News
In this week's summary:
- In the Kursk Region, the AFU launched a limited offensive with inconclusive outcomes, while the Russian Armed Forces advanced towards Malaya Loknya.
- Russia's Defense Ministry announced the capture of Kurakhove, though Ukrainian forces maintain defensive positions south of the city.
- The Russian advance toward Velyka Novosilka in the Vremivka salient has significantly slowed.
- The Russian Armed Forces are attempting to encircle Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad from both the southwest and the east.
- In the Kupiansk direction, Russian troops are expanding their foothold on the right bank of the Oskil River, north of Kupiansk.
- An airstrike on the Motor Sich facility in Zaporizhzhia killed 13 civilians and injured over 120.
- Ukrainian drone strikes targeted chemical industry facilities in Russia's Leningrad and Rostov regions.
- As the Biden administration prepares to leave office, $10 billion in approved military aid for Ukraine under long-term contracts has not been allocated.
Situation at the front
In Russia’s Kursk Region, the past week saw offensives from both sides. On Jan. 5, mechanized columns of the AFU advanced toward the settlements of Berdin and Novosotnitsky, aiming for the district center of Bolshoe Soldatskoe. Geolocation data indicates that Ukrainian forces temporarily entered Berdin. However, they suffered significant losses in equipment and personnel, including captured soldiers (1, 2, 3). The situation in this area remains uncertain. Russian sources have refrained from broadcasting footage from parts of Berdin identified as a «gray zone» by mappers from the Ukrainian DeepState project, adding to the ambiguity of which side currently controls what territory in this sector.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
A new wave of the Russian offensive in the region has achieved confirmed successes, as DeepState acknowledges. Russian forces have captured Novoivanovka, Leonidovo, and Alexandria, located west of Malaya Loknya. Additionally, Russian troops have been observed in Russkoye Porechnoye, east of Malaya Loknya. According to calculations by Agentstvo (based on DeepState maps), Ukrainian forces have lost 12% of their foothold in the Kursk region during four days of the Russian offensive.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
Ukrainian units continue to successfully repel large Russian assaults and even launch counterattacks, notably near Nikolayevka, close to Malaya Loknya, and near Makhnovka, south of Sudzha. Meanwhile, pro-war Telegram channels are competing to refute (1, 2, 3, 4) earlier claims by the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Mash about the fighting having reached Sudzha. In reality, it appears that Russian forces are still at least 3-4 kilometers away from the town — the largest settlement under Ukrainian control in the Kursk region.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
In the Kurakhove operational area, a Jan. 6 report from the Ministry of Defense in Moscow claimed Russia’s complete capture of the city of Kurakhove. However, at that time, Ukrainian forces still held positions on the western outskirts. DeepState confirmed the Ukrainian withdrawal from Kurakhove only on the night of Jan. 10. Ukrainian military journalist Yuriy Butusov argues that the AFU’s continued defense of the remaining positions in the Kurakhove operational area south of the city is leading to unjustified losses. He urges the General Staff and the Supreme Command to intervene and order a withdrawal to more defensible lines.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
In the Vremivka salient, the pace of the Russian Armed Forces' advance has slowed significantly, with DeepState reporting only tactical successes near Velyka Novosilka and Neskuchne. However, Ukrainian military analyst Kostyantyn Mashovets views (1, 2) the prospects of holding Velyka Novosilka pessimistically, as the settlement and surrounding villages are already semi-encircled by Russian forces.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops are attempting to encircle the Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad agglomeration from the southwest and east. Advancing toward Kotlyn along the Pokrovsk-Mezheva highway on the western flank, they have occupied Novoyelizavetivka with small infantry groups and nearly captured Novovasylivka. Meanwhile, despite Russia’s taking of Vozdvyzhenka south of the Myrnohrad–Kostiantynivka highway on the eastern flank, Ukrainian forces have so far repelled attacks in the areas of Malinivka and Elizavetivka (1, 2).
According to Russian military correspondent Yuriy Kotenok, Toretsk is «mostly occupied» by Russian forces. Based on the DeepState map, the AFU maintains firm control only over the city's outskirts. Russian forces have also intensified activity west of Toretsk, where Ukraine's 12th National Guard Brigade Azov repelled a major mechanized assault.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
In the Lyman direction, sources from both sides report that Russian forces have secured positions in Ivanivka on the right bank of the Zherebets River (1, 2). According to Ukrainian military correspondent Volodymyr Romanov, the situation has created a threat of a Russian semi-encirclement of Terny. Kotenok claimed a Russian breakthrough westward toward Kolodyazi; however, Ukrainian serviceman Stanislav Bunyatov stated that the situation there has been stabilized.
In the Kupiansk direction, Ukrainian forces have stabilized the situation near the Russian salient in Kruhliaivka and Kolesnykivka on the left bank of the Oskil River. Nonetheless, Russian forces captured Lozova, advanced toward Kupiansk, and expanded their foothold north of the city near Dvorichna on the right bank of the Oskil.
Mutual strikes and sabotage
Over the past week, the Ukrainian Air Force reported (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) shooting down 336 drones, including «Shahed»[4] and other unidentified types, out of 586 launched. Additionally, 244 drones were reported as «lost from radar.» On the night of Jan. 6, two Russian Kh-59 guided missiles were reportedly launched, with both claimed to have been intercepted.
Reported Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory:
- Jan. 4: Russian Aerospace Forces dropped a KAB on a residential apartment building in the Sveska community of the Sumy region. Ten people were injured, including two children.
- Later that evening: Four KABs targeted the border town of Semenivka in the Chernihiv region. Local authorities reported nine injured, including two children.
- Jan. 6: A drone dropped ordnance on a passenger minibus in Kherson. According to updated information from local authorities, a 50-year-old man was killed, and five other people were injured.
- Jan. 8: An airstrike hit the city of Zaporizhzhia, likely targeting a production facility at the Motor Sich plant, one of the world's largest manufacturers of aircraft engines. The strike killed 13 civilians and injured over 120.
- Jan. 9: At least two aerial bombs hit residential areas in Kherson during the day, injuring nine people.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) intercepting 177 fixed-wing UAVs over Russia and the occupied Crimean Peninsula during the past week. Ukrainian forces conducted strikes on the following confirmed targets:
- Ust-Luga port, Leningrad region: Geolocation suggests the strike hit a fractionation and transshipment complex for stabilized gas condensate.
- Kursk city: The target may have been the 3754th Central Aviation Technical Base or the nearby 16th Electronic Warfare Brigade.
- Rostov region: Likely targeted a military-technical storage facility near the previously attacked «Kamensky» rocket fuel plant.
- Occupied Skadovsk, Kherson region: An FPV drone, reportedly launched from a UKB, struck a Pantsir air-defense system.
- Belya Sloboda, Kursk region: Struck the headquarters of the 810th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade. Objective control data has not yet been presented.
- Kristall oil depot, Saratov region: According to the Ukrainian General Staff, it supplies fuel to the Engels-2 strategic aviation airfield. At the time of reporting, the fire had been burning for four days. A state of emergency was declared in Engels, and two firefighters died during efforts to extinguish the blaze.
- Occupied Berdyansk port, Zaporizhzhia region: an empty fuel storage tank was allegedly struck.
- Khartsyzk, Donetsk region: Targeted the command post of the 8th Combined Arms Army.
- Chemical industry facilities in the Rostov and Leningrad regions.
- Chaltyr village, Rostov region: Targeted an ammunition and reconnaissance drone warehouse.
Losses
The Russian service of the BBC, in collaboration with Mediazona and a team of volunteers, has identified the names of 88,005 Russian personnel killed over the course of the full-scale war with Ukraine. Among them, at least 6,083 were elite specialists, including fighters from high-level units among Airborne Forces (VDV), Naval Infantry, Special Forces, and military pilots.
The Ukrainian government project I Want to Find, which provides information about Russian prisoners of war and soldiers who have been killed or are missing in action, reported that over the course of 2024 it had processed 52,052 requests from the relatives and friends of Russian servicemen. Over that period, the project managed to determine the fate of 1,659 servicemen. Of these, 1,173 are alive and in captivity, while 397 have returned home as part of prisoner exchanges. Additionally, 89 missing persons were identified among the bodies and remains collected by Ukrainian search teams.
Weapons and military vehicles
The outgoing administration of Joe Biden has yet to contract $10 billion in military aid allocated to Ukraine under the USAI, reports The Insider’s security and defense columnist Colby Badhwar. These funds, along with unspent appropriations under the PDA program, will be at the disposal of the Trump administration following the U.S. presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. According to Badhwar, the management of these funds has been among the worst in the history of American military programs.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has blocked the allocation of an additional €3 billion in military aid to Ukraine due to concerns about the measure’s domestic unpopularity during the election period, Der Spiegel reports. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius were in favor of the additional funding.
Over the course of the past week, the following military aid deliveries to Ukraine were announced:
- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed a $500 million military aid package for Ukraine from the outgoing administration (under the PDA program). The package includes surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), equipment for F-16 fighter jets, and ammunition.
- German defense contractor Rheinmetall announced a contract to supply Ukraine with 180,000 rounds of 35mm ammunition for Gepard air defense systems. The contract is funded by the German government.
- Rheinmetall delivered the latest tracked Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) to Ukraine at the end of 2024. The German Aid to Ukraine platform reports that a total 10 of these vehicles are slated for transfer.
- The German-French defense consortium KNDS will deliver six of its newest 155mm RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine in 2025, according to Hartpunkt, citing German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
- Pistorius, during a meeting in Ramstein, announced plans to maintain the existing format of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. He also pledged to deliver 50 missiles for the IRIS-T air defense system this year, and to train 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen in Germany.
- At the Ramstein meeting, ongoing results of the «Czech Initiative» were revealed: Ukraine has received 1.5 million units of artillery ammunition, one-third of which are 155mm caliber. Deliveries are set to continue in 2025.
On the frontlines, the 170mm North Korean self-propelled gun M1989 Koksan was observed for the first time on the Russian side, along with BTR-80 armored personnel carriers equipped with an advanced unmanned combat module originally designed for the K-16 APC (based on the Boomerang platform, which never went into mass production).
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.
Additionally, «field engineers» showcased a heavy armored personnel carrier based on the T-62, assault vehicles based on GAZ-66 Shishiga trucks, and a veritable parade of makeshift cope cages, including turtle tanks[12] (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) designed to protect FPV drones from enemy interceptor UAVs.
Previous weekly summary: (December 21-27, 2024): Weekly Russia-Ukraine war summary: Pokrovsk assault “on hold” with Russia close to taking Kurakhove, Azerbaijani plane hit over Chechnya.
«Gray zone» refers to an area located between the opposing sides of a conflict, but not fully controlled by either of them.
DeepState is a Ukrainian project that maintains a regularly updated map of territories controlled by the opposing sides in the conflict zone in Ukraine and publishes reports on the situation at the front based on open-source intelligence (OSINT) and information from Ukrainian military sources.
Vremivka salient is a provisional name for the operational area south of Velyka Novosilka. During the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, it was completely seized by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense refers to the battles in this area as the Southern Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense calls it the Berdiansk direction.
Shahed is the name of a family of Iranian kamikaze drones, specifically the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136. The localized Russian versions are called Geran-1 and Geran-2 and are produced at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. The flight range of the Geran-2 drone is up to 2,500 km, with a warhead weight of 50 kg.
“Lost from radar” is a term used in reports by the Ukrainian Air Force regarding long-range Russian drones that were either neutralized using electronic warfare systems or were decoy drones that did not carry warheads and crashed without causing harm.
KAB stands for «guided aerial bomb.» Russian arsenals include weapons labeled with the code «KAB,» but in Ukraine, this term is also used to describe regular Russian bombs equipped with a planning and guidance module (UMPK), as well as Western-made guided bombs employed by the AFU.
UKB (uncrewed kamikaze boat) is typically a semi-submersible type. It is often referred to in the media as a marine drone or marine unmanned vehicle. It belongs to the category of autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USV), meaning it can move across the water either via remote control or by following a pre-programmed route in its onboard navigation system. It carries a warhead and is designed to target and destroy enemy maritime assets.
USAI – Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Under this initiative, military equipment and weapons are not drawn from existing stockpiles but are instead procured through contracts for production, repair, modernization, or purchases from third-party suppliers.
PDA – Presidential Drawdown Authority for Military Assistance. Military assistance under the PDA is provided by an order from the U.S. President, directly from existing stockpiles, and is therefore transferred to the recipient country on an urgent basis.
“Czech Initiative” refers to efforts to procure artillery ammunition for the AFU from countries outside the EU and NATO, organized by Czech authorities with financial support from a range of Ukraine's partner countries.
Cope cage, also known as canopy, is a lattice structure installed on armored vehicles and other objects. Initially, Russian forces hoped it would protect tanks from Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), but later both sides began using them to protect against munition drops from drones and kamikaze drones.