[BBC] A Norwegian rocket launched on 25 January 1995 in order to study the Northern Lights, was mistaken by Russia for an incoming nuclear missile on a direct course to Moscow.
For just over an hour on a freezing winter's day, the world had a chilling brush with the worst of Cold War nightmares. On an unremarkable Wednesday afternoon, military technicians on shift at radar stations across northern Russia spotted an ominous blip on their screens. A rocket had been launched somewhere off Norway's coast and was rising fast. Where was it going and was it a threat? After all, most assumed such nuclear tensions had evaporated when the Berlin Wall came down.
For those monitoring the skies, the implications were dreadful. They knew that one missile fired from a US submarine in those waters could deliver eight nuclear warheads to Moscow within 15 minutes. The message was passed urgently up the chain of command to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Moscow has passed the peak of the cold season, and temperatures are now set to rise. This was reported on January 18 by Mikhail Leus, a leading specialist at the Phobos weather center, on his Telegram channel.
"On January 18, the capital region will feel the influence of the northeastern periphery of the retreating anticyclone. In this situation, cloudy weather with intermittent clearings and no significant precipitation is expected. Meanwhile, the peak of pre-Epiphany frosts, which occurred this weekend, has passed, and temperatures will begin to gradually rise," he noted in the publication.
According to the weather forecaster, daytime temperatures in Moscow on January 19 will be between -5 and -7°C. Light snow is possible in some areas, Leus added.
Earlier, Roman Vilfand, scientific director of the Russian Hydrometeorological Center, reported that severe frosts down to -50 degrees Celsius are expected in the Ural and Siberian regions. The significant drop in temperature is due to the arrival of the East Siberian anticyclone, he explained.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 21.58 Ukrainian and American negotiating teams have agreed to continue work at the team level during the next stage of consultations in Davos. This was announced by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov following the results of consultations in the USA
Thus, according to him, the delegations substantively discussed economic development and the prosperity plan, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine - "with a focus on practical mechanisms for their implementation and realization."
In addition, the Ukrainian side informed American partners about recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
21.23 Russian troops shelled an important energy facility in the Koryukiv district of Chernihiv region. This was reported by the press service of JSC Chernihivoblenergo.
"As a result of racist shelling, an important energy facility in the Koryukiv district was damaged. A number of settlements were left without electricity," the report said.
20:59 In an evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia has already conducted reconnaissance to strike our infrastructure and nuclear power plants.
"The enemy is trying to harm our nuclear power plants. We have data on the facilities it has been scouting," he stressed.
The Head of State recalled that Russian troops had been attacking Naftogaz facilities for a whole week, the last attack on gas production yesterday.
"The main target for Russia is invariably our energy sector. In fact, almost 58 thousand people work around the clock and only in repair teams on power grids and generation facilities, on the heating network. Resources of Ukrzaliznytsia and other state-owned companies have been involved," he said.
20.37 This year, Russia intends to form no less than 11 divisions and call up 409,000 personnel. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, in an interview for LB.ua.
The Russian Federation wants to form no less than 11 divisions.
"And continue those plans and tasks that were not completed last year," Syrsky noted, adding that the occupiers plan to call up 409,000 personnel.
At the same time, the general estimates that the Russian Federation's total mobilization potential exceeds 20 million people, of which about 4.5 million are already a trained reserve that can now be directly mobilized to replenish units.
18.54 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Ukraine is planning new offensive operations, since it is impossible to achieve victory solely through defense. He said this in an interview with lb.ua.
Currently, Russia's strategic plan for the occupation of Ukraine has not changed. At the same time, only the planned timeline, the number of available weapons, and personnel have changed.
"Therefore, we will conduct a strategic defensive operation, while we understand that you will not win in defense. Therefore, accordingly, we will conduct offensive operations, fight to maintain the operational initiative, because this leads to the fact that the enemy is forced to attract and withdraw significant human resources, weapons, and ammunition in order to restrain our active actions," Syrsky emphasized.
15.19 In Poland, more than 1.1 million zlotys (about 13 million hryvnias) were collected in just three days to purchase generators for Kyiv. OKO.press reports.
Initially, the Poles planned to purchase 100 generators for residents of the Ukrainian capital. However, the amount was raised in a few hours, so the organizers increased the goal to 2 million zlotys.
12.36 The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine published archival footage of the combat work of the Artan special unit in the Lymansky direction.
It is noted that during the raid deep into enemy positions, Ukrainian intelligence officers cleared several occupier hideouts. As a result of the operation, the unit also replenished the exchange fund with Russian servicemen.
The video captures dynamic episodes of special forces combat work while performing the task.
12.13 Russians attacked the Vasylkivska community of the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones, six people were injured, and fires broke out. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Oleksandr Ganzha.
11.23 Minkivka in the Slavyansk direction is under the control of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the East group of troops on January 18.
"The statement by the propagandists of the aggressor state about the alleged capture of Minkivka is not true and is an element of informational and psychological operations and is aimed at creating the illusion of successes that do not actually exist," the report says.
It is also noted that Ukrainian units continue to control the northern part of Pokrovsk, conduct search and assault operations, and destroy invaders in the city's buildings.
11.08 Russian troops attacked the Khmelnytskyi region with drones at night. The State Emergency Service reported this on January 18. It is noted that one of the facilities in the Khmelnytskyi district was hit. As a result of the attack, several fires broke out there, which were quickly extinguished by rescuers.
10.42 This week, Russian troops have used more than 1,300 strike drones, about 1,050 guided bombs, and 29 missiles of various types against Ukraine. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
9.49 Over the past 24 hours, 133 combat clashes took place on the front, with the invaders showing the greatest activity in the Pokrov direction, and increased activity in the Hulyaipil and Kostyantyniv directions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on January 18. It is noted that yesterday the enemy carried out 90 air strikes on Ukrainian positions and settlements, using, in particular, 239 guided bombs.
9.17 Russian troops attacked energy infrastructure in the Odessa region, damaging a production building. The State Emergency Service reported this on January 18. It is noted that the attack resulted in a fire, which firefighters quickly extinguished. A production building and a passenger car were also damaged.
8.48 Air defense neutralized 167 drones used by Russian troops to attack Ukraine. 30 strike drones were hit at 15 locations, and downed enemy targets (fragments) fell at two more. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on January 18.
8.19 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a video showing Russian drones being shot down using Ukrainian weapons.
"Shooting down enemy drones with Ukrainian weapons. Combat work of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces," the video description says.
7.50 The Ukrainian Defense Forces killed and wounded 830 Russian occupiers over the past 24 hours, with the enemy's total losses in the war amounting to 1,226,420 people. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on January 18. The total combat losses of the Russian invaders from 02/24/22 to 01/18/26 were estimated to be about 1,226,420 people.
7.23 An agent of the partisan movement ATESH successfully sabotaged an industrial zone in the Volodarsky district of the Bryansk region, disabling the equipment of an electrical substation. ATESH reported this on January 18. It is noted that this substation is a vital link for the Russian military machine. It provides energy to the Polpinsk station, through which trains with ammunition and equipment go to the front. The power outage causes failures in automation and serious delays in supplies.
02.12 A Russian drone hit a private house in Kharkiv. A 20-year-old girl was killed and another woman was injured in the attack. A fire broke out at the scene of the attack.
23.20 The Russian Federation struck a private sector in the suburbs of Sumy, causing problems with electricity. Four people are known to have been injured. Among them is a child.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] The most active battles took place on the Pokrovsky, Gulyapilsky and Kostyantynivsky direct lines.
The Ukrainian military forces repelled 126 enemy attacks with the remaining spoils, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The most active military operations have been recorded in the Pokrovsky, Gulyapilsky and Kostyantynivsky directions. Please inform the General Staff of the ZSU about this.
As of 22:00 18 Sep 2026, the Ukrainian military will continue to actively resist the enemy’s attempts to penetrate deep into the territory, causing serious military losses. During this period, there were 126 military engagements. The Russian occupation forces carried out 78 airstrikes using 199 ceramic bombs, hit 5,355 kamikaze drones and destroyed 2,985 artillery shelling of Ukrainian positions and populated areas.
On the Pivnichno-Slobozhansky and Kursk direct lines, one attack was carried out, one airstrike was carried out and 87 attacks were carried out, including one from the vicinity of the multiple launch rocket system.
In Pivdenno-Slobozhansky, ten attacks were directly recorded in the areas of Vovchanska, Staritsa, Grafsky, Nesterny and Krugloy. Two battles are at stake.
On the Kup'yansky direct, Russian forces tried five times to locate Ukrainian fighters near Pishchany, Kurylivka, Petropavlovka and Borivska Andriivka.
On the Limansky direct, Ukrainian soldiers successfully defeated several assaults in the areas of Yampol, Stavka and Oleksandrivka. One point is still troubling.
In Slovyansky, three enemy attacks were directly recorded in the areas of Pazeno and Rai-Oleksandrivka. In Kramatorsk, no direct offensive actions are indicated.
On Kostyantynivskyi there were 15 military battles near Kostyantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyn, Shcherbinivka and other settlements.
On Pokrovsky, 39 attacks were carried out directly, which led to the loss of the middle occupiers: 106 military forces were destroyed, 64 of them irrevocably, as well as a large number of equipment and drones.
On Oleksandrivsky, several attacks were directly defeated. The village of Khvili was destroyed by the airstrike.
On Gulyaypilsky there were 16 days of direct traffic, two of which will be continued. The following settlements were affected by airstrikes: Gulyaypole, Vozdvizhivka, Verkhnyaya Tersa, Zaliznichnya and Dolinka.
On Orikhivskyi, the two villagers were trying to break through the defenses near Plavny. Airstrikes took place in Zhovtiya Krucha and Tavriyskyi.
Enemy activity was not directly recorded on Pridniprovsky. Finally, the situation on other front lines remained unchanged.
Corresponding to the previous battle, the intensity of combat operations has significantly increased: while previously 117 battles were recorded, then their number increased to 126.
According to the operational data of the General Staff of the ZSU, Russia's hidden losses in the living forces reached a maximum of 1,225,590 people.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 22:06 FPV drone operators of the Western Forces destroyed underground strongholds and manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk district of the Khar'kov region.
UAV crews from the Center group destroyed an enemy artillery installation in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Air cover groups eliminated heavy hexacopters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the skies over the Zaporizhzhia region.
FPV drone crews destroyed mortars in camouflaged firing positions, an attack drone, and an enemy repeater antenna in the Sumy region.
20:06 FPV drone calculations at the Rubicon Center struck automotive and armored vehicles, ground-based robotic systems, elements of communication systems, temporary deployment points and enemy UAVs in the special military operation zone.
19:22 In the period from 8.00 to 19.00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 17 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type:
13 UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Oryol region,
One UAV over the territory of the Kursk region,
One UAV over the territory of the Bryansk region
. 17:22 Supercam S350 UAV crew of the Center group of forces provided destruction of a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
16:05 On frames: Destruction of a Ukrainian Armed Forces UAV launcher along with transport in the area of the village of Shatrishche in the Sumy region.
15:39 Work of the 11th Army Corps crews on the Ukrainian Armed Forces shelters in the Khar'kov region,video.
15:15 Orekhovskoye direction. Assault groups of the Dnepr Group of Forces began advancing east of Shcherbaki, MAP.
14:54 Calculation of the ATGM system of the Dnepr group of forces with precise launches of guided missiles destroyed two combat armored vehicles with Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the Orekhov direction in the Zaporizhzhia region.
14:29 FPV drone operators of the Sever group destroyed reconnaissance and strike UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the skies of the Khar'kov region.
12:29 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of January 18, 2026. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct the special military operation.:
Units of the "North" force group have improved their tactical position. Formations of a mechanized brigade, an airborne assault brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and two territorial defense brigades have been defeated near the settlements of Rogozne, Novaya Sich, Yastrebine, Pisarevka, and Myropillya in Sumy Oblast.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of two heavy mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two territorial defense brigades, and a border detachment of the Ukrainian Border Service were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Vatutino, Prikolotnoye, Ryasnoye, Pokalyanoye, Okhrimovka, and Zeleny Hai in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost over 175 military personnel, 24 vehicles, five field artillery pieces, an Israeli-made RADA radar station, an electronic warfare station, and four supply depots.
Units of the "West" force group have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of three mechanized brigades, two assault brigades, an airmobile brigade, an airborne assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, and two National Guard brigades near the settlements of Blagodatovka, Berezovka, Novoosinovo, Petrovka, Kutkovka, and Nechvolodovka in the Khar'kov region, and Yarovaya and Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to 200 military personnel, six armored combat vehicles, 19 cars and two ammunition depots.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces improved their tactical position. Formations of four mechanized, an airmobile, and a motorized infantry brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the settlements of Slavyansk, Kurtovka, Kramatorsk, Vasyutinskoye, Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, and Malinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 135 servicemen, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and a Stryker armored personnel carrier, five armored combat vehicles, 17 vehicles, four field artillery pieces, including two Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery units, and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have improved their position along the forward edge. They have inflicted casualties on the personnel and equipment of six mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, an airborne assault brigade, three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, and four National Guard brigades near the settlements of Gavrilovka, Novopavlivka, Fedorivske, and Novopidgorodne in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Artemivka, Annovka, Belitske, Spassko-Mykhailivka, and Grishino in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 455 servicemen, a tank, two armored personnel carriers, three Cossack armored vehicles, four pickup trucks, three artillery pieces, and an Israeli-made RADA radar station.
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 unit, two assault brigades, four assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a naval infantry brigade near the settlements of Rizdvyanka, Zaliznychne, Rozovka, Vozdvyzhevka, Staroukrainka, Dorozhnianka, Tsvetkovoe, and Ternovatoye in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Malomykhailivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The enemy lost over 205 troops, three armored personnel carriers, eight vehicles, and two field artillery pieces, including a US-made M777 155mm howitzer. A supply depot was destroyed.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of the mechanized, mountain assault brigades and coastal defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Orekhov, Magdalynivka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Antonivka in the Kherson region.
Up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen, a combat vehicle of the Osa anti-aircraft missile system, four cars, an artillery piece, two electronic warfare stations and a warehouse of materiel were destroyed.
12:15 Severyan FPV crews are working on mortar positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, video.
10:55 Scalpel drones destroy enemy artillery during the offensive in the Dobropillya direction
Operators from the 150th Motorized Rifle Division are using new guided munitions and FPV to destroy howitzers, mortars, enemy positions, and UAV control centers.
Precise strikes by the Scalpel and attack drones of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division support the offensive in the Dobropillya direction.
10:40 Destruction of the enemy's Novator armored fighting vehicle by an FPV unit of the Southern Group of Forces in the area of the village of Novoselovka, video.
07:32 During the past night, in the period from 23:00 Moscow time on January 17 to 7:00 Moscow time on January 18, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 63 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
23 – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
13 – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
Six – over the territory of the Rostov region,
Six – over the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania,
Four – over the territory of the Astrakhan region,
Four – over the territory of the Volgograd region,
Two – over the territory of the Kursk region,
One – over the territory of the Voronezh region,
One – over the territory of the Ryazan region,
One – over the territory of Stavropol Krai,
One – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
One – over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
07:30 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Released n.p. Pryluky
Privolye was liberated
Expansion of the control zone in the Ivanovka area
Zakotnoye was liberated
Expansion of the control zone east of Grishino
06:00 Crews of the122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery units of the Vostok group inflicted an attack on enemy UAV control points located in forest belts in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The Ukrainian Armed Forces are suffering heavy losses in Myrnohrad (known as Dimitrov until 2016) in the Donetsk People's Republic, with mountains of dead and wounded scattered across the city. This was reported by prisoner of war Pavel Geiko.
"We secured a foothold in a house. Twenty minutes later, we were destroyed by drones. And another 20 minutes later, we were stormed and captured. We surrendered, naturally, because we want to live. We don't want war. There's complete devastation there. Mountains of Ukrainian corpses lie scattered about, many wounded. It's impossible to advance. Drones are flying. There's constant gunfire," Geiko admitted in a Russian Defense Ministry video.
According to the prisoner, the Ukrainians do not want to take part in the war and know that they cannot defeat the Russians.
"Our command abandoned us to the wolves," Geiko admitted, adding that this was the first time he had ever held a weapon, and his training hadn't helped him, either physically or mentally.
#1
But...but...but I thought the Russians were losing a million people a year. Who to believe? I think the safest bet is to work with the assumption that they're all lying.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/19/2026 13:16 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Or they’re both telling the truth …about the other guy.
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