Thursday marks the 694th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A restless night in Russia. Residents of Podolsk, a town 20 km south of Moscow, reported hearing explosions. According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyan, air defense forces shot down the drone flying towards the Russian capital. A short time later, the Ministry of Defense announced the presence of two drones. One was shot down in the Moscow region, and the other was intercepted in the Leningrad region. If true, it would be the first attack from Ukraine's border in months. Follow Virtualna Polska's live coverage.
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The number of districts under alert is increasing again. Sirens sounded in Sumy and Poltava regions. This time it is related to the missile threat.
Another warning in eastern Ukraine: again in the Kharkiv region.
Fire from a Ukrainian M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle targets a Russian T-90 M tank near Stepov, Donetsk region.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hopes the US Congress will approve additional funding for Ukraine by the end of January following a request from the White House.
– This is what our American allies tell us. And regardless of which side of the political spectrum in Washington they're from, they're all optimistic about the outcome, Dmytro Kuleba said in Davos.
He added that Ukraine has held all the necessary negotiations and will continue to negotiate them, “but ultimately this decision must be made within the framework of US domestic policy.”
According to the Punchbowl News website, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday called on his party colleagues to accept the concessions offered by Democrats on a tighter border rule because there won't be a second chance. He also reportedly suggested that a vote on the package could be held as early as next week. Chris Murphy, the Democratic Party's chief negotiator, confirmed this, saying the differences between the two parties were “irreconcilable.”
However, it is not certain whether a potential deal in the Senate will be accepted by Republicans in the House of Representatives. They are less favorable than senators for more aid to Ukraine. Marjorie Taylor Green, one of the leaders of the party's radical wing, threatened Wednesday to file a motion to remove Johnson from his post if he agreed to more funding for Ukraine.
As National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said before the meeting, Ukrainian forces are in a difficult situation after the end of US military aid, although the stockpile of some types of ammunition is significant and will last for the next 2 -3 months, in the case of others, “they don't have that much time”. He added that he would be surprised if this did not influence the decisions of the Ukrainian military.
– They continue to consume artillery shells, Himarus missiles, and air defense capabilities at highly advanced rates depending on how they face them on the battlefield. So their supply has decreased, there is no doubt about it,” asserted Kirby. At the same time, he signaled progress was being made in negotiations on accepting aid to Ukraine.
Democratic leaders also expressed hope after the meeting. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he hopes the Senate can vote on a package that would combine immigration reforms with aid to Ukraine, Israel and aid to the Indo-Pacific. That's next week.
His House Representative, Hakeem Jeffries, said all participants in the meeting agreed on the importance of continuing support for Ukraine and that it is in the vital American interest.
Talks about a package of activities worth USD 61 billion. Aid to Ukraine has been ongoing for more than a month after Republicans approved the funds conditional on significant and restrictive changes to immigration policy. Meanwhile, the US administration is running out of money to further support Ukraine and replenish its own arsenal.
– We understand the need to finance Ukraine and want to say that the current situation is unacceptable. Johnson, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, told reporters after leaving the White House that the president of the United States needed to show strength on the international stage, not weakness, as he and leaders of both parties in Congress talked about breaking the deadlock in negotiations over more aid to Ukraine.
Republican leaders in Congress noted that President Zelensky told him during his December visit. That additional weapons systems are needed to win. At the same time, he stressed the need to formulate a clear strategy regarding the war in Ukraine and strictly monitor the money spent on it. However, Johnson stressed that while Ukraine's sovereignty is important, the most important issue is the security of US borders and that this is his top priority in the negotiations.
“We need to have a significant change in border policy,” he said. He acknowledged that the President was open to arguments and that the meeting was constructive.
President Biden needs to show strength, not weakness, on the international stage. Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, said the status quo could not continue, as he met with the US president about further aid to Ukraine. He also insisted that America should take care of its own borders first.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced in an official statement that “at 01:30 Moscow time, an attempt by the regime in Kiev to launch a terrorist attack using unmanned aerial vehicles against objects on the border of the Russian Federation was foiled.”
“Air defense forces on duty destroyed one unmanned aerial vehicle over the Moscow region and intercepted one on the border of the Leningrad region,” the statement added.
Warnings regarding Russian drone activity canceled Residents of the Khmelnytsky region reported hearing an explosion. It is not yet known whether these are the sounds of air defense operations or drones hitting any target. Let's remember that in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, in Starokonstantino, there is an air base of the Ukrainian Air Force. It is a frequent target of Russian attack.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that the air defense shot down the drone over the city of Podolsk, about 20 km south of Moscow. It should fly towards Moscow.
“According to preliminary data, there was no damage or casualties at the site of the drone debris landing. Emergency service specialists are working on the site,” Sobyanin said.
Sirens sounded again in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. The warning – according to the Air Force – is related to the threat of a missile attack.
During the air alert, the Russians fired S-300 missiles into the Kharkov region. One of them was sent to an educational institution in Suguye. A woman working in the boiler room has died. At least one person was injured.
Several drones continue to hover over Ukraine. They are moving towards the west of the country. The warning was issued in Khmelnytskyi Oblast and is still valid in neighboring Vinnytsia Oblast.
Flight warnings are slowly being canceled. It is already known that the Air Force shot down four drones over Sumy Oblast. The remains of one of them fell on the roof of a garage where two trucks were parked. There was a fire.
Alarm sirens sounded in Vinnytsia region. However, alarms were canceled in eastern Ukraine in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.
Drones used by Russians to attack Ukraine move north Warning has already been announced in Cherkasy region.
In Ukraine it has 23. There is an air alarm in several districts in the east and south of the country.
Roman Mrozko, head of the regional administration, said the Russians shelled Kherson again.