President Zelensky: Warned that excluding Kyiv from talks between the U.S. and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be “very dangerous”, asked for more discussions between Kyiv and Washington to develop a plan for a ceasefire. United States President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg: “Elections are necessary in Ukraine, could take place by the end of the year, especially if a truce with Russia was reached”.
FLASH NEWS OF THE WEEK
January 27: President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Poland for events marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi Auschwitz death camp. Jan. 27 marks the day when the Red Army liberated one of the largest Nazi death camps located in occupied Poland. The date was chosen as the I International Holocaust Remembrance Day to commemorate the World War II-era massacre of 6 million Jews and millions of other victims by Nazi Germany. Zelensky’s visit also included bilateral meetings, particularly with French President Emmanuel Macron and Marshal of the Sejm of Poland Szymon Holownia.
February 2: Speaking on Saturday in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, President Zelensky said:
Excluding Kyiv from talks between the U.S. and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be very dangerous for everyone;
a French proposal to put European forces in Ukraine to act as a deterrent against new Russian aggression is taking shape, but he expressed skepticism, saying many questions remained about the command-and-control structure and the number of troops and their locations. The issue was raised by French President Emmanuel Macron and with Trump, he said. “I said in the presence of the two leaders that we are interested in this as a part of the security guarantee, but not as the only guarantee of security.” That’s not enough”;
Putin is afraid of direct talks with Ukraine. “In his (Putin’s – Ed.) opinion, this is his defeat, his weakness. Instead, he is pushing the old narrative that this is a war between the West and Russia, because it is unbearable for him to admit that he is losing to Ukraine”;
Ukraine has actually received upwards of $70 billion worth of military aid from the United States, but claims that the US aid reached $100–200 billion are untrue to the fact. “As the president of a country at war, it can be stated that we received more than $75 billion in aid from the US. However, the talk that Ukraine received a total of $100 billion, or as some claim, even $200 billion of the total $177 billion is not true. This is important because we are talking about exact figures – we received this assistance not in cash but in the form of weapons. The total value of the weapons received slightly exceeds $70 billion”;
Western partners, at the level of intelligence agencies, attempted to negotiate with Russia throughout the war, and this caused delays in the supply of long-range weapons and Patriot systems;
Of the three North Korean brigades [fighting against Ukraine in Russia’s Kursk oblast], one was fully eliminated, while the two others suffered heavy losses;
An effective plan and a strong position for Ukraine are needed for a diplomatic end to the war;
Without security guarantees from Ukraine’s allies, any deal struck with Russia would only serve as a precursor to future aggression. NATO membership is the “cheapest” option for Ukraine’s allies, and it would also strengthen Trump geopolitically. “I really believe that these are the cheapest security guarantees that Ukraine can get, the cheapest for everyone”. “It will be a signal that it is not for Russia to decide who should be in NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide. I think this is a great victory for Trump”.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg and his team will visit Ukraine “in the near term,” and online and telephone contacts are already underway.
February 1: US President Donald Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office that his administration has already had “very serious” discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take “significant” action toward ending the grinding conflict. Trump did not say who from his administration has been in contact with the Russians but insisted the two sides were “already talking.” Asked if he has already spoken directly with Putin, Trump was coy: “I don’t want to say that.”
February 1: An unknown person shot and killed a serviceman of Poltava Regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (RTCK) at a gas station in Pyriatyn while escorting military personnel to a training center. The man wearing a gray balaclava and pixelated pants approached a military recruitment soldier and demanded that he hand over his weapon, threatening with a hunting rifle. His demand having been refused, the man shot the soldier dead. The attacker then seized the soldier’s assault rifle and fled the scene along with one of the mobilized conscripts. The suspected attacker and his accomplice were spotted and detained by the police later on the same day.
February 1: An explosion at a military recruitment center in the western city of Rivne on Saturday killed one person and wounded six others, police said while not revealing what caused the explosion.
COMMENT: Mykhailo Drapaty, AFU Land Forces Commander: “Killings of soldiers far from the frontline amount to a “red line” that must not be crossed. We have no right to silently observe the growing wave of contempt for the defenders of Ukraine – this is beyond the tolerable limit... There can be no excuses for the murder of a serviceman and the attack on the military recruitment center. A swift and harsh reaction from the authorities is the only possible response to the situation of arbitrariness against members of the military…”
January 28: France is set to deliver Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of March, marking a significant boost to Kyiv’s air power. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed the timeline during an interview with Sud Radio. “French Mirages will soon be flying in Ukrainian skies,” Barrot stated, specifying that the transfer would take place within the next two months. France is expected to provide Ukraine with no more than six Mirage 2000-5 aircraft. While a relatively small number, these jets could still enhance Ukraine’s air defense and air superiority capabilities, depending on how they are integrated into the battlefield.
January 30: The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution titled “European commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”. Negotiations with Russia to end the war soon approaching its fourth year can only happen from a position of strength and resilience, backed by Ukraine’s strong defense capabilities, according to the resolution passed in Strasbourg with 86 votes in favor, none against, and six abstentions. “Any peace negotiations must involve Ukraine and respect its right to determine its own future,” the resolution affirms, repeatedly emphasizing the principle of “peace through strength.” PACE also condemned Russia’s actions beyond Ukraine, highlighting its asymmetric warfare tactics against other nations. “Hybrid warfare tactics employed by the Russian Federation through cyber-attacks, arson, disinformation campaigns and sabotage further threaten European security, including its energy and communications infrastructure,” the document says. The resolution underscores that a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is “indispensable for the security of the entire European continent and more broadly, the world.” It also calls for unwavering European unity in supporting Ukraine and ensuring accountability for Russia’s aggression.
THE WAR AS IT IS
January 28: Nation of the Invincible series interview: First responder on dedication to work, war challenges, and Shahed drone and missile attacks by Russia
January 29/ Shorts_Isaev: Conscription for war from 18 years of age – a military man’s opinion
January 29/ Victory Commanders series interview: I do not believe in negotiations. If we stop, the war will re-start — Armed Forces of Ukraine officer Herman Isaev
January 27/ Second underground school opened in Kharkiv
January 29/ A mobile military vehicle repair shop was on display in Kyiv
January 30/ Final farewell and funeral ceremony for Filip Antosiak, a 19-year-old Polish volunteer soldier who died defending Ukraine, took place in Kyiv
January 30/ Fiber optic-controlled drones were tested in public outside Kyiv
UKRAINIAN BATTLEFIELDS
Attacks on the Russian Federation and Russian occupied Ukraine:
January 29: The SIBUR-Kstovo oil refinery in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast suspended operations due to damage from a Ukrainian drone attack on Wednesday, according to Russian social media reports. A Jan. 31 report says that the refinery shifted its main units into standby mode. Product shipments have been temporarily halted as the facility assesses the damage and conducts repairs. The attack apparently ignited the EP-300 unit, which produces ethylene and propylene. The refinery in Kstovo was targeted by drones overnight on Wednesday. Residents reported at least three explosions at the site. The successful strike on the refinery, carried out by Ukraine’s defense intelligence in a coordinated effort with other elements of the Defense Forces, was later confirmed by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s intelligence department (HUR).
January 29: An overnight Ukrainian drone attack hit Russia’s Andreapol oil pumping station, part of the oil export route via the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, causing a fire and oil products to leak, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine said on Wednesday. The source said the filtration pump site and tanks with additives were damaged in the attack and that supplies via the main pipeline to the Ust-Luga terminal had temporarily been suspended. The attack, claimed to be staged collaboratively by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Special Operations Forces, also hit the 23rd missile arsenal under the Russian Ministry of Defense in Russia’s Tver region, causing a string of explosions, the source said.
January 29: A hacker group from Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR) launched a cyberattack targeting Russia’s natural gas majors Gazprom and Gazpromneft on Wednesday, a source from HUR said. The group carried out a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, severely disrupting Gazprom’s digital services. This operation was symbolically carried out on Jan. 29 which marks the 107th anniversary of the Battle of Kruty, where Ukrainian cadets and volunteers fought against the Bolshevik advance in 1918. “Today’s troubles for Russian drivers are a message from our brothers of 1918, the heroes of the battle at Kruty, who over a century ago dealt a blow to the criminal Russian forces under Muravyov. Today, we continue the fight of those defenders of Kyiv, both on the front lines and in cyberspace,” the source said. The attack targeted critical online systems, and as a result, customers have been unable to access accounts, process fuel payments, or use other digital services. Gazprom referred to the incident as a “temporary technical glitch” without offering details or a resolution timeline.
February 3: Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported on Telegram that, alongside the Security Service of Ukraine, they launched drone strikes on two Russian energy sites—the Volgograd oil refinery, owned by Lukoil, and the Astrakhan gas processing plant. At the Volgograd refinery, which processes nearly 6% of Russia’s oil, multiple facilities were hit, including a flare farm, primary processing plants, and technological units. Located in Russia’s Southern Federal District, the Volgograd refinery accounts for nearly 7% of the country’s diesel production. It also produces significant volumes of gasoline and fuel oil. On Jan. 15, a fire broke out at the plant, forcing the shutdown of its diesel hydrotreating unit. In Astrakhan, Ukrainian drones damaged a gas condensate processing complex at a key energy facility handling 12 billion cubic meters of gas annually. The attack sparked a fire at the facility after drone debris fell on the site. This was the second attack on the facility in recent days, following a drone strike on Jan.31, which also caused a fire. Lukoil facilities have become frequent targets for Ukrainian drone and cyberattacks. On Jan. 15, a fire broke out at the plant, forcing the shutdown of its diesel hydrotreating unit. Six Russian airports—including those in Volgograd, Astrakhan, and Kazan—temporarily halted flights due to the threat of drone attacks.
January 29: UK Defence Intelligence analyzed the strikes by the Ukrainian defense forces on the Kombinat Kristall oil depot at the Russian Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast on 8 and 14 January. The British analysts say that the attack on 8 January caused large-scale fires at a fuel and lubricants storage facility, which reportedly took several days to extinguish. Overnight on 14 January, the oil depot again came under attack, causing another fire and additional damage to the facility’s infrastructure. The British analysts assess that four fuel tanks were destroyed and ten others sustained damage in the aftermath of the attacks.
HOSTILITIES
AFU Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky:
January 29: Introduced Major General Mykhailo Drapaty as the new commander of Khortytsia operational-strategic grouping of forces;
February 2: Said that some 15,000 Russian soldiers were eliminated by Ukrainian forces on the Pokrovsk front during January. “In January of this year alone, our soldiers ‘neutralized’ more than 15,000 invaders there, including around 7,000 killed,” he said. The Russian military suffered 840,260 casualties dead and injured in its war against Ukraine as of February 2, according to statistics from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.
January 31: With North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia’s Kursk region nowhere to be found since mid-January, Ukrainian and Western authorities assert that the troops have withdrawn from the battlefront. Ukrainian Special Operations Forces state that the 11,000 North Korean troops withdrew after up to 40% of men in combat had been killed, injured or captured, while also claiming that the retreat is not permanent as North Korea might be reinforcing its troops or biding its time for further deployments.
February 1: During January 2025, Russian invaders advanced and occupied 325 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, which is less than in any month since August 2024, DeepState crowd-sourced monitoring website reported via Telegram on Saturday.
February 2: Russian forces have incurred high casualties in battles across the front lines against Ukraine since the start of the year, and they have not kept up the steady pace of advances that Moscow managed throughout 2024 as they bogged down in urban fights in Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, as well as in attempted encirclement of Pokrovsk, according to new analysis. Russian forces continued to suffer high losses in January 2025 despite a slower rate of advance as compared with previous months in late 2024,” the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank, which tracks daily changes to the front lines, said on Monday. Kyiv said on Monday that Moscow had lost more than 48,000 soldiers in January, marking the second-highest number of monthly casualties since February 2022. Figures from Ukraine’s military on Tuesday put Russia’s total casualty count in nearly three years of war at 842,930, including 1,270 soldiers killed or injured since Monday morning. Western estimates, while slightly lower, come in at similar figures.
January 27: Russia has claimed to have captured Velyka Novosilka, a strategically significant settlement in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast. Ukraine’s military acknowledged a partial withdrawal, stating that fighting is ongoing in the settlement, according to the 110th Mark Bezruchko Motorized Rifle Brigade. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Russian forces occupied 89 percent of Velyka Novosilka, but failed to take it under full control. The capture of Velyka Novosilka could lead to Russian command deciding on troop redeployments, influencing Moscow’s priorities for the upcoming spring and summer.
January 27: Russians blew up the pipes of the Siverskyi Donets canal to create passages for vehicles and facilitate the assault on Chasiv Yar.
January 31: Russian forces continued offensive operations in the Siversk direction on Friday but failed to advance, according to an ISW update. Russian milbloggers claimed on Friday that Russian forces advanced into Verkhnyokamyanske (east of Siversk). Russian forces attacked northeast of Siversk near Bilohorivka, east of Siversk near Verkhnyokamyanske, and southeast of Siversk near Spirne on January 30 and 31. Ukraine’s Khortytsia Group of Forces reported on that same day that Russian forces attacked with armored vehicle support near Bilohorivka and Verkhnyokamyanske, and that Ukrainian forces destroyed and damaged 10 armored fighting vehicles involved in the assault.
January 30: Soldiers from the Chervona Kalyna Brigade under the National Guard of Ukraine used a drone to fix the Ukrainian flag on a tower in Russian occupied Donetsk region. “This gesture is more than just a symbol. It is proof that every meter of our land will be returned, and the flag of Ukraine will fly over every occupied city. Now the Ukrainian flag shines in Donetsk region, reminding us that the land, freedom and victory are ours! Dedication, creativity and steadfastness help our heroes achieve wins even in the most difficult conditions”, Khortysia Grouping of Forces said on Telegram.
January 30: Soldiers from the 100th Mechanized Brigade eliminated a Russian assault group who broke into the territory of one of the businesses in Toretsk and set up a camp in the buildings. “An armored group consisting of a tank crew, an M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) crew and a mopping-up group of fighters from the Rapid Operational Response Unit under the National Police of Ukraine (assisted by a Senator MRAP armored vehicle) had to deal with the Russian invaders. Together, the task was completed quickly and efficiently. The occupiers have been taken out,” Khortytsia Operational Strategic Grouping of Forces said on Telegram.
January 30: Ukraine’s Artillery and Missile Forces carried out a “precision strike” targeting a Russian command center in Rylsk, Kursk Oblast, the AFU General Staff reported. The command center, located in an abandoned building, was used to coordinate Russian offensive against the Ukrainian army in the Kursk sector of the front line, the report read. The building sustained a severe damage, and the Russian army suffered significant losses in personnel, the General Staff said.
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS AND PICTURES
Russian drone and missile attacks on the Donetsk, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions left 14 civilian casualties dead and 94 others injured over the week reviewed.
WAR AFTERMATH
Human losses & War crimes:
February 1: Russia’s Investigative Committee launched a “terrorism” probe on Feb. 2 against the commander of Ukraine’s 19th Independent Missile Brigade over a deadly strike on a boarding school being used to shelter civilians in Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, which Ukraine says was carried out by Russia’s military. At least four people were killed and 84 others were recovered from under the rubble in the aftermath of the attack in late hours of Saturday, which the General Staff says was carried out by Russia using a targeted precision glide bomb strike. “There is indisputable evidence and objective monitoring results showing that the strike was carried out by Russian tactical aviation,” Ukraine’s Air Force wrote on Feb. 1, with screenshots published from the Virazh-Tablet system allegedly showing the flight path of the Russian bomb. Russia’s Defense Ministry claims that Ukraine hit the boarding school with a Himars missile launched from a site in Sumy Oblast. It did not provide any evidence. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, writing on Feb. 1 that civilians in the residential facility were being prepared to be evacuated to safety. In the lead-up to discussions about a potential negotiated ceasefire, Russia is attempting to frame Ukraine as the aggressor, even as it itself continues to launch daily attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. On Jan. 20, Russian state-controlled media claimed that they had discovered the bodies of civilians in the village of Russkoe Porechnoe in the Kursk region who had been “executed” by Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The original news story, aired on Rossiya 1, didn’t specify the number of people killed, and the soldier in the footage only mentions four bodies. Later, on Jan. 31, Rossiya 1 aired footage of what they claimed was a Ukrainian soldier “confessing” to taking part in the executions, and the number of civilians killed was suddenly listed as 22. The soldier in the video says he ended up in Russian captivity on November 24, 2024, more than two months before the “executions” occurred.
COMMENT: AFU General Staff: “The strike on the boarding school in Sudzha amounts to yet another war crime by Russian authorities, immediately targeting civilian population. The Russian army terrorizes Ukrainian cities every day with missile and drone strikes, destroying residential buildings, schools, hospitals. Now it has begun to purposefully kill its own civilians. Terrorists will definitely be held responsible for every war crime they committed”.
Poet from Ternopil Mykhailo “Nebo” Mykus, a soldier with the 5th Separate Assault Brigade died defending Ukraine. Eternal memory to the Hero…
At least 242 art and media workers are confirmed to have died in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale war invasion of Ukraine as of January 27.
February 2: At least 20 American citizens who volunteered to fight in Ukraine are currently missing in action, with foreign fighter casualties sharply increasing over the past six months. The remains of at least five American volunteers who died fighting alongside Ukrainian forces have not been recovered from the front lines, where relentless battles make retrieval efforts nearly impossible. After months of complex negotiations, the bodies of two Americans were recently returned to Ukrainian soil from Russian occupied areas.
Environment:
The environmental damage caused by Russian attacks on the sites run by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry during 2024 are assessed to have reached UAH 42 billion.
More than 400 kilograms of fuel oil spilled from two wrecked Russian tankers off the Crimea coast on December 16 had been collected from Black Sea beaches in Odesa oblast as of February 3.
UKRAINIAN HOME FRONT
President Volodymyr Zelensky:
January 28: ordered government officials to report on the status of the USAID programs suspended for 90 days by President Donald Trum’s administration;
January 28: In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, welcomed the beginning of the release of hostages, and also discussed maintaining close contact with partners, particularly the United States and President Trump.
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The Ministry of Defense:
codified and greenlighted for operational deployment the unmanned aerial system “Hromylo” which was designed and manufactured domestically in Ukraine. Designed for strike missions, the Hromylo, a first-person-view (FPV) drone is capable of engaging personnel, armored vehicles, and field fortifications. Built with composite materials, it is powered by a high-capacity engine allowing combat payloads to be carried over extended distances. The versatile design enables effective deployment in both daytime and nighttime operations;
codified and approved for operational use around 130 new weaponry and military equipment products, including some 100 products of Ukraine’s indigenous production;
launched a licensed production line for advanced FPV drones at a government-run factory.
The Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR) under the Ministry of Defense:
February 1: denied orchestrating Slovak public protests as coup bid. Slovak officials accused Ukrainian intelligence of involvement in organizing protests in Slovakia through the Georgian Legion, which they claim operates under HUR’s command. The accusations follow mass demonstrations on Jan. 24, when around 100,000 people protested across 30 Slovak cities under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe.” The protests opposed Prime Minister Robert Fico’s policies and pro-Russian stance, with chants like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe.” The demonstrations were further fueled by Fico’s visit to Moscow in December, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin. In response, HUR stated that “there is no unit called the ‘Georgian National Legion’ within its structure.” Rather, the International Legion is a multinational combat unit actively engaged on the front lines against Russian forces and “does not conduct hybrid operations in European Union countries.”
January 31: dismissed media reports claiming that the HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov warned of severe consequences for Ukraine’s existence if [peace] negotiations do not begin by the summer. The reports did not specify what developments Budanov was allegedly referring to. The reports come amid growing speculation about potential peace talks, as U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.
February 1: The English-language version of the Russian media outlet Meduza used a footage of the war in Ukraine in its ad campaign. Berlin-based agency Lure created the campaign for Meduza free of charge. Meduza used a photo of a Ukrainian man mourning his family killed in a Russian strike to bolster its European promo campaign — without his permission. The photo is of Yaroslav Bazylevych, whose wife and three daughters were killed when a Russian missile hit their apartment building on Sept. 4 in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Meduza used the man’s photo from his family’s funeral, as well as other pictures of Ukrainian war victims in a promotional video as part of the campaign. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry responded to the controversy, calling for Lure to receive an “award” for marketing cynicism and hypocrisy. “They used images of Ukrainians who lost their families and homes in a promotional campaign for the Russian outlet Meduza. Exploiting our tragedy to generate sympathy for Russians amounts to an outrage disgrace,” the ministry said in a statement on X.
Cabinet of Ministers:
January 31: Launched a pilot project aimed to step up cooperation between rear and near-the-frontline communities. The project introduces the concept of “outpost community” for those communities that are located within a 100-kilometer zone from the frontline and the border with Russia.” The project aims to get as many rear communities as possible engaged in supportive cooperation with outpost communities;
Introduced to the Verkhovna Rada a bill which would ratify the Framework Agreement with the UK to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The agreement provides up to GBP 2 billion for the purchase of air defense systems and missiles, and the establishment of repair bases for military vehicles and other weapons in Ukraine;
Amended the “Procedure for the Detention of Prisoners of War”, allowing prisoners to call home under certain conditions, one such being an approval from the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War;
Permitted 100 percent of health workers employed in government-run and municipal health care institutions to be deferred from conscription during the validity of mobilization period;
January 28: The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry responded to [Slovak Prime Minister Robert] Fico’s latest statements branding Ukraine as an “enemy of Slovakia”, accusing him of trying to “shift responsibility for his own failures in domestic policy to foreign states and leaders,” claiming he and some lawmakers were “poisoned by Russian propaganda.” “We are confident that such a move and policy of Robert Fico are flying against the choice of the people of Slovakia to be an integral part of the European community,” the statement added.
January 31: Ukraine is ready to work with European gas transmission system operators toward gas transit to EU, but it is up to the European Commission to decide whether the European side needs such transit and whether it is ready to provide it. “The issue was raised by the Hungarian side yesterday during a meeting at NATO Headquarters, in the context of energy security. Also today, as far as I know, President Ursula von der Leyen maintains contacts with Prime Minister (of Slovakia Robert – ed.) Fico. The Ukrainian position is very simple. We knew that the agreement with Russia would be terminated, we communicated that to European Commission in advance. In the event any requests are received from the European Commission, Ukraine will definitely fulfill its transit function. But it’s all in the hands of the European Commission, and the agreements that Hungary can reach in this regard,” Ukrainian Vice PM for EU Integration Olha Stefanishyna said.
Of the total of the 62,000 defensive fortifications built in Ukraine so far, 85 percent are completed and furnished.
January 29: The Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, also called the Register of Damage for Ukraine or RD4U has resumed accepting claims for compensation for damaged or ruined residential real estate, which was suspended after a Russian cyberattack on Ukrainian state electronic registers in December.
January 27: Kharkiv opened its second underground school, with 750 children already enrolled. Once the second phase of construction is completed, the school will accommodate up to 1,000 students. The school is built to the highest safety standards thanks to the support of the Taiwanese government and international partners. Everything was thought out to the smallest detail: classrooms were made more spacious, corridors were made wider, and inclusive and resource rooms were set up to provide convenience for both children and teachers, according to the Kharkiv city mayor Ihor Terekhov.
WAR ECONOMY
January 31: Ukraine’s sovereign and state-guaranteed debt grew by UAH 1,461.3 billion (USD 20.74 billion) during 2024.
Ukraine paid almost $670 million for electricity imports in 2024.
In 2024, Ukraine raised UAH 133.6 billion worth of excise tax revenues for its Capital Budget.
January 28: HD Hyundai XiteSolution, the Korea-based manufacturer of heavy machinery, has opened a representative office in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and introduced authorized dealers of heavy construction equipment. The company has announced its intention to provide integrated solutions for the creation of advanced infrastructure through innovative and sustainable projects that will support Ukraine’s recovery process as part of a strategy to support Ukrainian economy, with plans to launch a customs and logistics hub for heavy construction equipment in western Ukraine.
January 29: Oschadbank and HD Hyundai Group have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at supporting the restoration of Ukrainian infrastructure. Oschadbank and HD Hyundai have agreed to launch several programs, including discounted loan rates for individuals and legal entities to purchase low to medium capacity trucks, as well as large construction equipment of the Hyundai and Develon brands. The bank will soon introduce these programs to its existing and future customers. The parties furthermore agreed to develop a purpose-oriented program that would provide funding for the restoration of the fleet of heavy construction equipment needed to rebuild urban infrastructure.
January 30: Ukrposhta, the designated postal operator of Ukraine, and the UK’s Royal Mail signed an agreement to reduce shipping costs for parcels up to 1 kg for sellers on Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.
January 31: Ukraine’s national budget received USD 3.8 billion in funding in January 2025, with the majority classified as a conditional debt to the EU, the Ministry of Finance reported via Telegram. Of this amount, USD 3.1 billion was provided by the European Union, while another USD 700 million was raised through the domestic sale of government bonds. The Ministry of Finance explained that the EU funds are the first tranche under the ERA Loans initiative. These loans will be repaid using proceeds from Russian sovereign assets immobilized in Western jurisdictions.
ALLIED AND PARTNERS’ AID
January 29: Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal arrived in Zagreb for talks with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the start of his official visit to Croatia. At a meeting in the government building in the old town, Shmyhal and Ukraine were given promises from Croatia of continued political, economic and military assistance, as well as support for the country’s path towards further Euro-Atlantic integration. The two leaders discussed potential peace negotiations and the role to be played by the new administration of US President Donald Trump. “We want the war to end as soon as possible, but we need a just peace that will guarantee security for Ukraine and Europe,” Shmyhal said. Plenković said he supported only a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine, which includes the return of all its currently Russian occupied territories, including Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. “Contrary to recent manipulations in the media, Ukraine is not looking for Croatian soldiers in Ukraine. Ukraine is seeking economic and military support to defend its territory. And realistically, Ukraine is only four-hundred kilometers from Croatia, and it’s only 1,200 kilometres to Russia. Any failure of Ukraine – which I doubt will happen – would pose a great security risk for the rest of Europe,” the Croatian prime minister said, adding that his government would soon approve a twelfth military aid package for Ukraine. Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković also spoke with Prime Minister Shmyhal, saying that continued dialogue would further strengthen the excellent and friendly relations between Croatia and Ukraine.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov:
January 31: met with his Dutch counterpart, Ruben Brekelmans, in The Hague on Jan. 31 to discuss deliveries of F-16 fighter jets and other military aid planned for 2025. “We expect the next batch of aircraft to be delivered in 2025, with training for Ukrainian pilots, engineers, and technicians ongoing,” Umerov said, adding that “The Netherlands plays a key role in the Air Force Coalition, supporting the development of our aviation infrastructure and capabilities.” The ministers also coordinated the allocation of the previously announced 400 million euros ($416 million) aid package from the Netherlands and agreed on major collaborative projects aimed to bolster Ukraine’s long-range drone capability. “Also on the agenda: artillery ammunition, air defense, and interceptor missiles,” Umerov said. Additionally, the ministers synchronized plans for the arrival of aid, its effective deployment on the battlefield, and support for operations. In Copenhagen, Umerov met with his Danish counterpart Troels Lund Poulsen. “We discussed further development of the “Danish model” – direct financing of the Ukrainian defense-industrial sector. This initiative, launched by Denmark, has already proven its effectiveness: in 2024, it provided the Armed Forces of Ukraine with weapons worth EUR 588 million. We strive for even more. And in 2025, Denmark is ready to expand support, soliciting new partners and increasing contributions,” the Ukrainian minister said. He said as a reminder that Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Canada have already joined the “Danish model”. In addition, in 2024, the European Union, following it, directed part of the proceeds from frozen Russian sovereign assets in funding for the Ukrainian defense industrial sector. The parties also discussed the key avenues of bilateral industrial cooperation. “These are radars, drones, electronic warfare equipment. The supply of spare parts for the repair of the provided platforms is also an important area of cooperation. This will allow for a much faster return of armored vehicles to the battlefield. I am grateful to Mr. Poulsen, his country and people for the constructive dialogue and unwavering support,” Rustem Umerov said.
February 1: The United States is ramping up its psychological warfare against Russia by explicitly warning of harsher sanctions if the Kremlin fails to engage in peace talks over the enduring Ukraine conflict. Katherine Brooker, the US Chargé d’Affaires to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), emphasized the urgency of negotiations, framing them as Russia’s best option to escape its dire situation. She pointed out the severe ramifications of the conflict, saying, “The war unleashed by Russia has caused large-scale destruction in Ukraine. And the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Russia. The war has weakened Russia and its people.” Her insights reveal the dual suffering caused by the war, indicating it as disastrous for the Ukrainian populace, but also devastating for the Russian citizens who are bearing the burden of the Kremlin’s decisions. Brooker also affirmed the US’s commitment to ending the war through diplomatic means, stating, “We will do everything possible to help bring the war to a sustainable end.” The US has reiterated its stance, signaling it would use sanctions, tariffs, and other measures to apply pressure on Russia if peace discussions do not commence. The overt challenge made by Brooker during her address underlines the US’s strategy of engaging not just with Ukraine and its allies but through multilateral platforms like the OSCE, which involve many global players. Brooker’s remarks culminate with a poignant plea for immediate action, saying, “The Russian war must stop, and it must stop now.” This proclamation reinforces the notion within US circles—shared by many NATO allies—that time is of the essence and the continuation of conflict not only exacerbates the humanitarian crisis but also destabilizes the broader European region.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha was invited to attend an expanded EU foreign ministerial meeting in Paris on February 12 to be held under the chairmanship of the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
February 1: Moscow has joined Washington in calling for Ukraine to hold elections, sparking concern in Kyiv as it attempts to fend off Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion. United States President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said: “In most democracies, elections take place even during wartime. I think it’s important. I believe it’s good for democracy. The beauty of a strong democracy is having more than one potential candidate.” Kellogg and other White House officials have floated the idea of “pushing Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial truce with Russia,” according to Reuters. Kellogg has been an advocate of securing a fair peace deal for Ukraine by using American power to leverage Moscow. He has argued the U.S. should continue sending military aid to Ukraine and provide security guarantees to Kyiv to deter further Russian aggression. But Ukraine currently can’t hold elections legally. Under the country’s constitution, elections can’t be called during wartime while Ukraine is under martial law. Zelensky declared a state of martial law at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, leading to the postponement last year of scheduled presidential and parliamentary ballots. Election experts have also cast doubt on the practicality and feasibility of holding elections as the country is fighting for its survival under constant bombardment — and with a substantial part of its population displaced in Ukraine or overseas. “Ukraine should hold its next elections at a time when the country can guarantee the security and democratic standards of those elections. While this cannot be guaranteed during the current all-out war,” according to election experts Peter Erben and Gio Kobakhidze of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a U.S.-headquartered non-profit. Despite this, Kellogg said “elections are necessary in Ukraine.” Kellogg said the elections could take place by the end of the year, especially if a truce with Russia was reached, but added such votes “need to be done.” Zelensky previously said Ukraine could hold elections this year, if the fighting ends and security guarantees have been agreed to deter Russia from any renewed hostilities.
January 30: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated his stance that the Russia-Ukraine war should be ended through negotiations where “both sides must make concessions”. In an interview with Megyn Kelly on Thursday, he stated that there had been “dishonesty” from the start, as the U.S. administration had “somehow led people to believe” that Ukraine could defeat Russia. In this context, Rubio criticized the previous approach to supporting Ukraine, calling it the funding of a “prolonged stalemate” that only caused more suffering. Rubio also emphasized that, in President Donald Trump’s view, “this is a protracted conflict and it needs to end now.” In this context, he stressed the need for negotiations, noting that in any talks, “both sides are going to have to give something up.” He expressed confidence that moving forward, “hard diplomacy” should be pursued. However, he reiterated that “both sides in a negotiation have to give up something, and that’s going to take time.”
COMMENT: Steven Pifer, former US ambassador to Ukraine (1998-2000): The US Secretary of State’s statement that both Russia and Ukraine must give something up to achieve peace corresponds to the realities of any meaningful negotiations, but what will be important is what Ukraine will have to give up and what it will get in return.
January 28: The Italian parliament’s lower house on Tuesday approved the prolongation of military support for Ukraine until Dec. 31, 2025, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Earlier, the Italian Senate approved the measure with 192 votes in favor and 41 against. Italy’s 10 military aid packages to Ukraine have included advanced weapons systems like the French-Italian SAMP/T air defense units.
January 28: In their first phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanged views on Russia’s war against Ukraine and reaffirmed their willingness to work together to bring it to an end. That’s according to the Indian Prime Minister’s Office.
January 28: Brussels is proposing to ban the sale of game consoles to Russia to prevent them from being used by the Russian military to control drones sent into Ukraine. Specifically, products such as the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox will be included in the list of restrictions to be published by the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 22. While the biggest game console makers – Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony – already stopped selling in Russia in March 2022, the new restrictions will target middlemen in EU countries who resell consoles, including used ones.
January 27: A senior US Citizenship and Immigration Services official sent a letter ordering the Department of Homeland Security to suspend a number of programs that allowed emigrants from unstable areas to temporarily settle in the United States. Trump’s decision also suspends the U4U Unite for Ukraine program, a Biden initiative that allowed Ukrainian immigrants to temporarily enter the United States if they had financial sponsors. More than 150,000 Ukrainians entered the US under this program.
January 28: The U.S. military transferred around 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from storage in Israel to Poland in order to deliver them to Ukraine. This is the most significant delivery of weapons from Israel to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began almost three years ago. Last April, the Israeli Air Force officially decommissioned the Patriot air defense system, more than 30 years after it was first given to Israel during the first Gulf War. The system became less relevant as Israel developed its own air defense systems, and most Patriot batteries were used for training or left in storage.
January 29: Alex Sobel has been appointed as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Ukraine, the British Embassy in Kyiv has announced. “Alex Sobel, a member of the British Parliament, has been announced as the Trade Envoy to Ukraine. He will focus on identifying trade and investment opportunities for British businesses and promoting the UK as an attractive investment destination,” the embassy said on social media site X on Wednesday. Sobel has been a member of the British parliament since 2024, a Labor Party member.
January 31: Finland will provide Ukraine with the 27th package of military aid worth almost EUR 200 million, the country’s Defense Ministry announced in a press release. This brings the total value of defense equipment that Finland has supplied to Ukraine so far to EUR 2.5 billion. For operational reasons and to ensure the safe delivery of the aid, Finland’s Defense Ministry did not disclose details about the specific contents, delivery methods or schedules.
January 31: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has once again threatened to veto EU sanctions against Russia in six months if Ukraine does not resume the transit of Russian gas by then. In an interview with Hungarian state radio on Friday, Orbán claimed that Hungary had received a guarantee from the EU this week regarding the restoration of gas transit through Ukraine. “If the pledge is broken, then not only will we propose ending sanctions but we will end them,” Orbán said. On 27 January, the EU managed to secure Hungary’s agreement to extend economic sanctions against Russia but made concessions to Budapest by issuing a statement assuring Hungary of its energy security.
COMMENT: Andrii Deshchytsia, former Ukrainian ambassador to Poland: “It is currently unclear how Orban will “sit on two chairs, because he is supposedly on good terms with both Trump and Putin. But, as the reality of recent days shows, it is still possible to reach an agreement with Orban, especially if the USA is involved, because the latest decision to extend sanctions (against Russia – ed.) was made with Hungary’s participation among others.”
WAR&LIFE
January 29/ First “Infoboom-Classical Music-2024” national rating
QUOTE: “Classical music, music in general, is sound. It is the voice of performers who have been conveying the best human emotions and feelings through beautiful music for many centuries. It is an international language that allows you to exchange feelings, to listen, enjoy, and be inspired for the better.”
January 31/ Report. Training ground for mobilized soldiers: kilograms of mud on their boots, overlooked enemy traps, and lots of shooting practices
QUOTE: “They call themselves ‘busified’ or mobilized,’ but speaking in official language, they are servicemen who arrived to serve with units of the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade”
February 1/ Trump’s 3rd ultimatum to Putin: negotiate or face elimination
QUOTE: “Trump has pulled out his main trump card – Putin’s fear for his own life… In his first interviews after inauguration, Trump threatened Russia with an “oil” price collapse. One could also read between the lines that if the offer for negotiations was rejected, the position on regime change could be revised.”
Compiled by Maryna Dmytriv, Kyiv
Source: Ukraine Latest: Weekly Digest for January 27 – February 2, 2025
