Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine, has postponed a visit to Kiev planned for January as part of efforts to help end the war with Russia. The postponement of the visit of Trump’s representative to Ukraine was confirmed by Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga, who stressed that the first visits will take place after the new US administration takes office. “For us, visits and meetings with General Kellogg are very important and we are in contact to determine the timing and fill the meeting with maximum content,” he said.
The American transport ship Cape Edmont has entered the Baltic Sea with a cargo of ground equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Newly elected President Donald Trump said he “understands the feelings of Russia,” which declares Ukraine’s membership in NATO countries inadmissible. “All parties, including Russia and the West, have always understood that Ukraine cannot be a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),” said US President-elect Donald Trump. He was asked to clarify whether he adhered to the position that “Ukraine can never join NATO.” “My opinion is that this has always been the understanding. In fact, I think they (Russia and Ukraine, ed.) had an agreement [reached previously]. And then [incumbent US President Joe] Biden broke it. They had an agreement, which would have been satisfactory for Ukraine and for everyone else. But Biden said, ‘no, you have to be able to join NATO,'” Trump responded.
Today, the meeting of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine is taking place at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; the topics under discussion are: Ukraine’s immediate needs: supply of air defense systems, artillery ammunition and armored vehicles. Long-term goals of Ukraine’s defense: discussing plans to create sustainable deterrent forces. Strengthening the defense industry: coordinating coalition efforts to support the defense base. During the meeting, Pentagon chief Austin plans to bring together leaders of eight coalition groups to develop a strategy to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capacity until 2027. “Each coalition within Ramstein covers different aspects of Ukraine’s military capabilities and is led by two or more NATO countries.” NATO countries will appoint suppliers in 8 areas: air force, armored vehicles, artillery, demining, drones, air defense, information technology and maritime security. At that point, the United States may announce the last aid package under President Joe Biden.
Ukraine has lost 400,000 soldiers killed and wounded, but even these numbers are underestimated – source Washington Post. Ukraine is losing troops at a rate far exceeding the replacement rate, the publication notes.
Ukrainian sources say that Ukraine plans to stop the transit of Russian oil to the EU after gas. The corresponding bill has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration. The current contract, concluded in 2019, is valid until the end of 2029. But the contract will be terminated unilaterally, the Ukrainians say.
In Russia, indicators show that the Russian internet operator Nodex is experiencing an outage as it reports an attack cyber attack by Ukraine that has paralyzed its networks. The incident continues affecting fixed and mobile services.
And now a look at the front line updated at 16:00 on January 8.
Saratov and Engels were subjected to a massive drone attack at night, during which debris from downed UAVs fell on an industrial plant. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced the destruction of drones in the vicinity of Belgorod. Five FPV drones were shot down in three districts of the Rostov region, three more in the Bryansk region.
In the Rostov region, 5 UAVs were destroyed in the districts of Millerovsky, Chertkovsky and Azov. 3 drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, several more over the Belgorod region, 1 over Berdyansk in the Zaporizhia region.
In the Kursk region, the Ukrainians, as a result of heavy fighting, exhausted the offensive thrust in the direction of Bolshoi Soldatskoye, Russian troops completed the mopping up around Berdin and Novosotnitsky. Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers were captured. At the same time, the Russian Armed Forces carried out attack operations in other directions in the region. Russian successes are reported in Russky Porechny, in the Cherkasy Porechny area, near Malaya Loknya and Makhnovka. The Sever group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces reports an advance of several kilometers. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to transfer attack aircraft from elite units in the Sudzhan border region: in one day the Ukrainian group increased by more than 600 people.
In the direction of Liman, units of the Russian army are having success in Ivanivka (the right bank of the Zherebets River).
In Torets’k, the Russian Armed Forces continue assault operations. The Ukrainian Armed Forces announce the arrival of Russian reserves. It is reported that the building of school No. 3 in the central part of the city was taken by the Russians.
East of Pokrovs’k, the offensive of Russian troops continues in the area of Vozdvyzhenka and Yelyzavetivka towards Pokrovs’k-Kostyantynivka. 4 km south of Pokrovs’k, battles are taking place in the area of Lysivka-Dachens’ke-Zelene. From the southwest of the city, Russian forces are also carrying out attacks towards Zvirove and Kotlyne.
In the Belgorod region, the village of Nikolskoye was hit in the evening. In the village of Politotdelsky, an FPV drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a residential building.
In the DPR in Horlivika, two wounded by a NATO-caliber cluster artillery attack.
Graziella Giangiulio
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