RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western military aid to Kyiv, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
Latest Developments At A Glance
- An oil refinery in the Russian city of Ryazan was engulfed in flames after Kyiv launched a massive drone attack -- Ukraine's largest since the start of the year -- that targeted more than a dozen regions across the country, including Moscow.
- In Kyiv, a Russian attack resulted in the deaths of three civilians. Damage to residential areas was also reported, including significant destruction in the towns of Fastiv and Brovary near the Ukrainian capital.
- During a January 23 speech to the global business elite gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Saudi Arabia and its allies in OPEC toramp up oil output, a move that would push down crude prices, choking a key revenue source for Moscow to fund its war.
- Rescue workers combed through the rubble on January 23 after Russian air strikes on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya overnight killed one and left at least 46 injured.
- Britain warned Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin that “we know what you’re doing” after the Royal Navy tracked what it called a “Russian spy ship” traveling through U.K. waters, amid rising concerns of potential sabotage by Russia-linked vessels.
- Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy floated the idea of a 200,000-strong European peacekeeping force, but he insisted U.S. leadership in any such a venture would be crucial to its success.
Could Trump Cut A Deal With Putin And Leave Ukraine In The Cold?
U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, but his desire for peace raises the possibility of striking a deal that leaves Kyiv out in the cold. Read the report by Reid Standish and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service here.
Ukrainians Skeptical Of Trump's Peace Promises
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will be returning to the Oval Office on January 20 after he is sworn in for a second term. He has vowed to use his presidency to bring about a swift end to the war in Ukraine. RFE/RL asked people across Ukraine what they expect from Trump's peace efforts. By Kateryna Bankova, Yevhenia Nazarova, Oksana Necheporenko, and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service
Why Are European Troops For Ukraine A Nonstarter?
Donald Trump's inauguration is focusing minds on a future peace plan for Ukraine, with much talk of European armies providing a military mission. French President Emmanuel Macron has been a particularly strong advocate of boots on the ground -- but there are considerable obstacles. Read Ray Furlong's analysis here.
Why Do Ukrainians Oppose Lowering The Conscription Age?
A Ukrainian mother told RFE/RL that she has sent her teenage sons abroad so that they can avoid military service when they came of age – and she’s not alone. Suggestions by senior U.S. politicians that Ukraine lower the conscription age from 25 to18 are deeply unpopular. Read the report by Ray Furlong, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and Current Time here.
Ukraine Has Launched A New Offensive Into Russia. Why And Why Now?
Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Russia’s region of Kursk. But it’s not clear why exactly Ukraine is waging a new assault in Kursk, and why now. Read the report by Todd Prince here.
What Awaits Ukraine War In 2025 Amid Shifting Political Climate?
The outgunned Ukrainian military has relied on Western support to buoy its defensive efforts as Russian forces look to seize more Ukrainian territory. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden is rushing to deliver more aid to the country before he leaves office in January. But it's unclear how the incoming Trump administration will support Ukraine in 2025. By Donbas.Realities, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Austin Malloy
Will The Ukraine War End In 2025?
A durable peace deal seems very distant. But a push for a cease-fire is almost a given in light of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to end the war quickly. What are the chances the guns could go silent in 2025 -- and what would it mean for Ukraine? Read the report by Steve Gutterman here.
What A Ukraine Peace Plan Could Look Like
In European capitals, behind closed doors, diplomats and leaders are spit-balling what a Ukrainian peace plan might actually look like. European peacekeeping troops are one option (don’t expect much enthusiasm from Moscow). Read the article by Mike Eckel here.
Interactive: Occupied, Militarized Crimea
As Ukrainian leaders vow to reclaim all territories seized by Russia, Moscow has prepared extensive defensive measures, particularly in Crimea, a region unlawfully annexed in 2014. This area, now under Russian occupation, has been heavily militarized with an array of air bases and army bases, making it one of the most fortified zones in the war. View the interactive map by Crimea.Realities, Schemes, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Central Newsroom here.
