The Ministry of Defense’s Main Inspectorate will conduct a thorough review of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command, focusing on the efficiency of management processes, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Umerov believes that victory requires a deep analysis of experience and an honest understanding of mistakes, especially within the Ground Forces, Ukraine’s largest and most strategically significant military branch.
“Events within the Ground Forces directly impact the situation on the frontline. That is why I support the need for the new Ground Forces Commander, Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, to have a complete picture of the current state of affairs,” Umerov explained.
The inspection will include:
Analysis of the organizational structure and responsibilities.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of management processes.
Compliance checks with legal regulations.
Based on the findings, reforms will be implemented in management systems and personnel policies. Operational processes will be optimized, and combat readiness will be enhanced through new approaches to training.
Scandals in the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Recently, the media reported on mistreatment by officers of the 211th Pontoon-Bridge Brigade of the Support Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including an incident where a soldier was reportedly tied to a wooden cross.
In response, the brigade’s commander, Oleh Poberezhniuk, has been charged with abuse of power.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that the Ministry of Defense’s Main Inspectorate will investigate these incidents. He also announced plans to establish the position of a military ombudsman to safeguard the rights of military personnel.
The Russian Federation has recruited up to 180,000 prisoners to participate in the war since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They receive lower payments than other Russian soldiers, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service.
According to intelligence data, as of November 2024, the Russian Federation has recruited between 140,000 and 180,000 individuals who were serving sentences for crimes in Russian prisons to participate in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
At the same time, it is known that there were about 300,000-350,000 prisoners in Russian colonies and prisons as of 2024. This is half the number compared to 2014. The reason for this decrease is their involvement in the war.
Intelligence officials revealed that previously prisoners received a one-time payment of $1,718 under their contracts. However, in July 2024, this payment was increased to $3,524. However, prisoners and their families are deprived of several benefits and allowances received by members of volunteer formations. Additionally, the salary of these individuals is two to four times lower than that of other soldiers.
At the end of December 2024, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree to cancel the one-time payments for prisoners. Those who have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense will not receive these payments.
Mobilization of prisoners in Russia
The recruitment of prisoners in Russia has become a common practice during the war against Ukraine. Since the middle of 2022, the Russian government, with the assistance of private military companies such as the Wagner Group, has been involving prisoners in combat operations, offering them amnesty, financial payments, and other privileges.
This initiative has been condemned by human rights organizations, which emphasize the violations of human rights and the lack of transparency regarding the conditions for the prisoners. Many of them have died due to insufficient training, and the promised benefits often remained unfulfilled.
Additionally, we have reported that Russia also plans to form assault units from prisoners infected with hepatitis B and C.
Russian forces continue to assault the positions of Ukrainian defenders. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are disrupting the enemy’s plans, inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to military officials, there have been 72 combat engagements since the start of the day.
“Border settlements continue to suffer from cynical shelling from the territory of the Russian Federation, including Bachivsk and Porozok in the Sumy region, as well as Tymofiivka in the Kharkiv region. The enemy also launched airstrikes using guided bombs on the areas of Taratutyne and Pokrovka in the Sumy region,” the General Staff explained.
Frontline situation
In the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian forces repelled two attacks near Vovchansk.
In the Kupiansk direction, the enemy conducted three assaults near Zapadne, Dvorichna, and Kruhliakivka. One clash has ended, while two others are ongoing. Guided bomb airstrikes targeted Pishchane and Ivanivka.
In the Lyman direction, the enemy launched ten attacks near Nadiia, Makiivka, Terny, Hryhorivka, and the Serebrianskyi Forest. Seven attacks were repelled, and three battles are still underway.
In the Siversk direction, the enemy aviation struck Dronivka, Pazeno, and Siversk, using four guided aerial bombs.
In the Kramatorsk direction, Ukrainian defenders are successfully countering attempts by Russian forces to advance near Chasiv Yar and toward Stupochky.
In the Toretsk direction, the enemy launched four attacks near Toretsk and Shcherbynivka. Two assaults ended unsuccessfully for the Russian army, while two battles are ongoing. Kostiantynivka was struck by three guided aerial bombs.
In the Pokrovsk direction since the start of the day, Russian forces have attempted 20 assaults to dislodge Ukrainian defenders from positions near Myroliubivka, Lysivka, Novyi Trud, Pishchane, Shevchenko, Uspenivka, Solone, and Novovasylivka.
Ukrainian forces repelled 18 attacks, while two clashes are underway. Yablunivka was hit by an airstrike.
In the Kurakhove direction, Russian troops attacked 13 times near Kurakhove and Shevchenko. 11 battles have been completed, and two more are still ongoing.
In the Vremivka direction, the enemy unsuccessfully attacked Ukrainian positions 13 times near Yantarne, as well as in the directions of Kostiantynopil and Novosilka. Airstrikes were launched in the areas of Ulakly, Andriivka, and Novopil, using four guided bombs and unguided air-to-surface missiles.
In the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces continued shelling Ukrainian positions and civilian infrastructure. Airstrikes with unguided air-to-surface missiles targeted Mali Shcherbaky and Piatykhatky.
In the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian forces launched two unsuccessful assaults on Ukrainian positions. The situation remains under control.
In the Kursk region, Ukrainian defenders repelled one enemy attack, with two additional engagements ongoing. Meanwhile, Russian forces conducted five airstrikes on their own territory, deploying five guided bombs.
Russia’s losses
On January 1, Russian forces suffered significant losses on the battlefield. Ukrainian defenders eliminated 1,370 enemy personnel, four tanks, 13 armored vehicles, 20 artillery systems, 69 tactical UAVs, 54 vehicles, and three units of specialized equipment.
Additionally, the missile forces and artillery units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck four areas of enemy troop and equipment concentrations, as well as two Russian air defense systems.
The European Union remains divided on achieving energy independence from Russian gas. By demonstrating flexibility and a willingness to resume importing Russian gas, Europe risks escalating tensions with Moscow and increasing the likelihood of a Third World War.
The implementation of international sanctions has revealed the West’s inability to completely block the flow of high-tech components to Russia’s defense industry. As a result, Western nations have failed to deliver a significant blow to Russia’s defense production or limit its capacity to manufacture weapons due to gaps in enforcing sanctions by domestic producers. Revenues from oil and gas sales have enabled the Kremlin to continue funding not only weapons production but also hybrid operations, including sabotage, across European countries.
The Cold War demonstrated that the collapse of the Soviet Union was largely driven by declining revenues from energy exports, coupled with high defense and military expenditures. Yet, the refusal of some European NATO members to support a ban on Russian energy imports and transit highlights the deep corruption and political dependence of these authoritarian regimes on the Kremlin.
For years, energy blackmail has been a cornerstone of Russia’s imperial policies in the post-Soviet space, including its approach toward Ukraine. Gas-related coercion significantly contributed to the establishment of an authoritarian, corrupt, pro-Russian regime in Ukraine, which destabilized the country, provoked war, and led to territorial annexation.
We remain deeply concerned about NATO’s current ability to counter Russia’s hybrid security threats in Europe. The Kremlin appears to be banking on a scenario where continued energy export revenues allow Russia to bolster its military capacity and sustain subversive operations, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Scandinavia. Sustaining these revenues would enable Moscow to pursue further military expansion in the Euro-Atlantic region, potentially forcing NATO members into direct conflict with Russia.
NATO’s numerical and technological superiority over Russia could increase the likelihood of Moscow’s defeat in such a conflict, potentially prompting the Kremlin to resort to nuclear weapons. Thus, maintaining Moscow’s energy export revenues effectively encourages further destabilizing policies against NATO.
The actions of Slovakia and Hungary in blocking efforts to reduce reliance on Russian gas only exacerbate regional tensions. These actions fail to deter the Kremlin from its confrontational policies toward the West or its ambitions to expand Russia’s borders to those of the early 20th-century empire.
Ukraine, as a transit country for Russian gas and a victim of Russia’s aggressive war, has every right to restrict the aggressor’s budget revenues that fund its military operations.Ultimately, the attempts by some of Russia’s allies in Central Europe to preserve Moscow’s energy revenues heighten the risks of their own involvement in a broader war on European soil. We also believe that the Kremlin will continue to exert pressure on Hungary and Slovakia to resist ending energy transit, aiming to provoke internal conflicts and foster NATO’s fragmentation by exploiting policy disagreements and differing interpretations of Article 5 concerning the defense of alliance members against Russian aggression.
The situation in Pokrovsk is currently quite difficult, but not critical in terms of the front’s collapse. The Russian troops have not yet reached the city, but are attacking with artillery and drones, states Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces, in a comment to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
“If we talk about Pokrovsk, besides the official statistics and reports, we know that yes, the enemy has not yet reached Pokrovsk and has not encircled it from the flanks, but enemy drones are flying over the city, unfortunately, and artillery is hitting the city,” said Tymochko.
According to him, the city is already experiencing significant problems with electricity supply, sewage, water drainage, and so on. In other words, Pokrovsk is essentially in a phase of heightened tension, preparing for defense.
“Pokrovsk is also interesting because it was a fairly developed city, and, let’s say, the people who lived there could be considered prosperous. There are a lot of private homes, and in the past, people drilled wells for water, had autonomous heating systems. So, it seems that even though military supplies are suspended, there is still a possibility to provide water supply as much as possible,” the military officer explained.
He noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to defend the city, as the defense is already in place. The enemy will likely try to reach the flanks, but once they do, they will most likely attempt a frontal assault.
“Because there is one very characteristic moment for Russian generals, which is that they always try, since World War II, to be the first to capture, to be the first to report that they have taken a city. I think that competition will begin among the commanders and directions, as there are several groups of Russian troops concentrated there,” Tymochko added.
According to him, the Russian forces will most likely attempt a frontal assault in order to quickly report “some interesting, cheerful information” to Vladimir Putin. And it doesn’t even have to be true.
The military officer noted that he cannot assess the readiness of the fortifications but emphasized that work is ongoing.
“Because there are fortifications, say, of a hidden type, which no one knows about, and which will serve as command centers, trenches, or even arsenals. The other issue is that fortifications, as we understand, include trenches, earthworks, and so on. Work is constantly ongoing,” he explained.
Tymochko also believes that as long as the enemy has not resolved the issue of Kurakhove, they are unlikely to be able to fully advance on Pokrovsk. This is because Kurakhove is a vulnerable flank for the Russian troops.
“Especially considering that there is a road from Zaporizhzhia to Donetsk in Kurakhove. It’s a major logistical route, where it’s convenient to deliver reinforcements and ammunition. Perhaps that’s why the Russians have not been able to achieve the full result they had planned in this direction,” the military officer added.
He noted that as long as the Russian army has not aligned the front line in that area, they are unlikely to move toward Pokrovsk. The enemy cannot evenly redeploy their troops in that direction.
“That is, we see that as they attempt to align the flanks, they will be redeploying some of their forces to reinforce Pokrovsk. So, the situation here is not, let’s say, ‘rosy.’ On the other side, it is not a deadlock in terms of the front’s collapse. It’s not as critical for the military. Yes, it’s quite complex, but we need to understand that civilians perceive a retreat of troops differently than the military does,” Tymochko concluded.
Fighting for Pokrovsk
For the past several months, the Russian troops have been attempting to break through the defenses in the Pokrovsk direction. This section of the front remains one of the most challenging.
The neighboring Kurakhove, Kramatorsk, and Vremivka directions also remain active.
As reported earlier by the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops, Russia has deployed 150,000 soldiers on the Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vremivka fronts. Specifically, around 70,000 soldiers are concentrated near Pokrovsk.
According to a spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops, Viktor Trehubov, no urban battles are occurring in Pokrovsk at the moment. Russian troops are trying to bypass the city.
Balakliia and Izium are considered key targets for the enemy because of their strategic location. Through these areas, Russia could attempt flanking maneuvers to advance on the Donetsk region, stated Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces, in a commentary to the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.
“Balakliia and Izium are in the way. From the north, they lead towards Chuhuiv and Kharkiv, and from the southwest, they open the way to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk,” Tymochko explained.
He noted that these cities hold significant strategic importance for the further advance of Russian forces.
Tymochko emphasized that controlling these territories would enable the enemy to launch offensives from two directions simultaneously. According to him, Russian forces had planned their campaign in the Kharkiv region with the goal of regaining lost positions.
The enemy’s strategy, according to Tymochko, was to bypass defense positions and renew the advance on the Donetsk region. He highlighted that the Russian army realized it could not capture Chasiv Yar through a frontal assault and might resort to flanking maneuvers.
“This was their calculation. They saw they couldn’t take Chasiv Yar through a frontal assault. The fighting continues now, as it lies on the route towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. So they tried a flanking maneuver – or, rather, they might try again,” Tymochko stated.
He also stressed that current discussions about such enemy actions indicate that this scenario is once again being considered.
Earlier today, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said that the cities of Izium and Balakliia in the Kharkiv region were being prepared for an all-around defense.
According to him, the construction of fortifications continues and these are planned activities.
Moreover, yesterday, Andrii Rubtsov, the communications officer of the 116th separate mechanized brigade, said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces recorded attempts by Russians to cross the Oskil River in the Kharkiv region on inflatable boats, but all attempts were unsuccessful.
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The US authorities are investigating whether Wednesday’s deadly truck attack in New Orleans is linked to an explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on the same day. The FBI believes the man who rammed his car into a crowd in New Orleans killing fifteen people was not acting alone. Also in the programme: Netherlands to open archive on people accused of wartime Nazi collaboration; and 250 years since the birth of the novelist Jane Austen. (Photo: The attack took place in an extremely busy area full of bars and restaurants. Credit: EPA)
