Key developments on Jan. 28:
- Putin claims Zelensky doesn't have a right to sign any potential peace deal
- 'Pure propaganda' — Kharkiv Oblast governor denies Russian claims of capturing Dvorichna
- Italian parliament extends military support for Ukraine through 2025
- SBU says it dismantled Russian spy network targeting F-16 jets
- Government dismisses Deputy Defense Minister Klimenkov amid procurement tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "illegitimate" and said that he has no right to sign any documents in potential peace negotiations, according to an interview with the state TV channel Rossiya 1 broadcast on Jan. 28.
"Negotiations can be held with anyone," Putin said. "But due to (Zelensky's) illegitimacy he has no right to sign anything. If (Zelensky) wants to take part in talks, I will delegate people who will conduct such talks. But the (key) issue is the ultimate signing of the documents."
Russia has widely used the claim that Zelensky is illegitimate in its propaganda in an effort to discredit the Ukrainian government. Major Ukrainian constitutional lawyers and legal experts believe the claim is false and unfounded.
Putin also mentioned Zelensky's Sept. 30, 2022 decree to ban negotiations with the Russian president. The move came in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, which are partially occupied.
Putin claimed that, due to his alleged illegitimacy, Zelensky cannot lift his ban on negotiations with Russia. The decree should be revoked before such negotiations begin, and the "legitimacy" of Ukrainian negotiators should be "verified by lawyers," Putin added.
"If we start negotiations now, they will be illegitimate. There is a problem here: when the current head of the regime signed this decree (on banning negotiations), he was a legitimate president, and now he cannot revoke it," Putin said.
He claimed that the decree can only be revoked by the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, who must have become the country's acting president after the alleged expiry of Zelensky's term.
"If there is a will, any issue of a legal nature can be resolved. But so far, we haven't seen such willingness," Putin said.
Under the martial law act passed by Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, presidential, parliamentary and local elections are banned.
If martial law had not been imposed, the next presidential election would have been held on March 31, 2024, and Zelensky's term would have ended on May 20, 2024.
Some of Zelensky's critics claim that the Constitution does not authorize extending his presidential term under martial law. They argue that he ceased to be a legitimate president on May 20. But leading constitutional lawyers dispute this claim, saying the Constitution allows such an extension.
Earlier, Putin said that Russia is prepared to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the war in Ukraine.
Oleg Sukhov
'Pure propaganda' — Kharkiv Oblast governor denies Russian claims of capturing Dvorichna
Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov on Jan. 28 refuted the Russian Defense Ministry's claims that Russian forces had captured the village of Dvorichna in the Kupiansk district, emphasizing that fighting in the area is ongoing, Ukrinform reported.
"This is not the first statement of this kind from the Russian side; it is pure propaganda and does not reflect reality," Syniehubov said.
Located 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Kharkiv and 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Kupiansk, Dvorichna sits on the western bank of the Oskil River, a key geographic feature in the region.
Russia has been attempting to secure a foothold on this bank for months, aiming to outflank Ukrainian defenses and threaten a rear attack in Kupiansk.
Andrii Besedin, head of the Kupiansk town military administration, noted earlier in January that Russian troops were trying to establish a bridgehead in Dvorichna to facilitate further advances.
Russian forces have ramped up operations near Kupiansk since September, reaching the industrial outskirts of the town in the northeast. Ukrainian troops successfully repelled multiple Russian assaults throughout December.
Italian parliament extends military support for Ukraine through 2025
The Italian parliament's lower house on Jan. 28 approved the prolongation of military support for Ukraine until Dec. 31, 2025, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Earlier, the Italian Senate approved the measure with 192 votes in favor and 41 against.
The parliamentary opposition was divided on the decision to extend military aid to Ukraine. Three parties supported the decision, while two parties opposed it.
Italy's 10 military aid packages to Ukraine have included advanced weapons systems like the French-Italian SAMP/T air defense units.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Jan. 16 that Ukraine would receive another military aid package from Italy. Prior to that, Umerov met his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto, in Kyiv.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who took office in late 2022, has consistently supported Kyiv and pledged unwavering assistance until the war ends.
Chris York
SBU says it dismantled Russian spy network targeting F-16 jets
Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) reported on Jan. 28 that it had dismantled a Russian spy network tasked with gathering intelligence on Ukrainian aircraft for strikes on aviation infrastructure.
The operation, conducted near a military airfield, led to the arrest of two agents who were caught photographing a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet during takeoff, the SBU said.
The SBU identified the suspects as two residents of Kremenchuk in Poltava Oblast, aged 22 and 21, recruited by a female officer of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) whose identity has been established.
The agents were allegedly tasked with collecting detailed information on military airfields housing F-16 jets and helicopters, including their geolocation and photographic evidence. This intelligence was reportedly intended to help Russia adjust its missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian aviation facilities.
To fulfill their mission, the agents planned to travel across five regions of Ukraine, using public transportation and renting short-term accommodations near airfields for espionage purposes.
The SBU said it had intercepted and documented their reconnaissance efforts at an early stage, preventing any successful data transfer. Both suspects were detained while photographing an F-16 jet and have been taken into custody. They now face life imprisonment on treason charges.
Ukraine received its first F-16 jets in August 2024, a year after the NATO-led fighter jet coalition pledged to train Ukrainian pilots and supply aircraft.
Despite challenges, including a deadly crash during a massive Russian attack on Aug. 26, Ukrainian pilots have effectively used the jets to counter Russian aerial threats.
Asami Terajima
Government dismisses deputy defense minister amid procurement tensions
Ukraine's government has confirmed the dismissal of Dmytro Klimenkov from his position as deputy defense minister, said Taras Melnychuk, the government's parliamentary representative, on Jan. 28.
The decision follows ongoing tensions within the Defense Ministry over its weapons procurement process, which has been heavily scrutinized amid reform efforts.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced Klimenkov's dismissal last week, claiming his deputy had "failed" the task of defense procurement. Concurrently, Umerov said he would not renew Maryna Bezrukova's contract as head of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA).
Klimenkov joined the Defense Ministry from the State Property Fund, where he worked under Umerov's leadership. Appointed deputy defense minister on Oct. 5, 2023, he was responsible for overseeing procurement for the Armed Forces.
Bezrukova, appointed in January 2024 to lead procurement reforms following corruption scandals, had her contract extended by the DPA's supervisory board earlier this month. Under Ukrainian law, supervisory boards can hire and fire state enterprise leaders, making Umerov's refusal to renew her contract legally contentious.
Anti-corruption activists and lawmakers criticized the move, labeling it "unlawful" and warning that such actions could undermine efforts to reform Ukraine's defense procurement system.
Bezrukova's tenure highlighted internal disputes over procurement practices. At the start of her role, Bezrukova reported pressure from Klimenkov to sign a contract for 500,000 artillery shells from a manufacturer owned by the Strategic Industries Ministry.
Dominic Culverwell
