For: 25-01-28
Zelenskyy recalls US and EU response to Ukraine's plea for arms ahead of 2022 invasion.
The United States refused to provide weapons before Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, leaving Ukraine to fight alone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a comment to Fox News. New Voice reports.
The head of state revealed that before the Russian invasion, he personally asked then-President Joe Biden and his administration to take preemptive actions, such as imposing sanctions on Russia, as Russian troops and tanks amassed at Ukraine's borders.
Zelenskyy also requested weapons, but he was told they would be provided only "if" Russia invaded.
"Parallel with that, I was asking the European Union countries, and they could not do it without [the] approval of the United States," he added.
Zelenskyy recalls US and EU response to Ukraine's plea for arms ahead of 2022 invasion
MILITARY & TECH
Russian assault intensity declines, focus on Pokrovsk sector
The intensity of Russian assault operations in Ukraine is declining but remains high, according to an analysis by the monitoring group DeepState, published on Jan. 28.- Russian forces have concentrated 44% of their attacks in the Pokrovsk sector, a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast.
The peak intensity of Russian offensives was recorded in the second half of December, following a surge in attacks that began in late November.
Although the pace has slowed somewhat since the New Year, DeepState recorded the following attack numbers: 5,205 in November, 6,247 in December, and 4,304 in January as of Jan. 27.
As part of this effort, Russia has intensified assaults near Pokrovsk, deploying small groups in an attempt to encircle Ukrainian troops, Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces, said on Jan. 27.
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Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. In June 2023 I began providing a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 70 sources daily, which formed the basis of the script. While the Podcast no longer exists I have continued to make this Brief available for my followers here on Substack for those who wish to keep up with the news from the war.
All the latest news on the Russo-Ukraine War 6 days per week
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its Operational Information update at 08:00 on Jan 29 stated that day 1071 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine had begun.
The situation on the line of combat remains tense in some sectors. Ukrainian defenders continue to actively counteract the Russian aggressor, causing them losses in personnel equipment and technology. Exhausting the enemy along the entire front line and continuing to disrupt the plans of Russian occupiers to advance deeper into the territory of Ukraine.
During the past day,193 combat engagements took place.
Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 2 missile strikes, 33 air strikes, used 2,424 drones and fired approximately 5,000 artillery shells across the positions of Ukrainian forces and civilians.
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Air Force Daily Report
29 ENEMY UAVS SHOT DOWN, 14 DRONES FAILED TO REACH THEIR TARGETS (LOCATIONALLY LOST)
- Kursk,
- Millerovo,
- Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia,
- Chauda - Crimea, as well as with an Iskander-M ballistic missile from Crimea. . .
THE HOME FRONT
Ukraine Anti-Corruption Agency Launches Probe Into Defense Chief Umerov.
Ukrainian authorities said a criminal probe has been launched into Defense Minister Rustem Umerov for his failure to comply with an order to extend the contract of the chief of the Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ), in what appears to be a burgeoning dispute over arms procurement procedures. Radio Liberty reports.
Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on January 28 told RFE/RL it had launched the probe into the possible abuse of power or official position by Umerov due to his refusal to renew the contract of AOZ head Maryna Bezrukova and his dismissal of two members of its Supervisory Board.
The moves highlight what is seen as a pressing need for management reform in a sector critical to Ukraine's defense as it fights to repel Russia's full-scale invasion launched nearly three years ago.
NABU said in a statement that the abuse of power or official position, if proven, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of three to six years, along with fines and other sanctions. It also stated that a suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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RUSSIAN WORLD
Ukraine mounts another large drone attack, hits Russian refinery
Units of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, on the night of January 29, 2025, struck the Nizhny Novgorod Oil Refinery (Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Region of the russian federation), the GSAFU reported.
This refinery is involved in providing support to the Russian occupation army.
After the UAV strike, a powerful fire was recorded on the territory of the facility. The results and extent of the damage are being clarified.
Combat work on strategic facilities involved in providing support for the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine will continue.
Facility was personally owned by Putin.
Defense Express later reported that the plant that was struck was the Sibur-Kstovo refinery, personally belonging to Vladimir Putin. This facility provides materials for the Sverdlov Plant which produces explosives for the Russian military.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Putin again rules out peace talks with “illegitimate” Zelenskyy
Russian President Vladimir Putin has again ruled out direct peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he called "illegitimate," prompting the Ukrainian leader to accuse Putin of being "afraid" of negotiating a settlement to the almost 3-year-old war. Radio Free Europe reports.
"You can negotiate with anyone, but because of his illegitimacy, he [Zelenskyy] has no right to sign anything," Putin told state Rossiya 1 TV late on Jan 28.
He added that he would "allocate people to take part" in negotiations if Zelenskyy would be present instead of holding direct talks face-to-face.
Putin has said several times he does not consider Zelenskyy a legitimate leader since Zelenskyy's five-year term in office was supposed to end last year on May 20.
An election was to have taken place on March 31, 2024, but was postponed because the country is still under martial law due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy, who under the constitution must continue to perform his duties until a new head of state is elected, responded to Putin's claim saying it is the Russian leader who is the obstacle to talks to end the fighting.
"Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media.
"Now we see that there is a possibility of achieving real peace, but it is Putin who is doing everything to either continue killing on a full scale instead of peace, or to get a pause in order to prepare a new full-scale invasion in the future, delivering hybrid strikes."
Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 and would have to amend the law in order to hold elections during a state of war.
Zelenskyy has been looking to the United States to put pressure on Moscow to end Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine amid reports that behind-the-scenes negotiations to resolve the conflict have been ramping up following the January 20 inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Since taking office, Trump has threatened to impose heavy taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on all goods coming from Russia to the United States and other countries if Moscow doesn't come to the negotiating table.
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