Breaking News & Live Updates on 01-29-2024

The rumor mill went into overdrive Monday evening after claims made by several politicians and journalists that the commander-in-chief was fired. The President's Office has also denied the reports.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has denied reports that Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, has been fired.

The social media rumor mill went into overdrive on Monday evening after several prominent politicians and journalists suggested Zaluzhny was about to be dismissed.

French billionaire Xavier Niel announced the purchase of Lifecell, a Ukrainian mobile operator, but the deal is still subjected to approvals by the Ukrainian government.

French billionaire and telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel said he plans to acquire Lifecell, Ukraine’s third largest mobile operator, for $500 million through his investment firm NJJ Capital, calling it “cheap” compared to the potential profits.

The deal is subject to authorization from Ukrainian competition authorities, and it could take up to six months to be completed, Niel told members of France's Association of Economic and Financial Journalists.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine said that while the village is situated in a disadvantageous and lowland location, intense battles were currently ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian land forces, Volodymyr Fitio, has denied Russian claims that the village of Tabaivka in the Kharkiv region had been captured.

Earlier, on social networks and propaganda channels, the Russian armed forces circulated information about the claimed capture of the village, located three kilometers from the border with the Luhansk region and 40 kilometers (65 miles) from the Ukrainian-Russian border.

Currently hobbyist drones rigged to carry explosives are the critical weapons holding the line against Russia on the Ukrainian battlefield, not big-ticket western military tech.

It was a pretty substantial Russian armored attack, but that was before hobby drones toting grenades or shaped charge warheads, backed by artillery shells, cut the Kremlin tank and infantry assault to pieces – not for the first time.

Images of the battle, published by a Ukrainian drone operator unit called the Perun Group, showed more than a dozen Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and tracked personnel carriers abandoned along a road and adjacent fields to the south the village Novomykhailivka near Avdiivka, in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have launched assault after assault for months.

According to the partisans, the Russians are attempting to use BM-21 Grad to neutralize naval drones employed by Ukraine to target the ships of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Partisans in Crimea have surveilled and photographed missile systems used by Russia to protect its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.

In a post on Telegram, the ATESH partisan movement said Russian forces were deploying the BM-21 Grad and the TOR air defense missile system to counter air and sea strikes by the Defense Forces of Ukraine

The world in focus as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

Three US Army soldiers were killed and more than 30 service members were injured in a drone attack overnight on a small US outpost in Jordan, US officials told CNN, marking the first time US troops have been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war. “We shall respond,” President Joe Biden said while speaking in South Carolina on Sunday. The killing of three Americans at Tower 22 in Jordan near the border with Syria is a significant escalation of an already-precarious situation in the Middle East. Officials said the drone was fired by Iran-backed militants and appeared to come from Syria. It is still being determined which militia group specifically is responsible. US Central Command confirmed in a statement on Sunday that three service members were killed and 25 injured in a one-way drone attack that “impacted at a base in northeast Jordan.” Two US officials told CNN the drone hit in the vicinity of living quarters on base, and that three the injured service members were medically evacuated from the area. The number of wounded is expected to rise - CNN

UN chief António Guterres has urged countries that halted funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, to continue its operations. "The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met," Mr Guterres said. Nine countries, including the UK, have taken action since Israel told UNRWA some staff were involved in the 7 October deadly Hamas attacks on Israel. The agency says it is investigating and has already sacked some employees. The countries that have now suspended funding UNRWA are Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the US - BBC

In a suicide note, Gorobets Anton Igorevich reportedly said he “couldn’t live with it,” adding: “What is happening now is a horror and a nightmare.”

An engineer employed at a Russian defense plant has reportedly taken his own life after a missile which he was involved in creating struck an apartment building in Kharkiv and killed his grandmother.

Gorobets Anton Igorevich was reportedly employed by the Almaz-Antey defense plant which is engaged in the development and production of anti-aircraft missiles, radar equipment, and components for air defense and missile defense systems.

A Ukrainian military officer interviewed by Kyiv Post said that the Russians call strike drones “Baba Yaga” after a mythical witch widely present in Russian folklore.

Ukraine’s special forces have released an epic video showing the planting of a flag by drone on the remains of Russian positions taken out in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

In a post on Telegram, Special Operations Forces (SSO) published footage of what it said was the destruction of “two enemy strongholds along with heavy equipment and enemy personnel.”

Yevgeniya Maiboroda, from Russia's southern Rostov region, was prosecuted under a law that prohibits the deliberate spreading of "false information" about the Russian army.

A 72-year-old pensioner was sentenced to five and a half years prison for allegedly sharing a post online about Russia's military casualties in Ukraine, rights groups said Monday.

Yevgeniya Maiboroda, from Russia's southern Rostov region, was prosecuted under a law that prohibits the deliberate spreading of "false information" about the Russian army.

An internal EU document has shown Brussels’ plans to cut funding to Hungary and undermine its economy if it continues to veto future EU funding for Ukraine during the upcoming Feb. 1 summit.

Leaked EU documents have shown the bloc’s plan that would weaken Hungary’s economy if it continues to veto the bloc’s €50 billion ($51 billion) aid package for Ukraine during the upcoming summit on Feb. 1, as reported by the Financial Times (FT).

This would be done by blocking funds intended for Budapest from all EU member states.

Does the Russian regime intend to commit another genocide of Ukrainians? The Centre for Strategic Communication has analyzed Putin’s latest statements for the presence of genocidal rhetoric.

Mass murders in Bucha and Izyum; missile attacks on the railway station in Kramatorsk and the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast; the destruction of Mariupol with the bombing of the maternity hospital and the Drama Theatre, with parents and children hiding in the basements…

This list of Russian crimes against Ukraine’s civilian population in 2023-24 is very far from being complete. Are these crimes accidental excessive acts? Or is it part of the policy of the Putin regime, the purpose of which is the genocide of all Ukrainians? The Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security sought an answer to this question in the study “Genocidal Rhetoric of the Russian Regime.”

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the strike on the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery, but it follows a series of attacks on such facilities in recent weeks.

A wave of Ukrainian drone strikes against oil refineries inside Russia appeared to be continuing on Monday, after a facility in the city of Yaroslavl, 260 kilometers northeast of Moscow, came under attack.

According to Russian media reports, at around 7a.m. a drone struck the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery, reportedly felling next to a hydrocracking unit designed to purify raw materials.

James Stavridis likened the eventual resolution of the war to the Korean scenario, suggesting that Russia might keep control over some parts of Ukraine while Kyiv would move toward NATO membership.

Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis suggested that both Russia and Ukraine, fatigued by the prolonged war, may find a potential opening for negotiations by the end of this year.

“I think toward the end of this year, probably after the US elections, we’ve got a moment for potential negotiation,” Stavridis said in an interview on “The Cats Roundtable” on WABC 770 AM on Sunday.

As Kyiv Post reported earlier this month, has been mounting that Russian forces have suffered such heavy losses that some troops are reportedly refusing to attack.

Ukraine’s military has said it is trying to expand its foothold on the Russian-occupied eastern bank of the Dnipro river, with Russian forces offering “fierce resistance” despite suffering “significant losses.”

For more than three months now, Ukrainian Marines have been deeply dug-in and – backed by masses of strike drones – have managed to hold ground first captured in mid-October.

Russian planes are quite regularly dropping bombs on unintended targets, and the latest incident comes just 2 weeks after another jet accidentally bombed a Russian village.

In what is becoming a bit of a routine occurrence, a Russian army aircraft lost two FAB-250 bombs in the Belgorod region.

The bombs, as per Russian officials, fell without detonating and were subsequently defused.

There has always been a wide range of opinions in Ukraine and the war has caused contrasting viewpoints to be more frequently aired - but everyone agrees that 2024 is going to be a hard year.

There’s an old question-and-answer joke:

Question: What’s the difference between an optimist and a pessimist?

Almost half of the Zelensky family’s earnings in 2021 came from the sale of Ukrainian domestic government bonds but Russia’s full-scale invasion led to a significant drop in income.

The annual income of President Zelensky and his family decreased from almost Hr. 11 million ($290,000) in 2021 to Hr. 3.7 million ($97,500) in 2022, according to his latest asset declaration.

It reveals that in 2021, Zelensky and his wife earned Hr. 5.36 million ($141,268) from the sale of Ukrainian domestic government bonds.

Scientists at Karazin University are developing a range of directions aimed at addressing the needs of the country and the military during the wartime.

A significant prerequisite for social responsibility is undoubtedly not only the desire to contribute to the development of society and the country but also a sincere willingness to work for the benefit of others and do good deeds, especially during the war.

The issue of social responsibility of universities, actively researched and discussed by scholars since the late 20th century, has gained particular relevance nowadays. Universities, in particular, now have to strengthen scientific research in order to enhance the country's defense capabilities, to provide  psychological support and integration for veterans, to establish memory policy, and to foster not only competent professionals but also nationally conscious citizens.

The world in focus as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres vowed on Sunday, Jan. 29, to hold to account "any U.N. employee involved in acts of terror" after allegations that some refugee agency staffers were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. But Guterres implored governments to continue supporting the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) after nine countries paused funding. “Any U.N. employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution," the U.N. chief said in a statement. "The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation." - Reuters

Hungary will drop its objections to the creation of a €5 billion ($5.4 billion) Ukraine military assistance fund, paving the way for an agreement to revamp a vehicle that aims to steady supply of weapons to Kyiv, once member states sort out technical issues. Budapest said it won’t stand in the way of a consensus at a meeting of European Union ambassadors on Wednesday, where a deal on a larger €50 billion financial aid package remains stuck, according to people familiar with the matter - Bloomberg

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War was hit by a DDoS attack on Sunday, according to authorities.

A cyberattack has targeted the Ukrainian government department that oversees issues relating to POWs, authorities have said.

The website of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV) was hit by a DDoS attack on Sunday.

India is seeking to distance itself from its largest arms supplier after Russia’s ability to supply munitions and spares was hobbled by the war in Ukraine.

India is seeking to distance itself from its largest arms supplier after Russia’s ability to supply munitions and spares was hobbled by the war in Ukraine, but must step carefully to avoid pushing Moscow closer to China, Indian sources said.

The world’s biggest arms importer is slowly turning West as the United States looks to strengthen ties in the Indo-Pacific region, hoping to contain an ascendant China by weaning the South Asian nation off a traditional dependence on Russia.

With an eye on US aid potentially diminishing, Zelensky urged Germany to use its economic weight to rally EU partners to give more to Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday warned that a drop in aid from the United States to Kyiv would send a poor message, as US President Joe Biden faces a Republican blockade on further support.

With an eye on US aid potentially diminishing, Zelensky urged Germany to use its economic weight to rally EU partners to give more to Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

As the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches it seems timely to review what Ukraine has achieved in defending against disinformation and what more it needs to do during 2024.

Ukraine has surprised many with its resilience against the horrors Russia has inflicted on its people and exceeding expectations in its ability to withstand the “second army of the world. Its people and its government have shown the world what true determination looks like when a nation has to fight for its very survival

The armed forces of Ukraine have, of course, suffered ups and downs, advances and losses, successes and failures. We should remember that this has been a war of attrition against an enemy whose strengths, on paper at least, exceeds Kyiv’s and must not underestimate the resources and time needed to prevail on the twenty first century battlefield.

Kyiv and Budapest seeking to patch up their differences and find a formula for cooperation.

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto will meet his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in western Ukraine on Monday, ahead of an EU summit aimed at unlocking aid for the war-torn country.

Relations between the two neighbors have been strained over the past few years and were further aggravated when Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in December vetoed 50 billion euros ($55 billion) in EU aid for Kyiv.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

INTELLIGENCE UPDATE

• On 22 January 2024, Russian authorities reported there had been 220 attacks on military enlistment offices since the conflict began in February 2022. Other statistics from media outlet Mediazona reported 113 attacks on enlistment offices recorded since 26 July Taken together, these statistics indicate a doubling of arson attacks on enlistment offices over the last six months.
• Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin accuses those responsible for the arson attacks of acting at the behest of Western officials. However, the increase in attacks is highly likely due to a greater sense of disaffection with the war amongst the Russian population and especially those who would be mobilised should a second wave of mobilisation bels nnounced. Some of those accused of perpetrating such attacks have been charged with terrorism and treason.
• Further mobilisation would be a contradiction to Putin's promise at his 14 December 2023 annual news conference that there would be no further mobilisation - the attacks highly likely suggest a lack of confidence in this promise.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Kremlin officials and mouthpieces continue to set information conditions to destabilize Moldova, likely as part of efforts to prevent Moldova’s integration into the EU and the West among other objectives.
• Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin reiterated that the Kremlin is not interested in any settlements short of the complete destruction and eradication of the Ukrainian state, likely in an ongoing effort to justify the long-term and costly Russian war effort to domestic audiences.
• The Kremlin also continues to frame and justify a long-term Russian war effort as part of an existential geopolitical confrontation with the West and Nazism.
• Ukrainian Navy Commander Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s ability to technologically adapt and develop as Russian forces continue to adapt to Ukrainian operations in a January 27 Sky News interview.
• The Kremlin will likely use the withdrawals of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to continue efforts to expand Russian influence in Francophone Africa.
• Unnamed Indian government sources stated that India wants to distance itself from Russia, its largest arms supplier, because the war in Ukraine has limited Russia’s ability to provide India with munitions.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kreminna and Avdiivka amid continued positional fighting throughout the theater.
• A Russian source claimed that Rosgvardia is forming the 1st Volunteer Corps with remaining Wagner Group personnel and newly recruited volunteers (dobrovoltsy) following the Kremlin adoption of the law allowing Rosgvardia to form its own volunteer formations in December 2023.
• Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Head Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov stated on January 28 that Ukraine and Russia will conduct a prisoner of war (POW) exchange in the near future.