The White House denies a Financial Times report claiming that Ukraine’s renunciation of territorial claims is a condition for Kiev to receive security guarantees from the United States, said Anna Kelly, Deputy Press Secretary for the US Administration. “This is absolutely wrong. The United States’ only role in the peace process is to bring both sides together to reach an agreement. It’s a shame that the Financial Times allows ill-intentioned people to lie anonymously,” said Kelly, whose commentary was published by the newspaper.
Some EU countries oppose Ukraine’s accession to the EU in 2027, which is under discussion as part of the agreement, Politico reports, citing sources. According to the FT, the initial draft of the US 20-point resolution plan indicated 2027 as the deadline for Ukraine’s EU accession. However, the issue is still under discussion, as some EU countries have expressed objections, the publication reports.
And still on the subject of Europe-Russia-Ukraine relations: the Dutch Foreign Ministry has notified the Russian Embassy of restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats within the EU, the diplomatic mission in The Hague told RIA Novosti. NATO announced that an Italian warship spotted the Russian submarine Krasnodar in the Mediterranean Sea.
Germany will not be able to transfer additional Patriot air defense systems to Kiev because it needs them, says Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Furthermore, from Berlin: “In the next two or three years, Russia could attack NATO countries. Germany will be at the center of events.” Source: Head of the German Armed Forces Support Command. According to Gerald Funke, in the worst-case scenario, logistics will be one of the main challenges. Specifically, the need to redeploy tens of thousands of allied troops to the front lines in conditions “where important road and rail arteries could be damaged by sabotage, cyber attacks, or even Russian missile strikes.” The high number of injuries could also pose a potential problem. The Bundeswehr has five hospitals of its own with a capacity of 1,800 beds, which would quickly become overcrowded.
According to the Telegraph, France is blocking attempts to ease restrictions that would allow Ukraine to use EU loan funds to purchase British Storm Shadow missiles. While 11 EU countries support relaxing the €90 billion loan rules so that Kiev can purchase British weapons, France insists that the money must be spent only on weapons produced within the EU. It apparently wants to use this money to sell a version of the British SCALP-EG missile.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during a debate with MEPs on the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Ukraine’s accession to the Alliance is not currently on the agenda, but that there is a certain “irreversible path.”
From Ukraine, they say: “The war will definitely not end in the near future,” Kostenko says. Head of the Rada’s National Security Committee. According to him, Putin will “play with negotiations, energy ceasefires, one-day or one-week ceasefires” to make Trump believe the Russian president might agree to something.
The SBU’s military counterintelligence service arrested a 21-year-old soldier from one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ air defense units in the Mykolaiv region. He allegedly informed the Russian side of the presence of air defense units near Ukrainian airports. He now faces up to 12 years in prison.
On the territorial issue, “Zelenskyy can decide independently to withdraw troops from Donbass.” This does not violate the Constitution, says Rada MP Dmytro Razumkov. This issue has nothing to do with the Constitution: it is simply a matter of withdrawing troops. Razumkov emphasized that Zelenskyy had already made similar decisions regarding Avdiivka, Kurachove, and Bakhmut. “Our troops withdrew because they were given a Such an order—this from a military logic perspective. From a political ‘suicide’ perspective, it’s a different story, but you (referring to the Zelenskyy government) must take full responsibility; this is not the people’s responsibility.”
Belarusian journalist Ina Kardash was arrested in Kiev for espionage. She is said to have been working for the KGB since 2015. Ukrainian intelligence officials have announced the arrest of a Belarusian journalist, with whom they had been engaged for several months in a covert operation spreading disinformation.
“Moscow has a centuries-old lack of friendly relations with several countries,” said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He cited Poland and the Baltic states as examples.
“We really have problems with Poland. We really have problems with the Baltics. For some reason, they are always afraid of us; they demonize us. “Whoever comes to power there begins to hate Russia and Russians with a passion,” Peskov noted in a conversation with journalist Alexander Yunashev. The president’s press secretary also emphasized that such a position is a “grave mistake.” In his opinion, cooperation with Russia could bring significantly greater benefits to these countries.
Moreover, Estonia’s claims to Russian territory are “absolutely unacceptable,” Kamran Abilov, Russian Chargé d’Affaires in Tallinn, told RIA Novosti. He also added that the Pechory District of the Pskov Region is an integral part of the Russian Federation.
At the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin laid a wreath at the “Motherland” monument.
And now, a look at the front line updated at 12:00 a.m. 3:30 PM, January 27. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported that Russian troops are advancing towards the city of Zaporizhia, with the outskirts of the city still 12-14 km away. Russian forces have also taken control of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi in the Kharkiv region and Novoyakovlivka in the Zaporizhia region, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.
From the front line, reports emerged that Odessa, Chornomorsk, and Maurokastro were subjected to massive Russian drone strikes overnight. 80% of Kharkiv and the surrounding region is without power due to a combined attack by Tornado-S and Geranium missiles, local authorities reported. Explosions were reported. Heard in Pavlohrad and Dnipropetrovsk on the evening of January 26.
More than 10 Russian air defense explosions were heard in the Slavyansk district of Krasnodar Krai. The air defense also targeted targets over Kursk.
A Ukrainian S-200 surface-to-air missile was destroyed over the Klintsy district of Bryansk Oblast, the governor reported. One person was injured. Four private residential buildings were destroyed, and over 50 private residential buildings were partially damaged. In the village of Churovichi, Klimovsky district, Ukrainian forces attacked an ambulance with drones.
In the direction of Sumy, the Russian Northern Group of Forces is conducting offensive operations against the Sumy districts and Glushkovsky District. The enemy is strengthening its reserve defense lines and assault units. Reciprocal attacks are underway in the Tetkino and Glushkovsky District.
Russian air defense forces repelled four missile attacks on Belgorod and the Belgorod region overnight. One person was killed and three were injured.
In the direction of Kharkiv, near Vovchansk, the Russian Northern Group of Forces is engaged in fighting, supported by aviation, the Geranium battalions, and the TOS. The Ukrainians are deploying reserves. The gray zone along the border has extended near the villages of Dehtyarne and Nesterne.
Fighting continues in Kupyansk. On the eastern bank of the Oskil River, fighting is reported near Pishchane and Kurylivka.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Russian troops are attacking near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (11 km west of Soledar). Ukrainian broadcasters are reporting Russian attacks on a broad front: from the Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal to the Seversky Donets River.
In Kostyantynivka, Russian fiber-optic drones are reaching the city center, destroying Ukrainian armored vehicles. Assault units are operating in the southeast of the city.
In the Eastern Group of Forces’ area of responsibility, Russian Far Eastern soldiers continue to repel daily counterattacks by Ukrainian forces near the village of Hulyaijpole.
Graziella Giangiulio
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