On January 29, Ukraine announced that it had attacked a major Russian oil refinery with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), while Russia announced that it had stopped a plot to attack a nuclear power plant carried out by Kyiv.
A Ukrainian soldier launches a domestically produced UAV.
Ukraine deploys UAVs to attack western Russia
The Ukrainian military said it used a drone to attack the NORSI oil refinery in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, causing a large fire. Reuters verified a video posted on social media of a large fire in the Nizhny Novgorod city of Kstovo, but could not confirm whether it was at the refinery.
Lukoil's NORSI facility is the fourth largest refinery in Russia. Kstovo is a city west of Moscow and about 800 km from the Ukrainian border.
NATO Secretary General: Europe will pay for US weapons for Ukraine
Russia has not commented on the information, but Russian petrochemical company Sibur announced a temporary shutdown of its facility in Kstovo on the morning of January 29 after debris from a Ukrainian UAV fell and caused a fire at the facility. Sibur said the fire was later brought under control and there were no casualties.
Ukraine also said it had hit the Andreapol oil pumping station on the export pipeline that runs through the Baltic port of Ust-Luga. Another attack also destroyed a Russian missile storage site in the Tver region, causing a series of explosions. Russia has not commented on the reports.
On the same day, TASS quoted Governor Vasily Anokhin of the western Smolensk province (Russia) as saying that air defense systems in the province had shot down a UAV preparing to attack a nuclear plant there. The plant is still operating normally.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod, another western Russian province, said a mother and her two-year-old child were killed when their home was hit by a drone. The father and another child were injured and taken to hospital.
According to information on Telegram, the Russian Ministry of Defense recorded that 104 UAVs originating from Ukraine participated in attacks across western Russia in the early morning of January 29, 11 of which were shot down in the sky over Smolensk.
Ukraine has not commented on the information Russia provided.
Russian artillery in the Ukraine war zone
Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense
Russia reduces attack intensity, focuses on Pokrovsk front
On January 28, the DeepState monitoring organization published an analysis of the war in Ukraine and concluded that although the campaign to attack Russia remains high, its intensity has decreased.
Specifically, Russian forces focused 44% of their attacks on Pokrovsk, a key logistics center for the Ukrainian army in Donetsk province.
Kursk Front (Russian province) accounted for 13%.
Russian Commander-in-Chief visits troops near Pokrovsk frontline
After Russia sharply increased its attacks starting in late November last year, the peak of attacks occurred in the second half of December 2024 and has now decreased.
DeepState recorded 5,205 Russian attacks in November 2024, 6,247 in December 2024, and 4,303 in January as of January 27.
Despite the losses, Russia was able to replenish its forces, allowing them to sustain attacks on all fronts.
As part of the effort, Russia has increased pressure near Pokrovsk, deploying small groups to try to encircle the enemy, according to Viktor Trehubov, a spokesman for the Khortytsian forces in Ukraine. Russia has not commented on DeepState’s analysis.
The town of Kurakhove was also targeted by Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on January 6 that it had taken control of the area, but Ukraine has not confirmed this.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the 'Samara' unmanned systems research and production center in Togliatti city (Russia) on January 28.
President Putin refuses to talk directly with Mr. Zelensky
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on January 28 that his country could participate in Russia-Ukraine peace talks, but rejected the possibility of direct dialogue with President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to AFP.
"If (Mr. Zelensky) wants to sit at the negotiating table, I will send someone to participate," Mr. Putin said, while calling Mr. Zelensky not the legitimate leader of Ukraine because his term has ended and on May 20, 2024. However, Ukraine has not been able to hold elections during the war period because of security concerns.
The Kremlin chief also pledged that the fighting would end within two months or less if the West cut aid to Kyiv.
In response, the Ukrainian leader said that Mr Putin was "afraid" of negotiations and was using tricks to prolong the conflict.
Russia and Ukraine are facing pressure to enter negotiations from US President Donald Trump. Since taking office, Trump has put pressure on both sides in an effort to end the nearly three-year conflict.
In an interview with Fox News broadcast on January 29 (Vietnam time), President Zelensky called on the White House owner to side with Ukraine, warning Mr. Putin "not to be afraid of Europe".
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chien-su-ukraine-ngay-1071-uav-ukraine-thoc-sau-vao-lanh-tho-nga-185250129221415128.htm
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