ghConflict in Ukraine: Key Developments on January 5, 2025

Hostilities and Casualties

• A Russian drone attack on Kyiv resulted in one fatality and five injuries.  
• Russian shelling in the Zaporizhzhia region claimed the life of a pensioner.  
• Ukrainian attacks on Russian border areas led to two deaths: one in a mortar strike in the Bryansk region and another in a drone incident near the Kursk front lines.  
• Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 34 out of 81 drones launched by Russia overnight, while 47 were reported as “lost.”  

Infrastructure and Regional Impact

• Temporary flight restrictions at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg were lifted early Saturday.  
• In Chernihiv, three missile strikes killed one person, injured five, and destroyed two homes.  
• Shelling in Sloviansk, near Donetsk, left four individuals injured.  

Military Developments

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia launched 300 attack drones and 20 missiles at Ukrainian targets in the first days of 2025.  
• Russian advances in Donetsk have reportedly secured 4,168 square kilometers of territory at significant human cost, with an estimated 430,000 soldiers lost.  
• Ukraine is set to receive its first French Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets this month, according to reports.  

Global and Regional Responses  

• The U.S. is expected to announce additional security aid for Ukraine, as confirmed by the White House.  
• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested China intervened to deter Russia from deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine.  

Environmental Concerns

• Oil spills from two damaged Russian tankers were detected off the Crimean coast, releasing approximately 2,400 tonnes of heavy fuel oil into the surrounding waters.  

Diplomacy and Politics

•  A Russian court ordered the concealment of maps and images of a major oil refinery targeted by Ukrainian drones.  
•  Discussions on European security and the Ukraine conflict are scheduled in Paris as part of Antony Blinken’s final diplomatic tour.  

These events highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict and its far-reaching implications.