Ukraine war latest: Iranian missiles fail to take off on Ukrainian front
This is Kollen Post reporting from Kyiv on day 1,433 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today's top story: Russia has yet to use Iranian missiles in its war on Ukraine
Iran gave hundreds of its missiles to Russia as a gift to help in its war on Ukraine. So far, they've been plagued by failure to launch.
Ukrainian intelligence told the Kyiv Independent on Jan. 26 that of the over 350 Fath-360 missiles that Iran has given Russia, none has come down on Ukraine.
Those dormant Fath missiles contrast with Russia's use of North Korea ballistic missiles, widely seen as shoddy but reportedly improved thanks to Russian assistance. Russia's seeming disinterest in Iran-supplied Faths could be seen a passive indictment of a missile program that Iran has invested in heavily.
Iranian-designed Shaheds have proved themselves a mainstay of the war in Ukraine, but these days Russia is producing the vast majority of its own supply rather than buying them from Iran, which is currently engaged in a brutal crackdown on protests against the current regime.
Europe approves new plan to 'phase out' Russian natural gas
The Council of Europe has a new plan to cut off its continuing dependence on Russian natural gas – next year.
The EU just gave final approval to the new plan, with barring liquified natural gas by the beginning of 2027 and pipeline natural gas by autumn of the same year.
The European bloc remains the largest buyer of both pipeline and liquified natural gas from Russia, despite widespread calls to pull away from economic contact with Moscow.
'First time since the second world war' – Russia's air attack damages Kyiv's holiest site
Russia's Jan. 24 air attack damaged the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a holy site in Eastern Orthodoxy and a UNESCO heritage location, an official said on Jan. 26.
"For the first time since the days of the second world war, as a result of military activity the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra was struck," general director of the historical preserve Maksym Ostapenko, told Interfax-Ukraine. "Each time, Moscow has been behind it, as happened in 1918; as happened when, by an order from Moscow, the Uspensk (Dormition) Cathedral was blown up in 1941, and, by an order from Moscow, Shaheds and missiles now fly throughout Kyiv, including those that now inflict damage on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra."
The blasts on Jan. 24 blew out windows and damaged plaster on two of the buildings of the Lavra, which includes extensive underground cave complexes and looks out along the Dnipro River.
Ostapenko was re-appointed as the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra's general director earlier this month after a contentious firing last year. The Lavra itself has long been a zone of tensions due to alleged Russian influence through the orthodox church.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief warns of Russian attacks on Pokrovsk
General Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, issued a stark warning about Russia's renewed assaults on Pokrovsk, the long-embattled city in western Donbas.
"The aggressor is not giving up attempts to break through; he is strengthening pressure and pulling up reserves," Syrsky wrote on Facebook on Jan. 26, reporting 400 clashes in the Pokrovsk and Ocheretyne areas.
One of Ukraine's fortress cities in the west of Donetsk Oblast, Pokrovsk has been a hot spot for Russian attacks for over a year and a half. Russian forces have taken most of the city but fighting continues in the northern areas.
At least 3 killed, 24 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
Russian attacks killed at least three Ukrainians and injure 24 others over the past day, local authorities said on Jan. 26.
Russia launched 138 drones of various types at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's Air Force reported, including roughly 90 Shahed-type drones. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 110, but 21 drones struck 11 locations across the country, and drone debris was recorded at one additional site.
In Donetsk Oblast, two died and 13 were injured in Russian attacks on Druzhkivka and Oleksiivo-Druzhkivka, the local military administration reported, recording a total of 18 attacks on civilian areas.
Authorities evacuated 53 civilians from ares near the frontline, including 22 children.
In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported one civilian dead in Russian attacks, which hit 29 municipalities including the city of Kherson itself.
Two other civilians went to the hospital with injuries including concussions resulting from a Jan. 24 drone strike on their balcony, the oblast government said.
In Sumy Oblast, which is facing renewed pressure from Russian attacks, authorities reported seven injuries among civilians, including a 59-year-old woman and her 8 and 11-year-old grandchildren.
The oblast fell under air alerts for all but 4.5 hours of the preceding day.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the local government reported continued attacks, particularly with FPV drones striking the Nikopol area. Russian attacks injured a 58-year-old man, but seemingly resulted in no deaths.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian attacks including several dozen drones damaged eight homes and apartment buildings throughout the oblast and injured an 80-year-old woman in the city of Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported 775 Russian strikes, which injured two civilians.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,235,060 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,235,060 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 26.
The number includes 1,020 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,608 tanks, 23,951 armored fighting vehicles, 75,906 vehicles and fuel tanks, 36,644 artillery systems, 1,626 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,286 air defense systems, 434 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 115,813 drones, 28 ships and boats, as well as two submarines.
