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Russian attacks Donetsk caused power outages at two mines with 18 workers were inside, Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported on Jan. 7. Russia began its attacks against Ukraine's cities and critical infrastructure as the temperatures dropped at the end of 2023, mirroring its strategy from last year. Over winter of 2022-2023, Russia engaged in a persistent campaign to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing large-scale outages and damage to the grid, ministry neither specified the status of workers who were in the mines at the time of the attacks nor the locations of the mines.

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Governor: Russian missile strike on Donetsk Oblast kills 11, including 5 kids. killing 11 people, including five children, and injuring eight civilians, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. The barrage of S-300 missiles hit the town of Pokrovsk and the Myrnohrad community, destroying at least six houses. The governor hasn't specified the number of missiles Russia used to target the area.

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Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 685...Conscription will not cover women, says Ukrainian MP; Ukraine’s draft mobilisation law will not conscript women or introduce a lottery, according to Yehor Chernev, deputy chairman of parliament’s defence committee.

The British former defence secretary Ben Wallace warned his successor, Grant Shapps, that the UK was at risk of “falling behind” in its military support for Ukraine, because ministers had yet to announce a military aid budget for 2024-5.

A section of railroad near the city of Nizhny Tagil in Russia’s Urals region was hit by a “bang”, Tass and RBC news agencies reported. Baza, a Russian media outlet, said the blast on the railway took place close to the station of San-Donato, near an oil depot. Russian warplane ‘accidentally’ drops bomb on their folks in Ukraine occupied territory.

The Swedish prime minister announced that Sweden – despite not yet being a full member of Nato – will send troops to Latvia next year as part of a Canadian-led force to deter Russian attack.
In the Russian-occupied Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, a Russian warplane accidentally released a bomb on the town of Rubizhne, said Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-appointed regional occupation head. He reportedly said the bomb, an FAB-250 that carries a high-explosive warhead, did not cause injuries. His comments could not be independently verified.

Black Sea corridor moves 15m tonnes of cargo.
Ukraine has exported 15m tonnes of cargo through its Black Sea shipping corridor, including 10m tonnes of agricultural goods, the deputy prime minister for restoration, Oleksandr Kubrakov, has said.

“Indiscriminately striking” civilians is a war crime because it violates international humanitarian law, was quoted as saying in a speech referencing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, said that Russia has “left people homeless” through its attacks on Ukraine, a reality of war she says “can only be changed by weapons”.

Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 685...Russia targeted Ukraine with dozens of missiles, killing at least four civilians early on Monday, Ukrainian authorities said. Two people were killed in the western Khmelnytskyi region, local officials said. In Kryvyi Rih, a 62-year-old was reported to have been killed.

Elsewhere, the governor of the Kharkiv region said a 63-year-old woman was killed in a strike on a town south of Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces destroyed 18 out of 51 missiles launched during the wave of Russian airstrikes on Monday, Ukraine’s air force said.

Ukraine’s draft mobilisation law will not conscript women or introduce a lottery, according to Yehor Chernev, deputy chairman of parliament’s defence committee.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...on-day-685

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F-16s flown by 14 Ukrainian pilots fly over Scandinavian Europe

F-16 jets are now currently piloted by Ukrainian Air Force aviators. This development occurred once the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense validated that six additional pilots, already adept in “dry training,” are now undergoing airborne training sessions with the F-16 jet.

Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense validated six additional pilots, already adept in “dry training,” are now undergoing airborne training sessions with the F-16 jet.

A) F-16 joystick feel is interesting, not like MiG-29 - a UKR pilot

B) ‘Matters related to NATO’ stop sending Gripen to Ukraine for now
‘
C) It’s fragile’: Experts doubt F-16 will take off from Ukraine

D) To Moscow/Putin: Ukraine boasts new simplified 750 km range drone.
https://bulgarianmilitary.com/2023/12/27...an-europe/

"One group of pilots studying in the UK are graduates of the class of 2023, and they will be trained there for up to two years before being transferred to the F-16," Ihnat said. "Another group is studying in the United States in Arizona, where the Americans have announced that the training will last until the end of 2024."

"Perhaps someone will be trained earlier," he added. "As far as Denmark is concerned, this is an advanced group. Both fighters and pilots will be the fastest from there. When will they be the fastest? Well, we are still counting on the spring."

Denmark has pledged to donate a total of 19 F-16s to Ukraine. Out of those, 14 had originally been scheduled to be delivered by this year, with the remaining five scheduled for 2025.

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Three people are reported injured in Belgorod as Russia’s air defences down 10 RM-70 Vampir rockets over the region, according to Russian officials and the Ministry of Defence.. The Kremlin says the Russian military will do everything in its power to tackle an increase in Ukrainian shelling of Belgorod.

Ukraine shelled Russia’s Kursk region over 1,900 times: Governor. Since the beginning of Russia’s war on Ukraine, the Russian territory of the Kursk region has been shelled 1,906 times from Ukraine, according to the regional governor Roman Starovoit. In the first eight days of this year, it was shelled 41 times, he said at an operational meeting.

“There have been 68 civilians injured and wounded since the beginning of the war, unfortunately, 8 people died. There were no casualties in the first days of 2024,” he added.

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Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 685...Russia targeted Ukraine with dozens of missiles, killing at least four civilians early on Monday, Ukrainian authorities said. Two people were killed in the western Khmelnytskyi region, local officials said. In Kryvyi Rih, a 62-year-old was reported to have been killed.

Elsewhere, the governor of the Kharkiv region said a 63-year-old woman was killed in a strike on a town south of Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces destroyed 18 out of 51 missiles launched during the wave of Russian airstrikes on Monday, Ukraine’s air force said.

Ukraine’s draft mobilisation law will not conscript women or introduce a lottery, according to Yehor Chernev, deputy chairman of parliament’s defence committee.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...on-day-685

Russia will take all steps to halt Ukrainian shelling of Belgorod: Kremlin. The border city of Belgorod has come under frequent attacks since the start of the war, but they have intensified in recent weeks, with one strike reportedly claiming the lives of 24 people.

“Of course, our military will continue to do everything in order to minimise the danger at first and then eliminate it entirely,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

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Russia targets Ukraine ‘military’ sites in retaliation for Belgorod attack Kharkiv, Kyiv and other cities attacked in the latest wave of attacks, while missile alert sounded in Russia’s Belgorod.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/3...rod-attack

Ukraine’s air force is suffering a “deficit” of missiles to fight off Russian strikes, an official has revealed.

The country’s air force spokesperson, Yuriy Ihnat, told Ukrainian television that Ukraine had used a “considerable reserve” of missiles defending itself against recent attacks.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...75408.html

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The TOS-1A’s issue is its range. It is stated that the effective range of the TOS-1A with target destruction is approximately 6000 meters. In order to launch, the system must enter the area affected by enemy artillery, some anti-tank weapons, and drones, which increases the chance of destroying the vehicle during its operation.

TOS-1A tried to open fire near Novoselivka Druha in the Avdiivka sector. The village is located near Avdiivka. This means that the Russian system had to come quite close to launch the shots. Similar cases were recorded by Russian operators who were filming the work of TOS-1А Solntsepyok and immediately came under artillery fire from Ukrainian forces. 

The heavy flamethrower system was presumably hit by a conventional drone with explosives. The Ukrainian military observed destruction of heavy flamethrower system from a surveillance system.
https://mil.in.ua/en/news/the-armed-forc...defenders/

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It's time for 'diplomatic action' over Ukraine, ally says, as pressure mounts on Kyiv for peace talks.
Diplomatic pressure could be mounting on Kyiv to pursue a diplomatic way out of the war with Russia as the conflict approaches it 2nd anniversary.

Rome's support of Ukraine remained steadfast, the time had come for "incisive diplomatic action alongside the aid we are providing." On a surprise trip to Lithuania today, President Zelenskyy said there's no pressure from country's partners to stop fight against Russia, however. A day b4 World Economic Forum begins in Davos. Monday, Ukraine & Switzerland are due to co-host a summit of allied national security advisors with focus on promoting Ukraine's 10-point peace plan. Russia will not be attending the event.

"Meanwhile Russia exploiting its position in UN Security Council by procuring North Korean weapons, U.S. says, a joint statement from U.S. and seven other countries on Wednesday accused Russia of exploiting its position as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to acquire weapons from North Korea. The export weapons is from North Korea, it violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, a statement released by US Mission to the United Nations.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/10/ukraine-...raine.html

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Estonia pledges $1.3 billion in long-term support for Kyiv as Zelensky tours Baltics
https://kyivindependent.com/estonia-pled...ntil-2027/

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A warning to Swedes from two top defence officials to prepare for war has prompted concern and accusations of alarmism. Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin told a defence conference "there could be war in Sweden". His message was then backed up by military commander-in-chief Gen Micael Byden, who said all Swedes should prepare mentally for the possibility.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67935464

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Russia loses 800 soldiers, air defence system and dozens pieces of equipment. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian defenders killed nearly 800 Russian soldiers and destroyed 2 tanks, 13 armoured combat vehicles, 12 artillery systems, 2 multiple-rocket launchers and 1 air defence system belonging to the Russians. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The total combat losses of Russian troops between 24 February 2022 and 10 January 2024 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses – ed.]:
approximately 
1) 366,790 (+800) military personnel; 
2) 6,038 (+2) tanks;
3) 11,216 (+13) armoured combat vehicles;
4) 8,684 (+12) artillery systems;
5) 956 (+2) multiple-launch rocket systems;
6) 639 (+1) air defence systems;
7) 329 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft;
8) 324 (+0) helicopters;
9) 6,834 (+11) tactical UAVs;
10) 1,805 (+0) cruise missiles;
11) 23 (+0) ships and boats;
12) 1 (+0) submarines;
13) 11,575 (+23) vehicles and tankers and 
14) 1,336 (+3) special vehicles & other equipment.
Russian losses between 24 February 2022 to 10 January 2024

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UK -- Rishi Sunak pledges £2.5bn in military aid to Ukraine during Kyiv visit UK prime minister also signs multi-year security treaty with Zelenskiy.

France's new foreign minister Stephane Sejourne on Saturday renewed his country's support for Ukraine as he visited Kyiv in his first official trip abroad. Russian invasion nearing 2nd anniversary.. Visit comes at a crucial time for Ukraine with allies struggling to secure funding while worry Kyiv could be forgotten amid conflicts in Middle East. France has provided artillery and air defence means to Ukraine, Sejourne said. "We are entering a new phase of defence cooperation" aiming "strengthen Ukraine's capacity to produce weapons it needs on its own soil," he said.
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/french-foreign...44796.html

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Putin Miscalculated is not only a self-inflicted, it also to kill Ukraine

https://youtu.be/8YkGrKQXZxE

Estonia pledges $1.3 billion in long-term support for Kyiv as Zelensky tours Baltics

[Tee tiong huat]

Bhwahahahaaaaaa!!!!!

Details: The total combat losses of Russian troops between 24 February 2022 and 10 January 2024 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses – ed.]:
approximately
1) 366,790 (+800) military personnel;
2) 6,038 (+2) tanks;
3) 11,216 (+13) armoured combat vehicles;
4) 8,684 (+12) artillery systems;
5) 956 (+2) multiple-launch rocket systems;
6) 639 (+1) air defence systems;
7) 329 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft;
8) 324 (+0) helicopters;
9) 6,834 (+11) tactical UAVs;
10) 1,805 (+0) cruise missiles;
11) 23 (+0) ships and boats;
12) 1 (+0) submarines;
13) 11,575 (+23) vehicles and tankers and
14) 1,336 (+3) special vehicles & other equipment.
Russian losses between 24 February 2022 to 10 January 2024

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French foreign minister visits Kyiv, says Ukraine 'will remain priority.
France's new foreign minister Stephane Sejourne on Saturday renewed his country's support for Ukraine as he visited Kyiv in his first official trip abroad with the Russian invasion nearing a second anniversary.

The visit comes at a crucial time for Ukraine with allies struggling to secure funding while some worry that Kyiv could be forgotten amid new conflicts in the Middle East.

Russia hopes Ukraine and its supporters will get tired before it does. We will not falter," Sejourne added.

France has supported Kiev both militarily and diplomatically since the beginning of the war, but critics say it could do more.

Sejourne was speaking alongside his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba, who praised the minister's "important" visit immediately after his appointment, despite Russian strikes on the country.

"I am grateful to you for your courage, for the fact that he did not turn around on the way," Kuleba said.

He added that they had "discussed the further supply of systems and missiles to protect the Ukrainian sky, as well as the supply of drones to Ukraine."

Sejourne in Ukraine as the country fended off another assault from Russia, which launched 40 drones and missiles overnight.

"Russia continues to deliberately target and strike civilian infrastructure in defiance of international law," Sejourne said.

Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelensky have pushed for more air defence as Russia bolsters its weapon stockpiles and renews aerial assaults.

France has provided artillery and air defence means to Ukraine, Sejourne said.

"We are entering a new phase of defence cooperation" aiming to "strengthen Ukraine's capacity to produce the weapons it needs on its own soil," he said.

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Two Dozen Russian Helicopters Downed in One Day with 'Secret Weapon'—Kyiv

Two Dozen Russian Helicopters Downed in One Day with 'Secret Weapon'—Kyiv

Ukrainian forces destroyed 26 Russian helicopters in a single day using an unknown long-range weapon supplied by Kyiv's allies, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.

During a press conference with journalists in Latvia on Thursday, the Ukrainian president remained light on details when discussing the use of the mystery weapon, not disclosing which country had provided the system, how long it had been in operation or when it had been used against the helicopters.

"Partners have provided us with some long-range weapons," he said, according to a translation by Ukrainian news outlet RBC. "I won't say what, but our partners will understand.

"With it, we destroyed 26 helicopters in a day, and 12 planes that took off and attacked with missiles, against which these systems were working. We destroyed 12 at once."

According to the Ukrainian Armed Force's own tally, they have not taken out any Russian helicopters since October 19, when they say they destroyed one—so it is unclear if the 26 referenced by Zelensky were destroyed recently but were previously undisclosed, or if they were destroyed over three months ago.

Despite the information in the Ukrainian Armed Force's tally, Kyiv's forces said they took out a Russian Mi-8 transport helicopter in early December.

The Ukrainian president went on to stress that the weapons system he was referring to was part of the nation's air defense systems, rather than being used to attack Russian targets, according to a translation by news agency Interfax. Ukraine has been accused by Russia of carrying out attacks within Russian territory.

Kyiv has been able to make deft use of long-range missile systems donated by Western allies, such as the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and British Storm Shadow missiles—which Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently said were "raising the stakes" of the conflict

In mid-October, Ukraine used ATACMS missiles to destroy nine helicopters in a nighttime raid on two military airfields in eastern and southern Ukraine.

The U.K.'s Royal Air Force said that Moscow had 899 helicopters at its disposal at the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Some of its aerial loses have seemingly been at its own hands, as analysts and military bloggers paint the Russian military as disorganized and prone to tactical mistakes.

In May, Russian air defenses were thought to be responsible for shooting down three helicopters and two fighter jets near the Ukrainian border. At the time, Russian officials told state media that engine malfunctions had been to blame.
https://www.newsweek.com/26-russian-heli...ky-1860250

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Breaking News: Two Ukrainian Bradley M2A2 IFVs Destroy Russian T-90M Tank in Close-Quarter Combat. The amazing, a video released on Telegram has captured tense and intense close-quarter combat between two Ukrainian Bradley M2A2 tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) and one RussianT-90M MBT (Main Battle Tank), showcasing the effectiveness of U.S.-donated military equipment in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The footage, captured by a drone on January 11, 2024, documents a ten-minute skirmish near Stepovo, in the Donetsk region, where the 47th Ukrainian Mechanized Brigade, equipped with Bradley M2A2 tracked armored Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), engaged a Russian T-90 Main Battle Tank

A Ukrainian US-donated Bradley M2A2 IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle fires on a Russian T-90M tank in a Close-Quarter Combat. (Picture source drone video footage January 11, 2024).

In what military analysts are calling a significant display of tactical prowess, the Ukrainian brigade successfully destroyed the T-90M tank using the 25mm cannon of the Bradley M2A2 IFV. This encounter highlights the crucial role of foreign military aid in bolstering Ukrainian defenses against Russian aggression. The M2A2 Bradley IFV, a staple in the U.S. military's arsenal, has proven to be a formidable asset for Ukrainian forces, offering both mobility and firepower in the challenging terrain of the Donetsk region.

The video, which has rapidly gained attention on social media and among defense circles, provides a rare and unfiltered glimpse into the realities of modern armored warfare. Experts note that the success of the Ukrainian brigade in this encounter is not just a testament to the capabilities of the Bradley IFV but also reflects the high level of training and resilience of the Ukrainian soldiers.

The remarkable success of two Bradley IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles), armed with 25mm cannons, against a Russian T-90M tank in close-quarter combat is a subject of keen interest in military analysis. This outcome, while unexpected given the conventional capabilities of the involved armaments, can be explained through a combination of tactical acumen and situational factors.

At the heart of this success lies the tactical advantage and maneuverability of the Bradley IFVs. In close-quarter scenarios, the ability to quickly maneuver and position oneself is crucial. The Bradleys, known for their agility, may have been able to exploit the relatively less agile nature of the T-90M tank. By outmaneuvering the tank and possibly attacking from angles where the tank's armor is weaker, such as the sides or rear, they could have delivered effective fire.

The rate of fire of the Bradley's M2A2 25mm Bushmaster cannon is also a significant factor. In a close-quarters engagement, the ability to rapidly discharge a large volume of rounds can be decisive. This high rate of fire might have allowed the Bradleys to exploit brief moments of vulnerability in the T-90M’s defenses, overwhelming its ability to respond effectively.

Another aspect to consider is the specific type of ammunition used. While standard rounds from a 25mm cannon might not typically penetrate the advanced armor of a T-90M, the use of specialized armor-piercing rounds could have played a crucial role. These rounds, designed to penetrate armor, might have been effective against less protected areas of the tank. The engagement's success also speaks to the skill and experience of the Bradley crews. Effective targeting, especially in a high-stress, close-quarter combat scenario, requires precision and quick decision-making. The crews might have identified and exploited the T-90M’s operational and defensive weaknesses, targeting critical components such as vision blocks, sensors, or tracks to immobilize or impair the tank. Coordination between the two Bradleys would have been essential in this scenario. A synchronized attack, with both vehicles targeting different parts of the tank or engaging different angles, would increase the chances of successful penetration or infliction of critical damage.

Lastly, element of surprise should not be underestimated. In close-quarter combat, the side that manages to surprise its opponent often gains a significant advantage. Bradley crews might have used elements of stealth or deception to catch the T-90M off-guard, thereby maximizing the impact of their attack. In conclusion, the success of the Bradley M2A2 IFVs against the T-90M tank in close-quarter combat can be attributed to a blend of tactical maneuvering, rate of fire, ammunition type, crew proficiency, coordinated attack strategies, and possibly the element of surprise. This engagement underscores the complex nature of armored warfare, where outcomes are often determined by more than just the technical specifications of the weapons involved.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/ukraine_...ombat.html

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Ukraine war latest: Defense Minister proposes international working group to withdraw Russian troops. Russia targets regions across Ukraine in mass missile attackUmerov proposes international working group to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine. French foreign minister visits Kyiv
Swiss diplomat says China needs to help end Russia's war. Russian drone attack injures 4 firefighters in Kherson Oblast.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-...y-14-2024/

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According to Estonian Defence Intelligence, the increased number of Russia's missile attacks on Ukrainian targets suggests that Moscow views the arrival of F-16 fighters there as a threat.

Source: Colonel Ants Kiviselg, the commander of the Estonian Defence Forces' intelligence centre, at a briefing on 12 January, reports European Pravda with reference to ERR

Details: Kiviselg noted that Russia has been actively using long-range bombers and Kalibr missiles in recent weeks to strike Ukrainian military, defence industry and infrastructure facilities.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/12/7437020/

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Putin Miscalculated is not only a self-inflicted, it also to kill Ukraine

https://youtu.be/8YkGrKQXZxE

Putin Miscalculated is not only a self-inflicted, it also to kill and also killing his own....

https://youtu.be/fYNQo24JK0E?si=xvuOHkwYEL5Np69I

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Ukraine war updates: Ukraine says it has destroyed a Russian spy plane and airborne command post; Kyiv says it needs China for any peace process.

Ukraine said on Monday it had destroyed a Russian Beriev A-50 spy plane and an Ilyushin Il-22 airborne command post in the Sea of Azov area, dealing a blow to Russian military operations in occupied southern Ukraine. Some Russian military bloggers said the downing of the aircraft would be a huge loss for Russia's air force, since there was a limited number of the planes in service.

Over the weekend, Ukraine presented its plan for peace in Switzerland, on eve of World Economic Forum —but with Russia absent from the event, little tangible progress was made toward peace.
Presenting Ukraine's 10-point "peace formula" in Davos to delegates from 83 countries, Ukraine's presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said Sunday that China needs to be involved in future talks to end the war with Russia.

But Russia and its ally China — seen to be one of the few countries that can influence Moscow — were not involved in the even co-hosted by Switzerland and Ukraine.

Russia previously rebuffed Ukraine's peace plan, which calls for all Russian troops to leave Ukrainian territory, and described previous peace formula talks, to which it was not invited, as "absurd." On Monday, the Kremlin poured cold water on the latest talks, saying peace proposals mean nothing without Moscow's involvement.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/15/ukraine-...raine.html

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Putin Miscalculated is not only a self-inflicted, it also to kill and also killing his own....

https://youtu.be/fYNQo24JK0E?si=xvuOHkwYEL5Np69I

Ukrainian Crews Set A Complex Missile Trap For Russia’s Best Radar Plane....On a Sunday night, Ukrainian air-defenses shot down one of the Russian air force’s very rare, and very valuable, A-50 radar early-warning planes, likely killing all 15 people aboard—potentially including high-ranking officers. A Russian Ilyushin Il-22 command plane was damaged in the same attack.

“Who did this?” Ukrainian air force quipped. The answer, it seems, is the air arm’s 90-mile-range Patriot PAC-2 air-defense missiles. Less likely: shorter-range Patriot PAC-3s or S-300s. Exactly how Ukrainians shot down the 4-engine A-50 with its top-mounted radar is unclear, but analyst Tom Cooper—who has written many books about Soviet and Russian warplanes—has a theory.

Ukrainian radar and missile crews lured the Russian crews into a trap. If Cooper’s theory is correct, Ukrainians set trap on Saturday, when Ukrainian air force jets—presumably Sukhoi Su-24 bombers—struck Russian air force installations across Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. “A number of radars were knocked out,” Cooper says.
The Saturday strikes is latest in a long campaign of raids on Russian defenses on Crimea, suppressed Russians’ ground-based radar coverage, leaving surviving missile batteries on peninsula partially blind—especially north, where terrain could mask incoming Ukrainian planes, drones & missiles. So Russian commanders did the obvious, (but a very stupid, thing). So ordered one of their few remaining A-50U radar planes, which normally fly far to the south over the Sea of Azov, to push farther north in order to extend radar coverage over most of Crimea. An A-50’s rotating radar can see airplane-size targets nearly 200 miles away.

A four-prop Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post with around 10 crew aboard accompanied the A-50. The Il-22 is a radio-relay platform; its crew assists the A-50’s crew by handling communications and data-transfer for which the A-50 lacks the power and processing.

Satellite imagery and radar data seem to place the A-50’s northernmost flight path over occupied Berdyansk, just 75 miles from the front line. That’s within range of the single Patriot surface-to-air missile battery, out of three in the arsenal, that the Ukrainian air force has deployed along the southern front.

The trick was for the Ukrainians to target the A-50 and its accompanying Il-22 without giving the Russian crews too much advance notice of the attack—and without sacrificing their precious Patriot system.

“All Ukrainians had to do was to secretly deploy a suitable SAM system to target the two aircraft from long range,” Cooper wrote. “Perhaps this was one of [air force’s] S-300 SAM systems. Perhaps one of [the air force’s] PAC-2/3 SAM systems.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/20...dar-plane/

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This is for Putin to miscalculatvled! is not only a self-inflicted, it also to kill and also thus this time killing his own....

“It is also possible that Ukrainians have deployed a launcher and a radar, plus power-supply equipment, from one of their three PAC-2/3 SAM systems ... in combination with one of their S-300 radars.”

There’s some evidence of an S-300-Patriot team-up. A Russian air force Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber reportedly detected a previously unknown Ukrainian S-300 battery switching on its radar in the minutes before the A-50 and Il-22 were hit.
If the S-300 battery did the initial illumination, it must have passes along target tracks to a nearby hidden Patriot battery. “The latter powered up its radar for only a few seconds: long enough to obtain its own targeting data, but too short for the Russians to dependably detect its emissions and assess them as a threat,” Cooper surmised.
“And then the Ukrainians started firing their missiles.”

A minute later, the missiles exploded—destroying the A-50 and damaging the Il-22. “With their fire-action over,” Cooper wrote, “the Ukrainian S-300 and PAC-2/3 crews promptly ceased emitting, and started packing [up] their systems to move them away and thus avoid any possible Russian retaliation.”

Down one A-50, the Russian air force may have just two of the jets left; the other six A-50s reportedly are in need of upgrade and overhaul. Unless the air force is willing to risk the last two flyable A-50s, it must make peace with its new inability to provide radar coverage over all of Crimea.

It must, in other words, accept the risk of continuing—indeed, escalating—Ukrainian missile raids on Russian forces on the peninsula.
If there’s any comfort for the Russians, it might be that the Ukrainian air force does not have a limitless supply of PAC-2 missiles. Unless and until pro-Russia Republicans in the U.S. Congress approve the $61 billion in fresh aid to Ukraine that U.S. president Joe Biden has proposed, the Ukrainians may need to begin rationing their missiles—and taking fewer chances on ambitious missile traps...(continuing Part ii)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/20...dar-plane/

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It's time for 'diplomatic action' over Ukraine, ally says, as pressure mounts on Kyiv for peace talks.
Diplomatic pressure could be mounting on Kyiv to pursue a diplomatic way out of the war with Russia as the conflict approaches it 2nd anniversary.

Rome's support of Ukraine remained steadfast, the time had come for "incisive diplomatic action alongside the aid we are providing." On a surprise trip to Lithuania today, President Zelenskyy said there's no pressure from country's partners to stop fight against Russia, however. A day b4 World Economic Forum begins in Davos. Monday, Ukraine & Switzerland are due to co-host a summit of allied national security advisors with focus on promoting Ukraine's 10-point peace plan. Russia will not be attending the event.

"Meanwhile Russia exploiting its position in UN Security Council by procuring North Korean weapons, U.S. says, a joint statement from U.S. and seven other countries on Wednesday accused Russia of exploiting its position as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to acquire weapons from North Korea. The export weapons is from North Korea, it violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, a statement released by US Mission to the United Nations.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/10/ukraine-...raine.html

Russian military's primary objective in Eastern Ukraine is two fold: first, to capture the remaining territories of Luhansk Oblast while extending their control westward into the eastern parts of Kharkiv Oblast and the northern regions of Donetsk Oblast; second, to secure complete control over Donetsk Oblast. These efforts are reflective of Russia's broader strategy to consolidate its influence over the contested Donbas region. Waiting for another year 2025....?.with 500,000 specialty casualty...Putin should know.
https://warriormaven.com/russia-ukraine/...rn-ukraine

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These efforts are reflective of Russia's broader strategy to consolidate its influence over the contested region. Waiting for another 2025 yr?.with 500,000 specialty casualty...Putin should know.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-...les-2024-1

[Tee tiong huat]

These efforts are reflective of Russia's broader strategy to consolidate its influence over the contested region. Waiting for another 2025 yr?.with 500,000 specialty casualty...Putin should know.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-...les-2024-1

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/01/17/7437652/

[Tee tiong huat]

Euro press - Ukrainian made drone flew 1250 km to hit target near to St Petersburg...
https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/01/18/u...-confirms/

[Tee tiong huat]

“If I were asked by Democrats what to do, my advice would to accommodate Republican views on border issue & create a package with four elements: support for Ukraine. former secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is urging Democrats to cut a border enforcement deal with Republicans."

[Tee tiong huat]

Russia's / Putin asset Frozen Fund for Ukraine's to defenses and for recontruction...Putin Must Pay (blood money).
https://youtu.be/A1nfIwMPq6A?si=BM3nCrFeAjsLPrd4