[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] A huge fire ignited early today at a giant online shopping warehouse in St Petersburg used as a location for recruiting migrant workers for Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
There was panic as 1,000-plus staff fled the inferno at the Wildberries facility in the Shushary district.
The massive blaze dominated the skyline and was seen by passengers in planes taking off from St Petersburg airport.
Eyewitnesses said it spread at 'lightning speed' in the 1,076,391 square feet facility.
'In just 20 minutes…there was no warehouse,' one witness said.
Videos show the terror as workers seek to exit the burning structure belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online market place. Wildberries said in a statement that all its staff had been evacuated. Nobody was reported to have been hurt.
Nearly 300 firefighters and dozens of fire engines, as well as helicopters, were battling to put out the fire, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said. Firefighters brought the blaze under control but were still working on extinguishing it.
Overall damage from the fire, which began at 7.42am local time, including lost stock could amount to £98 million, it was reported.
According to employees, the fire extinguishing system did not work when the fire began to flare up on shelves holding household chemicals.
Reports say there were at least 1,200 people in the warehouse, and there were frantic scenes as a main exit was closed and people were forced to file through a small door.
There have been several false fire alarms over recent days and staff initially suspected this to be the case today.
Arson or sabotage is suspected at the sprawling £27 million warehouse, where many staff are migrant workers from ex-Soviet Central Asian republics who military enlistment recruiters have been dragooning to the war, often under threat of being detained or sent back to their homelands for immigration violations.
Police and the Russian National Guard have been carrying out raids at the warehouse over the past two days, say reports. As one raid took place, a water pipe burst in a suspected sabotage attack.
A 'massive fight' broke out at the warehouse on the night of January 10 between ethnic groups working there. A 33-year-old citizen of Azerbaijan and a 35-year-old citizen of Tajikistan were taken to the hospital with stab wounds.
Fire ignited on racks holding household chemicals, located on the sixth level of the warehouse.
There is a wild story kicking around in Russian naval circles about an incident that occurred this week on board the PM-82, a repair vessel, somewhere in the Mediterranean. The captain of the ship drank himself into delirium, had a stroke and died onboard... 1/2 pic.twitter.com/qK6SmJwRkQ
#3
For a long time, the US Navy was 'dry'. I recall DoD hired a cruise ship for 'liberty' during the first Gulf War. I've missed any new changes to that rule.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title
[Korrespondent] 21:17 The draft law on conscription, hotly discussed in society, was withdrawn from parliament and sent for revision. About what Ukrainians can expect, see the material New changes in mobilization.
20:58 Zelensky said that today in Kiev he held a meeting with the US Special Representative for the Economic Recovery of Ukraine Penny Pritzker. “We discussed what steps are needed for our sustainability. We are really looking forward to Congress’ decision on further support for Ukraine... This year should bring very concrete results for the military-industrial complex of Ukraine,” the president noted.
20:02 At a press conference in Kiev after the signing of the agreement, Zelensky, describing it, used exclusively the word “guarantees” or the phrase “security guarantees.” At the same time, Rishi Sunak emphasized several times that we are talking about “security assurances.” This term has important political significance, since it was the title of the infamous Budapest Memorandum. It is noteworthy that the text of the agreement itself does not contain any of these terms. Read more in the material The First Security Treaty.
19:31 The government has allocated an additional almost 2.5 billion hryvnia from the reserve fund for the construction of engineering and fortification structures. Of these funds, 1.4 billion will be spent on fortification equipment for defense lines, and another 1.1 billion - on the arrangement of non-explosive barriers. In addition, 120 million hryvnia will be allocated from the reserve fund for the State Border Service - also to strengthen the defense capability and engineering and technical development of the border.
19:29 The United States has already held two rounds of negotiations with Ukraine on security obligations, said the American Ambassador in Kiev Bridget Brink, commenting on the signing of such a document with Britain.
19:26 The new Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Stephane Sejournet, is heading to Kiev on a working visit, Le Figaro writes, citing sources. According to them, the Foreign Minister should meet with Zelensky in Kyiv to demonstrate France’s support for Ukraine.
19:18 The Russians fired a missile at the Dneprovsky district of the Dnepropetrovsk region, no people were injured, said the head of the OVA Sergei Lysak. In addition, as a result of the shelling, an agricultural enterprise in the Sinelnikovsky district and a utility enterprise in Nikopol were damaged.
18:02 Zelensky said that now in Ukraine there is no full-fledged air defense protection, in particular, there are not enough defense systems against ballistic missiles: “As for air defense systems: it is too early to say that we have a comprehensive defense of our state. There are not enough Patriot systems, there are not enough corresponding systems with other ranges of action. But, nevertheless, little by little it is coming. Something is on the way, we have already agreed on something new. I will not reveal the details, but I agree that the corresponding systems that fight against especially ballistics - they are definitely lacking in Ukraine."
17:13 Rishi Sunak, during a speech in the Verkhovna Rada, said that the best option to help Ukraine win is to promote the development of its military industry. The British Prime Minister clarified that within the framework of a grant of 200 million pounds, the production of drones will be launched both in Ukraine and abroad for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to Sunak, the agreement signed today guarantees that Kyiv “will not have to ask or persuade - the UK will be with you from the first to the last day.” He also brought a flag signed by the entire British government, as a symbol that “we are here, we are with you.”
16:59 Zelensky and Sunak said that the agreement signed today primarily formalizes existing agreements in the security sphere. The second is to ensure that the support is long-term. The British Prime Minister also explained that there is a third component that should prevent a new attack after the end of the current war: “If Russia attacks again, we will provide the support that Ukraine needs: modern weapons on the ground, at sea and in the sky, economic support, and we will also introduce sanctions that will have a price for Russia.”
Zelensky, for his part, clarified that the agreement provides time for consultations with partners in the event of a repetition of Russian aggression. “We will understand the amount of assistance that we will need in the event of a new attack by the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian president added.
16:16 Rishi Sunak announced a new package of military aid to Ukraine worth £2.5 billion. According to the British Prime Minister, the package will include additional air defense equipment, additional anti-tank weapons, additional long-range missiles, and thousands of shells. There will also be training exercises “for thousands more Ukrainian military personnel.” Of the total, £200 million is earmarked for new drones.
16:14 Zelensky and Rishi Sunak signed a bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Kiev. This agreement was the first in the security field in pursuance of the G7 Vilnius Declaration.
Zelensky said that Britain’s obligations under this document will remain in force until Ukraine joins NATO. “If such guarantees had been reached in 1991, in particular, with Britain, then the war would not have started,” the president believes. The agreement specifies its validity period - ten years with the possibility of extension. However, if Ukraine joins NATO before the expiration date, the obligations will end and will be incorporated into the NATO system.
As part of the agreement, the UK will share intelligence with Ukraine, help with cyber security, military training and strengthen defense industrial cooperation.
15:46 The offensive of the Russian army is failing, said the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky. According to him, the command of the Russian Army did not achieve the goals that it had set in recent months: “They repeatedly set for themselves the deadlines for the capture of certain settlements, access to certain lines, then they postponed them - they really failed in these tasks.” At the same time, Syrsky noted that the enemy continues to advance in several directions and has the resources to do so.
15:13 Russia is developing a lawsuit to prevent any attempts by the United States or Europe to confiscate part of the frozen assets of the central bank in the amount of $300 billion in favor of Ukraine, Bloomberg writes, citing sources.
14:47 As of the beginning of 2024, 309 NATO standards have already been introduced into the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the security and defense sector of Ukraine - this is more than accepted in some NATO member states that joined during the last wave of expansion of the Alliance, reported Ukrinform Deputy Minister of Defense Ivan Gavrilyuk.
In particular, according to him, 134 standards were introduced in 2023, and another 50 are planned to be introduced in 2024. “We are talking, in particular, about such important areas as standards for troop command and control and criteria for the operation of weapons and military equipment,” - Gavrilyuk clarified. In total, the North Atlantic Alliance has about 1,200 standards, which are revised at least every three years.
14:10 The night of January 12 was the calmest in recent times, said Air Force Speaker Yuri Ignat: “This night we had, perhaps, the calmest in recent times. I have not seen such certificates yet... No one appeared there today one aircraft or means of air attack on the territory of the country during the night." According to Ignat, this may be due to worsening weather conditions.
13:28 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he had arrived in Kiev: “I am in Ukraine to convey a simple message. Our support cannot and will not weaken. I appeal to all Ukrainians, the UK is with you - as long as it takes.”
13:02 The Russians shelled Kherson with artillery, two people were killed, said the head of the OVA, Alexander Prokudin. Over the previous 24 hours, one person was killed and three were injured as a result of Russian shelling in the region.
12:37 Since the end of the summer of 2023, there has been an increase in the quantity of ammunition produced by Russia, at the same time there has been a decrease in their quality, Budanov said in an interview with Le Monde.
11:59 Britain will transfer the largest batch of UAVs to Ukraine, Rishi Sunak said. According to him, this will be “the largest batch of reconnaissance, attack and maritime drones ever transferred to Ukraine by a foreign state.”
11:28 Neither Ukraine nor Russia can now conduct offensive operations due to the intensive use of drones by both sides and dense minefields, Budanov said in an interview with Le Monde. According to him, in order to suppress UAVs, modern electronic warfare systems are needed, and specialized equipment is needed for mines.
11:01 In Lviv, they will pay 50 thousand hryvnia to everyone who signs a contract with military units of the Airborne Assault Forces and the Marine Corps, said Mayor Andrey Sadovy. “Let this be additional motivation and support for our guys who decided to defend Ukraine,” he added.
10:55 Zelensky said that he had a telephone conversation with the new President of Switzerland, Viola Amgerd, thanked for organizing the next World Formula meeting in Davos on January 14, and discussed preparations for it.
10:27 North Korea's permanent representative to the UN, Kim Song, called the accusation of transferring ballistic missiles to Russia "unfounded": "The DPRK does not feel the need to comment on every unfounded accusation from the United States." He also accused Washington of undermining “the foundations of international peace and security,” provoking war in Ukraine and impeding “legitimate relations between independent sovereign states.”
09:52 The British government announced that it will provide Ukraine with 2.5 billion pounds of military assistance for 2024-2025.
09:30 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit Kiev today, he is expected to speak in the Verkhovna Rada, People's Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak said. Sky News reports Sunak will announce a new package of military aid, security guarantees and humanitarian support.
09:18 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) predicts that persistent frosts in Ukraine will complicate operations at the front, but will create fertile ground for mechanized maneuver warfare as the ground freezes heavily in the coming weeks. The Ukrainian military notes that the Russians are using fewer attack drones due to the cold due to the risk of icing on the engines. At the same time, analysts say, Russian troops will likely try to support or intensify local offensive operations along the entire front line in eastern Ukraine, trying to seize and maintain the initiative regardless of weather and terrain conditions.
08:34 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of January 12:
personnel - about 368,460 (+840) people,
tanks - 6060 (+10),
armored combat vehicles - 11,254 (+16),
artillery systems - 8710 (+11),
MLRS - 957 (+0),
air defense systems - 642 (+1),
aircraft - 329 (+0),
helicopters - 324 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 6836 (+1),
cruise missiles - 1806 (+0),
ships/boats - 23 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 11,612 (+16),
special equipment - 1339 (+2).
07:29 Over the past 24 hours, 64 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In the Avdeevsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled ten enemy attacks near Novobakhmutovka, Stepnoy, Avdeevka and another 17 attacks near Pervomaiskoye and Nevelskoye, Donetsk region. In the Maryinsky direction, 13 attacks were repelled in the Georgievka, Maryinka and Novomikhailovka areas of the Donetsk region.
In the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian forces repelled two enemy attacks near Sinkovka, Kharkov region; in Limansky - six attacks in the Makeyevka areas of the Luhansk region and east of Ternov, Donetsk region; on Bakhmutskoye - one attack near Kleshcheevka, Donetsk region; on Zaporozhye - three attacks west of Verbovoy, Zaporozhye region. The expansion of the bridgehead continues in the Kherson direction; over the past 24 hours, the enemy unsuccessfully tried to storm the positions of the Defense Forces three times.
04:52 The European Commission is ready to accept some of Hungary’s demands in order to achieve the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine, The Financial Times writes, citing unnamed officials. In particular, the European Commission is ready to give Orban the opportunity to stop the financing operation midway in 2025 if it turns out that Ukraine has not complied with the requirements or no longer needs help.
In addition, the European Commission is ready to conduct an annual audit of aid and introduce an “emergency brake” clause, according to which any country will be able to bring serious concerns about payments to Ukraine to the discussion of the EU leaders’ summit. However, this will not give Hungary an additional opportunity to veto funding.
00:48 The general provisions of the draft security guarantees for Ukraine may be made public in the near future, Zelensky said during a visit to Riga: “We have begun work on security guarantees on the way to NATO... It is very difficult, but I think that in the near future "With time, we will be able to demonstrate to societies - not only the Ukrainian one - the first such draft. Not all of them, because there are closed norms, non-public ones, but we will be able to show general things. I think the assessment will be positive." The President added that security guarantees include not only the provision of weapons, but also financial, IT and cyber support, and are a step on Ukraine's path to a security alliance.
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[EngMilRu] In the period from 6 to 12 January 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have inflicted 50 group strikes with long-range maritime and airborne high-precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missiles and UAVs, at Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities that manufacture, upgrade and repair aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, armoured vehicles, missile launchers and artillery systems.
In addition, the locations of the AFU units, nationalist formations, and foreign mercenaries were hit. The purpose of the strikes has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been engaged.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line in several sectors, and repelled 27 attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 32nd, 43rd, and 115th Mechanised, 57th Mechanised Infantry, 25th Airborne, and 95th Air Assault brigades near Sinkovka, Ivanovka Peschanoye, and Berestovoye (Kharkov region).
The enemy has suffered losses of more than 585 troops, three tanks, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, 18 motor vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, as well as one Grad MLRS vehicle.
In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units, aviation, and artillery have launched strikes at clusters of manpower of AFU 63rd, 66th Mechanised, 100th, 125th Territorial Defence, 5th, 13th National Guard brigades close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic), Torskoye, Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Serebryansky forestry.
The enemy has lost up to 995 troops killed and wounded, five armoured fighting vehicles, 25 motor vehicles, and five field artillery guns.
In Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces supported by air and artillery fire have repelled six enemy attacks. Fire was also launched at units of AFU 22nd, 28th, 42nd, 93rd Mechanised, 3rd, 5th, 92nd Assault, and 112th Territorial Defence brigades near Krasnoye, Kurdyumovka, Antonovka, Bogdanovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Andreyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The enemy losses were more than 1,785 servicemen, five tanks, 20 armoured fighting vehicles, including two Bradley IFVs and five Kozak armoured fighting vehicles, 63 motor vehicles, as well as 14 field artillery guns.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces have repelled seven enemy attacks. Air strikes and artillery fire hit AFU units near Novomikhailovka, Paraskoviyevka, Pavlovka (Donetsk People's Republic), and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).
Over the week, the enemy has suffered losses of up to 850 troops, three tanks, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 22 motor vehicles, 15 field artillery guns, as well as one 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS vehicle.
In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian Group of Forces' units have taken more advantageous lines and positions, and also repelled one attack of the 3rd Operational Brigade's assault group of Ukrainian National Guard close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). In addition, fire damage was inflicted on personnel and military hardware of AFU 117th, 118th Mechanised, 128th Mountain Assault, 14th, 15th National Guard brigades near Malaya Tokmachka, Verbovoye, Novoprokopovka, and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).
The enemy has lost up to 230 servicemen, three tanks, 10 armoured fighting vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns.
In Kherson direction, the enemy's attempts to cross the Dnepr River to land on the left bank and islands were thwarted by preventive actions of the Russian Armed Forces.
Aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of AFU 35th, 38th Naval Infantry, 121th Territorial Defence brigades near Mikhailovka, Tyaginka, Ivanovka, Sablukovka, and Kacharovka (Kherson region). The AFU lost up to 275 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 21 motor vehicles, 15 boats and seven field artillery guns as a result of the actions of the Russian troops.
Over the past week, 48 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered, 35 of them in Kupyansk direction.
Russian Aerospace Forces and air defence units have shot down Su-25, Su-27 aircraft, as well as one Mi-9 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force. In addition, 35 HIMARS and Uragan MLRS projectiles, six Neptune anti-ship missiles, two MALD guided aerial missiles, and 161 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down during the week.
Operational-Tactical and Missile Troops of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed two P-18 radars for detecting and tracking air targets, 10 ammunition depots, and one electronic warfare station.
In total, 567 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 10,620 unmanned aerial vehicles, 447 air defence missile systems, 14,578 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,202 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 7,694 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,345 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:56 According to the operational lines of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC for January 12, as of 23:00, additionalinformation about civilian casualties in the cities of the Republic: n.p. Gorlovka (Nikitovsky district): - on the street. Vesenneya, 29, a man born in 1978 was wounded; - on the street Sukhumskaya, 26, a woman born in 1946 was wounded.
Thus, as of 23:00, the total number of civilian casualties from UFU attacks on the territory of the Republic was 11 people (two killed and nine injured).
Additional information has been received about damage as a result of artillery attack by the Air Forces of the cities of the Republic: Donetsk (Petrovsky district): - direct hit in the boiler room on the street. Petrovsky, the gas pipeline was also damaged. n.p. Gorlovka (Nikitovsky district): – st. Vesennyaya, 30, 36, 40 – private residential buildings; – at the intersection of Pereyaslavskaya and Sukhumskaya streets, the gas pipeline was damaged. Information about the consequences of the artillery attack continues to arrive.
21:08 Ukrainian TG channels report the takeoff of the strategic missile carrier Tu-22M3 of the Russian Aerospace Forces
21:07 Ukrainian TG channels report missiles in the direction of Volchansk (Khar'kov region)
21:06 Air raid alert declared in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkassy, Poltava, Sumy, Khar'kov, Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd regions of Ukraine, data shows online maps Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation.
19:50 RF Armed Forces today advanced in the Georgievka area and near Verbovoy.
The enemy also confirmed the retreat of his troops in the area of the Avdeevsky coke plant near the treatment facilities.
19:26 There are reports that a warehouse with ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit in Konstantinovka. Secondary detonation is underway.
19:06 Ukrainian Telegram channels report explosions in Konstantinovka (DPR, occupied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces)
18:49 Crews of the Buk-M1 air defense systemreflectenemy missile attacks in the South Donetsk direction.
Anti-aircraft missile units of the Vostok group of forces reliably cover army units and key industrial and administrative facilities in Donbass.
“We have a huge responsibility. We work on MLRS rounds, including HIMARS. On New Year’s Eve we were working on Alder system missiles,” said the head of the air defense missile system crew with the call sign “Kazbek.” “We completed our task.”
17:37 News from Avdeevsky direction:
It is reported that tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces struck enemy positions and concentration points.
And this morning, a strike was struck on the stronghold and command post of one of the brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The front-line bird notes that tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out strikes without entering the air defense coverage area.
16:46 Those killed by a Ukrainian UAV strike in Gorlovka could not be picked up for a long time, since another drone was circling in the sky and there was a danger of a second attack -video.
16:35 The main thing from the Russian Ministry of Defense report for the week:
During the week from January 6 to January 12, 23 strikes were carried out with long-range precision weapons on targets in Ukraine, including Kinzhal missiles. The targets were enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex and deployment points; all designated objects were hit;
In the Kupyansk direction, 27 Ukrainian attacks and counterattacks were repelled, and the position along the front line in certain areas was improved. Ukrainian Armed Forces losses – more than 585 people, three tanks;
In the Krasnolimansky direction, the enemy lost up to 995 people killed and wounded;
In the Donetsk direction, six Ukrainian attacks were repelled, the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to more than 1,785 people, five tanks;
In Yuzhno-Donetsk - seven attacks were repelled, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 850 military personnel and three tanks;
In the Zaporozhye direction, more advantageous lines and positions were occupied, an attack in the Rabotino area was repelled, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 230 people, three tanks. In the Kherson direction - up to 275 people and a tank;
Within a week, Ukrainian Su-27 and Su-25, as well as a Mi-8 helicopter, were shot down.
16:05 Our troops are bypassing Novomikhailovka from the north. The Donetsk stringer writes that there is progress along the Ukrainian Armed Forces position “Zverinets”. In this way, we will force the Ukrainian Armed Forces to either leave this fortification, or they will take the battle from the flanks, which is less profitable for them.
16:00 Consequences of artillery attack of the Chervonogvardeisky district of Makeyevka by Ukrainian militants, as a result of which a woman was wounded
15:37 In the village. Borovaya (Khar'kov region) 44th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ripped off timing of preparation of the defensive line. The work was planned to be completed by December 31. In conversations with local residents, Ukrainian Armed Forces militants say that the district administration has not allocated the requested amount of construction equipment.
14:40 Khar'kov region. Our missilemen worked against the enemy using lionfish, writes Frontline Bird. There is no air defense in the area. There is an arrival at the military enterprise of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
14:31 A civilian was injured as a result of a Ukrainian missile attack on Makeyevka, the DPR representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC) reported.
“Makeevka settlement (Chervonogvardeisky district): – on Tsimlyansky Lane, 15, a woman born in 1973 was injured,” says a message published on the representative’s Telegram channel.
13:53 Consequences of artillery attack of Makeevka DPR. A direct hit on a residential building, the explosion destroyed an entire floor.
13:15 Dnipropetrovsk region. The front bird reports the sound of an explosion in the southern part of the area. Local channels report several loud bangs. The enemy's air defense was inactive. There was no air raid alert.
12:49 The number of wounded in Gorlovka has increased to six people.
11:45 Statement of Head of the press center of the "South" group:
Units of the “Southern” group of forces, supported by strikes from operational-tactical, army aviation and artillery fire, defeated the manpower and equipment of 22, 42 and 93 Mechanized brigades in the Andreevka and Kleshcheevka areas.
The enemy lost up to 260 military personnel, two armored personnel carriers, and 15 vehicles in the Donetsk direction, wounded and killed. During the counter-battery fight, the 152mm D-20 howitzer and the 152mm Msta-B howitzer were destroyed.
Air defense and electronic warfare systems shot down 10 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of Mar'inka and Spornoye, Donetsk People's Republic.
11:05 Morning report from Warrior DV:
In the area of Novomikhailovka and Elizavetovka, artillery hit three concentrations of enemy military equipment and manpower. On the southwestern outskirts of Novomikhailovka and northeast of Konstantinovka, work is underway on the forward positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At least two AGS crews were destroyed.
In the northwest of Dobrovolye and Vodyanoye, two concentrations of manpower were destroyed. A long-term firing point in a forest belt was destroyed north-west of Sladkoye, and up to five strong points were suppressed north of Nikolskoye.
In Prechistovka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' police forces were torn apart, and to the west of Novodonetsk, two oporniks in the forest belts were suppressed.
To the west of Staromayorsky, three oporniks in the forest belts were suppressed, the enemy lost the UAV control center.
South-east of Ravnopol, the enemy made three unsuccessful attempts to carry out rotation on the defensive positions. As a result of the artillery work, the UAV control center was destroyed.
10:47 Fresh report from the Donetsk stringer on the advance of our troops in the morning:
– Pervomayskoe (Donetsk direction) – occupied 2 blocks in the eastern part of the village;
– Pervomayskoe (Kupyanskoe direction) – our troops and the Ukrainian Armed Forces condensed the front, “eating” the gray zone, reaching shooting range;
– South from Artyomovsk – advance about 500 meters to the west with a good piece of the front;
Therns - carried out several good attacks, advanced from 100 to 500 meters in several places. But it will be more difficult. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are building a large line of defense from Makeyevka to Zarechny using the heights along a large ravine, stakes and the Zherebets River.
10:39 Mayor of Gorlovka Ivan Prikhodko reported that during the evacuation of injured power workers, a UAV flew into the ambulance.
As a result of the UAV attack, a paramedic and an employee of an energy supply company were killed, and the driver of the ambulance and a doctor were injured.
10:15 As a result of the artillery attack of Gorlovka, three employees of the technical unit “Central Electric Networks” of the DPR State Unitary Enterprise “Regional Energy Supply Company” were wounded.
09:40 Around 3:40 Moscow time, two strikes were carried out on Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities in the Chuguevsky district of the Kharkov region - between Volchansk and Vilcha.
09:20 From the Verbovoye area in the Zaporozhye direction, the Front Bird reports:
“This morning began with aerial reconnaissance and the work of our cannon artillery.
The fighters also found several Ukrainian Armed Forces pickup trucks near the forest belt. We worked on them with mortars and AGS.”
09:05 Statement of senior officer of the press center of the Center group:
In the Krasnolimansk direction, the enemy did not show active action. The group's aviation strikes and artillery fire hit two control points, an ammunition depot, and an American-made counter-battery counter-battery station in the areas of Torskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova and Yampolovka. The Tor-M1 crew destroyed the Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle Leleka-100.
Enemy losses per day amounted to up to 160 military personnel, a Kozak armored fighting vehicle, and three 120mm mortars.
08:45 The latest news from the Svatovsko-Kremensky sector of the front was reported by a military expert, Lieutenant Colonel of the LPR NM Andrey Marochko:
According to his information, Ukrainian militants are trying to increase their strength. In the area of Makeevka (LPR), Nevsky and Ternov, there is a strengthening of the positions of Ukrainian militants due to armored vehicles and additional artillery crews. The number of mobile groups with roaming firepower has also increased. At this stage, the growth of forces is insignificant, but this fact has already influenced the course of hostilities. Our units began to more intensively strike the militants in this area. Objective control by intelligence agencies has also been strengthened.
08:25 Frontline summary on the morning of 01/12/2024:
In the Zaporozhye direction, the Russian Armed Forces counterattacked from Verbovoy. Ukrainian positions in Kamensky, Pyatikhatki, Gulyai-Polye and Malinovka are under attack. The artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine worked according to the Russian ones in Zherebyanki, Kopany, Ilchenkovo, Novoprokopovka, Verbovoy and Novofedorovka.
On the Donetsk front, the Russian Armed Forces are trying to regain the initiative from Novomikhailovka. They attack from the southeast. Similar actions are taking place in the Georgievka area and near Nevelskoye. With the support of long-range weapons, Russian troops are trying to advance near Pervomaisky, on the southeastern approaches to Avdeevka from the industrial zone, from the east of Krutaya Balka and from the northeast in the area of the coke plant.
They also continued assault operations in Stepnoe (not to be confused with the settlements of the same name in the Zaporozhye and Ugledar directions) and near Novobakhmutovka, controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (the settlement of the same name to the east behind the Russian Armed Forces). Ukrainian positions in Berdychi, Novokalinov, New York and Zhelezny are under fire. Russian ones are in Mar'inka, Donetsk, Vodyanoy and Gorlovka.
In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian Armed Forces, with artillery support, continued the assault on the heights north-west of Kleshcheevka. Long-range weapons operated on Ukrainian positions in Andreevka, Ivanovsky, Bogdanovka, Vasyukovka, Razdolovka, Sporny and Verkhnekamensky. The Ukrainian Armed Forces fired at the Russian Armed Forces in Bakhmut, Yagodny and Berkhovka.
In the Lugansk direction, Russian troops attacked at Yampolevka and Makeevka. No success. After the artillery attack they tried to advance at Sin'kovka. Under attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Belogorovka, Serebryanka, Torskoye, Nevsky, Berestovka and Petropavlovka.
08:15 Consequences of artillery attack of the Kuibyshevsky district of Donetsk.
The Nazis fired 20 rockets from the Vampire MLRS into residential streets. As a result of the terrorist attack, six civilians were injured.
08:04 Destroyed Russian loitering ammunition "Lancet" Ukrainian armored vehicle Iveco LMV (Lince), equipped with a remote-controlled combat module Leonardo (Oto Melara) HITROLE Light with a 12.7mm M2 machine gun.
08:00 Summary on the morning of January 12, 2024
In the Kherson direction there are battles on the same lines. The Russian Armed Forces destroy enemy personnel in Krynki, on the shore and on the water when moving boats. At night, they reported on the work of “Geraniums” in enemy concentration areas in Kherson. The problem remains the action of enemy FPV drones, reconnaissance UAVs and drone bombers, the range of which is increased due to repeaters. Enemy personnel in Krynki are covered by enemy artillery from its shore.The Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Zaporozhye Front launched attacks on our rear areas from the HIMARS MLRS launched a series of attacks on Tokmak and Molochansk. Near Rabotino, the Russian Armed Forces are gradually displacing the enemy from their occupied strongholds, artillery is working on both sides. The next offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by small infantry groups was repulsed at Verbovoy. A new element of the situation was reports of our troops going on the offensive near Nesteryanka (seven km west of the “Rabotinsky sack”), one of the roads to Orekhov passes through the settlement.
On the Vremevsky ledge, the artillery of the 394th motorized rifle regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division does not stop striking enemy positions in the Staromayorsky area, but the battles have been positional in nature for a long time.
In the area of the recently liberated Mar'inka, the main directions of advance of our troops are the western (to Kurakhovo through Georgievka) and the southern (to the villages of Pobeda and Novomikhalovka). There are heavy battles, the enemy is constantly counterattacking in the south.
The Avdeevsky direction is characterized by battles at Stepovoy, Ocheretino and the coke plant. On the southern sector of the front, our troops attack Pervomaiskoe. The enemy reinforced his troops near the village with personnel. Berdychi and coke plant.
The offensive of the Russian Armed Forces continues in the direction of Chasov Yar. Battles near Bogdanovka and Kleshcheevka, west of the village. Khromovo. Places where Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel gather in the rear, in Konstantinovka, are constantly covered by our means of destruction.
In the area of the Tor ledge, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted a counterattack, but were unable to achieve success.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov
[REGNUM] The chaos with the blocking of the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was a sign of past years, when a multi-party system was still in use and different opinions were allowed. Therefore, the noise raised around attempts to put to a vote a resolution on the resignation of People’s Deputy Maryana Bezugla from the post of deputy head of the Defense Committee looked at least unusual. Although, by and large, this is a technical question, they introduced it, voted on it, yes or no.
However, Maryana, who received the unofficial call sign “Mad,” continues to be the center of a big scandal. But this is not a consequence of her character: simply an active girl has become the main character in a big political game aimed at a quick division of power. Formally, the Ukrainian parliament has five party factions and two more parliamentary groups. However, two large parties have already invisibly formed into which all the others have basically scattered.
In general, the fate of the scandalous bill on “super-mobilization” is connected with the electoral effect that both sides want to avoid, while being equally interested in additional conscription of citizens. And the fight for Maryana is the first test of the pen in the coming battle.
QUEEN MOVE
People's Deputy Madness received her nickname, invented by haters, for systematic information attacks on Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny and his associates. As part of the ongoing war with the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, she just recently criticized the commander of the 10th Army Corps, Vasily Zubanich, whom she calls responsible for the unsuccessful summer counteroffensive and for the losses suffered by the Ukrainian army.
“How much does an unpunished butcher general cost the state? Cynical numbers. 100 killed - one and a half billion UAH of social payments for 15 million UAH. What if 1000? It's becoming much more realistic now. 1000 lives, 1000 worlds, 1000 tears. And for the state this is 15 billion social payments, which will be paid for more than one year. I don’t count the money that was spent on equipment, weapons, food, transport, etc.,” writes Bezuglaya, who was immediately called by commentators “a creature that works for the enemy.”
This assessment of Maryanina’s truth became the reason for attempts to remove her from the post of deputy head of the committee. Moreover, the initiators of the resolution are members of the National Security Committee and its head, people’s deputy from the Servant of the People faction Alexander Zavitnevich. That is, a fellow brawler. The explanatory note states that they want to recall Bezuglaya from her position due to “circumstances that preclude her from fulfilling her duties.” Although even if she resigns, she will still remain a member of the committee.
As the chairman of the committee on regulations, Sergei Kalchenko (also Servant of the People), explained in this regard, freedom of expression “also includes responsibility for what a person says.” Other faction colleagues speak much less diplomatically, and among those who directly introduced the resolution was another “servant.” But the head of the faction, David Arakhamia, was against it, as was the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Stefanchuk, so the deputies blocked the podium and, as a result, the meeting was closed. Moreover, according to some, the speaker refused to put the issue to a vote following a command from the Office of the President. And the case when the opposition so ardently defended the coalition’s personnel decision occurred for the first time in the history of the current convocation.
As a result, a difficult decision was made anyway: Maryana Bezuglaya announced her resignation from the Servant of the People faction and party. “I don’t need a weak faction or party in a war. I will continue to support the President’s initiatives, but I don’t want to have common obligations with the people’s deputies of the faction who stick a knife in the back,” she wrote on her page on the social network and decisively explained that without radical changes, the existence of the parliament will be a “totalitarian painful extinction,” and the Armed Forces of Ukraine “ will turn into a conveyor belt for the disposal of citizens to maintain the status quo at the front.”
Thus, several facts can be stated. First: the Servant of the People party has lost its former unity and this project will be merged as having exhausted itself. Second: in parliament, a conditional “Ermak-Zelensky party” and a “Zaluzhny party” emerged, which for the first time tried to show its teeth. Third: Madness has accepted the role of a classic trickster, whose task is to drown Zaluzhny without exposing Zelensky, whom she continues to support, to attack.
FIGHT UNDER THE CARPET
Little changes in Maryana’s political status. She is still a people’s deputy, and nothing can be done about it, since she was elected as a majoritarian from the Obolonsky district of Kyiv. The sphere of interests does not change in any way, the role is quite established, and the ideological platform appeals to an entire parliamentary group (although it is unlikely that there will be such brave souls for the company yet).
The deputy hits where it hurts, arguing that without revising the national security and defense sector and establishing real control over it, corruption in the Armed Forces of Ukraine will become record-breaking compared to other departments. The defense-industrial complex will not fulfill the mission of developing the economy and security of the country. “The indifference and inertia of the National Security Committee is criminal!” Come to me, all who are not afraid.
If there are specific personalities with whom blatant examples of theft and failures at the front are associated, this is sufficient for further development. Here, as IA Regnum has already explained, lies Zelensky’s main interest: to drown General Zaluzhny as much as possible, who is seen as the main competitor capable of taking power from the “greens”. Only now this is a personal project of “the most patriotic patriots”; Maryana is personally responsible for everything said below, who, as our interlocutors in Kyiv suggest, has been offered a place in the future new party of the president.
In the same way, the central initiative to amend the Cabinet of Ministers bill on mobilization was transferred to her. We were wrong in our assumption: nevertheless, the authorities did not want to take on such responsibility and associate draconian measures with their name, accepting the option that shocked society in the first reading. At the same time, a significant softening of the norms of the new law will still formally not belong to the president, although the pressure for its speedy adoption is directly exerted by him - in this we turned out to be right. So the revision will take a minimum of time.
But all those who strongly condemn criticism of Zaluzhny and his generals as unacceptable “rocking the boat during the war” are now huddled in another, also not yet formed, party. It includes part of the “Servant of the People”, and “Voice”, and Poroshenko’s “Eurosolidarity”, and the people of Yulia Tymoshenko. By the way, the last two, who were considered almost political corpses, again appeared in first place in the citation ratings. A clear sign that the election smells.
Blocking the podium and aggression towards Maryana is the first act of the “Zaluzhny party”, an attempt to knock out the irritant in the most unpleasant way, but more importantly, to test their strength. Who really controls the parliament: the military or the “OPeshechka”.
“This is precisely what determines the severity of the technical issue, from the point of view of formalities. The easiest way for Zaluzhny to become president is to gain control of parliament so that he is elected prime minister, and the desired deputy is installed as head of the Verkhovna Rada and acting president. By spring, “Zaluzhny’s party” may already dominate, then the government will face a political crisis and the need to make concessions, ” says Ukrainian political scientist Ruslan Bortnik.
As a result of this battle, the vote failed, but the OP had to give in, and very seriously. After all, in the end it became clear that even the support of the Office does not make it possible to criticize the commander-in-chief in parliament with impunity. And his popularity is so high that sharp criticism irritates society and directly affects the ratings of the authorities. And it is not at all a fact that at the end of this path Maryana Mad will enter some kind of political project. Her bet with a high degree of probability may turn out to be losing, and the current integrity, reliably covered from above, will not be forgiven for the deputy, as well as for her boss, if Zelensky’s party loses.
This was informally discussed in our forum some time ago.
[Regnum] The permanent base for ships of the Russian Navy may begin operation as early as 2024. This was stated on January 12 by the Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic Sergei Shamba.
As Shamba noted in an interview with RIA Novosti, construction work is not currently underway in Ochamchira Bay, where the base will be located, since the facility is still at the design stage.
“But its operation may begin this year, although it is difficult for me to name the exact launch time, as well as say what exactly will be located at the point. This will be a base point, as it is stated in the agreement,” said the Secretary of the Security Council of Abkhazia.
He clarified that the construction of a base for Russian Navy ships in Abkhazia corresponds to the letter and spirit of the agreement on alliance and strategic partnership between the two countries.
“Russia has undertaken obligations to ensure the security of Abkhazia, and we see how they are being fulfilled; since 2008, we have had no incidents with the seizure of ships at sea, the situation is calm in the border area,” Shamba explained.
Abkhazia also has obligations under the said agreement, which the republic is fulfilling, he added.
As Regnum reported, on October 5, 2023, President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania announced the construction of a permanent base for Russian warships in Ochamchira Bay. According to him, such a step will help increase the defense capability of Russia and Abkhazia.
The President of the Republic noted that at the moment a lot has already been done in the field of military cooperation between the two countries. Bzhania added that Russia provides support to Abkhazia and improves the skills of the republic’s specialists in special institutions.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] An entire platoon of the Russian army fled their frontline trenches and tried to escape to Crimea as commanders threatened execution for deserters, Ukraine claims.
Oleksandr Shtupun, the spokesman for the Tavria Grouping of Troops, said that 'nearly 40 invaders' had 'recently' tried to escape to the peninsula, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014.
'I'm talking about an entire platoon of the Russian army. There were reports that they were being hunted down in an attempt to bring them back,' he told Espreso Tv, adding that the deserters were armed.
The military spokesperson also reportedly said that a recent cold snap and unsanitary conditions prompted a further 30 Russian soldiers to surrender in just a four-day period.
It comes as desertions among the Russian ranks have surged as the war in Ukraine approaches the two-year mark, with dire conditions and high casualty rates swelling discontent in Putin's army.
Shtupun said that conscripts who lack training and experience on the battlefield are threatened with physical violence by commanders, including with execution, if they refuse to fight.
'This is how they stimulate invaders to execute assault missions,' he said.
'They put pressure on them both mentally and physically. The newly mobilized soldiers, who have just been deployed, have not yet seen those horrors and do not understand what is going on.
'That is why it's those who have already been on assault missions and somehow survived who refuse to go on another offensive as they are terrified of going there again.'
Last month, one charity said it had received more than 1,000 requests from Russian servicemen to help them evade fighting since April.
'A year has passed since the beginning of mobilization. If some people still had hopes that they could go home after a certain period of service, there are no such illusions now,' Sergei Krivenko, director of the 'Citizen. Army. Rights' human rights group, told The Moscow Times.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
