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The European Union is rejecting any connection between the possibility of resuming Russian pipeline gas purchases and peace talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho said on Jan. 30 during a press briefing.
Earlier the same day, the Financial Times (FT) reported that EU officials are discussing the possibility of resuming purchases of Russian pipeline gas as part of a potential settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Proponents of the proposal, including Hungarian and German officials, argued that the move could give Russia and Europe incentives to maintain a peace agreement while stabilizing the continent's energy market, according to the FT.
"We are not making any links to peace talks for the moment. The line has been set on this. Whenever we have such talks when that moment comes, it will be with Ukraine," Pinho said.
"We do not confirm any links reported in the article this morning about any links between the transit of gas through Ukraine and any peace talks," she added.
Before the full-scale war, Russian pipeline gas represented roughly 40% of the EU's overall purchases, with Germany being the chief buyer.
The European Commission aims to eliminate Russian fossil fuels from the European Union's energy market by 2027. Despite the almost complete halt of Russian pipeline gas flowing to the EU, European countries have ramped up purchases of Russia's liquified natural gas (LNG) in 2024.
Previously, Ukraine ended the transit of Russian gas to Europe on Jan. 1, following the end of the contract. Some EU countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, still rely on Russian gas in their energy system.
Following Ukraine's termination of Russian gas transportation through its territory, gas prices in Europe rose by 4.3% to almost 51 euros per megawatt-hour. This rise is the highest since October 2023 and comes ahead of freezing temperatures forecast across much of Europe.
Russian attacks across Ukrainian oblasts killed at least one civilian and injured at least 35, including children, regional authorities reported on Jan. 31.
Russia launched 102 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Fifty-nine drones were shot down over 12 oblasts, while 37 were lost in the airspace without causing damage, according to the statement.
Three people were injured during Russian attacks against Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Governor Serhii Lysak said.
A 37-year-old man was wounded during drone and artillery attacks against the Nikopol district on Jan. 30. A man and a woman, both aged 58, were injured in the same district overnight on Jan. 31, according to the statement.
Industrial and agricultural enterprises, houses, and other buildings were damaged in the region.
One person was killed and 18 injured during Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
Massive attacks against the city of Kramatorsk left at least 11 people injured, including two children aged 7 and 8. Five more people, including a British volunteer, were injured in a drone attack against the town of Pokrovsk later the same day.
One civilian was killed in the village of Ivanopillia, and two were injured in Bilytske, Filashkin said.
In Kharkiv Oblast, a 75-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were injured during an attack against the village of Prystin, which also damaged an educational facility and an apartment building, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Nine people were injured in Russian strikes against Kherson Oblast, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Two high-rise buildings, 48 houses, and other buildings were damaged.
In Sumy Oblast, one civilian was injured during a drone attack against the Khotin community, and two others were wounded during a drone strike against the Krasnopillia community overnight on Jan. 31, the regional military administration reported.
In Kyiv, drone debris damaged an apartment in one of the high-rise buildings in the Obolon district, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. No casualties were reported.
Ukrainian drones attacked Russia's Volgograd Oblast overnight on Jan. 31, targeting an oil refinery owned by Lukoil, one of the largest Russian oil producers, Governor Andrey Bocharov said.
The wreckage of a downed drone fell on the refinery, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished, the governor of the southwestern Russian region claimed. According to Bocharov, one employee was injured and hospitalized.
Russian air defenses shot down 49 Ukrainian drones throughout the night, according to Russia's Defense Ministry. Russian forces downed 25 drones in Rostov Oblast, eight in Volgograd Oblast, six in Kursk Oblast, and four in Yaroslav Oblast. Two drones each were destroyed over Krasnodar Krai, Voronezh, and Belgorod oblasts.
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Footage that purports to show explosions during a Ukrainian drone attack against Volgograd Oblast, Russia, overnight on Jan. 31, 2025. (Baza)
Ukrainian drones have targeted the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd Oblast multiple times during the full-scale war, namely in February, July, and September last year.
In Voronezh Oblast, one of the drones fell on a car passing on the highway, injuring the driver, Governor Alexander Gusev said. In Voronezh, a drone reportedly inflicted minor damage to an industrial enterprise.
Drone debris broke electrical wires in Rostov Oblast, while no damage or casualties were recorded in Yaroslav Oblast. The authorities of Krasnodar Krai, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts have not yet commented on the attack.
The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the strikes. The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims.
Ukraine regularly targets Russian oil facilities with long-range drone strikes, aiming to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and reduce Moscow's energy export revenues. Oil profits are a crucial source of funding for Russia's war chest.
Russia has depleted much of its Soviet-era military-industrial stockpile, with remaining equipment in poor condition, the independent media outlet The Insider reported on Jan. 28.
The Russian military has lost more than half of its available equipment, and unless an unexpected shift occurs, hostilities could gradually fade by late 2025 or early 2026 due to a shortage of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery, the publication claims.
This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russia to "make a deal" to end the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has since said Moscow is ready to hold talks with Trump.
The Insider reported that both Russian and Ukrainian forces are primarily losing Soviet-era equipment, with Russian losses now accounting for about 50% of its total stock. Much of the remaining equipment in storage is in poor technical condition, making it unlikely to be repaired and deployed to the front lines.
The number of combat-ready vehicles Russia could still send to the front is estimated at around 2,000 tanks, 2,000 infantry fighting vehicles (BMPs), and 3,000 armored personnel carriers (APCs).
Moscow is also reportedly facing production limitations. The only infantry fighting vehicle in large-scale production remains the BMP-3, with 463 units produced in 2023. Modern BTR-82 armored personnel carrier production is estimated at 300–400 units annually.
The decline in Russia's equipment stockpile coincides with a slowdown in assault operations in Ukraine, though fighting remains intense, according to the monitoring group DeepState.
As of late January, 44% of Russian attacks have been concentrated in the Pokrovsk sector, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in Donetsk Oblast. The peak of Russia's offensives occurred in December, following a surge in late November.
Amid these trends, U.S. peace envoy Keith Kellogg suggested on Jan. 24 that tighter restrictions on Russia's oil industry could pressure the Kremlin to negotiate.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier on Dec. 29 expressed dissatisfaction with Trump's team's reported peace proposals, particularly the idea of freezing hostilities along the current line of contact.
Putin later reiterated his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has "no right to sign any documents" in potential negotiations, reaffirming that Russia is prepared to hold talks with Trump.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least eight people and injured at least 26, including a child and three medical workers, regional authorities reported on Jan. 30.
Russia launched 81 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Thirty-seven were shot down over 10 oblasts, while 39 were lost in the airspace, according to the statement.
A Russian drone struck a residential building in the northeastern city of Sumy in Sumy Oblast overnight on Jan. 30, killing four people and injuring at least nine others, local authorities reported. A 7-year-old child was injured, as well as an 18-year-old man.
In the same region, a civilian was injured during a drone attack against the Hlukhiv community on Jan. 29, authorities said.
Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast killed one person in Siversk, injured two in Pokrovsk, and two others in Bilytske, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
A Russian first-person-view (FPV) drone attack injured three medical workers in the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. A 43-year-old ambulance driver, a 26-year-old doctor, and a 41-year-old medic were injured after the drone struck close to the vehicle.
Three people were killed and 10 injured as a result of Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Three apartment buildings and 22 houses were damaged.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian attacks against the Synelnykove district destroyed a school, damaged a cultural center, a religious building, an administrative building, a post office, a shop, a company building, and 22 houses, Governor Serhii Lysak said. No casualties were reported.
Russian drones also attacked the Izmail district in Odesa Oblast, damaging a grain warehouse, a hospital, two houses, and cars but inflicting no casualties, Governor Oleh Kiper reported.
Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov on Jan. 28 refuted the Russian Defense Ministry's claims that Russian forces had captured the village of Dvorichna in the Kupiansk district, emphasizing that fighting in the area is ongoing, Ukrinform reported.
"This is not the first statement of this kind from the Russian side; it is pure propaganda and does not reflect reality," Syniehubov said.
Located 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Kharkiv and 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Kupiansk, Dvorichna sits on the western bank of the Oskil River, a key geographic feature in the region.
Russia has been attempting to secure a foothold on this bank for months, aiming to outflank Ukrainian defenses and threaten a rear attack in Kupiansk.
The estimated Russian advance in the Kupiansk district in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, as of Jan. 27, 2025, according to the DeepState map. A white symbol marks Dvorichna. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)
Andrii Besedin, head of the Kupiansk town military administration, noted earlier in January that Russian troops were trying to establish a bridgehead in Dvorichna to facilitate further advances.
Russian forces have ramped up operations near Kupiansk since September, reaching the industrial outskirts of the town in the northeast. Ukrainian troops successfully repelled multiple Russian assaults throughout December.
The discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos were a stark reminder of how interconnected the global economy is, and how Ukraine’s stability — or lack thereof — affects us all. From military aid to economic sanctions, the steps we take now will shape the future not just for Ukraine, but for the world.
The war Russia has unleashed on Ukraine is not only a threat to our country, but also a destabilizing force for the entire world economy. One of the clearest signs of this disruption was the unprecedented surge in global wheat prices, soaring to over $450 per ton in spring 2022, driving hunger across the globe. Or consider the speculative spike in gas prices last year when Russia attacked Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities.
Every missile Russia targets at Ukraine is a strike at the heart of the global economy. If we are serious about global stability, we must address the root cause: Russia’s aggression. As long as instability persists in Ukraine, it will reverberate around the world.
"Every missile Russia targets at Ukraine is a strike at the heart of the global economy."
Here are the key takeaways from Davos that underscore the shared responsibility we all have in securing Ukraine’s future.
First, military and economic aid have been, and must remain, at the forefront of our efforts. In partnership with governments, businesses, and financial institutions, we’ve created a robust ecosystem that has kept Ukraine standing. This support drives recovery and development, particularly in defense technology, and it has allowed Ukraine’s economy to stay afloat in the face of unrelenting war. As “The Economist” rightly put it, Ukraine is winning the economic war — an accomplishment that belongs to all of us.
Second, sanctions and blocking Russia’s shadow fleet have long been vital tools in the fight against Russian aggression. U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments in Davos about Russian oil are a step in the right direction. The numbers back it up: According to the Kyiv School of Economics, Russia has lost a staggering $78.5 billion in oil export revenue since December 2022 due to sanctions.
The oil tanker Eagle S is anchored near Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 13, 2025. (Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva / AFP)
The private sector must play its part too. I call on business leaders worldwide to withdraw from the Russian market. Such actions are as effective as sanctions, delivering a direct blow to the Russian economy. The idea that business is somehow apolitical is outdated — businesses are powerful forces that can shape outcomes, for better or for worse.
And third, a strong economy supports a strong military. That’s why our vision for a self-sufficient economy is grounded in five key steps: expanding export logistics, restoring energy capacities, confiscating Russia’s sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s recovery, investing in the defense industry and Ukrainian companies, and encouraging the return of Ukrainians to Ukraine.
While the Ukrainian government has focused on industrial policy — contributing to economic growth even in the third year of full-scale war, with a projected 3.6% growth rate in 2024 — private companies have an equally critical role in shaping long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
Security measures have already shown their value. Take the Black Sea Grain Corridor, for example. Initially blocked by Russia, the corridor was only reopened when we secured military protection for the routes and installed air defense systems to safeguard export infrastructure. This allowed Ukrainian exports to grow by 15% last year.
To kickstart Ukraine’s large-scale reconstruction and stabilize the global economy, Ukraine needs long-term security guarantees. This is not just a Ukrainian issue — it’s a global responsibility, one shared by Ukraine, its partners, and the private sector.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.
Russian intelligence services and military are attempting to influence relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by contacting them immediately after their capture, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs reported on Jan. 27.
The calls are used to pressure relatives into cooperating with Russian forces by demanding money, sensitive information, or illegal actions in exchange for promises of better treatment or inclusion in prisoner exchanges, according to the statement.
"This is done to shock, emotionally pressure, and force the family to cooperate," the headquarters reported.
This comes as another example of Russia abusing or threatening Ukrainian captives as part of its all-out war against Ukraine. Kyiv and Moscow have carried out several prisoner exchanges during the conflict, though Russia has been accused of deliberately slowing down the swaps and spreading disinformation about the process to destabilize Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities have documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russia, including the execution of over 100 Ukrainian POWs in 2024 alone, according to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.
Reports of torture, murder, and ill-treatment of Ukrainian captives have surged in recent months, particularly in Donetsk Oblast, where intense fighting continues. On Jan. 23, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office announced it was investigating a case of Russian troops summarily executing six Ukrainian POWs in the region.
Russia has lost 833,000 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. 28.
This number includes 1,380 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,876 tanks, 20,573 armored fighting vehicles, 35,269 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,366 artillery systems, 1,263 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 23,399 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
North Korean soldiers temporarily withdrew from the contact line in Russia's Kursk Oblast after incurring heavy losses, Sky News reported on Jan. 27, citing a Ukrainian commander with a callsign "Puls" who is fighting in the area.
North Korean troops were deployed to Kursk Oblast last fall to support Russian forces in countering a Ukrainian incursion launched in early August 2024. Ukrainian forces have continued fighting in the region, hoping to leverage their positions for potential negotiations.
North Korean forces are taking respite from hostilities, presumably to treat the wounded, wait for reinforcements, and work on mistakes made during the fighting in this sector, according to Sky News.
"Puls" assumed that this break will not last long and the North Korean military "will be back soon." The soldier also noted North Korean troops' high motivation and that they continued the offensive despite heavy losses.
North Korean soldiers were unaware of the threats from drones and artillery and attacked on foot in large groups, "like in World War II," becoming an easy target, "Puls" added.
There is poor coordination and a language barrier between North Korean and Russian troops barrier that has already led to North Korean soldiers targeting Russian positions, according to the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian forces take DNA samples from killed North Korean soldiers to confirm their participation in Russia's war in Ukraine.
South Korean intelligence announced at the end of January that Pyongyang was planning to send more troops to Russia to participate in the war.
Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, also said previously that Pyongyang is preparing reinforcements, mainly gun and rocket artillery units. The New York Times reported that according to an undisclosed U.S. official, fresh North Korean troops could arrive within two months.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Jan. 26 that its forces had captured Velyka Novosilka, a strategically significant settlement in the western part of Donetsk Oblast.
Ukraine’s 110th Mechanized Brigade, which is deployed in the area, acknowledged a withdrawal from parts of the village to avoid encirclement but claimed that fighting is ongoing elsewhere in Velyka Novosilka.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
The village with a pre-war population of 5,000 lies only around 15 kilometers from the administrative border with Zaporizhzhia Oblast and 20 kilometers from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region so far untouched by Russian occupation.
The estimated Russian advance at Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk Oblast, as of Jan. 26, 2025, according to DeepState. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps)
If confirmed, this would represent the most significant gain of Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast since overrunning Kurakhove earlier in January.
The 110th Brigade said that both Russia and Ukraine had parity in equipment but Moscow had significant advantage in manpower.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces will struggle to advance their offensive onward. The Mokri Yaly River creates an obstacle for Russia’s advance and Russian troops are in a vulnerable "fire pocket," said the brigade.
Fighting is at a very heavy level in Donetsk Oblast and Russian troops continue to advance, albeit slowly, this year. Throughout the fall of 2024, Russian forces made operational gains in southern Donetsk Oblast, including areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, while advancing near Kupiansk and on Russian soil in Kursk Oblast.
Russia has lost 831,620 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. 27.
This number includes 1,430 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,871 tanks, 20,561 armored fighting vehicles, 35,183 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,339 artillery systems, 1,263 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 23,327 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
Russia dropped a “smart bomb” on itself in Belgorod Oblast, the Astra Telegram channel reported on Jan 26.
The bomb, a UMPB-250, was found in a village in the Russian region but there were no casualties or damage. The UMPB-250 uses the same warhead as a Soviet-era FAB-250 but is designed to be “smart” and “glide” with a navigation module integrated with steering, antennas, and a turbojet power unit.
Russia has frequently dropped bombs on its territory or the occupied territories in Ukraine. ASTRA counted 165 self-inflicted FAB bombs in 2024 as well as 13 this year.
Moscow alters and upgrades its Soviet-era bombs to overcome Ukraine’s defenses and increase accuracy. It uses glide bombs, particularly in relentless attacks on Kharkiv Oblast next to the Belgorod Oblast border, which are FAB weapons upgraded with a Unified Gliding and Correction Module (UMPK), allowing it to glide to its target.
Russian forces are also improving the electronic systems for satellite navigation. The bombs are often equipped with Kometa antennas to stabilize communication signals and are more impervious to electronic warfare interference.
Russia has lost 830,190 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. 25.
This number includes 1,720 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,868 tanks, 20,549 armored fighting vehicles, 35,124 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,323 artillery systems, 1,263 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 23,253 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
Russia has lost 828,470 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. 25.
This number includes 1,650 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,859 tanks, 20,545 armored fighting vehicles, 35,071 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,309 artillery systems, 1,263 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 23,213 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
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