Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in Russia’s Tula Oblast overnight on Jan. 18, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.

According to the source, the drones, operated by HUR, hit the oil depot at least 10 times in this attack.

Tula Oblast, located south of Moscow, has regularly come under attack by Ukrainian drones as Kyiv aims at damaging Russia’s oil industry, which is crucial for sustaining Moscow’s war effort, as well as its military hardware.

Tula Oblast Governor Dmitry Milyaev said that a fuel storage tank caught fire at “one of the enterprises in the region.” No casualties were reported.

Videos posted on social media and shared by residents appear to show a large fire at an oil depot in the town of Uzlovaya in the region.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

The attack came amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure.

Earlier in the night, Ukrainian drones also reportedly attacked an oil depot in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast, causing a large fire.

Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims

“The termination of the functioning of the 92H6 radar station of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system was recorded, which indicates a successful target hit,” the statement read.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

Russian attacks against Ukraine killed nine people and injured at least 38 others over the past day, regional authorities said on Jan. 17.

Ukrainian forces downed 24 out of the 39 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.

Another 14 drones disappeared from radars without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radars before reaching their targets are usually decoys. Russia launches them alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense.

Russia also launched four ballistic missiles of either the Iskander-M or the North Korean KN-23 model in the early hours of Jan. 18, with two of them downed by Ukraine’s Air Force.

Fallen wreckage from the downed missiles killed four people and injured at least three others in Kyiv, according to local authorities.

The attack damaged a water pipeline, an administrative building, a business center, a store, and cars, the State Emergency Service said. The glass entrance to the Lukianivska metro station and the neighboring McDonald’s building were also damaged.

Russia also attacked the city of Zaporizhzhia, partially destroying the building of an industrial facility, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. At least 10 people suffered injuries, he added.

A Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed five people and injured 19 others, including four children, said Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s military administration.

Among the victims are four women aged 61, 50, 43, and 22, as well as a 20-year-old man.

The attack damaged four high-rise buildings, houses and an educational institution, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

One person was also injured in the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 31 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. One person was killed, and five others were injured over the past day, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Russia has lost 817,160 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 18.

This number includes 1,340 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,803 tanks, 20,394 armored fighting vehicles, 34,325 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,040 artillery systems, 1,262 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,046 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 22,579 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine war latest: Russia, Iran sign strategic partnership deal; Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment

Key developments on Jan. 17: * Putin, Pezeshkian sign strategic Russia-Iran partnership agreement in Moscow * Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims * Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine’s drone industry, NYT reports * US assured Putin no nucl…

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Sanctions imposed by the outgoing U.S. administration against Antal Rogan, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s cabinet chief and overseer of the secret service, have only strengthened Rogan’s position, Orban said during a state radio interview on Jan. 17.

In his first comments since the U.S. sanctioned Rogan earlier this month for alleged corruption, Orban defended his close ally. The prime minister’s cabinet office dismissed the sanctions as the “last, petty revenge” of the departing U.S. ambassador.

"(Rogan) is the minister in charge of national security services, the number one guardian of Hungarian national sovereignty and if he is punished by a big power that means he does his job well, so this is our starting point," Orban told the broadcaster, according to Reuters.

A long-time supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, Orban expressed optimism for a “golden era” in U.S.-Hungarian relations under Trump’s leadership. At home, Orban faces mounting challenges, including a rising opposition party and economic difficulties ahead of the 2026 elections. He pledged to intensify efforts to combat what he described as “foreign networks” undermining Hungary’s sovereignty.

Orban reiterated his criticism of Hungarian-born U.S. financier George Soros, whose liberal ideals have been a consistent target. The prime minister declared his foreign policy objective for the year: “to squeeze out the Soros empire from Europe,” beginning with Hungary.

“It is time…for us to eliminate the foreign networks that pose a threat to Hungarian national sovereignty and send them home,” he reportedly said. “Hungary will likely be the first country (in Europe) to squeeze out the Soros empire, this is my definite goal for this year."

For over a decade, Orban’s Fidesz party has targeted Soros and his Open Society Foundations.

In 2017, the government introduced stricter rules for foreign-funded NGOs, requiring them to register and disclose their funding sources publicly. Orban Defends Aide Sanctioned by U.S. A year later, Central European University, founded by Soros in 1991, began relocating most of its courses from Hungary to Vienna after a prolonged standoff with Orban’s administration.

Hungary’s Orban urges EU to lift Russia sanctions, media reports

Viktor Orban also described the European Union as being in a “drunken stage” but predicted a “sobering up” in Brussels.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched an attack on Kyiv early in the morning on Jan. 18, killing at least three people, according to city authorities.

According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, windows were shattered, and smoke filled the entrance of a residential building in the Shevchenkivskyi district. Several cars caught fire following the attack.

A water supply pipeline was also damaged in the area. Repair crews have been dispatched to the site, according to Klitschko.  

The glass entrance to the Lukyanivska metro station was also damaged, Klitschko said, adding that the station is currently closed for entry and exit, with trains bypassing it without stopping.

Debris were detected in the city’s Desnianskyi district, Kyiv city military administration head Tymur Tkachenko reported.

‘It’s not enough’ — Ukrainians react to Biden’s farewell speech

In his farewell speech from the White House on Jan.15, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden took the opportunity to highlight his achievements in office in an attempt to help cement his legacy. Yet, despite being one of the world’s biggest international crises that spanned much of Biden’s term

The Kyiv IndependentOleksiy Sorokin

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A fire erupted at an oil depot in the town of Uzlovaya in Russia’s Tula Oblast following a Ukrainian drone attack on the facility overnight on Jan. 18 regional Governor Dmitry Milyaev said.

Milyaev said that a fuel storage tank caught fire at “one of the enterprises in the region.” Videos posted on social media and shared by residents appear to show a large fire at an oil depot in the town.

Milyaev claimed that there were not casualties as a result of the attack.

The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials. Ukraine’s military has not yet commented on the attack.

No information on the extent of the damage was immediately available.

The attack comes amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Earlier in the night, Ukrainian drones reportedly attacked an oil depot in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast, causing a large fire.

Tula Oblast, located south of Moscow, has regularly come under attack by Ukrainian drones as the country attempts to disrupt Russia’s military supplychain. On Nov. 9, sources told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian drones struck the Aleksinsky chemical plant in the region, which produces gunpowder and ammunition for the Russian military.

Ukraine has targeted Russia’s fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia’s war effort. Drone strikes on refineries in Tuapse, Ilyich, and Novoshakhtinsk have led to reductions or suspensions in operations.

Overnight on Jan. 14, Ukraine carried out its “most massive” strike on Russian military and industrial facilities within a range of up to 1,100 kilometers (620 miles), according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Targets included chemical plants, refineries, and ammunition depots at the Engels airbase, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.

Amid an uptick in drone attacks, Russia’s seaborne exports of petroleum products declined by 9.1% to 113.7 million metric tons in 2024, Reuters reported on Jan. 17.

Russia’s seaborne oil exports decline 9.1% in 2024 amid Ukrainian drone attacks, Reuters reports

Ukraine has targeted Russia’s fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia’s war effort.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Journalists have identified the names of 88,726 Russian soldiers who died during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to a joint investigation by BBC Russia and Mediazona.

Since the media outlets' last update in mid-December, the names of 3,965 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.

The journalists note that the actual figures are likely significantly higher, as their verified information comes from public sources such as obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports, and statements from local authorities.

The confirmed death toll now includes 20,200 volunteers, 15,300 recruited prisoners, and 10,300 mobilized soldiers, according to the media outlets. Over 4,600 officers have also been confirmed to have been killed.

Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast in recent months but at the cost of heavy casualties as well as equipment losses. The journalists note that as Russian military equipment dwindles, commanders may be forced to provide less protective equipment to soldiers, highlighted by their use of civilian cars in attacks — which ultimately may lead to a higher casualty rate.

As of Jan. 17, Russia has lost a total of 815,820 troops since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s General Staff reported. The estimate, which is broadly in-line with estimates made by Western intelligence agencies, likely includes those killed, captured, wounded, and missing.

Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official recently let slip that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.

President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in a rare statement in early December that Ukraine had lost 43,000 soldiers on the battlefield since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Ukraine war latest: Russia, Iran sign strategic partnership deal; Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment

Key developments on Jan. 17: * Putin, Pezeshkian sign strategic Russia-Iran partnership agreement in Moscow * Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims * Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine’s drone industry, NYT reports * US assured Putin no nucl…

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Romania’s Defense Ministry confirmed on Jan. 17 that it had found Russian drone fragments in two communities situated on the Romania-Ukraine border.

The two attack drones, located in the communities of Chatalchioi and Kiliya Veche in Tulcea County, were found following a Russian overnight drone attack on Ukraine. Residents in the Romanian border communities received air raid alerts amid the attack.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported it had downed 33 out of the 50 drones launched by Russia overnight on Jan. 16 - 17. Another nine were “lost,” and one more drone flew in the direction of Romania, according to the statement.

Romania’s Defense Ministry said that the Russian drones did not cause any casualties or damage.

It was not the first time that wreckage of Russian drones have been found on Romanian territory, which is a NATO country. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River that separates Ukraine and Romania.

In previous incidents, Romania’s military scrambled F-16 fighter jets to protect the country’s own airspace.

The country previously published a draft law that would allow the military to shoot down aircraft that illegally violate Romania’s airspace. Despite the legislative efforts, Bucharest has yet to down Russian drones over its territory.

Ukraine war latest: Russia, Iran sign strategic partnership deal; Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment

Key developments on Jan. 17: * Putin, Pezeshkian sign strategic Russia-Iran partnership agreement in Moscow * Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims * Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine’s drone industry, NYT reports * US assured Putin no nucl…

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

A French maritime patrol aircraft was the target of intimidation tactics over the Baltic Sea overnight on Jan. 17, after the aircraft was locked onto by the radar of a Russian ground-to-air defense system, France’s Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on social media.

The aircraft was patrolling over international airspace over the Baltic Sea as part of a NATO operation, the defense minister said.

“This aggressive Russian action is not acceptable,” Lecornu wrote on X. “Our armies will continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces."

The Baltic Sea region has witnessed growing concerns over Russian sabotage since Western nations began supporting Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

On Dec. 25, four telecommunication cables and one power cable in the Baltic Sea were damaged, with Finnish authorities suspecting the involvement of the Russian “shadow fleet” vessel Eagle S.

Following the incident, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte vowed to increase NATO’s military presence in the region. On Jan. 14, eight NATO member states bordering the Baltic Sea unveiled a coordinated action plan to address risks to underwater infrastructure following the suspected sabotage.

In addition to sabotage efforts, Russia has been repeatedly accused of jamming the GPS signal of various aircrafts, particularly in the Baltic Sea region.

In March, Russia likely jammed the satellite signal of a Royal Air Force aircraft used to transport then-U.K. Defence Minister Grant Shapps near Kaliningrad.

On Dec. 9, two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea. Later they were also scrambled again to intercept a Russian IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft.

Russian aircraft frequently operate over the Baltic Sea without transponders or flight plans, actions often seen as testing NATO’s response capabilities.

NATO jets intercept Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea

The F-35s, deployed under NATO’s eastern airspace monitoring mission, intercepted a Russian An-72 transport aircraft and an SU-24 reconnaissance aircraft.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A fire erupted at an oil depot in the city of Lyudinovo in Russia’s Kaluga Oblast following a Ukrainian drone attack on the facility on Jan. 17, regional Governor Vladislav Shapsha said.

Various Russian Telegram channels, citing residents, reported sounds of explosions in the region. Videos which appear to show a large fire at an oil depot in the city were posted to social media.

Shapsha confirmed a fire had erupted at a “industrial facility” around 9:30 p.m. local time, additionally claiming that no casualties had been sustained as a result of the attack.

The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials. Ukraine’s military has not yet commented on the attack.

The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

The attack comes amid an uptick in Ukraine’s drone operations targeting Russian energy infrastructure.

Ukraine has targeted Russia’s fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia’s war effort. Drone strikes on refineries in Tuapse, Ilyich, and Novoshakhtinsk have led to reductions or suspensions in operations.

Overnight on Jan. 14, Ukraine carried out its “most massive” strike on Russian military and industrial facilities within a range of up to 1,100 kilometers (620 miles), according to the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Targets included chemical plants, refineries, and ammunition depots at the Engels airbase, a source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent.

Amid an uptick in drone attacks, Russia’s seaborne exports of petroleum products declined by 9.1% to 113.7 million metric tons in 2024, Reuters reported on Jan. 17.

Russia’s seaborne oil exports decline 9.1% in 2024 amid Ukrainian drone attacks, Reuters reports

Ukraine has targeted Russia’s fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine a key funding source for Russia’s war effort.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Six Russian oil tankers still under construction at Russia’s Zvezda shipyard have been targeted by U.S. sanctions imposed last week, Reuters reported on Jan. 17.

The latest sanctions targeted over 180 oil-carrying vessels of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a group of aging tankers routinely used for sanction evasion. Several of these vessels are also reportedly involved in transporting sanctioned Iranian oil.

For the first time, Washington imposed a ban on the use of tankers even before they went to sea or transported sanctioned cargo.

The sanctions will impact named vessels including the Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Alexander Beggrov, the Alexey Bogolyubov, as well as three yet to be named vessels listed as Zvezda 131080, Zvezda 131060, and Zvezda 131040, according to Reuters.

The Alexander Beggrov and Alexey Bogolyubov were purchased by the Russian company Sovcomflot. The other four tankers were bought by Rosneft’s shipping division Rosnefteflot. Both buyers of the vessels are under sanctions.

Experts cited by Reuters said the latest measures drove up prices of tankers as demand for non-sanctioned vessels grew.

The outgoing Biden administration has taken steps to undermine Russian oil exports, which are one of the key fuels of Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Recent sanctions also targeted two of Russia’s major oil producers, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, along with dozens of their subsidiaries.

Combined, these companies reportedly produce over 1 million barrels of oil daily, generating an estimated $23 billion of revenue annually, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

Will Transnistria’s gas crisis lead to its collapse and reintegration into Moldova?

By halting natural gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1, Russia created an unprecedented economic crisis in the Russian-occupied part of the country — Transnistria. The crisis prompted a question: will the breakaway region, occupied by Russia since 1992, survive without Russian gas? Free-of-charge Ru…

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Key developments on Jan. 17:

• Putin, Pezeshkian sign strategic Russia-Iran partnership agreement in Moscow
• Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims
• Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine’s drone industry, NYT reports
• US assured Putin no nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Biden says
• There’s no evidence that Australian fighter was executed by Russia, prosecutors told media

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic partnership agreement in Moscow on Jan. 17, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Moscow and Tehran have long ties but their cooperation only intensified after the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.

Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities, as well as short-range ballistic missiles.

The document, signed during an official ceremony in the Kremlin, establishes Moscow and Tehran as strategic partners. The agreement covers various areas, including energy, finance, transportation, agriculture, culture, science, technology, and counterterrorism.

Russia and Iran have also agreed to strengthen cooperation in security and defense. According to the agreement, if one of the parties is subjected to aggression, the other will not provide any assistance to the aggressor.

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Moscow and Tehran will also deepen partnerships between their special services, and will assist each other in the event of natural, and man-made disasters.

The strategic agreement between Russia and Iran is concluded for 20 years with automatic extension for subsequent 5-year periods.

With Iran's assistance, Russia has begun producing its own variants of Shahed drones called Geran-2.

Iran and Russia have also been at the forefront of confronting what they see as the Western-led global order, with namely Tehran sponsoring militant groups in the Middle East attacking the West's allies.

Last June, Putin signed a similar partnership agreement with North Korea, under which both parties agreed to military support each other in case of an armed attack.

Months after the deal was signed, North Korea dispatched up to 12,000 troops to help fend off a Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Oblast.

As Russian losses in Ukraine mount, Putin faces ‘devastating’ demographic timebomb

Russian losses in Ukraine are helping fuel a demographic timebomb that could see the country’s population reduced by half by the end of the century, experts have told the Kyiv Independent. “The impact on Russian society is devastating,” said Harley Balzer, emeritus professor of government and inter…

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims

Ukrainian forces struck radar equipment of an advanced S-400 air defense system in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Jan. 17.

According to the military, the positions of Russia's anti-aircraft missile division of the 568th regiment came under a "long-range fire" on Jan. 16.

"The termination of the 92H6 radar station of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system was recorded, which indicates a successful hit on the target," the statement read.

Ukrainian forces also attacked positions of the radar company of Russia's radio engineering battalion of the 336th regiment in Belgorod Oblast.

Damage to vehicles and equipment was recorded, the military said.

Moscow has not yet commented on the statement. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Belgorod Oblast lies at the border with Ukraine and is regularly targeted in cross-border drone strikes.

Ukraine also struck the Liskinskaya oil depot in Russia's Voronezh Oblast with drones overnight on Jan. 16, the General Staff claimed. Also, a drone strike reportedly targeted a Russian gunpowder factory in the village of Kuzmino-Gat in Tambov Oblast the same night.

‘Absurd phenomenon’ — The manpower issue threatening to weaken Ukraine’s Air Force

Critically lacking manpower on the front lines where Russia continues to use its vast manpower advantage to make grinding advances, Ukraine has been scrambling specialists into the infantry in an effort to replenish losses. Criticized widely by soldiers and experts for a “wasteful” use of specialis…

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine's drone industry, NYT reports

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has declassified previously undisclosed efforts to support Ukraine's drone industry, including $1.5 billion funding sent in September 2024, The New York Times reported on Jan. 17, citing anonymous officials.

Ukrainian drones have been utilized for reconnaissance, combat, and other missions, showcasing their versatility and impact in countering Russian forces.

U.S. intelligence officers reportedly assisted in advancing Ukraine's drone capabilities, helping to design a new generation of drones intended to revolutionize modern warfare.

While much of the U.S. aid for Ukraine has been publicly disclosed — covering missiles, air defense systems, tanks, and training — support for the drone sector has largely remained secret.

The declassified data reveals that the U.S. allocated funds for drone manufacturing and facilitated partnerships between U.S. tech companies and Ukrainian drone producers.

These efforts intensified during preparations for Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive, which struggled to achieve significant territorial gains, reportedly due to Russia's extensive drone use. In response, the U.S. accelerated aid to Ukraine's drone sector.

Officials reportedly believe this investment has made Ukrainian drones more effective and deadly. Ukrainian maritime drones, credited with destroying 25% of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, and aerial drones deployed on the front lines have slowed Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

By the end of 2024, Ukraine had delivered over 200,000 domestically produced drones to frontline units, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in December.

US assured Putin it won't deploy nukes in Ukraine, Biden says

The United States has assured Russian President Vladimir Putin it would not deploy nuclear weapons in Ukraine, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden said in a Jan. 17 interview with MSNBC.

"Tactical nuclear in Europe scares the hell out of everybody, including the Russians," he said.

Biden recounted conversations with Putin, during which the Russian leader emphasized demands to keep nuclear weapons out of Ukraine and block Ukraine's NATO membership.

"I said, '(Nuclear weapons are) not a problem. We've already taken the nuclear weapons out. There's none there. We're not gonna put them back in,'" Biden responded, without provided the date when such a conversation had occurred.

The U.S. president further criticized Putin's ambitions: "All he wants to do is re-establish the Warsaw Pact. I can't let that happen. This guy is not a good guy."

These discussions reflect long-standing tensions over Ukraine's security, which were central to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Under the agreement, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear arsenal — the world's third-largest — in exchange for assurances from the U.S., U.K., and Russia not to use force or economic coercion against Ukraine.

Despite these commitments, Russia launched a war against Ukraine and has repeatedly issued nuclear threats against Ukraine and its allies.

In November, Putin approved an updated nuclear doctrine, which snow allows Moscow to use nuclear arms against non-nuclear states. Russia later launched the intermediate-range ballistic missile "Oreshnik," designed for nuclear weapons.

A November survey by Russia's independent Levada Center revealed that 39% of Russians believe nuclear weapons use could be justified in the ongoing war against Ukraine, reflecting the domestic impact of Kremlin rhetoric.

How Trump could use sanctions in negotiations with Russia

In the run-up to his departure from the White House, President Joe Biden has slapped a number of major new sanctions on Russia’s financial systems and energy sector. The U.S. originally threatened Russia with “the mother of all sanctions” as Moscow prepared to invade Ukraine in February 2022.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

There's no evidence that Australian fighter was executed by Russia, prosecutors say

Australian volunteer soldier Oscar Jenkins has the status of a prisoner of war (POW) and there is no confirmation of his death, Ukrainian investigative journalism outlet Slidstvo.Info reported on Jan. 17, citing the Prosecutor General's Office.

The news comes after reports that the body of Jenkins, a 32-year-old teacher from Melbourne whose capture was reported in December, has been found. He was believed to have been executed by his Russian captors.

Some media outlets and Telegram channels published a video purporting to show bodies of soldiers, claiming that Jenkins was among them.

Slidstvo.Info verified that footage was published four years ago on an Iranian website. The description says that it was filmed in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the original video is in Armenian instead of Russian.

Jenkins is serving in the 402nd Separate Rifle Battalion, which is part of Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the outlet wrote. He went missing on Dec. 16 in 2024 while being on a combat mission near the village of Mykolaivka in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's Ground Forces Command told Slidstvo.Info.

"There has been no transfer of the body (of Oscar Jenkins)," the military said.

The Kyiv Independent has contacted the Australian Embassy in Kyiv and the Ukrainian authorities but has not received a response at the time of publication.

The Geneva Conventions mandate all warring parties to treat POW with respect and dignity, while executing POWs is considered a gross violation of international law and a war crime. Russia has been repeatedly accused of summarily executing Ukrainian POWs throughout the war.

Moscow calls foreign volunteers "mercenaries" and claims they are not entitled to protection under the Geneva Conventions.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged the "strongest action possible" if reports of an Australian national captured while fighting for Ukraine being executed by Russian forces are confirmed.

Australia's Foreign Ministry has also summoned the Russian ambassador on Jan. 15 to demand information and stress compliance with international law.

At least four Russian officers were killed in Ukraine’s attack on the town of Lgov in Russia’s Kursk Oblast on Dec. 30, independent Russian media outlet Mediazona reported on Jan. 17, citing recently published obituaries.

Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, claimed on Dec. 30 that the attack had injured an 86-year-old woman and damaged a two-story building. The Russian official did not mention any losses among the military.

Yet, according to Mediazona, at least four officers of the 76th Air Assault Division with the rank of lieutenant colonel were killed by U.K.-made missiles.

One of the killed was Lieutenant Colonel Valeriy Tereshchenko, Mediazona reported, citing an obituary from the Officers' Hockey League page on social media. Eight people from the division’s senior staff were killed, and 22 others were injured in the attack, the obituary read.

Two more obituaries about Lieutenant Colonels Pavel Maletsky and Alexei Seliverstov were found by Mediazona on their relatives' social media pages.

Another killed officer is Major Ali Tsurov from Ingushetia, who also served in the 76th Air Assault Division, Mediazona reported, citing Russian media outlet Fortanka.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Ukrainian troops carried out another attack on Lgov on Dec. 26, hitting a Russian command post. The attack allegedly killed 18 Russian soldiers.

Despite the high losses within Russian and North Korean ranks, Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast seem to be increasingly on the back foot, facing a Russian advantage in manpower and equipment.

Ukraine’s foothold in Kursk is considered a possible bargaining chip ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s expected push for peace negotiations.

Ukraine’s new Kursk push brings minor gains, raising concerns over limited resources

Since the new push in Russia’s Kursk Oblast in early January, Ukraine has made small gains and managed to capture the first North Korean prisoners of war in the area but experts have raised concerns about Kyiv’s use of limited resources while fierce battles rage elsewhere. The assessment

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

In his farewell speech from the White House on Jan.15, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden took the opportunity to highlight his achievements in office in an attempt to help cement his legacy.

Yet, despite being one of the world’s biggest international crises that spanned much of Biden’s term in office, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine only gained a single mention.

"Ukraine is still free, and we’ve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more," Biden said as he listed his administration’s accomplishments, including a stronger NATO military alliance.

“It will take time to feel the full impact of what we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow, and they’ll bloom for decades to come,” he added.

The Biden administration provided Ukraine with $65.9 billion in military assistance since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion, making it the largest donor in absolute terms.

But how this aid was given has regularly attracted criticism, particularly over the speed of the decision-making process in the White House.

Big ticket weapons, including heavy tanks, F-16 fighter jets, and the decision to greenlight long-range missile strikes deep inside Russian territory often only came after weeks or months of political wrangling, hampering Ukraine's ability to fight back against Russian forces.

Then there is Biden's assertion that "Ukraine is free" — Russia continues to occupy roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory while its forces are pushing forward in Donetsk Oblast.

We asked Ukrainians for their assessment of Biden's presidency, his legacy in regard to the full-scale invasion, and what he could have done more to help Ukraine.

How Trump could use sanctions in negotiations with Russia

In the run-up to his departure from the White House, President Joe Biden has slapped a number of major new sanctions on Russia’s financial systems and energy sector. The U.S. originally threatened Russia with “the mother of all sanctions” as Moscow prepared to invade Ukraine in February 2022.

The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Olexiy Haran

Professor at Kyiv Mohyla Academy, and research advisor at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation

We are thankful to the U.S. and personally to President Biden for all the support they have given to Ukraine, including military support. It was of immense importance in rebuffing Vladimir Putin of Russia.

I believe that for Biden, Ukraine became a personal issue that he took deeply into his heart.

However, all the time support was delayed and not enough. There are different reasons for that but the main one is Putin's nuclear blackmail which worked, as in the case with other Western leaders, unfortunately.

As a result we were not prepared enough for the counteroffensive in late 2022 and summer 2023. The lack of weapons and, therefore, the lack of success have decreased the levels of optimism for Ukrainian soldiers in the war of attrition and, among other reasons, created additional problems for mobilization.

Khrystia Vengryniuk

Author, and book publisher

At the beginning of the war, I believed that NATO would intervene, protect us, that their planes would fly and close the sky over Ukraine, and that this hell would end very quickly.

This did not happen. And when they were destroying Mariupol, I was simply convinced, minute to minute, from day to day, they would close the sky over at least this city, where thousands of people and children were killed every day. The world knew what was happening there, but no one intervened.

Now they say that 117,000 people died in Mariupol, 15,000 of them children. This can only mean one thing — everyone was afraid of Russia. They were so afraid that they could not even protect innocent civilians.

But would we have survived as a state if it were not for America and Europe? No, we would not have survived. And the fact that we still exist is indeed a very great, if not the greatest, merit of the U.S. during the Biden presidency. All the weapons, aid, and sanctions from the U.S. helped us hold out.

We lost 20% of our territory, we lost hundreds of thousands of people, but we are here and we will be, thanks to Joe Biden first and foremost.

Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Ukraine’s European partners can’t afford to watch and wait for Washington’s next move

Just days out from the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the future of Russia’s war against Ukraine is dominated by a great unknown: whether the incoming president will manage to push Moscow to stop its advance on the battlefield, or whether he will disengage and perhaps

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Oleksandr Merezhko

the chair of the parliament's foreign affairs policy

I expected the outgoing U.S. president to devote more attention to Ukraine in his farewell speech. Ukraine was mentioned only once. I understand that it was worded very carefully, but it doesn't sound optimistic enough. It doesn't say something encouraging and certain about the future of Ukraine.

I would like to hear from the outgoing president something more optimistic and encouraging, something like: 'The people of the U.S. will never leave Ukraine alone, and American friends of Ukraine will not allow anyone to throw Ukraine under the bus.'

This mention of Ukraine is just a statement of a fact, but it's not about our future.

Just one mention of Ukraine after three years of difficult struggle is not enough.

Biden knows that we are worried about our future in connection with the new administration, and a few more words of support and encouragement would be psychologically appropriate.

From Bucha to Kursk: 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale war (Photos)

One thousand days ago, at 4 a.m. Kyiv time, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the deadliest military conflict in Europe since World War II. For 1,000 days, Ukraine has been defending against the Russian military, well-equipped and superior in numbers of weapons and people deployed.…

The Kyiv IndependentIrynka Hromotska

Ukraine is ready for dialogue on energy security with Slovakia and can help it achieve energy stability, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 17 at a meeting with a delegation of the Progressive Slovakia political party, which is led by Michal Simecka.

Zelensky’s statement follows Ukraine’s decision to stop Russian gas transit via its territory, including supplies to Slovakia. Slovak Prime Minister Robet Fico has threatened to limit aid to Ukrainians and cut off electricity supplies due to the termination of Russian gas transit.

Earlier on Jan. 17, pro-Western opposition leader Simecka arrived in Kyiv. The Slovak politician’s visit comes a few days after Zelensky invited Fico to Ukraine’s capital to discuss the energy situation.

“We are ready to help the Slovak people in ensuring their energy stability and security,” Zelensky said.

“It is very important for us to hear a signal from the Slovak people that you will also support Ukrainians on our path to the European Union and NATO. This is a key issue for us because of the war, because of the security guarantees that are very important for us."

Zelensky added that the visit of the Slovak delegation “is a signal” that Slovakia will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence. The president also reminded that he had invited Fico to Kyiv.

“We were ready to host the leader of our friends from Slovakia but another leader arrived,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine did not renew a pre-war agreement to transit Russian gas to Europe via Ukrainian territory, instead allowing the deal to expire on Jan. 1. Kyiv warned repeatedly that it would not extend the deal in order to stop financing Russia’s full-scale war.

Fico and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban have been among some of the most vocal opponents of Ukraine’s decision to stop Russian gas transit.

Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Orban and Fico have continued to maintain friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting with him and promoting pro-Russian narratives in Europe.

On Jan. 14, Slovakia’s opposition parties announced plans to initiate a vote of no confidence in Fico’s government, citing concerns over his governance and foreign policy direction.

As Russia cuts Transnistria from gas, stranded locals search for someone to blame

VARNIȚA, Moldova — The buzzing sound of chainsaws and generators is now common in Varnița, a village of 5,000 that borders Moldova’s Russian-controlled region of Transnistria. Located next to the Russian-controlled city of Bender (Tighina), the village is subordinated to Chișinău but depends on the…

The Kyiv IndependentPaula Erizanu

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has declassified previously undisclosed efforts to support Ukraine’s drone industry, including $1.5 billion funding sent in September 2024, The New York Times reported on Jan. 17, citing anonymous officials.

Ukrainian drones have been utilized for reconnaissance, combat, and other missions, showcasing their versatility and impact in countering Russian forces.

U.S. intelligence officers reportedly assisted in advancing Ukraine’s drone capabilities, helping to design a new generation of drones intended to revolutionize modern warfare.

While much of the U.S. aid for Ukraine has been publicly disclosed — covering missiles, air defense systems, tanks, and training — support for the drone sector has largely remained secret.

The declassified data reveals that the U.S. allocated funds for drone manufacturing and facilitated partnerships between U.S. tech companies and Ukrainian drone producers.

These efforts intensified during preparations for Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive, which struggled to achieve significant territorial gains, reportedly due to Russia’s extensive drone use. In response, the U.S. accelerated aid to Ukraine’s drone sector.

Officials reportedly believe this investment has made Ukrainian drones more effective and deadly. Ukrainian maritime drones, credited with destroying 25% of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, and aerial drones deployed on the front lines have slowed Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

By the end of 2024, Ukraine had delivered over 200,000 domestically produced drones to frontline units, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in December.

Ukrainian special forces target Russian soldiers behind POW executions — several reportedly killed, captured

The captured Russians were identified as marines from the 40th Arctic Brigade.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Basic general military training for students of Ukrainian higher education institutions will begin in September 2025, the Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 17.

President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier approved amendments to the law on military duty and military service in Ukraine. The updated law stipulates systematic basic military training for students.

The course will consist of 90 academic hours of theory study ,and 210 academic hours of practical training.

The theory part is compulsory for both men and women, aged 18 to 25. The practical course is mandatory only for men. Women can attend it at their own request, having previously passed a medical examination.

During the course, students will gain basic knowledge of tactical, intelligence, and psychological training, first aid, and the basics of military discipline. They will also master the skills of handling weapons, according to the ministry’s statement.

Following the basic military training, students will take the military oath, receive a certificate, and obtain a military specialization.

Men who complete the course will become liable for military service, but according to the law on mobilization training and mobilization, they will not be drafted into the army until they are 25 years old. Up until that age, they can do so voluntarily.

As the full-scale invasion broke out, the Ukrainian government began reviewing educational programs in schools and higher education institutions to ensure that civilians were better prepared for the challenges posed by the war.

Starting in 2024, Ukrainian schools also launched a pilot program of the updated Defense of Ukraine subject, which has been taught since Soviet times. The updated program’s subject will become mandatory in 2027.

How will Russia’s war end?

Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump promised to end the Ukraine-Russia war during his campaign. As inauguration approaches on Jan. 20, the Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell lays out the four scenarios that could see an end to the war in Ukraine — for better or worse.

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell

Editor’s note: This story is being updated.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a strategic partnership agreement in Moscow on Jan. 17, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Moscow and Tehran have long ties but their cooperation only intensified after the outbreak of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.

Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities, as well as short-range ballistic missiles.

Partners, not allies: What to expect from Russia-Iran agreement set to be signed on Jan. 17

For Moscow, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Russia on Jan. 17 is a diplomatic victory. The trip’s centerpiece will be the finalization of a long-heralded partnership deal between Russia and Iran, signed by Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The agreement…

The Kyiv IndependentKatie Marie Davies

OSCE observers not invited to monitor upcoming presidential election in Belarus.

Belarus to host over 13,000 Russian troops for Zapad-2025 joint military drills with Russia.

Belarus sentences EU diplomatic staffer to four years in prison.

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Irregular crossings into EU from eastern borders more than triple in 2024, Frontex reports.

Belarusian state TV airs a propaganda film with jailed journalists, attempting to discredit their coverage of 2020 elections ahead of upcoming vote.

Belarusian opposition announced it will issue “New Belarus” passports, yet legal uncertainty remains for exiles.

Belarus refuses to invite OSCE observers to upcoming election

Minsk has not invited observers from the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions to monitor the upcoming presidential elections in Belarus, the OSCE announced on Jan. 9.

The presidential elections, which are expected to provide Belarus’s longtime dictator Alexander Lukashenko with a seventh term in office, are scheduled for Jan. 26. The poll, dismissed as a “sham” by the Belarusian opposition, will be the first presidential race since the 2020 election — which sparked an unprecedented wave of anti-government protests and an ongoing domestic political crisis.

The OSCE said Belarus’ decision not to invite its member states via the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was “regrettable” and “deprives the country’s citizens of a transparent and full assessment of the entire process.”

“The lack of transparency further undermines faith in the electoral system of Belarus,” said OSCE PA President Pia Kauma.

This is the third time the office will be unable to observe elections in Belarus since the contested 2020 vote — it was not invited to observe the 2022 constitutional referendum or parliamentary elections.

Speaking at a meeting with the chairs of regional executive committees on Jan. 3, Lukashenko mentioned the idea of inviting international observers, saying, “We should meet with the Central Commission once again and decide whether we will invite these foreigners (Western observers) to the elections.”

However, Lukashenko raised the issue less than three weeks before the elections, with the key stages of the campaign — the nomination of candidates, the formation of local electoral committees, and the selection of national observers — already having been carried out.

The rushed presidential election campaign is being held nearly half a year earlier than is stipulated in Belarus’s election law. The Belarusian Central Election Committee (CEC) cleared the heads of three loyalist parties — Aleh Haidukevich, Alexander Hizhnyak, and Siarhei Syrankou — along with another sham candidate representing the so-called “constructive opposition” — Hanna Kanapatskaya — to “challenge” Lukashenko for the presidency.

As of Jan. 8, the Belarusian Central Electoral Committee (CEC) had accredited 362 foreign observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (PA CSTO) — all Russia-led international alliances favoring the Lukashenko regime.

Among the 28,330 national observers, 79% come from political parties or pro-government professional unions, the independent news outlet Pozirk reports. Since 2020, Lukashenko has eliminated all but four loyal political parties and liquidated over 1,800 civil society organizations.

The expert observation mission organized by the Viasna Human Rights Center and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee claims that the electoral campaign is organized in a “repressive climate of threat, fear-mongering, pressure, and persecution in connection with any civil activity unauthorized by the state.”

Will Transnistria’s gas crisis lead to its collapse and reintegration into Moldova?

By halting natural gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1, Russia created an unprecedented economic crisis in the Russian-occupied part of the country — Transnistria. The crisis prompted a question: will the breakaway region, occupied by Russia since 1992, survive without Russian gas? Free-of-charge Ru…

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Minsk expects 13,000 Russian troops to take part in joint military drills in 2025

Over 13,000 Russian troops will participate in the Zapad-2025 joint military exercise, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 10, citing Major General Valery Revenka.

Military allies Russia and Belarus have been conducting the Zapad (“West” in Russian) strategic drills every two years since 2009. Approximately 12,800 Russian soldiers were hosted in Belarus in 2021. Another military drill, “Union Resolve 2022,” followed the Zapad-2021, and was used to disguise a troop buildup on the Ukrainian border ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022.

In an interview with a state-owned TV channel, Major General Revenka said that Belarus has already notified OSCE member states about the drills in line with the Vienna Document, extending an invitation to “allies, friends, partners” to observe the exercises.

According to Revenka, Belarus “views positively” only some EU and NATO member countries — without specifying which ones. Noting that Belarus had not been invited to observe European military drills last year, Revenka said that a decision regarding an invitation to NATO members remained to be taken.

The date of the Zapad-2025 drills has not officially been announced, but they are believed to be scheduled for September 2025. In October 2024, the Belarusian Air Force announced “major drills with Russia in September 2025,” right after a meeting of the joint board of the Belarusian and Russian Defense Ministries approved a concept plan for the Zapad-2025 joint strategic exercise.

The Vienna Document on security and confidence-building requires its members to provide notification 42 days or more prior to holding military drills.

Aside from Zapad-2025, Belarus plans to host three military drills — Search, Interaction, and Echelon — along with members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russia-led bloc Moscow set up in 2002, over a decade after the collapse of the Warsaw Pact.

While not committing Belarusian troops to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a jumping off point for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, provided supplies to the Russian army, and offered to host Russian tactical nuclear weapons.

EU diplomatic staffer in Belarus sentenced to 4 years in prison

Minsk City Court has handed down a four-year prison sentence to a local staff member of the European Union’s diplomatic service in Belarus, Politico reported on Jan. 9.

The sentence, issued in late December 2024, has only now been made public. The court found the EU staffer, Mikalai Khilo, guilty of “incitement of hatred and calls for actions harming Belarus’s national security.”

The EU’s External Action Service condemned the decision and reiterated calls for Khilo to be released.

“We continue calling for Mikalai Khilo’s immediate and unconditional release,” EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anitta Hipper said in a statement shared with Politico.

The EU diplomatic service previously called for Khilo’s release ahead of his trial, which was held on Dec. 23. At the time, a Lithuanian member of the European Parliament, Petras Auštrevičius, told Politico that Minsk was “testing the EU” by arresting its employee. He said Belarusian diplomats should be expelled from the EU if Khilo was convicted.

Forty-one-year-old Khilo split his time between working for the EU diplomatic mission and serving as a preacher in a local Baptist church, as confirmed by CV (formerly known as Christian Vision) — an international Christian ministry that monitors the repression of clergy and religious groups.  

According to an unnamed EU official, Khilo was detained by the Belarusian KGB security service in front of the EU delegation office on April 24, 2024. The Viasna Human Rights Center, a human rights organization based in Belarus, recognizes Khilo as a political prisoner.

Although there have recently been eight rounds of pardons of political prisoners in Belarus, 1,240 political prisoners remain behind bars in the country. According to CV, 86 clergymen from various confessions are behind bars because of their public support for anti-government protests in 2020.

‘You’ll die here’ – Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenko’s reelection

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power for 30 years, is looking to reelect himself for the seventh time. In the run-up to the January 2025 presidential elections, Lukashenko has pardoned prisoners convicted of extremism, claiming that it was a “humane gesture” toward those…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

EU border agency: Irregular crossings of eastern border more than tripled in 2024

The number of detected cases of migrants irregularly entering the European Union through its eastern borders more than tripled in 2024, to 17,000, the European border agency Frontex said in a report on Jan. 14.

Following the introduction of European sanctions in 2021 over the contested 2020 presidential election and crackdown on dissent, the regime of Lukashenko orchestrated an artificial migration crisis, allowing migrants from the Middle East and African to storm Belarus-EU borders.

Frontex preliminary data show that while the overall number of irregular border crossings to the European Union declined by 38% (returning to the post-pandemic level of 2021), the eastern border route (including Belarus and Ukraine) bucked the general trend: There were 17,000 illegal crossings of the bloc’s eastern border out of a total of 239,000 crossings recorded in Europe last year.

In 2021, the EU recorded 8,000 illegal crossings of its eastern border, in what Frontex monitoring described as a “hybrid operation targeting the EU external border.” Following an initial settlement that led to a decline in the registered irregular border crossings to 5,608 in 2023, the artificial migration crisis reignited again, with Russia joining the effort.

In late 2024, the EU authorities revealed that 90% of the migrants arriving via Belarus had Russian student or travel visas. The bloc pledged 170 million euros to its eastern members — Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Finland — and to Norway to fortify their borders.

As “hybrid warfare” involving migrants continues, the border security agencies of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have thwarted a total of 36,291 attempts to illegally cross their borders from Belarus in 2024.

In 2024, Poland reimposed a 200-meter-wide buffer zone next to its border with Belarus, and considered temporarily suspending the right to asylum.

Belarusian state TV shows jailed journalists ahead of 2025 vote

The Belarusian state-owned TV channel ONT aired on Jan. 14 the first segment of propaganda interviews with journalists held in Belarusian prisons, in an apparent attempt to discredit the work of independent media during the 2020 presidential elections.

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, widely viewed as neither free nor fair, the free media field in Belarus was eradicated. Thirty-seven journalists remain behind bars on politically motivated charges, and hundreds were forced into exile. In 2024 alone, 35 independent media were branded as “extremist” and banned in Belarus.

The first part of the series “about employees of American Media,” was filmed in prisons, yet is titled “Freedom of Speech.” RFE/RL’s Belarus Service freelancer and political prisoner Andrey Kuznechyk, who was charged with six years of imprisonment for allegedly “creating and participating in an extremist formation.”

In the interview, Kuznechyk appears in a black robe in the prison yard, looking emaciated. The interviewer urges him to condemn the independent media in Belarus for biased coverage and “trying to set Belarus on fire” during the 2020 elections.

The program is airing ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential elections, the first presidential vote since the contested 2020 race, which is expected to provide Lukashenko with a seventh consecutive term in office. After winning the country’s first and last fair election in 1994, Lukashenko remained in power for 30 years, gradually giving up parts of Belarusian sovereignty to Russia.

Other segments are to feature RFE/RL Belarus Service journalist Ihar Losik, who has been held incommunicado for nearly two years, as well as former reporter Ihar Karney and opposition activist Yuras Zyankovich, who hold dual citizenship of Belarus and the United States.

The international press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF)  placed Belarus 167th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index, calling the country the fourth largest jailer of journalists in the world, and Europe's most dangerous country for journalists up until Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Belarusian opposition announces issuing ‘New Belarus’ passports

Political opponents of the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will start accepting applications for the alternative identity documents for exiled Belarusians on Jan. 26, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has announced on her Telegram channel.

In September 2023, Lukashenko barred Belarusian embassies from issuing or renewing passports of Belarusians living abroad, forcing the regime’s critics to return to Belarus — risking arrest — to renew their essential documents. As a result of Lukashenko’s move, over 300,000 exiles who have fled Belarus since the contested 2020 elections risk finding themselves in legal limbo, unable to prove their identity, renew residence permits, or access essential services in host countries with expired passports.

In response, the Belarusian opposition in exile announced the “New Belarus” passport project in 2023, but there was little progress on it in 2024. After a change of leadership of the project and a scandal involving the Lithuanian contractor for producing the passports — which was found to have ties with the Lukashenko regime — the opposition has since produced the first prototypes of the passport.

However, the new document has yet to be recognized as suitable for travel or as official proof of identity, and it will initially be available only to EU-based Belarusians due to verification constraints, according to project head Marius Gudelaitis.

Franak Viachorka, a chief advisor to Tsikhanouskaya, said that the passports will have “specific functionality” within a year.

“Our goal is that this document can replace a foreign passport, be used for travel, and also replace expired (Belarusian) passports when submitting documents for legalization, for example,” Viachorka told news outlet Zerkalo.

However, the former head of the passport project, Valery Kavaleuski, who earlier resigned from Tsikhanouskaya’s Transitional Cabinet, has warned that gaining recognition for the document under present conditions is unlikely. According to Kavaleuski, the issuing center has had to undergo an independent audit before issuing the documents. Besides, the passport will reportedly use a new country code, instead of the existing Belarusian one, which Kavaleuski described as a "dead end" for the recognition process.

The passport will be presented to the public at the “Belarusians Deserve Better” congress in Warsaw, Poland on Jan. 26 – the same day as Lukashenko's latest presidential election, which has been dismissed as a sham by the Belarusian opposition. Meanwhile, Belarusian prosecutors have already issued warnings that congress participants could face criminal prosecution.

Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus

In Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, helping to defend Ukraine against Russia gets you labeled as a terrorist. Vasil Verameichyk, a Belarusian who enlisted in Ukraine’s Armed Forces just four days after Russia launched its all-out war, was detained on Nov. 13 in Vietnam in a suspected covert operatio…

The Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged the European Union to lift sanctions on Russia, news portal Telex reported on Jan. 17.

According to the Hungarian outlet, Orban said it’s “time to throw sanctions out the window” and establish a sanctions-free relationship with Russia during a radio interview.

He also described the European Union as being in a “drunken stage” but predicted a “sobering up” in Brussels.

The statements come as Orban reportedly told EU leaders he plans to wait until U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office before deciding on extending the bloc’s sanctions against Russia, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 19.

Orban, whose government is widely regarded as the EU’s most Russia-friendly, has repeatedly criticized aid for Ukraine, arguing it prolongs and escalates the war.

“If they hadn’t cheated in 2020, Donald Trump would have remained president, and then there would be no Ukrainian-Russian war,” he said, referencing false claims that President Joe Biden stole the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Orban framed peace in Ukraine as essential to Hungary’s economic goals, saying that European perspectives on Ukraine should go beyond the “lens of war."

Orban also announced plans for protective economic measures to “safeguard” Hungarian agricultural sectors, citing Ukraine as a potential economic threat to Europe.

Orban’s remarks come amid strained relations between Hungary and the EU. In July, the European Commission criticized Hungary for failing to meet democratic standards, particularly regarding political financing, conflicts of interest, and media independence.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar called for early elections on Jan. 1, citing Orban’s declining popularity and allegations of corruption, which Magyar claims have turned Hungary into “the EU’s poorest, most corrupt nation."

Slovak opposition leader arrives in Kyiv to ‘reopen door Fico slammed’

“Our goal is clear — to reopen the door that Robert Fico slammed with his aggressive outbursts,” pro-Western opposition leader Michal Simecka said on social media.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova