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.