Month: January 2025

Russian military reported another attack by unidentified drones on the evening of Wednesday, January 1. Russian air defense systems were active in five regions, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

According to the hostile ministry, drones allegedly attacked Russia this evening. Between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM Moscow time, Russian air defense systems allegedly destroyed 14 Ukrainian drones.

Two drones were over the Belgorod region, four over the Voronezh region, five over the Rostov region, two over the Tula region, and one over the Oryol region.

Drone attacks in Russia

On the evening of Wednesday, January 1, the “carpet regime” was declared at the airport in the Russian city of Saransk. The reason was allegedly the threat of drones.

Additionally, in the city of Yartsevo, Smolensk region, a drone attack took place on the night of December 31.

Recently, the Russians also reported a drone attack. On the night of Tuesday, December 31, Russian air defense systems allegedly downed 68 drones.

Péter Magyar, an opponent of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, called for early parliamentary elections. So far, they are scheduled for 2026, Bloomberg reports.

“Let there be a new election, to return the right of deciding their fate to the people,” Magyar addressed Orbán in a New Year’s speech.

Bloomberg emphasizes that Orbán’s Fidesz party is losing ground in the ratings to Magyar’s new Tisza party, which was formed in April last year. Several polls conducted in the second half of 2024 showed that Tisza has a significant advantage over the ruling party.

As the agency reminds, support for Fidesz is falling as weak economic growth and high inflation have undermined confidence in Orbán’s management of the economy. The ratings were also affected by high-profile scandals involving the party. However, Orbán is counting on an economic recovery this year to boost his chances in the elections.

Magyar’s visit to Kyiv

On July 11, 2024, Péter Magyar visited Kyiv. At that time, he handed over medical equipment to hospitals in the capital against the backdrop of the Russian attack on Okhmatdyt.

Also in June, he emphasized that he opposed the supply of weapons to Ukraine, but wanted to support the country by any other means.

Magyar also acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the aggressor.

As a result of a drone attack on the Yartsevskaya oil depot in the Smolensk region, two tanks containing gasoline and diesel fuel caught fire. The attack was carried out by Ukraine’s Defense Forces, according to the ASTRA Telegram channel.

According to ASTRA, the oil depot was allegedly attacked by 11 drones. As a result, two fuel tanks with a capacity of 700 cubic meters each were damaged. One contained gasoline, while the other held diesel fuel. The damaged tanks were reportedly not fully filled.

Additionally, there were allegedly no casualties from the attack, but residents of nearby houses were evacuated.

Explosions in the Smolensk region on December 31

Earlier, it was reported that a drone attack took place in the city of Yartsevo, Smolensk region, on the night of December 31. The governor of the Smolensk region, Vasily Anokhin, stated that the fire at the oil depot occurred due to the fall of debris from a downed drone.

Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Special Operations Forces, in coordination with the Drone Systems Forces and other components of the Defense Forces, carried out a strike on the Yartsevskaya oil depot in the Smolensk region.

A drunk serviceman in the Polish town of Mielnik fired shots at a civilian car. The man was immediately detained, according to Polish Radio Białystok.

The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. when a serviceman from the 3rd Podhale Rifle Battalion in Rzeszów left a training camp armed with a pistol and fired at a civilian car. Reports confirmed he was intoxicated at the time.

The media outlet writes that other servicemen quickly reacted and detained the shooter at the scene.

Initially, it was reported that the serviceman served in the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF), but the spokesperson for the operation said this was not true. No one was injured in the shooting.

The Military Police Bureau in Białystok is currently investigating the incident.

Earlier today, on January 1, it became known that a car drove into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans (USA). It is known that 10 people were killed. Dozens more were injured. According to media reports, law enforcement officers shot the driver when he got out of the car.

An investigation continues in the US following the incident in which a pickup truck drove into a crowd of people in New Orleans. Authorities have discovered that the driver had an ISIS flag, CNN reports.

The information about the ISIS flag was disclosed to the agency by unnamed law enforcement sources.

According to one of CNN’s interlocutors, several explosive devices were found in an ice container in the pickup truck.

At the same time, the Federal Bureau of Investigation noted that it is treating the incident as an “act of terrorism.”

Investigators are looking into the suspect’s possible accomplices, as well as his political or religious views and whether he is affiliated with ISIS.

New Orleans crowd attack

As reported earlier on January 1, a car drove into a crowd of people celebrating New Year in New Orleans. Ten people were killed, and dozens more were injured.

According to media reports, police killed the driver after he exited the car.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has emphasized that the incident is being treated as a terrorist attack.

On the evening of Wednesday, 1 January, a “carpet” regime was declared at the airport of the Russian city of Saransk. The reason is the alleged threat of drones, according to the SHOT Telegram channel.

According to Russian media, temporary restrictions on the arrival and departure of flights have been imposed at Saransk Airport (Mordovia).

Russians claim that the airport closure was due to an alleged Ukrainian drone spotted in the sky.

Additionally, as reported by Rosaviatsiya, temporary restrictions have been imposed at airports in Kaluga, Penza, and Saratov.

It should be noted that the “Carpet plan” is declared in the event of a threat to aircraft or if a violation of airspace has been detected. Essentially, this means a closed sky regime.

On December 26, restrictions were imposed at several Russian airports, with most of Moscow’s airports being closed.

Russian media reported an air threat, and there were also mentions online that the “Carpet plan” was allegedly implemented at airports due to the threat of drones.

On the evening of December 11, the “Carpet plan” was implemented at Sochi Airport. The reason for these measures was a drone attack on the Krasnodar region.