No Peace in Ukraine since New Year’s Day; Russia’s War Continues
With the world’s attention focused on events related to the
conflict in Venezuela, the Russian war in Ukraine has merely fallen off Page 1.
However, if you dig deep enough you’ll find reports of Russia’s ongoing killing
of unarmed Ukrainian civilians and bombings of civilian residences and
non-military targets such as the country’s energy infrastructure despite
so-called ongoing peace talks. Russian drones and missiles have been raining
death, destruction and fear across Ukraine since New Year’s Day.
Two people were injured as Russia launched an overnight
missile and drone attack across Ukraine on January 8-9, targeting major cities
including Kyiv and Lviv.
Many neighborhoods in the capital have been impacted in the
attack, including the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts. Residential
buildings in the Pechersk and Desniansky districts were damaged by drones and
falling debris, news media and authorities reported.
Explosions were initially reported in Kyiv around 11:45 p.m.
local time as air defense systems engaged aerial targets, according to local
authorities. Earlier, the Ukrainian air force warned of a ballistic
missile threat and reported drones heading toward the capital.
In Lviv, Ukraine's westernmost major city, Mayor Andriy
Sadovyi reported explosions as critical infrastructure was targeted.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces launched
a missile—yet to be identified—from the Kapustin Yar missile range in
Russia's Astrakhan Oblast.
Earlier in the day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that
Russia was planning a mass attack across Ukraine. “There is information that
another massive Russian attack may happen tonight. It is very important to pay
attention to air alerts today and tomorrow and to always go to shelters. The
Russians haven’t changed one bit. They are trying to exploit the weather,”
Zelenskyy said.
Despite ongoing peace talks, Russia has continued its
bombardment of Ukraine, frequently targeting energy infrastructure in an effort
to plunge entire regions into darkness as Ukrainians endure freezing winter
temperatures. Russia continues to strike Ukrainian cities and critical
infrastructure across the country on a daily basis
Russia bombardment of Ukraine frequently targets energy
infrastructure plunging entire regions into darkness as Ukrainians endure winter’s
freezing temperatures. Consequently, Russian attacks have led 1 million people
in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to tolerate the frigid temperatures without water and
heating as of the morning of January 8.
Russian forces dropped a guided aerial bomb on the village
of Mykilske in the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on the evening of January
6, injuring four people, including two children.
Two elderly men were killed in Kherson Oblast. One was killed
by an explosive device he found, while the other was killed by a Russian drone.
In the city of Kherson, close to the border with Russia,
Ukrainians are constantly under threat of drone attacks. To protect them, giant
nets have been tied to trees and spread out over streets. Although it doesn’t
always work, it makes life seem a bit safer.
A Russian strike on US-owned plant in Dnipro spilled 300 tons
of oil onto roads. According to Mayor Borys Filatov “The Russians have
bombed American-owned property because the plant belongs to Bunge, a company
from St Louis, Missouri.”
President Donald Trump’s Administration and Ukraine’s allies
converged toward an agreement to offer security guarantees long sought by Kyiv
during a Tuesday, January 7, meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff, who represented the US at the Paris gathering,
said officials made significant progress on a plan to end Russia’s war in
Ukraine and “largely finished the security protocols.” He vowed that the
US-backed protocols would “deter” and “defend” Ukraine from future
attacks.
“They are as strong as anyone has ever seen,” Witkoff told
reporters following the meeting, which included European, Canadian and other
leaders. “The president does not back down from his commitments.”
Meanwhile, France and the UK separately pledged to send
troops to Ukraine as part of a so-called reassurance force in the event of a
peace deal.
European officials hailed the day’s developments as an
important breakthrough that meant they were now aligned with the US on robust
security guarantees after months of negotiations. The ball is now in Russia’s
court to say whether it is ready to negotiate.
“The statement from the coalition of the willing for the
first time reflects an operational convergence between the 35 countries of the
coalition of the willing, Ukraine and the US to build robust security
guarantees,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters after the meeting.
In Washington, DC, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a prominent
defense hawk, said President Trump “greenlit” a long-delayed bipartisan Senate
bill to impose tough sanctions on Russia amid rising tensions Wednesday in the
North Atlantic, where Russia deployed a submarine to protect a fleeing oil
tanker.
Senate Republicans have talked for months about voting on a
strong Russia sanctions bill sponsored by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal
(D-CT) that would impose major sanctions on countries that buy Russian uranium
and petroleum products.
“After a very productive meeting today with President Trump
on a variety of issues, he greenlit the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that I
have been working on for months with Sen. Blumenthal and many others,” Graham
said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
“This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions
for peace and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is all talk, continuing to kill
the innocent,” Graham said. “This bill will allow President Trump to punish
those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin’s war machine.”
The positive upshot of this whirlwind first week of the New
Year is that the balance of understanding is tipping toward Ukraine.
