Russians shelled Pokrovsk, and Japanese Foreign Minister came to Ukraine - Weekend brief
Photo: Collage by RBC-Ukraine
On the night of January 6, the Russian occupiers attacked Pokrovsk and the district. More than ten people were killed in two settlements as a result of Russian shelling. On Sunday, January 7, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrived in Ukraine and announced financial assistance to Ukraine.
More details on what happened over the weekend can be found in the material from RBC-Ukraine.
Russia's war against Ukraine
News for January 6:
- Shelling of Belgorod: Residents are offered evacuation to safe cities in the region;
- Saki airfield under attack: Air Force destroyed another control point in Crimea;
- Russia fired North Korean missile at Kharkiv: Evidence presented.
News for January 7:
- Air Defense Forces destroyed 7 drones in Dnipropetrovsk region;
- Ukrainian Special Forces destroyed enemy group near Avdiivka;
- Russians strike drone on recreation base in Mykolaiv region, fire erupts.
Shelling of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region: Fire broke out, casualties reported
On the night of January 6, Russian aggressors attacked Pokrovsk. According to the head of the Donetsk regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, the enemy attacked with S-300 missiles.
As of the evening of the same day, more than ten people, including children, were reported killed.
More about the Russian attack on the settlements of the Donetsk region and what is known about the shelling of Pokrovsk and the district - in RBC-Ukraine material.
Japanese foreign minister visits Kyiv
On January 7, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yoko Kamikawa, arrived in Ukraine for a visit. She will meet with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, and other government officials, reports the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine.
As noted by the embassy, this is the first foreign visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister this year.
On December 7, 2023, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his country's readiness to allocate $4.5 billion for Ukraine. The funds will be directed towards the country's recovery from the consequences of Russian aggression.
Tokyo also lifted the ban on the export of weapons and is preparing to send Patriot air defense missiles to the United States, which will help the Pentagon continue supplies to Ukraine by replenishing stocks.
Elections in USA: Biden accuses Trump of attempting to 'steal history'
President Joe Biden considers his potential opponent in the 2024 elections, Donald Trump, a fundamental threat to American democracy, according to his first campaign speech in 2024, according to BBC.
"Whether democracy is still America's sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time. It's what the 2024 election is all about," said the current head of the White House in his first campaign speech in 2024.
Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump consistently claims that the 2020 elections were stolen from him.
Blinken urges Erdogan to endorse Sweden's entry into NATO
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the importance of Sweden's NATO membership application during talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reports France24.
U.S. Secretary of State is on a week-long working visit to the Middle East, during which he visited Türkiye. Blinken held talks with Erdogan and the country's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The State Department stated that the head of the State Department and the Turkish leader discussed issues related to the completion of Sweden's accession to NATO, strengthening trade and investments between the United States and Türkiye, and the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Partisans infiltrate Russian army division, steal important data
Ukrainian partisans from ATESH infiltrated the Dzerzhinsky Division in Balashikha and obtained useful information.
According to the partisans, their agent among the officers infiltrated the division.
"We have already received a list of personnel involved in the Special military operation. Their names, contacts, and personal data have been transferred to the relevant authorities," ATESH reported.
They also emphasized that their agent network is currently being expanded and strengthened within the division for better quality activities.
Political pressure on Scholz to hand over Taurus to Ukraine growing in Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under increasing pressure to deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to Rheinische Post.
Politicians from the coalition partner parties, the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP), and the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), emphasized the need for Taurus and made serious accusations against Scholz.
"The delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine is long overdue. The most effective defense against Russian air strikes is to fire at targets on Russian territory and in the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine, from where Russia launches its strikes," said Sara Nanni, the Greens' spokesperson on defense in the Bundestag.
She noted that Ukraine does not yet have the necessary equipment to do so, not least because Berlin is not supplying Taurus cruise missiles.
