Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a polar bear attacked a family with a child, who were rescued thanks to the help of local residents and a police officer. The regional Ministry of Internal Affairs reported this on January 5.
The department explained that the incident occurred in the Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets District. The police station received a report that a polar bear had injured fishermen 40 km from the village of Nosok.
Local residents and a local police officer went to the scene of the incident on an all-terrain vehicle and snowmobiles. They scared off the bear and discovered that three people, born in 1983, 2015, and 2006, had been injured in the attack.
Residents were promptly notified of the presence of a polar bear in the Brekhov Islands area.
The injured family was taken to the village, where they received medical care. A decision is currently being made to transport one of the injured to the Dudinka District Hospital for further treatment.
[TMZ] Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, who Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named as his new chief of staff on Friday, tells The War Zone that the job will center on figuring out a way to end the war and helping to calm his country’s political turmoil. Until today, Budanov served as the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR). Budanov’s frequent high-profile attacks on Russia and cool demeanor have made him so famous that memes of him have gone viral. He takes over from Andrii Yermak, a controversial and polarizing figure recently fired for his role in a burgeoning corruption scandal.
In a brief but exclusive conversation, Budanov told us his main goals for his new position are "negotiations and stabilization of the internal situation and of course, coordination." He added that he will no longer have a role with GUR’s operations.
"It’s absolutely a new page," he told us, noting that he will still be in the military and retain his rank, but will "miss" direct involvement in GUR actions.
As for the internal issues he is most concerned about, Budanov said, "I’ll see."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 21.33 In the Kherson region, Archpriest Georgy Horbenko, rector of the Pokrovsky Church in the village of Orlovo, was killed as a result of a Russian drone strike. This was reported by the rector of the St. Kasperiv Church (Ukrainian Orthodox Church) Ivan Hordienko.
20.01 The Armed Forces will change the requirements for conducting basic combined-arms training (BZVP). The School of Ground Forces Instructors will also be strengthened. This was announced by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.
18.18 Representatives of the US administration will participate in the leaders' summit in Paris. This was reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid on the social network X. The results of the talks will form the basis for further negotiations with US President Donald Trump.
18.05 In order to discredit the Defense Forces of Ukraine, Rospropaganda is spreading disinformation about the alleged preparation of a "Ukrainian chemical provocation." This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council on January 6.
"The Russian occupation structures in the Kharkiv region are spreading statements about the alleged arrival of radiation, chemical and biological protection units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Izyum and the preparation of a "terrorist attack" using chemical substances in the period from January 6 to 8," the message says.
17.35 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed with future Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov the format of the department's work. The main principle should be that technological defense should save the lives of soldiers, the head of state said in Telegram.
16.51 Since the beginning of the current day, 80 combat clashes have occurred on the front. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational update. The greatest enemy activity is recorded in the Pokrovsky and Hulyaypil directions, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled 12 assaults.
16.29 Law enforcement officers detained a Russian agent "hot on the trail" of the woman who blew up a military vehicle in the Obolonsky district of Kyiv. The SBU reported this. The terrorist was hiding in one of the shopping and entertainment centers of the capital.
16.02 As a result of the attack by the "Shaheeds" on the Dnieper, 300 tons of oil spilled onto the city's roads. Because of this, traffic on certain roads will be closed for two to three days, said Mayor Borys Filatov.
Russian invaders attacked the plant of the American company Bunge from the city of St. Louis with drones.
15.46 Attacks on servicemen of the TCK and SP have been carried out more than 270 times since the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. Four servicemen died in the line of duty. This was reported by the command of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in response to an information request from Ukrainy Pravda.
15.35 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed Yevheniy Khmara to temporarily act as head of the SBU. The corresponding decree No. 19/2026 was published on the website of the head of state.
The president also, by a separate decree, secured the right to appoint a temporary acting head of the SBU during the period of martial law in the event of the temporary absence of the head of the special service.
15.24 Russian troops attacked a humanitarian aid point in one of the settlements of the Darʼivska community in the Kherson region with drones. This was reported on January 5 by the head of the Kherson OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin. According to him, the occupiers directed at least three drones at the premises where local residents were receiving basic necessities. A 64-year-old man died as a result of the shelling. A 79-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man were also injured. They have explosive injuries and shrapnel wounds.
14.53 Vladislav Voloshyn, spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, reported that almost 65 combat clashes with Russian troops took place in the Hulyaipil direction over the past day. He stated this during a telethon.
"We had, as they say, a sad record. Because almost 65 clashes in the Hulyaipil direction are quite a lot. In particular, 25 of them took place in Hulyaipil, 20 in the northern suburbs, the settlement of Varvarivka. A few more near the settlement of Zaliznychne. Well, this is actually a railway station near Hulyaipil. That is, fierce battles are taking place in Hulyaipil and they do not stop," Voloshyn noted.
14.22 As a result of a missile strike by Russian aggressors, the energy infrastructure of Kharkiv was damaged. This was reported by the city mayor Igor Terekhov. The occupiers purposefully launched five missile strikes.
13.51 The majority of Ukrainians – 59% (in September – 63%) – continue to insist that elections are possible only after a final peace agreement and a complete end to the war. At the same time, 10% of Ukrainians believe that elections should be held before the ceasefire (in September – 11%). This is reported by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) based on the results of a study conducted from November 26 to December 29, 2025.
13.40 The Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, is resigning. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram. According to Malyuk himself, he will remain in the SBU system and will implement world-class asymmetric special operations that will cause maximum damage to the enemy.
13.39 Throughout 2025, the intensity of hostilities at the front remained high. A total of 61,605 clashes were recorded. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense, citing data from the General Staff.
Thus, the most intense day of the year was November 28 - during this day, 311 clashes with the enemy were recorded.
13.23 Russian aggressors launched a missile strike on Kharkiv. This was reported by the city's mayor, Igor Terekhov, on Telegram. As of now, five "arrivals" are known.
12.57 Russian troops attacked Zaporizhia with a strike drone. As a result of the strike, an excavator caught fire, and its driver died on the spot. This was reported by the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov.
"One person died as a result of an enemy attack on Zaporizhia. A Russian drone struck one of the city's districts. As a result of the attack, an excavator caught fire. The driver died on the spot," Fedorov noted.
12.49 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albenizi, with whom he discussed defense and Russian strikes on Ukraine. The head of state reported this on Telegram.
12.27 Russian troops attacked a hospital in Kherson. Two people were injured as a result of the shelling. This was reported by the Kherson OVA.
"At approximately 11:00 a.m., Russian military personnel shelled one of the hospitals in Kherson," the report said.
Thus, as a result of the Russian strike, a 36-year-old woman and a 57-year-old medical worker suffered explosive injuries and shrapnel wounds.
12.02 Ukrainian military destroyed dozens of Russian occupiers who tried to use the Soyuz gas pipeline in Kharkiv region to advance. This was reported by the 7th Airborne Assault Corps (AAF).
11.59 The border areas of Sumy and Kharkiv regions are experiencing the most intense shelling from Russia. This was reported by Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine, on the air of the United News.
11.49 Russian occupiers are using small group tactics to infiltrate the village of Dronivka, Siversk urban community, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region. The invaders are also trying to bypass Ukrainian positions using the Siversk-Zakitne road. This was reported by the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhansk Brigade (81st AAemBr) on its Telegram channel.
11.31 Law enforcement officers have exposed and arrested a Russian FSB "mole" who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and corrected enemy attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The SBU reported this.
10.53 The Ministry of Defense has approved for operation over 1,300 new models of Ukrainian-made weapons and military equipment in 2025 - a quarter more than last year. Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this on his Telegram channel.
10.37 On Monday night, Russian invaders attacked energy facilities in several regions of Ukraine. As of this morning, consumers in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions are without electricity. The Slavutych town, which is administratively part of the Kyiv region, is also completely without electricity. This was reported by Ukrenergo.
10:30 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the nighttime Russian attack, reminded international partners that Ukraine needs air defense, money for the production of interceptor drones, and energy equipment every day. He wrote about this on Telegram.
8.59 The enemy attacked with 165 UAVs. About 100 of them were "Shaheeds" and 9 with Iskander-M ballistic missiles/S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles. This is reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8.53 The most difficult situation currently remains in the Hulyaipil and Pokrov directions. 229 combat clashes occurred on the front during the day. This is evidenced by the morning report of the General Staff.
8.32 Washington will be able to return all or even "more than all" of the money that was spent on Ukraine during the Biden era, US President Donald Trump said while talking to reporters.
He stated that the war in Ukraine currently costs the United States nothing. He also boasted that Washington, on the contrary, is making money from it.
7.59 The number of victims of the Russian strike on Kyiv on the night of January 5 has increased to three. Currently, two of the wounded are in serious condition in medical facilities. This was reported by the mayor of the capital, Vitali Klitschko, on Telegram.
7.20 Russia has lost another 990 soldiers in the war against Ukraine over the past 24 hours. This is according to the morning report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, published on its Facebook page.
04.49 As a result of the attack on the Kyiv region, the entire city of Slavutych was without power, but critical infrastructure facilities were switched to backup power. A city with heat and water. A person died in the Fastiv district as a result of the enemy attack. Seven private and one multi-storey residential buildings, garages, two cars, production and warehouse premises were also damaged.
04.00 In the Obolonsky district of Kyiv, debris hit a private medical facility, causing a fire. One person died, two were injured. People are being evacuated.
03.12 Monitoring channels write that Kyiv has been surrounded by about 30 UAVs. The Air Force warns of a high-speed target heading towards the Kyiv region. Klitschko announced the work of air defense.
02.33 Head of the Chernihiv MVA Dmytro Bryzhynskyi announced a ballistic and UAV attack on one of the city's enterprises. Monitoring channels report that five missile strikes were carried out in the Chernihiv region within half an hour.
01.15 Monitoring channels counted up to 10 Russian strategic aircraft in the sky. The launch of Kh-101/55 cruise missiles is expected at approximately 06:00–07:00.
00.02 Russians shelled the Kramatorsk community in the Donetsk region on Sunday evening, killing a civilian man and wounding a woman.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 16:47 In the period from 11:00 Moscow time to 16:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 50 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type:
44 UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Four UAVs over the territory of the Kursk region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Lipetsk region.
16:04 Velykoburluk direction. Soldiers of the North Group of Forces have taken up a number of new positions near Dvurechanskoye. MAP.
15:32 Crews of barrel artillery of the 150th Guards Motorizerd Rifle Division of the "Southern" group of forces destroyed dugouts and infantry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Konstantinovsky direction.
15:07 Destruction of the antitank missile system of the 56th Separate Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using four FAB-500 with UMPK in the area of the settlement of Malinovka. Destruction of the antitank missile system of the 152nd Separate Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces using three FAB-500 with UMPK in the area of the settlement of Grishino, –video.
14:29 Kupyansk direction. As of now, the situation in the city has stabilized. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have significantly slowed the pace of their offensive due to depleted resources for assault operations. MAP.
13:52 UAV operators of the Center group of forces continue to burn the vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
FPV drone crews of the Northern Forces Groupliquidatedscattered groups of Ukrainian militants in the Khar'kov region.
Drone operators from the Western Group of Forces shot down a high-altitude Shchedryk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Khar'kov region.
Drone operators from the Vostok group of forces destroyed an enemy M119 artillery gun in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The operator of the FPV drone "Boomerang-10" of the "Dnipro" group of forces rammed the UAV "Jupiter-H1" and "Baba Yaga" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson region.
12:29 Summary of the Russian Ministry of Defense on the progress of the special military operation as of January 5, 2026:
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct a special military operation.
Units of the "North" military group, as a result of active operations, took control of the village of Grabovskoye in the Sumy region.
The formations of the mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Miropolye and Sadki in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of the mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Vovchanskie Khutora and Grafskoye in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 290 servicemen, a tank, four armored combat vehicles, 15 vehicles, and a field artillery gun. Three electronic warfare stations and six ammunition and supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force group have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of the mechanized and assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the National Guard brigade near the settlements of Krasny Liman, Illichivka, Aleksandrovka, and Drobyshevo in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Kupyansk-Uzlovaya, Blagodatovka, and Staroverovka in the Khar'kov Oblast.
The enemy's losses amounted to over 180 military personnel, four armored combat vehicles, 15 cars and four ammunition depots.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have improved their position along the front line. Formations of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, and a National Guard brigade were defeated near the settlements of Krivaya Luka, Malinovka, Vasyutynske, Stepanovka, Minkovka, Zakotne, and Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost more than 180 servicemen, a tank, three armored combat vehicles, four artillery pieces and 21 vehicles.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an infantry brigade, an airborne assault brigade, and an airmobile brigade; two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces; a naval infantry brigade; a territorial defense brigade; and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Grishino, Torskoye, Novooleksandrivka, Dobropillya, Belitskoye, and Toretskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic; and Novopavlivka and Novopidgorodnoye in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The enemy's losses amounted to over 350 military personnel, 12 armored combat vehicles and six pickup trucks.
Units of the "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. They inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of a mechanized and assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Tsvetkovoe, Zaliznichnoe, and Vozdvizhevka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Bratskoye in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 220 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, and two cars.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' mechanized brigade and the territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Orekhov, Belogorye, Novoyakovlivka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Antonivka in the Kherson region.
Up to 45 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, two field artillery pieces, 10 vehicles, and an electronic warfare station were destroyed.
11:22 Druzhkovskoye direction
Units of the Group of Forces "Center" are advancing in the direction of Dobropolye and are conducting fierce counter-battles in the direction of Druzhkovka;
Our assault groups entered Belitskoye and Novy Donbass;
“Swings” in the western part of Suvorovo and Sukhetskoye, the enemy continues to try to penetrate into Rodinskoye, where the 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade is carrying out a cleanup;
Fighting is ongoing west and southwest of Rodinskoye. Our remote weapons are constantly identifying and destroying Ukrainian assault groups in the planted areas. Two farms along the road to Grishino have been firmly secured. There are encounters in the area of the 3rd farmstead;
Russian Armed Forces are driving the enemy out of Grishino. Northwest of Oktyabrskoye (Shakhovo), our units are fighting for refractory ore quarries and in the area of the ravine;
11:04 Servicemen of the 9th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Center group of forces told details of the liberation of the village of Rodinskoye in the DPR.
07:30 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Advance in the area of Bondarny and Vasyukovka
Russian Armed Forces approached Novoyakovlevka
. 07:26 During the past night from 23:00 4.01 to 7:00 5.01 by the air defense systems on duty destroyed three Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Two over the Moscow region, including one flying to Moscow, and
One UAV was destroyed over the territory of the Ryazan region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The village of Grabovskoye in Sumy Oblast has been liberated as a result of active operations by units of the 34th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (Mountain) of the "North" group of forces. A video was published by the Russian Ministry of Defense on January 5.
The footage shows the destruction of Ukrainian Armed Forces fortifications and equipment by artillery and FPV drone strikes. The enemy is noted to have suffered losses and been forced to abandon their positions and withdraw from the village.
The Ministry of Defense also reported that assault units, operating in small groups, were able to gain a foothold in the village and clear buildings, basements, and adjacent forest belts.
"Units of the North military group are advancing daily as part of the creation of a security zone in the border areas of the Sumy and Khar'kov regions," the department said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
The Russian army liberated the village of Grabivske on January 5. On the same day, Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities, military airfields, UAV production facilities, and a training center for Ukrainian Armed Forces drone operators were struck.
On January 4, the Russian Armed Forces liberated the village of Podoli in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian forces lost up to 180 soldiers, two armored combat vehicles, nine vehicles, a US-made 155mm M-198 howitzer, and three ammunition depots in the area in the past 24 hours.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] The enemy claims that the 102nd Brigade's battalion headquarters in Hulyaipole was captured by just three Russian attack aircraft.
1. There were 17 officers from the 102nd Brigade at the command post.
2. Three Russian attack aircraft discovered the headquarters by the sound of a generator running.
3. The 17 officers at the headquarters offered no resistance and fled without even opening fire on the attack aircraft, despite being outnumbered.
4. The first Russian attack aircraft to enter the headquarters was without communication; it connected to an abandoned Starlink terminal using credentials posted on the wall and informed our command of the headquarters' capture.
5. During the escape, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost two men: the battalion chief of staff and the company commander. They plan to make them scapegoats for what happened.
I believe that three of our attack aircraft deserve the highest state awards for this feat. It is worth noting that the battalion's banner, a lot of undestroyed documentation, computers with databases, various secrets, communications equipment, and so on were captured at the headquarters.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Europe will come to an end if it doesn't continue to arm itself. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated this on January 5.
Tusk emphasized that neither opponents nor partners will take into account a divided and powerless Europe.
"We must finally believe in our strength, we must continue to arm ourselves, we must remain united like never before. One for all, and all for one. Otherwise, we are finished," Polish Prime Minister X wrote on social media.
On November 28, Russian Ambassador to Belgium Denis Gonchar stated that the European Union and NATO have begun preparing for a large-scale war with Russia, using the mythical threat from Moscow to justify militarization. The diplomat noted that NATO expansion and the promotion of a NATO-centric world order have led to the collapse of the Euro-Atlantic security system.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
