Russia-Ukraine war: List of essential occasions, day 680

Here is the circumstance on Thursday, January 4, 2024.

Combating

• Russia and Ukraine exchanged numerous detainees of war in the greatest single release of hostages because Russia started its major intrusion in February 2022. Ukrainian authorities stated that 230 of its detainees were launched while Russia stated 248 of its soldiers were returned following mediation by the United Arab Emirates.
• Russia stated Ukraine released attacks on its Belgorod and Kursk areas, in addition to the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow got into and annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Belgorod local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated the scenario stayed “tense” after 12 rockets were shot down over the area. Some 25 individuals were eliminated in an air attack on Belgorod on Saturday. There were no reports of casualties from Wednesday’s attacks.
• 2 individuals were eliminated and one hurt after 134 Russian strikes struck the Zaporizhia area over the 24 hours to Wednesday, according to Yuriy Malashko, the head of Ukraine’s local military administration.
• Someone was eliminated in heavy Russian shelling of Ukraine’s southern Kherson area including its primary city.
• A single person was eliminated and one hurt after Russia introduced 4 rockets on the eastern town of Avdiivka, Donetsk local head Vadym Filashkin stated in a Telegram message. The town, not far from Donetsk, which is inhabited by the Russians has actually been the scene of extreme battling for weeks.
• The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence stated Russia’s military may have altered its strike method in Ukraine to target the nation’s defence market instead of energy facilities as it did last winter season. “Russian coordinators probably identify the growing value of relative defence commercial capability as they get ready for a long war,” the ministry stated in its newest intelligence upgrade.

• Oleksandr Syrskyi, the leader of the Ukrainian army’s ground forces, stated Russian forces were continuing their offensives in Bakhmut and Kupyan on the eastern front with combating in Bakhmut especially extreme. Syrskyi stated Russian forces had actually suffered losses in Lyman and were regrouping in preparation for a brand-new offensive.
• Russia stated 4 individuals were hurt after its airplane inadvertently bombed the town of Petropavlovka in southwest Russia on Tuesday. There was likewise damage to homes, a school and some administrative structures along with to cars.

Politics and diplomacy

• The European Union enforced sanctions on Alrosa, the world’s most significant diamond miner, to additional capture Russian sources of income. The business’s CEO, Pavel Alekseevich Marinychev, was likewise approved. Alrosa represents more than 90 percent of all Russian diamond production, according to the EU.
• Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated the nation will require more than $37bn in foreign financing this year, which Kyiv was relying on “steady and prompt help” from its worldwide partners to assist keep its economy going.
• Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated inspectors had actually been rejected access to parts of Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station for 2 weeks and had yet to get 2024 upkeep prepare for the center.

Defense

• Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated Western nations need to tighten up sanctions versus Russia and supply Kyiv with long-range rockets that will allow it to target “launch websites and command centres”.
• Norway will send out 2 F-16 fighter jets to Denmark so Ukrainian pilots can train to utilize the US-made airplane. 10 Norwegian trainers have actually currently been sent out to Denmark to assist train the pilots.

Source

:

Al Jazeera and news companies