[Korrespondent] 21:35 Reuters reporters visited two college dormitories in Kramatorsk, in which, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian military lived during the night strike. Both buildings were not directly hit by rockets and did not sustain any serious damage. There was no sign that the military lived there, and no signs of bodies or traces of blood. Finnish Yle journalist Antti Kuronen from the scene also does not confirm the Russian version.
21:24 Zelensky spoke about the situation at the front in an evening video message: "The situation on the front line has not changed significantly in the first week of the year. Heavy fighting continues in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions - every hot spot in these areas is well known. Bakhmut is holding on no matter what. And although most of the city has been destroyed by Russian strikes, our soldiers are repelling constant attempts by Russian offensives there. Soledar is holding on. Although there is even more destruction and it is very difficult ... This is one of the bloodiest places on the front."
The President said that today the commander of the direction, General Syrsky, toured the troops that are defending on the outskirts of Bakhmut and Soledar, and presented the fighters with awards for their stamina, and also organized the steps necessary to strengthen the defense on the spot, in particular, the transfer of additional units and increased fire on the invaders.
Zelensky also announced "good news for our state, good decisions that will further strengthen the defense."
20:20 German Economy Minister Robert Habek did not rule out the possibility of delivering Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the future.
19:37 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced a "large-scale anti-Russian provocation" by the Ukrainian special services in the Kharkiv region: Ukrainians allegedly opened graves in several cemeteries, "the dug-up bodies were disfigured in order to pass them off as evidence of Russian torture and executions."
19:22 Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmitry Lubinets said that in a few days he would meet in Turkey with Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova: "The main issue that we will discuss is the return home of our heroes and heroines. We will separately raise the issue of the return of civilian hostages, whom the Russian Federation has massively detained at the WTO and is not letting go home. The plans are ambitious. But we do not know how the Russian side will behave. However, we are receiving positive signals in advance that they are ready to consider this issue."
Lubinets stressed that, according to the Geneva Conventions, civilians cannot be exchanged, Russia should let civilians go.
19:00 An international meeting will be held in London to investigate war crimes in Ukraine, the UK Department of Justice has announced. Justice ministers from around the world will meet in London in March to support the International Criminal Court in its investigation of Russia's war crimes in Ukraine. The meeting will allow countries to determine how to provide further assistance to the ICC. This includes practical support, such as helping to gather information and share evidence of atrocities on the ground. Ministers will also discuss how to help victims and witnesses testify without causing them further suffering.
18:39 The enemy is conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdeevsky and Limansky directions, trying to improve the tactical situation in the Kupyansky direction. It is concentrating efforts on the capture of the Donetsk region within the administrative border, but has no success, the General Staff said in an evening summary.
To maintain military discipline and prevent the spread of panic among the personnel of the Russian troops operating in the Zaporizhia direction, the enemy activated units of the National Guard. So, on January 5, six people who wanted to surrender to the Ukrainian Defense Forces were shot near the settlement of Chistopolye.
In order to discredit the Ukrainian military leadership, the enemy is spreading misinformation about the preparation of fire damage by the Defense Forces of medical institutions in the Lugansk region, where the wounded Russian invaders are being treated.
Over the current day, Ukrainian defenders shot down three enemy UAVs, probably of the Orlan type, and three helicopters: one Mi-24 and one Ka-52 each, the type of another one is being specified.
17:51 Speaker of the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Cherevaty, in a comment to Suspilny, denied the statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the alleged destruction of 600 Ukrainian soldiers in Kramatorsk: "This information is as true as the data that they destroyed all our HIMARS. This is an information operation of the Ministry of Defense The Russian Federation in response to the successful actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defeat their large concentrations of personnel, their warehouses, logistics with our high-precision destruction systems. They do not have such an opportunity."
17:43 The Ministry of Defense of Belarus announced that from January 16 to February 1, a joint tactical flight exercise will be held with aviation units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Today, an aviation component from the Military Space Forces of the RF Armed Forces arrived in Belarus. During the tactical flight exercise, all airfields and training grounds of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus will be involved.
16:46 The Russians can attack the Ukrainian infrastructure in the coming days, Vadim Skibitsky, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, said in an interview with Corriere della Sera: "A new massive strike could be in cold weather. Temperatures are dropping, and the Russians have not attacked us for several days." According to him, Russia may also launch an attack on the Zaporozhye region, and in the Kharkiv direction it will try to stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
15:55 Nine Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces with Z-symbols have arrived in Belarus, the monitoring group of Belarus Gayun reports. From January 8 to 12, the aviation component of the Russian Federation is expected to arrive in the Republic of Belarus to conduct tactical flight exercises of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Most likely, aviation during this period will be deployed at airfields in Machulishchi and Baranovichi. It is possible that the Lida and Bobruisk airfields may be involved. Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have already begun to arrive at the Machulishchi airfield.
15:29 Another exchange of prisoners took place: 50 Ukrainian soldiers returned home , Yermak said. According to him, these are representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Troops, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the Navy, as well as the MTR. In total, 33 officers and 17 privates and sergeants returned. Among them are people who were captured at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as well as the defenders of Mariupol, military personnel from the Donetsk direction, from near Bakhmut, as well as from the Kiev region, Chernihiv region, Kherson region and other regions where the fighting took place.
15:13 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced that in response to the Ukrainian strike on Makiivka, "an operation of retaliation" was carried out: the points of temporary deployment of Ukrainian military personnel in Kramatorsk were allegedly opened. According to the "data" of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, more than 700 military men were in dormitory No. 28 and more than 600 in dormitory No. 47, as a result, "more than 600 military men were destroyed." In addition, during the day the Russians "shot down" five planes of the Ukrainian air force, the ministry added.
14:41 Ukraine has the largest minefield in the world, Shmyhal said in an interview with Yonhap. According to him, at present the area of ​​mined territories is estimated at almost 250 thousand square meters. km, which is larger than the area, for example, the whole of Great Britain.
14:26 Russia plans to deploy its own production of kamikaze drones in Togliatti, as well as in other cities, Danilov said, citing intelligence data. At the same time, he said, it is not certain that companies supplying drone components will continue to do so: “When we started shooting down Iranian drones, we drew attention to certain companies that should not supply these components to Iran. they ended up there, many intelligence agencies are now figuring it out. But after it became publicly known, I don’t think that the companies that supplied them will continue to do this. Then what they will assemble their drones from is a big question."
13:52 The Italian government is finalizing the sixth package of defense assistance to Ukraine, after which the parliament will be informed about it, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said. "We are also discussing with the French the improvement from a technical point of view of sending air defense systems based on the common technologies of Rome and Paris," he added.
13:48 Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said that it is very difficult now in Soledar: "The situation in the East is difficult. In some areas of the Donetsk region, we are moving forward little by little, step by step. And in some areas, the enemy is advancing. Not only the regular army is advancing "But also private ones. They concentrated considerable efforts there in order to reach the borders of the Donetsk region, or at least for the propaganda purpose of capturing at least some settlement."
13:43 Podolyak criticized the inaction of the UN: "Why the war continues... 1. Guterres disbanded the mission to investigate the murder of prisoners in Yelenovka. 2. Because the Russian Federation... does not give the UN mission security guarantees and does not allow to visit the place. 3. RF - Member of the UN Security Council. But Guterres does not propose punishment for the Russian Federation, as if nothing had happened."
12:36 The Russians still remain on the Kinburn Spit, Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of the OK Pivden, said: "The situation is quite complicated. Again, the weather does not contribute to such an easy completion and short duration of this operation. It is also connected with the Kinburn Spit - the presence of the enemy continues there, attacks continue on the opposite bank. Neither side has absolute control. This is the line of demarcation, the front line where the fighting is going on."
According to her, there are no critical changes on the entire southern front. The Ukrainian side is more focused on eliminating the enemy's manpower in its rear areas.
11:57 On the evening of January 7, an explosion occurred on the main gas pipeline in the occupied Lutugino, Lugansk region, Luganskgaz reported. In the "LPR" a criminal case was opened under the article "sabotage". As a result, more than 13,000 subscribers and 21 social facilities were left without gas supply, the LPR said.
11:28 The Russians are "sinking" near Kremennaya, so they are transferring forces there from under Bakhmut, said the head of the Lugansk Regional Military District Serhiy Gaidai: "Heavy fighting is going on near Kremennaya, the Russians have moved several battalions of paratroopers and equipment there. The enemy is gradually sinking there ... Occupiers trying to keep Kremennaya, so as not to divide their own defense in the Luhansk region in half." He also noted that due to frosty weather, an increase in the intensity of hostilities in the Luhansk region is expected.
11:03 As of the morning of January 8, severe frosty weather contributes to an increase in electricity consumption, and, accordingly, the level of its deficit in the energy system, Ukrenergo reported. To ensure a balance, consumption limits have been brought to the regions, operating from 9:00 to 24:00.
10:55 British intelligence reports that in recent weeks, Russia has strengthened defenses in the central part of the Zaporozhye region, especially between the cities of Vasilyevka and Orekhov. Analysts note that the Russian Federation fears a Ukrainian offensive in two directions: either in the north of the Luhansk region, or in Zaporozhye.
A major Ukrainian breakthrough at Zaporozhye would seriously undermine the viability of the Russian land bridge to Crimea, and a Ukrainian success at Lugansk would further undermine Russia's declared military goal of "liberating" the Donbass. Deciding which of these threats to counter first is probably one of the central dilemmas for Russian operational planners, intelligence said.
10:34 In the occupied Melitopol, an explosion occurred at night at the Gidromash plant, where the Russians have placed another military base. The detonation lasted for several hours, the blast wave knocked out the windows of neighboring houses, and smoke swirled over the plant even in the morning, Mayor Ivan Fedorov said.
09:58 At night, the enemy attacked the southern outskirts of Zaporozhye, using cluster munitions. Warehouses and other auxiliary premises were damaged as a result of the rocket hit, there is no information about the victims, said Alexander Starukh, the head of the UVA.
09:43 On the night of January 7, about 800 Russian soldiers were transferred to Belarusian Vitebsk, the Belaruska Gayun monitoring group reported. Within two days, up to 1,600 Russian soldiers were brought to this city.
09:39 Danilov said that the Russians are going to offer Ukraine the so-called Korean scenario for the settlement of the war: "We are now being offered the Korean version - the so-called conditional 38th parallel."
Danilov also said that Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Russia Dmitry Kozak "goes to meetings with politicians of the past in Europe and sends messages through them that they are ready to make many concessions in order to fix the status quo and force us to enter into some kind of truce" .
The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council again emphasized that many markers indicate a possible escalation of hostilities in February: “There are a lot of markers from which we can conclude that we are entering a certain phase of activation. Now there is a great desire to draw Belarus into an open confrontation. Certain provocations are being made to on this occasion by the Russian special services. All this allows us to say that we can get such an aggravation."
09:22 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the enemy as of the morning of January 8.
- personnel - about 111,170 (+430) people liquidated,
- tanks - 3069 (+3),
- armored combat vehicles - 6130 (+5),
- artillery systems - 2065 (+3),
- MLRS - 431 (+0),
- air defense systems - 217 (+0),
- aircraft - 285 (+0),
- helicopters - 272 (+0),
- UAV operational-tactical level - 1849 (+5),
- cruise missiles - 723 (+0),
- ships/boats - 16 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tankers - 4801 (+3),
- special equipment - 183 (+1).
08:44 Despite the so-called "ceasefire" announced by Putin, during the day on January 7, the enemy launched nine missile, three air strikes and made 40 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems, in particular, on civilian infrastructure. There are wounded and dead among the civilian population, the General Staff said in the morning summary .
Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the invaders in the areas of 16 settlements. Among them are Stelmakhivka, Makeyevka and Belogorovka in the Luhansk region and Razdolivka, Soledar, Bakhmut, Zheleznoye, Pervomayskoye, Vodyanoye and Pobeda in the Donetsk region. Suffering heavy losses, the enemy is conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdeevsky and Limansky and is trying to improve the tactical situation in the Kupyansky directions. On Novopavlovsky, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson - it is defending.
According to the General Staff, on January 5, a train with refrigerators filled with dead Russians arrived from Rostov-on-Don to the Kemerovo region. The bodies must be unloaded at local morgues.
In the settlements of Gornostaevka, Cairo, Zavodovka and Marinskoye of the Kherson region, the invaders stopped the broadcasting of all Ukrainian TV channels, only Russian television is broadcast.
08:19 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of enemy shelling, one civilian was killed - in Bakhmut. Eight more people were injured in the region, Pavel Kirilenko, head of the OVA, said.
06:35 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that the Russians are still far from the operational environment of Bakhmut. According to analysts, the success of the Russian troops in Soledar does not indicate the imminent encirclement of Bakhmut, contrary to the statements of Russian sources.
ISW also notes that Russia continues to use religion as a weapon for information operations and to discredit Ukraine.
The Institute reports that Russian forces continue to deplete their missile arsenal but are likely to continue to threaten Ukraine's critical infrastructure and civilian population in the near term. However, since the invasion began on February 24, Russia has produced far fewer strategic missiles compared to pre-war stocks. This means that the Russian Federation has not mobilized its military industry.
03:27 The Ukrainian military will begin to learn how to operate Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in January, which the United States will transfer to Ukraine, said Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasian Affairs. According to her, the training of about 500 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue for a month.
Cooper also said that the US plans to "launch a new combined arms training later this month." The deployment of the program to prepare for the use of new American technology will take several months, she said. "This new training program that we're starting is about one battalion at a time. About 500 soldiers for about a month and we're adding Bradley training," Cooper explained.
01:40 At night, the Russians launched seven missile attacks on Kramatorsk and two on Konstantinovka, Donetsk region, said the head of the OVA, Pavel Kirilenko. In addition, a few hours earlier, the enemy fired on Kurakhovo and the Kurakhovka village - damaged private houses and networks that supply the Kurakhovskaya community with heat. According to preliminary information, there were no dead or injured.
00:39 Russians during the so-called "Christmas truce" on Saturday, January 7, fired at the UN mission in the Zaporozhye region, which brought humanitarian aid to the city of Orekhov, said the head of the OVA Alexander Starukh.
00:07 As a result of Russian strikes on Merefe, Kharkiv region, one person was killed, the head of the OVA, Oleg Sinegubov, said.