Here are the key developments on Day 1,056 of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Here is the situation on Wednesday, January 15:

Fighting

• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to take the “strongest possible action” against Russia if it is confirmed that Russian forces were responsible for the death of Oscar Jenkins, an Australian captured while fighting for Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s military launched its largest missile and drone attacks on Russian territory since the war began.
• The Ukrainian strikes reportedly targeted the Russian towns of Saratov and Engels.
• The attacks caused damage to factories in the affected regions.
• Russia’s Ministry of Defence vowed retaliation against Ukraine for the large-scale air attacks, accusing Ukraine of using missiles supplied by the United States and United Kingdom.
• The Russian Defence Ministry claimed its forces captured two Ukrainian settlements in the Donetsk region: Terny, near Siversk, and Neskuchne, further south.
• Steelmaker Metinvest announced it was closing its coal mine near Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine due to the advancing Russian troops, just a few kilometers away.
• Metinvest’s CEO, Yuriy Ryzhenkov, emphasized the decision was made to protect the lives of thousands of employees and their families.

Courtesy: DawnNews English

Russian oil and gas

• Russia has accused the United States of attempting to sabotage TurkStream, the last pipeline still carrying Russian gas exports into Europe.
• The leader of Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria traveled to Moscow for discussions aimed at resolving an energy crisis triggered by the suspension of Russian gas deliveries.
• Transnistria has been facing widespread power cuts since January 1, when Russia’s Gazprom halted gas exports to the region, citing an unpaid Moldovan debt of $709 million, which Moldova does not recognize as valid.
• The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) warned that the risk to environmental safety and the well-being of seafarers is increasing as more ships join Russia’s “shadow fleet,” bypassing IMO requirements.
• Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that his country will soon stop importing Russian oil, as it will be able to source all its oil supplies from the West after doubling the capacity of the Italian TAL pipeline.
• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) expressed concerns about the growing environmental risks and safety issues associated with the increasing number of vessels joining Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which avoids compliance with international shipping regulations.
• Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala revealed that the country will no longer need to import Russian oil soon, thanks to a significant increase in the capacity of the TAL pipeline from Italy, enabling Czechia to meet all its oil supply needs from Western sources.
• The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) emphasized the growing environmental and safety risks as more ships, part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” avoid meeting IMO regulations, raising concerns for both the environment and the safety of seafarers.
• Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that Czechia will soon be able to stop importing Russian oil, thanks to an expansion of the TAL pipeline, which now allows the country to source its oil entirely from the West, reducing reliance on Russian energy supplies.
• The European Union has warned that it will not hesitate to impose further sanctions on Russia if evidence of continued violations of international law emerges, particularly regarding the use of banned weapons in Ukraine.
• The U.S. Department of State has condemned Russia’s missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, calling them “blatant acts of aggression” and reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• NATO has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ukraine, with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasizing the importance of continuing military and financial aid to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged international partners to accelerate arms deliveries to Ukraine, stressing the urgency of countering Russian advances in the eastern and southern fronts.
• The United Nations has raised alarms over the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine, citing increased displacement, lack of basic services, and the continued targeting of civilian infrastructure.

Courtesy: The Telegraph

Politics and diplomacy

• Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov praised US President-elect Donald Trump’s remarks on the US push for Ukraine to join NATO, attributing it to contributing to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Lavrov quoted Trump, who stated that NATO did exactly what it had promised not to do, referring to the expansion of NATO to include Ukraine.
• German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, announced that European countries would enhance efforts to strengthen Europe’s defense in response to the incoming Trump administration in the US.
• Zelenskyy revealed that he had further discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the potential deployment of Western troops in Ukraine to safeguard a peace deal to end the nearly three-year war with Russia.
• NATO chief Mark Rutte announced that the US-led military alliance will initiate a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region, following deliberate damage to underwater infrastructure amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
• The new NATO mission aims to enhance the security of critical underwater infrastructure, including cables crucial for communications and energy supply, in response to the growing risks from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• The alliance’s decision to focus on safeguarding undersea cables comes after several incidents of sabotage and damage to key infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region.
• NATO is expected to deploy additional resources, including maritime patrols and monitoring technology, to ensure the protection of these vital connections.

Courtesy: WION

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