. Umerov presented the plan at the fourth meeting of national security advisors regarding the Peace Formula in Davos, Switzerland. He suggested creating a group at the level of Ministers of Defense and National Security Advisors to “jointly work out a mechanism for the withdrawal of (Russian) troops.”

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Yermak: Zelensky’s team will not allow war to freeze. Presidential office head Andrii Yermak said that the current leadership will not agree to a “freezing” of Russia’s war against Ukraine following discussions on the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Switzerland, Radio Free Europe/ Liberty reported on Jan. 14.

Governor: Russian missile downed over Kryvyi Rih. Air alarms rang out in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts shortly before 5 p.m. local time. Ukraine’s Air Force warned residents of Kryvyi Rih to take shelter at 5:13 p.m.

Zaluzhnyi spends several days with Tavria, Odesa groups near front line. Ukraine’s top commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi spent several days with troops near the front lines in the south and east, discussing future operations in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts.

North Korean foreign minister to visit Russia. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui will visit Russia on Jan. 15-17, Chinese news agency CGTN reported, citing North Korea’s state media.

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Ukraine war latest: Defense Minister proposes international working group to withdraw Russian troops.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has proposed on Jan. 14 an international working group on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Umerov presented the plan at the fourth meeting of national security advisors regarding the Peace Formula in Davos, Switzerland.

Photo: Rustem Umerov/Facebook

Human cost of war

Russian drone injures 4 firefighters in Kherson Oblast. A Russian suicide drone struck a fire station and injured four firefighters in the village of Stanislav in Kherson Oblast, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on his Telegram account on Jan. 14.

At least 6 people injured by Russian shelling in Kherson, 1 rescued from rubble.

Russian forces fired 28 shells at Kherson, hitting residential neighborhoods and water port infrastructure. The regional military administration on the morning of Jan. 14 reported that six people were injured.

General Staff: Russia lost 370,000 troops since Feb. 24, 2022. This includes 840 casualties in the past 24 hours, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 14.

American microchips are killing Ukrainians

International response

Swiss diplomat: China needs to help end war in Ukraine. China needs to be involved in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, Swiss Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis told a news conference in Davos on Jan. 14, Reuters reported.

State border service: Romanian farmers resume truck blockade. Romanian farmers have started blocking trucks again through the Siret checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service reported on Jan. 14.

Yermak: 80 countries attend Ukraine Peace Formula meeting at Davos. Eighty countries attended the fourth meeting on Ukraine’s Peace Formula at Davos, Switzerland, an increase from the 66 attendees at the previous meeting, held in Malta. The goal of the working groups is for national security advisers to be on the same page with restoring territory, security and peace to Ukraine.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Toma Istomina, Igor Kossov, Alexander Query, Lili Bivings, Dominic Culverwell, Francis Farrell, and Rachel Amran.

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