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Ukraine Invasion Day 1,050: Kerch Strait Oil Spill Disaster [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-01-07

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier acknowledged the Russian tanker spill as an “ecological disaster.”

More than 30 dolphins – including the endangered Azov species – have died around the Kerch Strait following an oil spill from two Russian tankers, environmentalists said on Sunday. Russia’s Volgoneft-212 and the Volgoneft-239 were hit by a storm on Dec. 15 in the Kerch Strait linking Russian-occupied Crimea to the southern Russian Krasnodar region, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from occupied Sevastopol. Russia’s Delfa Dolphin Rescue and Research Center said 32 dolphins died days after the incident, AP News reported. www.kyivpost.com/... https://t.co/q0dFrzSBJT Following the sinking of two Russian vessels in the Kerch Strait, an oil spill now causes a mass die-off of the already endangered Azov dolphins, which are protected by the Ukrainian Red Book. www.barrons.com/...

Trump must decide between "a humiliating strategic defeat on the global stage and immediately redoubling American support for Ukraine. The choice will determine not only the fate of Ukraine but also the success of his presidency,"

Russian forces may attempt to leverage tactical gains within and near Toretsk and east of Pokrovsk to eliminate the Ukrainian salient southwest of Toretsk. Russian forces may attempt to leverage gains within Toretsk and in the Toretsk-Shcherbynivka-Niu York area with recent Russian gains east of Pokrovsk to eliminate the Ukrainian pocket between Vozdvyzhenka (east of Pokrovsk) and Toretsk. Russian advances east of Pokrovsk and west of Toretsk may be part of an ongoing effort to make opportunistic gains that seize any territory, regardless of that territory’s relative insignificance. understandingwar.org/...

Russian forces conducted a series of drone strikes against Ukraine overnight on January 6 to 7.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 38 Shahed drones and other drones from Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and Kursk Oblast.[68] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 28 drones over Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Kirovohrad oblasts; that 10 decoy drones were “lost,” likely due to Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) interference; and that three drones returned to Russian airspace as of 0900 local time. understandingwar.org/... Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 28 drones over Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Kirovohrad oblasts The Ukrainian Air Force reported on January 7 that a Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot downed six Russian cruise missiles during a single sortie on December 13.[69]

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Russian forces recently advanced in northwestern Toretsk following several weeks of higher tempo Russian offensive operations and gains in the area. Geolocated footage published on January 6 indicates that Russian forces recently advanced along Kvitkova Street and reached the northwestern administrative boundary of Toretsk.[1] ... Russian forces intensified offensive operations in the Toretsk direction in June 2024, likely to reduce the Ukrainian salient in the area and deny Ukrainian forces the ability to shell rear Russian areas in the Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk directions, both of which were Russian main efforts at the time.[4] Russian forces originally committed limited combat power, including elements of the Russian 51st Combined Arms Army (CAA) (formerly 1st Donetsk People's Republic Army Corps [DNR AC]), Territorial Troops, and some elements of the Central Military District [CMD], to intensified operations near Toretsk in June 2024.[5] Russian forces have made creeping and grinding gains within Toretsk and the nearby settlements since June 2024 but have intensified offensive operations in recent weeks and made tactical gains within northern and northwestern Toretsk.[6] Russian forces appear to be shifting assault tactics in Toretsk in order to overwhelm Ukrainian forces and facilitate tactical gains within the settlement. A spokesperson of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Toretsk direction reported on January 5 that Russian forces are now attacking in platoons of up to 20 soldiers after previously attacking in fireteams of roughly five personnel.[7] ... Russian forces are likely leveraging their superior manpower quantities to intensify offensive operations and advance within Toretsk. understandingwar.org/...

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Key Takeaways: Russian forces recently advanced in northwestern Toretsk following several weeks of higher tempo Russian offensive operations and gains in the area.

Russian forces likely intend to exploit their advances in northwestern Toretsk to push further west of Toretsk and Shcherbynivka and along the T-05-16 Toretsk-Kostyantnivka highway towards the southernmost point of Ukraine's fortress belt in Kostyantynivka.

Russian forces may attempt to leverage tactical gains within and near Toretsk and east of Pokrovsk to eliminate the Ukrainian salient southwest of Toretsk.

Russian forces are likely attempting to break out of Toretsk's urban environment and advance into more open and rural areas that are similar to the areas where Russian forces have made significant gains in other sectors of the front in recent months.

Russian forces are unlikely to pose a significant threat to Kostyantynivka unless the Russian military command reinforced the existing force grouping in the area with troops from other frontline areas.

The Ukrainian General Staff stated that Ukrainian forces struck a command post of the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade (Black Sea Fleet [BSF], Southern Military District [SMD]) in Belaya, Kursk Oblast on January 7.

Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast, and Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk and in Kursk Oblast.

The Kremlin continues to promote the "Time of Heroes" program, which aims to place veterans of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in positions in local, regional, and federal governments.

The Ukrainian Review‬ ‪@theukrainianreview.bsky.social‬ 🇵🇱🇺🇦 Poland is ready to supply Ukraine with electricity, Minister of Climate and Environment Paulina Hennig-Kloska said on Tuesday, referring to threats that Slovakia could cut off power supplies to its neighbour, - Reuters

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