Military

Russian missile attack on Donetsk’s Pokrovsk district kills 11, including five children. Additionally, at least eight civilians were also injured.

Russian artillery attack kills one, injures two in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The shelling killed a 45-year-old man and wounded two more civilians, including a 16-year-old teenager,

Military: Ukrainian air strikes hit airfield in occupied Crimea. Ukrainian forces struck a command post at the Saky military airfield in Novofedorivka, located in Russian-occupied Crimea.

ISW: Russian troops likely to intensify offensive on Kupiansk in coming weeks. Russian troops may intensify their efforts to capture the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, an important logistics hub on the eastern front, which Ukrainian forces liberated in September 2022.

Intelligence and technology

UK intel: Russia’s air superiority on southern front weakened as Ukraine downs three Su-34 bombers. Although Russia has resumed tactical air strikes around the bridgehead in recent days, the frequency and intensity of these operations remain lower than before the shootdowns.

International

Meloni pledges support for Ukraine in first call to international leader, Zelenskyy, as G7 president. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after Italy took over the rotating presidency of the G7, which includes the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, and Italy.

Berlingske: Denmark to delay F-16 jets delivery to Ukraine. Initially scheduled for delivery by the end of 2023, the first six aircraft are now expected to arrive in Ukraine during the second quarter of 2024.

Zelenskyy, Erdogan discuss returning Ukrainian POWs, Black Sea security in phone call. “Türkiye’s mediation is crucial for the release of Crimean Tatars and all others – adults and children, military and civilians, held in Russian captivity,” Zelenskyy said.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russian shelling destroy humanitarian aid warehouse in Kherson Oblast (photos). The shelling also destroyed the village council building, modular homes housing internally displaced persons, and several vehicles.

Political and legal developments

EU imposes sanctions on Russia’s Alrosa, world’s largest diamond mining company. The EU has imposed sanctions on Russia’s state-owned diamond company “Alrosa” and its CEO Pavel Alekseevich Marinychev in response to Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.

Polish foreign minister urges Europe to respond to Russia’s missile attacks on Ukraine in “language Putin understands”. Europe should expand sanctions on Russia and reduce its capabilities to produce weapons using foreign components in response to the recent missile strike on Ukraine, said Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.

Ombudsman: Recent prisoner swap exposes torture against Ukrainian POWs. During captivity, Russia tortured all of the Ukrainian POWs, who have returned to their homeland in the recent prisoner exchange, says Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, as per UkrInform.

Read our earlier daily review here.

As of 06 Jan 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • Personnel: 363870 (+800)
  • Tanks: 6018 (+7)
  • APV: 11158 (+16)
  • Artillery systems: 8617 (+13)
  • MLRS: 950 (+1)
  • Anti-aircraft systems: 633 (+2)
  • Aircraft: 329
  • Helicopters: 324
  • UAV: 6787 (+16)
  • Cruise missiles: 1786
  • Warships/boats: 23
  • Submarines: 1
  • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 11478 (+15)