The Institute for the Study of War said Russian proxies' calls to immediately annex Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts "is panicking proxy forces and some Kremlin decision-makers." As Russia does not control the entirety of either oblast, annexing proxy territories would mean Ukrainian-controlled areas would be "by Kremlin definition partially ”occupied” by legitimate Ukrainian authorities and advancing Ukrainian forces," the ISW said. This would "place the Kremlin in the strange position of demanding that Ukrainian forces un-occupy “Russian” territory, and the humiliating position of being unable to enforce that demand," according to the ISW.
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Wednesday, January 7
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) on Jan. 7 launched an online portal for applicants to submit projects to a U.S.-Ukraine reconstruction fund, saying the first investments could be made in the months ahead.
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Russia appealed to the U.S. to halt the pursuit and reportedly dispatched a submarine and other vessels to escort the tanker before it was boarded by U.S. forces.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Cyprus to meet his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, and top EU officials, presidential spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said on Jan. 7.
Rustem Umerov said the talks centered on the peace framework and "further contacts at the leaders' level involving Ukraine, European partners, and the United States."
Authorities in Russia's Kamchatka Krai announced on Jan. 7 that they had restricted mobile internet access, citing the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks — despite the region being located over 9,000 kilometers from Ukraine's border.
The Kyiv Independent’s Jared Goyette speaks with foreign policy analyst Ivan Fechko about Venezuela’s political crisis following the U.S. attack and kidnapping of dictator Nicolás Maduro — and why it marks a major strategic setback for Russia in Latin America and globally.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Jan. 5 derided Russia-supplied air defenses that failed to stop the American raid and subsequent arrest of Venezuela's longtime dictator Nicolas Maduro.
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A fire broke out at the Stary Oskol oil depot in Russia's Belgorod Oblast after it was hit by Ukrainian drones, Governor Vyacheslov Gladkov said. "As a result of the detonation, several tanks caught fire on the site," he claimed.
The French president nevertheless stressed that "in the short term, we must continue to support Ukraine in its defense efforts."
The interceptor features advanced hit-to-kill technology, enabling it to destroy high-speed missiles, such as Russia's Kinzhal and Zircon, with precision.
