Hello, this is Asami Terajima reporting from Kyiv on day 1,414 of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine*.*
Today’s top story:
Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have marked Orthodox Christmas at a church in a military base, the Russian independent investigative media outlet Agentstvo reported on Jan. 7.
Agenstvo, citing its analysis from a video released by the Kremlin, said it identified the location as the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, located at the base of the Senezh Special-Purpose Center in Solnechnogorsk, a town about 60 kilometers northwest of Moscow.
The Kyiv Independent couldn’t independently verify Agenstvo’s report. Agenstvo noted that, unlike in previous years, the Kremlin did not specify where Putin attended the on-air church service on Orthodox Christmas, traditionally celebrated in Russia and, until recently, in Ukraine. Moscow has not reacted to Agenstvo’s report.
Despite the Russian army suffering immense casualties on the front, Putin claimed, surrounded by a group of military personnel, women, and children, that his troops are celebrating Christmas just as “we all rejoice together in our common victories.”
Agenstvo reported that Major General Alexei Galkin, a Ukrainian-born commander of the Senezh Special-Purpose Center, and Alexander Matovnikov, commander of Russia’s Special Operations Forces, took part in the church service with Putin, citing the released video footage.
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Russian oil depot in Belgorod Oblast on fire after Ukrainian drone attack, official claims
Last updated 1:30 p.m. Kyiv time
Ukraine’s General Staff has confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck a fuel depot in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast and a logistics warehouse in occupied Donetsk Oblast overnight on Jan. 7, according to a statement published on Telegram.
The Oskolneftesnab depot, located near the village of Kotel, sustained direct hits to its fuel tanks, triggering a large fire, the General Staff said.
“The oil depot is involved in providing fuel to the occupying army,” the agency wrote.
Russian officials and local residents reported the incident earlier, saying a fire broke out at the Stary Oskol oil depot following a Ukrainian drone attack. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed several tanks caught fire and that there were no casualties. Videos of the fire were widely shared on Russian social media on the night of Jan. 6.
In the same operation, Ukrainian forces also hit a logistics warehouse used by Russia’s 20th Motorized Rifle Division on temporarily occupied territory in Donetsk Oblast.
“This strike aimed to disrupt enemy logistics,” the General Staff said, adding that the scale of the damage on both sites is still being assessed.
At least 3 killed, 19 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
At least three people have been killed and 19 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on Jan. 7.
The Air Force reported on Jan. 7 that Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight with one ballistic missile and 95 drones, of which about 60 were of the Shahed-type. It said that Ukraine had downed the missile and 81 of the drones launched by Russia.
In eastern Donetsk Oblast, five people were wounded by Russian attacks over the past day, regional governor Vadym Filashkin said on Jan. 7.
In southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two people were killed, and nine others were wounded by Russian attacks over the past day, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Jan. 7.
In southern Kherson Oblast, a person was killed and five others were wounded by Russian attacks over the past day, regional governor Oleksandr Prokrudin said on Jan. 7.
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General Staff: Russia has lost 1,214,500 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,214,500 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Jan. 7.
The number includes 1,040 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,515 tanks, 23,865 armored fighting vehicles, 73,224 vehicles and fuel tanks, 35,857 artillery systems, 1,595 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,269 air defense systems, 434 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 101,849 drones, 28 ships and boats, and two submarines.
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