Russian officials have reported more than 100 drones flown from Ukraine attacked oil and power facilities across the west of the country. Watch a Sky News report from the Ukrainian frontline as defence correspondent Deborah Haynes speaks to convicts who have been freed to fight.
Wednesday 29 January 2025 12:20, UK
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Russia’s “undeclared war” with the West is already under way, an expert has warned, and failure to acknowledge this makes defeat “only a matter of time”.
Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former finance minister in Ukraine who specialises in Russian multidimensional warfare, said Moscow is “increasingly emphasising” it sees no prerequisites for a ceasefire and continues to increase weapons production.
Writing for think tank the Royal United Services Institute, Danylyuk said: “All these indicators point to the intensification of Russian efforts not only to militarily seize Ukraine, but also to destabilise and capture the West.
“Western leaders are stubbornly trying not to notice this, to some extent imitating the behaviour of their Ukrainian colleagues on the eve of the Russian invasion.”
Despite the fact Vladimir Putin has not declared war on the West, Danylyuk said it is well known to Russian citizens.
The country’s media, opinion leaders, civilian and military representatives have “repeatedly stated that Russia is waging war against NATO in Ukraine”, he said.
“Undoubtedly, Russia is not ready to go to war with the forces of a united Europe, but it has sufficient potential to take on individual, even relatively large, countries,” he added.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine has opened a criminal probe into defence minister Rustem Umerov and will investigate whether he abused his authority.
As we reported yesterday, Ukraine’s government sacked its deputy defence minister following accusations of insufficient arms purchases.
Western officials have warned Ukraine that a rift between the country’s defence minister and the arms procurement chief could jeopardise trust in the country.
Representatives of G7 nations called on Kyiv to resolve the situation “and focus on keeping defence procurement going”.
Umerov requested the removal of deputy defence minister Dmytro Klimenkov and said in a statement that the agency had “inexplicably transformed into an ‘Amazon'” and its purchases were too publicly visible.
In response to the claims, the agency said that it made “significant progress” in boosting supply and lowering prices.
Earlier we brought you up to speed with Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s comments overnight on his hopes for working with US president Donald Trump (see our 8.08am post).
In an interview with Fox News, the Ukrainian president urged Trump to be on his country’s side.
Zelenskyy has now taken to X to expand on his comments, and said “ending the hot phase of the war is critical”.
He took aim at Washington’s “absence” in the Minsk agreements – signed in 2014 and 2015 in an attempt to secure a ceasefire between Ukraine’s government and Russia-backed separatists in the east of the country.
Zelenskyy also stated that Putin could have been forced into “real peace” had the US been involved.
“A strong America could have forced Putin into real peace, not just a frozen conflict,” Zelenskyy said.
“I am confident that if President Trump wants to, he can force Putin into peace.”
These latest pictures show Ukrainian troops carrying out a training exercise in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Servicemen from Ukraine’s Transcarpathian Brigade can be seen firing from tanks in the pictures below.
Russian troops have reportedly taken control of a village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Citing the defence ministry, the RIA state news agency reported today Russia’s military has seized Novoielyzavetivka.
This has not been independently verified.
Reports have suggested in recent weeks that Russian troops have been amassing near the village.
Novoielyzavetivka is about 25km (16 miles) southwest of Pokrovsk, which you can see in the map below.
In its latest assessment, the Institute for the Study of War said Ukrainian forces had recently advanced in Toretsk and near Pokrovsk, while Russia had made also gains near the same areas as well as in Kurakhove, Velyka Novosilka and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.
We’re receiving more information on some news we brought you earlier this morning of a fire at an oil refinery in the Nizhny Novogorod region (see 6.56am post).
Ukraine’s military has confirmed its drones struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Kstovo city in the region overnight.
It added it was assessing the scale of damage following a large fire at the site after the attack.
The region’s local governor claimed that the fire was caused by debris from a destroyed drone.
More information has now been shared around Russia’s drone attack on Ukraine overnight.
Ukraine’s military reports Russia launched 57 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile.
Of the 57 drones, the military said it downed 29 – while 14 did not reach their targets.
The air force has not specified what happened to the rest.
One of the attacks appeared to have targeted the port area in the Odesa region, where Governor Oleh Kiper said buildings were damaged.
No casualties have been reported there.
Vladimir Putin has said there is a way for Ukraine to hold peace talks, but he believes Kyiv is not willing.
Russia’s president told state television that negotiations with Ukraine were complicated by Zelenskyy’s “illegitimacy” in remaining in power beyond his mandate, and said he does not have the authority to sign documents.
“If there is a desire, we can resolve any legal issues. However, so far, we simply do not see such a desire,” Putin said.
Zelenskyy has dismissed the claims questioning his legitimacy, and said Putin had shown he was afraid of holding talks.
Writing on Telegram, the Ukrainian president said Putin “once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders and is doing everything to prolong the war.”
A mother and her two-year-old child have been killed in a drone attack in Russia, according to a local governor.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said two other family members were wounded in Belgorod after a drone struck a family home.
He added the father and another child have been injured and were taken to hospital.
The incident has not been independently verified and Gladkov did not name Ukraine as responsible, but the Belgorod region has come under frequent attack since Russia invaded the country nearly three years ago.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken overnight about his hopes for US President Donald Trump.
In an interview with Fox News, the Ukrainian president urged Trump to be on his country’s side.
He added Ukraine cannot recognise Russia’s occupation, but does prefer a diplomatic resolution.
“We want him [Trump] to be on the side of justice, on the side of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
“Putin is not afraid of Europe.”
The White House has not yet commented.
In an interview with Sky News two months ago, Zelenskyy suggested a ceasefire deal could be struck if Ukrainian territory he controls could be protected by NATO – giving time to negotiate the return of the rest.
The US under Joe Biden committed more than $175bn in aid for Ukraine, including over $60bn in security assistance.
With Trump’s “America first” policies, it’s uncertain if this aid will continue at that pace.
Trump has repeatedly promised to end the war soon, but hasn’t said how. Aides have suggested a deal could take months, while Trump has expressed willingness to speak to Vladimir Putin about ending the war.
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