Military
Russian natural gas company in Leningrad Oblast on fire. Explosions and a fire broke out early on 21 January at the Ust-Luga natural gas terminal operated by Russian company Novatek, Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer.
Ukraine drones shut down Russian gas giant Novatek’s fuel plant. The Baltic Sea gas-condensate plant isn’t operating, Bloomberg reports.
Media: After Ukrainian drone attack on Novatek, Moscow shifts air defenses from frontline to rear areas. Also, following the alleged Ukrainian drone attack on Russian gas giant Novatek in the Baltic sea, tankers nearby moved far out to sea with their loading disrupted.
25 dead in occupied Donetsk shelling: Russia blames Ukraine, but is it true?. Moscow blames Kyiv; however, occupied Donetsk could also have been shelled by the Russian forces to intimidate local residents and discredit the Ukrainian government.
Ukrainian military deny role in deadly strike on market in Russian-occupied Donetsk. 28 people were killed and 30 more injured in a shelling attack on a market in Russian-occupied Donetsk, according to Moscow-installed authorities.
British Intel: Russia intensifies its assault along frontline, suffers more losses. According to the UK intel, a key enabler for this is the freezing ground conditions, which allow cross-country movement of armored vehicles.
Ukraine builds its own “Surovikin line” – Telegraph. The “Surovikin Line” refers to the massive defensive fortifications built by Russian forces in 2023 on occupied Ukrainian territory.
Russia shelled Donetsk Oblast 11 times over past day, injuring 2 people. Russian attack on the oblast resulted in damaging 34 civilian facilities – 31 residential buildings, administrative buildings, cars, and power lines.
Russians shelled Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, killing young man. Russians aim to seize all of Donetsk Oblast, with a portion under Ukraine’s control.
ISW: Russian forces captured Khrokmalne in Kharkiv Oblast. Volodymyr Fitio, spokesman for Ukraine’s Land Forces Command, said on 21 Jan. Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from Krokhmalne village in the Kupiansk sector to more prepared positions.
As of 22 Jan 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
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- Personnel: 376860 (+830)
- Tanks: 6192 (+11)
- APV: 11489 (+23)
- Artillery systems: 8896 (+21)
- MLRS: 968
- Anti-aircraft systems: 657 (+2)
- Aircraft: 331
- Helicopters: 324
- UAV: 6961 (+25)
- Cruise missiles : 1819 (+1)
- Warships/boats: 23
- Submarines: 1
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 11891 (+29)
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Intelligence and technology
AI is key to Ukraine’s victory, says new analysis. Western experts argue that the development of AI in the Ukraine war is striking.
Russia reports downing 4 drones over Smolensk Oblast. Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported on 21 January that Russian Smolensk Oblast came under drone attack overnight, with a total of four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) shot down by Russian air defenses.
Political and legal developments
Zelenskyy: “No need to mobilise 500,000 Ukrainians”. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy resisted calls for mobilizing 500,000 more Ukrainian troops, questioning the rationale, costs and his priority for preserving lives, the Channel 4 interview revealed.
Ukraine’s police identify five suspects in harassment of investigative journalist. Residents from Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts are suspected of an intimidation attempt targeting journalist Yuriy Nikolov, who is known for his corruption investigations into military procurement practices.
International
Netherlands provides mobile field hospital to Ukraine. Adaptable to frigid conditions and equipped with 36 intensive care beds, the Dutch mobile hospital delivered to Ukraine’s Border Guard Service will provide care to wounded soldiers.
Read our earlier daily review here.
