Zelensky's 'victory plan' and Biden's long-range strike dilemma | Ukraine This Week

9:24 PM

Prisoners of war

Everything we know about the North Korean POWs captured by Ukraine

9:18 PM

UK to finance production of air defense, long-range weapons in Ukraine, Umerov says.

"The U.K. has already invested in the production of our weapons, and this collaboration continues — specifically, funding will be directed toward the production of air defense systems and long-range weapons," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.

8:30 PM

Volyn exhumations in Ukraine's Ternopil Oblast to begin in April, media reports.

Exhumation of the remains of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy buried in Ternopil Oblast, where the village of Puzhnyky was located in the 1940s, will begin in April, Polish RMF FM reported on Jan. 13.

7:05 PM  (Updated:  January 13, 2025 7:19 pm)

Fico invited Zelensky to Slovakia to discuss gas transit via Ukraine; Zelensky responds.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would like to hold a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Slovakia near the border with Ukraine "as soon as possible." "Okay. Come to Kyiv on Friday," Zelensky responded.

6:37 PM

Vital Pokrovsk coking coal mine halts operation, Reuters reports.

The Pokrovsk coal mine, one of the largest in Eastern Europe, is located 10 km (6 miles) west of Pokrovsk. The mine produces coal for coke production needed in steelmaking, which is Ukraine's second-largest export after agriculture.

6:13 PM

Video

What we know about North Korean POWs captured by Ukraine

Ukrainian forces captured two North Korean soldiers as prisoners of war (POWs) in Russia's Kursk Oblast on Jan. 9. The Kyiv Independent's Anna Belokur breaks down everything we learned from the POWs' interrogation video released by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

5:08 PM

Germany announces first deliveries of promised RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers.

Germany delivered the first batch of the promised 54 RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers, the country's Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius said during a news conference on Jan. 13. Six out of the 54 howitzers will remain in Germany to train Ukrainian personnel.

4:13 PM

Russia's energy giant Gazprom plans major layoffs as Europe market shrinks, media reports.

Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee Elena Ilyukhina reportedly sent a letter to Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller, outlining the need for cost optimization due to "challenges facing the Gazprom Group."

3:46 PM

Russia's federal budget won't fund anti-drone systems at civilian airports, media reports.

The government was originally expected to spend over 11 billion rubles ($106 million) by 2028 to equip 31 airports, including those in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, and other major cities, with drone defense systems.

3:15 PM

EU announces additional $143 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

The European Union is allocating an additional 140 million euros ($143 million) in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, the European Commission said in a statement on Jan. 13.

2:51 PM

Ukraine opens doors to foreign firms for military equipment modernization.

Ukraine's government has approved a measure allowing foreign companies to participate in modernizing military equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 13.

2:20 PM

Russia, Iran to sign strategic partnership agreement on Jan. 17.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, will sign a strategic partnership agreement during the latter's official visit to Russia on Jan. 17.

2:02 PM

EU's Nordic, Baltic members reportedly urge lowering of Russian oil price cap.

The countries argue that a lower cap would further restrict Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine while avoiding significant disruptions to global oil markets.

1:47 PM

For the first time, Russia labels independent media outlet as 'terrorist group.'

Russia's FSB has designated the independent media outlet Komi Daily as a "terrorist organization."

1:28 PM

Russia claims to occupy 2 more villages in Ukraine's east; Kyiv hasn't confirmed.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed on Jan. 12 that its forces had captured the village of Yantarne in Donetsk Oblast and Kalynove in Kharkiv Oblast.

5:18 PM  (Updated:  January 13, 2025 1:14 pm)

War analysis

As US pushes Ukraine to lower conscription age, why won’t Kyiv draft younger men?

12:56 PM

Opinion

The question isn't if China will turn on Russia, but when

12:36 PM

Opinion

Slavoj Žižek: The magic tricks behind Russia’s propaganda machine

12:19 PM

Ukraine's special forces claim to repel North Korean assault in Russia's Kursk Oblast, killing 17 soldiers.

A Ukrainian mopping-up group encountered one surviving North Korean fighter who had set an unsuccessful trap. The soldier attempted to mislead the Ukrainian soldiers and then detonated a grenade to avoid capture, fatally injuring himself, according to the Special Operations Forces.

11:20 AM

Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers carrying 2 million barrels of crude idling off China’s coast, Bloomberg reports.

Three sanctioned tankers carrying over 2 million barrels of Russian crude oil are floating off China's coast after they were hit by fresh U.S. sanctions last week, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 13.

11:00 AM

Biden team preparing strong Ukraine policy foundation for Trump handover, Blinken says.

According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, there is no sense in "speculating on the point" that the war may not end in Ukraine's favor under the new administration.

10:50 AM

Lithuania to deliver 4,500 drones to Ukraine this week.

Sakaliene's statement came shortly after the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT reported that thousands of drones, which were to be delivered to Ukraine several months ago, are still in Lithuanian warehouses as their delivery is delayed by bureaucratic obstacles.

9:56 AM

Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 1, injure 17 over past day.

Russian forces launched 110 drones at Ukraine overnight from the directions of Millerovo, Bryansk, Orel, and Primosk-Akhtarsk in Russia, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

9:15 AM

Poland denies banning Slovak delegation's flight to Moscow through Polish airspace.

"We didn't refuse the flight; the Slovak side simply sent us incomplete documents... when they were asked to complete them, they informed us about the change of route," the Polish Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said.

8:55 AM

'Lack of understanding of modern warfare' — Seoul reports 3,000 North Korean casualties in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

The NIS attributed the high casualties to the soldiers' "lack of understanding of modern warfare," including their "useless" attempts to shoot down long-range drones.