News Feed

ISW: Russia's attempts to claim they responded to the Dec. 31 Ukrainian strike on Makiivka generating further discontent at home

1 min read

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Jan. 8 that Russian forces conducted a “retaliation operation” against Ukrainian forces for the Dec. 31 strike on Makiivka that killed up to 400 mobilized soldiers due to Russian command failures and poor personnel dispersal practices.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian Ministry of Defense falsely claimed the retaliatory strike targeted several temporary Ukrainian deployment points in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, and killed over 600 Ukrainian personnel. This claim is false — a Finnish reporter visited the strike site in Kramatorsk on Jan. 8 and noted that it hit an empty school.

Several Russian military bloggers responded negatively to the ministry's claim, criticizing Russian military leadership for fabricating a story to “retaliate” for the Makiivka strike instead of holding Russian leadership accountable. They also pointed out that the ministry frequently presents fraudulent claims.

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed

During a meeting with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal on July 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the need to take additional "more decisive" steps to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure and emphasized the importance of robust winter preparedness plans for communities and regions.

 (Updated:  )

Yulia Svyrydenko, who replaced former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in July 2025, will now take on a new role leading cooperation with Ukraine’s key partners, Zelensky announced on social media.

Video

Once promoted by the Kremlin as a symbol of Russia’s resurgence and a premier tourist destination, the peninsula now faces mounting pressure from Ukrainian drone strikes targeting military infrastructure, logistics, and supply routes.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 11 that he is preparing changes to Ukraine’s “diplomatic efforts” to accelerate weapons deliveries from allies, as Ukraine's stockpile of Patriot air defense missiles has run dry.

Show More