Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] This coming weekend, January 31–February 1, Moscow will experience temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius (-48 degrees Fahrenheit). Alexander Shuvalov,head of the Meteo forecasting center, spoke with Regnum News Agency on Wednesday, January 28.
"The current snowfalls will end on Thursday, January 29. By the weekend, we'll see temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius, which will carry over into February. But we should still expect snowfall this winter, as it accompanies the transition to warmer temperatures," Shuvalov noted.
He also said that the snowfall that blanketed Moscow is on track to break a 70-year-old record. In the winter of 1956, the snow depth in the capital reached 57 cm, and this morning, a total of 52 cm was already recorded.
Shuvalov noted that January 2026 will be among the top five coldest months in the capital since the beginning of the 21st century. Currently, the average daily temperature is reaching -7.5 degrees Celsius, and by the end of the month, it will approach -9 degrees Celsius.
Heavy snowfalls have left the capital stuck in nine-point traffic jams. Taxi fares have risen sharply: in particular, a ride to the airport is more expensive than a flight to St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, Moscow airports are postponing flights.
The Moscow Department of Transport advised residents to use the metro rather than private vehicles during heavy snowfall. Experts, meanwhile, assured that the capital's power grid is capable of withstanding both snowfall and severe frost.
The massive snowfall that blanketed Moscow is on track to break a 70-year-old record. The storm will likely produce record-breaking snowfall, though January won't record the highest total precipitation, according to Alexander Shuvalov, head of the Meteo forecasting center, speaking to Regnum News Agency on Wednesday, January 28.
Forecasters predicted up to half a meter of precipitation would fall on the capital on January 27-28. According to an expert, the current snowfall is expected to exceed these expectations.
"Today, a daily precipitation record is quite possible. This refers to the depth of snow cover: the previous record was set in 1956, when it reached 57 cm; this morning, 52 cm of snow was recorded. If the snowfall brings another 5-7 cm during the day and night, the record table could be rewritten. Let's also remember that while 21 mm of precipitation fell on January 9, this year's total is 22 mm—these figures are comparable, but it took a little longer. However, if we consider the total snowfall for January as a whole, there have been much snowier years," Shuvalov noted.
The meteorologist added that this January will be among the five coldest in the 21st century. Currently, the average daily temperature is reaching -7.5 degrees Celsius, and by the end of the month, it will approach -9 degrees Celsius. In 2010, January was noticeably colder, with an average temperature of -14.5 degrees Celsius.
"The current heavy snowfalls will end on Thursday, January 29. By the weekend, we'll already be experiencing temperatures down to -20 degrees Celsius, which will carry over into February. But we should still expect snowfall this winter, as it accompanies the transition to warmer temperatures," Shuvalov explained.
Snowfalls have left the capital stuck in nine-point traffic jams. Taxi fares have risen sharply: a ride to the airport, for example, costs more than a flight to St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, airports are postponing flights.
Experts have assured that Moscow's energy system is capable of withstanding both snowfalls and severe frosts.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 22.48 After a meeting with the head of France Emmanuel Macron, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Paris will arrange for Ukraine to pay extra taxes in 2026.
“We discussed how to strengthen our energy resilience. In the near future, Ukraine will take back generators from France. So, there will be additional supplies of French aircraft, missiles for anti-aircraft defense systems and air bombs. So much!” - Zelensky wrote.
The parties also discussed the fight against the Russian shadow fleet. Zokrema Macron spoke about the superior work on the legislative level.
22.11 Body fragments were discovered at the scene of the Russian shelling of a passenger train near the Kharkiv region, which belong to six individuals. The regional prosecutor's office reported this.
The prosecutor's office explained that as a result of the blow, the bodies of the deceased were greatly damaged, which put their number on the ground.
“The identified body fragments were handed over for forensic medical examinations to determine whether they were infected. It was determined that the smell belonged to six dead people,” the insider said.
It was then necessary to collect biological specimens from close relatives of the deceased for molecular genetic (DNA) examinations, or compare them with the identified body fragments and identify individuals of the deceased.
21.33 The Ukrzaliznytsia company praised its low-income solutions for completely safe exchanges in response to the intensification of Russian shelling.
So, the situation is low, we are waiting in the Kharkiv region, and it’s time to get around. Bus carriers Taxi services to destination points.
Also, direct long-distance deals will be replaced by regular flights with local trains.
At the same time, in the surrounding villages, near the frontline regions, and there, where active war activity has been recorded, a special regime of the revolution will be introduced.
"There are possible planned links that can be added to the timing of trains - from Kharkiv region, Sumy region, Zaporizhzhya, Kherson region, as well as flights connected with them. We ask you to get insurance at the time of planning more expensive,” the company added.
20.42 Minister of Defense Mikhailo Fedorov on his Telegram channel spoke about the transformation of the “small” PPO system in Ukraine.
20.03 In 2025, funding for the security and defense sector of Ukraine will be in full swing. Over 3.8 trillion hryvnias were spent on current consumption, which is 43% of GDP. The Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine reported this.
The sum is in accordance with the law “On National Security of Ukraine”.
As it turns out, these resources made it possible in the minds of the military to provide the key needs of the subjects of the security and defense sector.
19.38 The goal of guaranteeing security for Ukraine has already been achieved. This was stated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking before the Senate Committee on International Affairs.
19.13 The Russian army began to deploy V2U kamikaze drones in the Kharkiv region, equipped with artificial intelligence, which can independently find targets and attack them. The head of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, Spartak Borisenko, spoke to Suspilny about this.
As of mid-2019, at least 16 attacks on targets by such drones have been recorded. Kup'yansk, the front-line village of Velikiy Burluk and the town of Merefa near Kharkov fell under the blows.
In 2026, the Russian army began to stagnate V2U and directly across Kharkov. Prosecutors recorded the first attacks by autonomous drones on 1 and 4 days.
V2U differs from other attack drones in that it independently defines a target using artificial intelligence. During the flight, the drone displays images from the camera from a distance with images of targets stored in memory and praises the decision to attack without the participation of an operator. According to Borisenko, the drone can lay down any type of target - from people and transport to life.
18.57 The offensive round of Ukraine-USA-RF negotiations in the OAU is scheduled for February 1. Kremlin spokesman Dmitro Peskov said this in comments to Russian propagandists. Having learned that the negotiations were difficult , he was inspired to comment on the transfer of documents to Ukraine.
18.33 Four days in all regions of Ukraine will again have power outage schedules. Ukrenergo reported about this. The deterioration of the situation in the energy system is only possible due to the presence of new massive shelling from the side of Russia.
17.39 Russia requests the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow , as he is ready to confront the head of the Kremlin Volodymyr Putin. This cynical statement was made by the Russian dictator’s aide Yuri Ushakov.
17.17 The pace of deployment of the Russian army in Ukraine has become the lowest in over 100 years of current military history. Here is a quick report from experts at the Washington Center for Strategy and International Studies (CSIS).
16.54 As the battle began, 46 battles broke out on the front between the Ukrainian army and the Russian occupiers. There was a calm on the ground , having informed the General Staff of the ZSU in the operational situation.
16.38 The Russian Federation shelled Zaporizhzhya from the Tornado-S missile defense system on the 28th. All the signs of a full-scale war reached the regional center. There is no threat of shelling from cannon artillery. The head of the Zaporizhzhya Regional Administration, Ivan Fedorov, stated this during the briefing, Ukrinform reports.
15.59 The statement of the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov about the ongoing “street fighting” and “cleansing” near the village of Kutkivka in the Kupyansky district of the Kharkiv region does not indicate any validity. This was announced to the 16th Army Corps (AK) on its Telegram channel.
15.41 German Ambassador to Ukraine Gaiko Toms announced the transfer of 33 mobile thermal power plants to Ukraine by the German side in the near future. I spoke about this in an interview with Suspilny.
Such installations will provide electricity to millions of people in Ukraine. Ale viklik lies in their connection, indicating a diplomat.
15.17 China is supplying Russia with equipment and technology that helps Moscow produce hypersonic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, The Telegraph reports . The Oreshnik missile, which Russia uses, in particular, to threaten the West, is being used.
Earlier this month, Russian forces fired an 8,000-mph Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile over Lviv, 40 miles from the Polish border. The missile, which has only been used in combat twice, can split into six warheads in flight to hit different targets.
The publication found that specialized Chinese-made machines and tools are used to produce the warheads. They are included in the list of technologies and modern equipment worth $10.3 billion that China transferred to Russia to expand the production of military equipment.
14.55 President Volodymyr Zelensky held a conference call about the current situation in Kharkov, Chernihiv, Zaporizhia and in the Sumy region as a result of the Russian attacks. The head of the state told about this on Telegram.
He gave the Rashists a confession for the attack on Zaporizhzhia. The enemy attacked from the RSZV in the residential area of the city, where he had many vital military goals.
14.02 In the Chernihiv region, the villagers of the Territorial Center of staffing and social support, which for swag poured into the decision of the military-medical commission, began to shout.
An officer of the mobilization department of one of the regional TCCs, for a penny in the city, was given in the guise of military conscripts. We guarantee to ensure the registration of the “necessary” document of the VLK about the recognition of a person, surrounded by appendages to the military service. This status actually includes the mobilization of combat units and military units that take part in direct combat operations.
For the best food you can get 2500 dollars. At the hour of the final transfer of illegal benefits, law enforcement officials caught him “in the hot seat” at the moment of snatching the money.
13.49 The beginning of direct expert contacts from “complex topics” related to the regulatory situation in Ukraine can be considered “progress”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitro Peskov said this in comments to Russian propagandists.
12.55 Near the Kharkiv region, a deputy of the forestry sovereign state was killed, who, together with the occupiers, took part in the shooting of a car of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the hour of battle for the place of Izyum near Kvitna 2022 roku.
Together with the militants of the Russian group, Wagner attacked the Ukrainian military in the forest area in the Izyum region. With this, the man not only helped the Russians control the ambush on the route of the Defense Forces, but also immediately took part in the attack on the military ZSU.
12.41 We camped early in the morning and there was no heat supply in 737 residential buildings in Kiev. Mr. Vitaliy Klitschko told me about this on Telegram. Utilities and energy companies are working hard to repair damaged critical infrastructure in order to return heat to the city.
12.25 On Tuesday and Wednesday night, the Ukrainian military had a negative impact on the Russians in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Ukraine and on the territory of the Russian Federation. I informed the ZSU General Staff about this.
11.49 In the hour-long occupation of Feodosia and Sevastopol, the moons began to ripple. Last year, Feodosia had almost 10 vibukhs, then the arrows of the rifle and large-caliber armor began to lull. At the same time, there was a deep squeal at the place.
“We will first arrive via radar stations under the domes on Mount Tepe-Oba near Feodosia. Information is being clarified,” the Krimskiy Veter Telegram channel says.
11.40 Early on Wednesday, due to Russian shelling and trouble, power outages were recorded in 13 regions of Ukraine. Please inform Ukrenergo and Ministry of Energy about this.
11.13 President Volodymyr Zelensky, together with the negotiating team and the authorities, made speeches that require more thorough processing for the sake of the United States before the war. The head of the state announced this on Facebook.
10.50 On Wednesday, Russian aggressors launched an attack on the port of Pivdenny in the Odessa region. The Administration of Seaports of Ukraine (USPA) reported this. Deterioration of industrial and healthcare infrastructure facilities has been recorded. I also burned the vinyl.
10.25 Over the past year, fighters from the special forces unit Alpha of the SBU successfully attacked five Russian military airfields with long-range drones and captured 15 units of aircraft. Among the targets are 11 aircraft and bombers: Su-30SM, Su-34, Su-27, Su-24 and MiG-31.
09.57 Near Brody, Lviv region, after yesterday’s attack by a Russian drone on infrastructure in the Zolochiv district, there is still smoke.
Scientists have recorded a slight increase in the concentration of carbon oxide, which does not pose a threat to public health. For most people there is no need to leave the area. Nowadays, people with chronic illnesses of the respiratory system are advised to avoid going for walks immediately, and to put on dry masks before going out.
09.45 Two medical workers were injured as a result of the Russian shelling of a medicine shop near the Dnieper district of Kherson. The earliest diagnosis is contusion.
The Russian occupiers hit the center of Kherson with artillery. The shell hit the sidewalk. As a result of the shelling, the façade, doors, and windows were broken.
09.12 At the beginning of the 28th century, the Russian army attacked Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 146 attack UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas types and other types of drones.
The anti-aircraft defense knocked down/suppressed 103 UAVs of the Shahed type, Gerbera and other types of drones overnight, late, in the center and at the same time. The presence of a ballistic missile and 36 attack UAVs at 22 locations was recorded.
09.00 Zranka On the 28th, the Russian army hit Zaporizhzhya, entering the door of a large number of buildings.
As a result of the fire, which was caused by the outbreak, over 100 apartments and 20 cars were damaged. At most 12 residential buildings are damaged, some of them have frequent power supply. Four people were injured as a result of the Russian attack.
08.17 During the last battle, 105 combat operations were recorded at the front, while on the Pokrovsky direct line, Ukrainian soldiers stopped 32 assault and offensive operations of Russian fire fighters.
08.00 Russian troops launched a damn drone attack on Kiev. In the Golosiivsky district, it became possible to place a 17-surface living cabin at the end, without a further furnace. As a result, the roofing and technical walls became slightly damaged, and the windows of the upper surfaces were damaged. The guards of parked cars were also damaged.
07.47 At the beginning of the 28th January, Russian troops hit the Bilogorodsk community in the Kiev region with drones, as a result of which two people died - a man and a woman.
Four more people went wild for medical help. A young woman and two children developed an acute reaction to stress after taking off the exhausted food products.
07.25 From February 24, 2022 to September 28, 2026, military losses to the special warehouse of the Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 1,236,570 individuals (+690 per addition).
06.08 The Russian army on Wednesday, 28 September, launched a ballistic strike on the Krivoy Rog infrastructure facility, as a result of which two people were injured.
05.51 On Wednesday, 28 September, as a result of Russian shelling, one of the buildings near Zaporizhzhia caught fire. For a few weeks after the first enemy attack, repeated vibrations occurred in the area.
03.29 The legacy of the Russian attack in the middle of the 28th, near the Bilogorodsk community of the Kiev region, a large number of surface housing units were damaged. The roof and the top began to burn. The locals were evacuated from the damaged booth.
02.33 At the end of the 28th, the Russian occupiers launched an attack on the capital with the help of attack drones. The place has a fire defense system in place. As a result of the fall of the UAV, the windows and surfaces of the UAV were damaged, and the drone's structures fell onto the road.
01.26 The Russian occupation forces attacked Odessa with attack drones in the middle of the 28th. Entry into the territory of the Orthodox monastery and at private booths was recorded.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] Operational data shows minimal activity of the occupation army in most major areas.
Since the beginning of the current day, 46 battles have taken place on the front between the Ukrainian army and the Russian occupiers. There has been a lull in a number of directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in an operational summary as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28.
Thus, the enemy attacked four times in the North Slobozhansk and Kursk directions.
In the South Slobozhansk direction, the Russians tried to advance nine times in the areas of the settlements of Starytsia, Prylipka and towards Obukhivka, Kolodyazne, and Kutkivka.
In the Lymansky direction, our soldiers repelled four attacks by the invaders in the Drobyshevy and Stavye directions. One clash is currently ongoing.
In the Slavic direction, he carried out one attack in the Yampol area.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, the invaders carried out five assaults near the settlements of Predtechyne, Pleshchiivka, Sofiivka and towards Novopavlivka.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy tried to advance 15 times near the settlements of Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Molodetske, Filiya, and Dachne. Two clashes are ongoing.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, the aggressor attacked once in the direction of Yehorivka.
In the Hulyaipil direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled seven assaults in the Hulyaipil area and towards Dobropil. Three attacks are still ongoing.
The enemy has not yet carried out offensive operations in the Orikhiv, Prydniprovsk, Kupyansk and Kramatorsk directions.
Recall that on January 27, 105 battles took place on the front - one of the lowest figures in recent times. At the same time, Russia lost almost 700 soldiers killed and wounded. Since the beginning of the Great War, Russian losses have approached 1.3 million people.
…but a lot of them are Russian subjects rather than ethnic Russians, and many of the remainder are mercenaries from all over the world.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Ukrainian drones have wiped out 15 of Vladimir Putin's military aircraft on Russian airfields deep behind the front lines following Operation Spiderweb.
Dramatic footage showed drones successfully striking the planes across five different military bases, although Ukraine has not indicated exactly when the attack took place.
Ukraine's spy service, the SBU, claimed to have taken out 11 Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets, three helicopters and an Antonov An-26 cargo plane.
It said that these aircraft were worth more than $1billion.
The SBU said its top Alpha unit was behind the strikes. Su-30SM and Su-34 jets, some of the Kremlin's most important frontline planes, were destroyed alongside older Su-27 and Su-24 planes, which are used to hit Ukraine.
Ukraine also destroyed MiG-31 interceptors. These are a key part of Russia's air defence system, and are often used to launch hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.
The three choppers - a Mi-8, a Mi-26 and a Mi-28 - will have hurt Russia's transport and logistics capabilities.
The SBU added that fuel and ammo depots were also destroyed in the operation.
The strikes come just weeks after the same Alpha unit destroyed or disabled an estimated $4billion worth of Russian air defence systems.
Missile launchers including the S-300, S-350 and S-400, as well as advanced radar systems were hit.
Though the destruction of the aircraft gave the SBU much to celebrate over, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker today said that life will be particularly tough for Ukrainians over the next three weeks due to plunging temperatures and intense Russian attacks on the energy system that have already deprived millions of light and heat.
The attacks follow last year's Operation Spiderweb - a mission overseen in secret by Volodymyr Zelensky himself - that used hundreds of first-person view (FPV) attack drones smuggled into Russia in wooden containers disguised as modular homes.
Driven by unsuspecting Russian lorry drivers, the vehicles were parked near strategic airbases before their roofs opened remotely, unleashing swarms of drones that targeted and destroyed bombers on the ground.
The strikes took place on June 1, with dramatic videos posted by pro-Kremlin military bloggers showing flames engulfing aircraft at multiple locations, including one deep inside Siberia, some 2,600 miles from the Ukrainian front lines.
At least four more Russian strategic airbases were struck: Olenya in the Arctic region of Murmansk; Dyagilevo in western Russia; Ivanovo, northeast of Moscow; and Podmoskovye in Moscow.
Sources inside Ukraine's SBU security service claimed the operation crippled 34 per cent of Russia's long-range strategic bombers, including the nuclear-capable Tu-95s and Tu-22M3s, often used to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine.
These planes, however, are no longer manufactured, and so could not be replaced.
In a statement, the SBU said at least 41 long-range bombers had been damaged or destroyed.
The deadly payloads were hidden in what drivers thought were modular homes - and delivered to Russian airfields in Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ryazan, and Ivanovo.
In images released by the Ukrainian secret services at the time, the wooden containers are seen packed with 117 FPV kamikaze drones – which allow pilots to control them remotely through a live feed.
Dozens of black drones were lined side-by-side in the mobile wooden cabins. The roofs had hidden compartments into which the small flying weapons were stashed.
These boxes were then loaded on to civilian trucks heading into enemy territory, their hired local drivers seemingly unaware of what they were carrying.
Then, on June 1, with all the lorries within range of five airfields stretching from northern Russia down to Siberia – they struck.
In a statement, President Zelensky hailed the 'perfectly prepared' operation, which he claimed was run out of a building located near an office of the Federal Security Service, Russia's principal security service.
Despite progress in peace talks that has led to trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the United States for the first time, Russia has stepped up bombardments beyond the front line that stretches across eastern and southern Ukraine.
Temperatures of below -20C are expected in the northern and eastern part of Ukraine next week, according to official forecasts, extremely low for the country.
'The bad news is that there will indeed be frosts, and it will be difficult,' Andriy Gerus, the head of the parliament's energy committee, told the national TV channel, Marathon.
'The good news is that we need to hold out for three weeks, and then it will get easier,' he added, citing predicted warmer temperatures and increased solar power from longer days.
The last two Russian missile and drone attacks on the capital Kyiv in January left about a million people without electricity and 6,000 apartment buildings without heating. After weeks of repairs, about 700 buildings still lack heat.
That picture is replicated across the country, with northern and eastern Ukraine, home to major cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, regularly targeted, resulting in power restrictions for industry and power cuts for consumers.
Attacks on power stations, the energy transmission system and the gas sector have long been key elements of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched by Russia in February 2022.
Moscow says it is seeking to undermine Ukraine's ability to fight.
The head of Ukraine's largest private power producer DTEK told Reuters last week that Ukraine is nearing a 'humanitarian catastrophe' due to the damage to its energy systems amidst the freezing temperatures, calling for a ceasefire on attacks on energy assets.
Kyiv has targeted Russian oil processing infrastructure to reduce state revenues funding the war.
Ukraine's solar energy association said around 1.5 gigawatts of new solar capacity was commissioned by Ukraine in 2025 and the total installed solar capacity in Ukraine exceeded 8.5 gigawatts, including residential installations.
The volume is higher than the installed capacity of all three Ukrainian-controlled nuclear power plants of 7.7 gigawatts - and helped the country cope during repairs to those plants last summer - but output depends on the weather.
Zelensky said this month Ukraine's damaged energy system was meeting only 60 per cent of the country's electricity needs this winter, with electricity generation capacity of 11 gigawatts against a need of 18 gigawatts.
Maximum electricity imports from EU countries, combined with power cuts across entire regions, are allowing the system to remain balanced, nevertheless.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:08 From 13:00 Moscow time to 20:00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyedthree Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Two - over the territory of the Belgorod region,
One - over the territory of the Republic of Crimea
. 20:41 Russian Armed Forces destroy Ukrainian Armed Forces infantry and equipment near Pokrovsk and in the Dnipropetrovsk region
Fighters of the "Center" force group continue to actively destroy enemy infantry and equipment in the area of Krasnoarmeysk, Mirnograd, and in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
20:32 Airborne Special Forces: Rubicon crews apply precise strikes on enemy positions.
Drone drivers struck:
Automotive equipment,
Ground-based robotic systems,
Elements of the communication system
UAV control points and temporary deployment points for the Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel,
Self-propelled artillery gun,
Drones for various purposes.
18:39 Crews of T-72B3M tanks of the 15th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Alexandria 2nd combined arms army of the Center group of forces supported offensive actions of assault units in the Krasnoarmeysk direction with fire.
17:49 Kupyansk direction. Russian Armed Forces have advanced west of Dvurechnaya, and fighting is ongoing in Kutkovka. It has also been clarified that the Dolgenkoye tract is currently under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.MAP
17:35 UAV operators of the West group of forces rammed high-altitude reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the aircraft type in the Khar'kov region.
FPV drone crews of the Vostok group of forces destroyed an HMMWV, a Novator, and several vehicles used to transport and transport enemy forces in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
Drone operators from the Southern Group of Forces overtook a heavy helicopter, a UAV control center, a tank, a pickup truck, and a Ural truck belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Konstantinovsky direction.
Drone operators from the Center group of forces conducted attacks on robotic systems and enemy personnel in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Attack UAV crews of the Novorossiysk paratroopers of the Dnepr group of forces destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces targets in the Primorskoye area and north of Stepnogorsk in the Zaporizhzhia region.
FPV drone operators from the Northern Forces Group hit a pickup truck, personnel shelters, and an enemy UAV control point in the Northern Military District.
16:29 Artillerymen destroyed enemy positions
122mm D-30 howitzer crews from the 1009th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the North group of forces destroyed enemy armored vehicles, fire weapons, fortifications, and UAV control posts in the Khar'kov direction.
Artillerymen from the "East" group of forces burned strongholds and elements of fortifications of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which the enemy used to hold the line in the Zaporizhzhia region.
A crew of a 152mm Msta-B gun from the 42nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division of the Dnepr group of forces destroyed a stronghold containing Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel in the Orekhovo area of the Zaporizhzhia region.
15:40 Investigators of the Russian Investigative Committee will investigate crimes committed by Ukrainian armed forces against civilians in the Belgorod, Kherson, and Bryansk regions and the city of Sevastopol
According to government authorities, a drone struck a truck in the village of Zozuli in the Borisovsky District of Belgorod Oblast, injuring the driver.
In the Kherson region, a district hospital employee was injured in a drone attack. In the village of Stara Zburyivka, a man was injured after a drone dropped a munition.
A civilian was injured in drone strikes in the village of Goritsy in the Pogarsky District of the Bryansk Region.
In the city of Sevastopol, a worker was injured by shrapnel from a downed drone that crashed near an educational center.
14:10 The GROM "Cascade" brigade is working in the Sumy and Khar'kov regions. Destruction included two radar stations, an enemy ammunition depot, and a firearm.video.
13:58 Footage of destructionFPV drones of the 122mm 2S1 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
13:23 From 8:00 Moscow time to 13:00 Moscow time by air defense systems on duty destroyed41 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
28 – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
12 – over the Black Sea,
One – over the territory of Kursk region
. 12:28 Summary of Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the Special Military Operation as of January 28, 2026
Units of the North group of forces defeated formations of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Proletarske and Miropolye in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of the mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the National Guard brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Grafskoye, Verkhnyaya Pisarevka, Neskuchnoye and Krugloe in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost over 145 service members, an armored combat vehicle, three vehicles, a multiple launch rocket system, and a Western-made field artillery gun. Four supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force grouping have improved their position along the forward edge. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, two assault brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Rubtsy, Yatskivka, and Korovy Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Blagodatovka, Nechvolodovka, Novonikolaevka, and Petrovka in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost over 180 troops, four armored combat vehicles, 19 vehicles, and four artillery pieces, including two Western-made ones. Four ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have occupied more advantageous positions and lines. Three mechanized brigades and a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been defeated near the villages of Druzhkovka, Vasyutinskoye, Krasnotorka, and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 100 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, 13 vehicles, three artillery pieces, including one Western-made, and two electronic warfare stations. An ammunition depot and two supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have improved their tactical position. They have inflicted casualties on the personnel and equipment of four mechanized brigades, a Jaeger brigade, an airborne assault brigade, a special forces brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and two National Guard brigades near the settlements of Serhiivka, Belitskoye, Kutuzovka, and Grishino in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Mezhevaya, Novopidgorodnoye, and Novopavlovka in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to over 390 military personnel, five armored combat vehicles and eight cars.
Units of the "East" force group advanced deep into the enemy's defenses. Formations of two mechanized brigades, two assault brigades, an airmobile brigade, and three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the settlements of Zaliznichnoe, Rizdvyanka, Vozdvizhevka, Zarnitsa, Rozovka, Komsomolske, Dolinka, and Tsvetkovoe in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and Vasylkivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The enemy lost more than 270 servicemen, four armored combat vehicles and 20 cars.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized and mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Odarovka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Sadovoe in the Kherson region.
Up to 40 military personnel, four vehicles and two electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
11:35 Specialists of the 99th Separate Repair and Restoration Battalion of the 51st Guards Combined Arms Army of the Center group of forces conducted repair and modernization of weapons, military and special equipment of units.
09:55 Zaporizhzhia direction eastern flank
In Ternovaty, our attack aircraft drove the enemy into the western part.
Fighting on the approaches to Rozhdestvenskoye and Vozdvizhevka, Tsvetkovoye, where the enemy is trying to hold the strongholds of the 3rd line at any cost, Staroukrainka.
West of Gulyaipole, our units reached Zheleznodorozhny (Zaliznychny) from the south, occupied the warehouse area in the south and are fighting for its southern part and for the strongholds of the 2nd line of defense.
Southwest of Gulyaipole, the Russian Armed Forces advanced along the railway in the direction of Zheleznodorozhny and northeast of Zagorny.
North of Mirny, our units are driving out the enemy in the landings in the direction of Komsomolskoye (Gulyai-Polye) and to the west in the direction of Belogorye.
09:23 In the period from 7:00 to 9:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed three Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Two UAVs flew over the territory of the Astrakhan region, and
One UAV flew over the territory of the Krasnodar region.
08:37 In one of the settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk region, scouts of the Vostok group revealed a site where the Ukrainian Armed Forces assembled UAV crews. The facility was used to coordinate the actions of unmanned units, assign tasks, and clarify operational areas.
A Tornado-S MLRS crew fired a precision-guided munition at the identified target. The resulting fire destroyed the assembly area, along with the equipment used to organize the work.
08:18 Frontline summary on the morning of January 28, 26
In the Gulyai-Polye direction, the Russian Armed Forces are expanding their control zone west of Dorozhnyanka and continuing their advance toward Zaliznichnoye.
Donetsk Front:
Russian troops are advancing toward Grishino in the Krasnoarmeysk sector. Fighting is ongoing in the Dobropolsky sector near Novyi Donbas and Belitskoye, as well as in the areas of Novyi Shakhove and Ivanovka.
In the Konstantinovka sector, the Russian Armed Forces are expanding their zone of control on the southern flank, along the northern shore of the Kleban-Byk Reservoir toward Berestok.
Fighting continues within the city limits of Konstantinovka.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, clashes are ongoing north of Svyatogorsk, in Aleksandrovka, and in the Korovy Yar area.
In the Seversky sector, there is progress in Reznikovka and south of Zakotnoye. Russian forces have reportedly entered the southern part of Nikiforovka and Minkovka.
Khar'kov Front
In the Kupyansk direction, fighting is underway in the area of Podoliv, Kurilovka and Peschanoye.
In the Volchansk direction, Russian Armed Forces are advancing through the forest belts near Staritsa and taking up new positions near Simonovka. There is also progress in the Volchansk Khutors.
08:00 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 75 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
24 UAVs were flying over the Krasnodar Territory,
23 UAVs were flying over the Republic of Crimea,
Six UAVs were flying over the Black Sea,
Five UAVs were flying over the Belgorod Region,
Four UAVs were flying over the Astrakhan Region,
Three UAVs were flying over the Kursk Region,
Three UAVs were flying over the Sea of Azov,
Two UAVs were flying over the Voronezh Region,
Two UAVs were flying over the Bryansk Region,
One UAV was flying over the Rostov Region,
One UAV was flying over the Tambov Region, and
One UAV was flying over the Volgograd Region.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of southtower
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics
[ColonelCassad] We had a lot of trouble today. The airstrike continued from early morning.
The city was lightly hit, but without serious consequences. As a result of enemy drone attacks on Sevastopol, one person was injured. He did not have time to reach cover.
A total of 10 enemy drones were shot down. Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev spoke about the damage: Shrapnel from a downed UAV fell near the V.D. Revyakin Educational Center. All the children were in shelter when the shrapnel fell. A building worker, who was outside when the UAV was shot down, received a shrapnel wound to his lower limb.
No damage to the building was reported. In a private residence in the Fiolent district, shrapnel from a downed UAV fell on the roof of a private home and damaged the fence of another house. In Yukharina Balka, UAV debris pierced the roof of a private home. A fragment of a downed UAV, presumably an engine, was found near Universitetskaya. Drone debris was also found in the Vakulenchuk area. On Heroiv Stalingradu Avenue, a fragment shattered a balcony window in one of the buildings.
Twenty-three drones were also shot down over Crimea, plus more over the Sea of Azov. Last night, attacks also hit Odesa's air defense system, port, and power grid. Power outages continue in Odesa.
Text taken from a tass.com article authored by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] My article for TASS commemorates the anniversary of the ratification of the New START Treaty, which will likely expire in February 2026.
A vestige or a necessary mechanism: the future of New START. Fifteen years ago, on January 28, the law "On Ratification of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms," commonly known as New START, was signed. Dmitry Medvedev, then President of Russia and now Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, signed the law.
However, as of January 2026, the treaty is in limbo and may expire as early as February. What was agreed upon? New START is effectively a superstructure over the system of treaties that provided the architecture of international security and limited the nuclear arms race.
In many respects, this document is a legacy of the détente policy of the 1970s. The treaty limited offensive nuclear missiles and their delivery systems with a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers, affecting all the main components of the US-Russian nuclear triad: strategic bombers, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, road-mobile missile systems, and silo-based missile systems. For Russia, the treaty covered Tu-160 and Tu-95S bombers, Topol and Yars-class silo-based and road-mobile missile systems, and Soviet- and later Russian-made nuclear-powered missile submarines.
For the US, it covered B-52G and B-52H, B-1B and B2A bombers, silo-based missile systems with Minuteman II, Minuteman III, and Peacekeeper missiles, and Ohio-class submarines with Trident missiles.
In 2011, the parties agreed to maintain no more than 700 deployed launchers of all types with no more than 1,550 deployed warheads. The treaty also permitted the possession of no more than 800 deployed and non-deployed bombers and launchers of various types.
The balance of components within the nuclear triad was determined independently by the parties. For example, Russia placed a strong emphasis on road-mobile launchers, while the United States emphasized nuclear submarines and strategic aircraft, which the Pentagon plans to modernize first. Both parties also agreed to monitor the treaty's implementation to verify compliance with the main provisions of New START. This was intended to strengthen trust in the area of missile and nuclear deterrence.
The treaty did not, in fact, address modern missile systems such as hypersonic missiles—they currently remain outside the control of international treaties. New START also did not limit the storage of tactical nuclear weapons, preserving the ability of countries to stockpile and develop this component of their weapons systems.
As we see from the situation in Eastern Europe, the topic of the use of tactical nuclear weapons in an era of collapsing international order has also shifted from speculative theories to practical military-political threats. In this regard, the treaty was not initially intended as a comprehensive constraint, but rather as a limit to what was possible given the military-political reality at the time of its conclusion.
SUSPEND OR TERMINATE
The treaty was signed in Prague in 2011, and its main parameters were met by 2018. The parties formally confirmed that the New START was generally being observed, although they periodically voiced complaints about compliance with individual parameters. This, however, did not undermine the integrity of the treaty itself.
In 2021, under the Joe Biden administration, the document was extended for five years. However, on February 21, 2023, Vladimir Putin officially announced that he was suspending Russia's participation in the treaty, as the United States was not effectively implementing it. In February 2026, the document will finally expire, eliminating one of the fundamental mechanisms that had long restrained the nuclear arms race.
New START effectively cemented not only parity between Russia and the United States in offensive nuclear missiles but also their superiority over other members of the nuclear club—China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Israel, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
As of 2025, it was believed that there were over 12,000 nuclear warheads worldwide, of which 9,500 were combat-ready, and just under half were operationally ready for use. The exact number of warheads is unknown. For example, countries such as China, North Korea, and Israel conceal information about the development of their nuclear programs and the increase in the number of nuclear warheads and their delivery systems.
Nevertheless, the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States exceed the combined total of all other countries combined. As of 2026, only these two countries could realistically trigger a global nuclear apocalypse. The rest would only face a localized threat.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as of 2025, Russia had 5,580 nuclear warheads, deployed and non-deployed, the United States had 5,157, China had 600, France had 290, Britain had 225, India had 180, Pakistan had 170, Israel had 90, and North Korea had 50. Russian data yields similar figures. The storage, use, and development of the Russian nuclear triad are defined in Russia's updated nuclear doctrine.
As noted, it is believed that the figures from China, Israel, and North Korea may differ from public estimates. This is particularly true for China, which is actively building silo-based missile launchers in the west of the country and claims to be seeking to expand its strategic capabilities. According to Western estimates, China produces up to 100 new nuclear warheads annually and has built over 350 new missile silos in recent years.
Chinese media have announced plans to increase its nuclear arsenal to 1,000 deployed warheads across all delivery systems. The PLA leadership has not commented on Western accusations and has not specified the current or planned growth rates of the Chinese nuclear triad. The United States has exploited China's secrecy to accuse Beijing of being unconstrained by any treaties and capable of expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than it publicly discloses.
Nevertheless, the overall superiority between Russia and the United States is clear. They possess over 90% of all nuclear warheads in the world. It will take other countries quite some time even to approach them.
THE UKRAINE FACTOR:
After the start of the West's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, the issue of achieving a strategic victory over the Russian Federation also touched on the remaining strategic arms limitation treaties. The transition of the concept of a "hot war against Russia" from the impossible to the negotiable has brought to the forefront the issue of updating and developing nuclear potential.
The US's return to the course of modernizing its nuclear potential under the pretext of "Russian and Chinese violations" led to the suspension of Russia's participation in the New START Treaty, as there is little point in adhering to agreements that the main counterparty is not abiding by.
Therefore, since the start of the Strategic Military Operation in Ukraine, both the US and Russia have been developing advanced strike systems and modernizing existing ones.
Naturally, this is somewhat easier for Moscow, as it has standard hypersonic missiles (unlike the US, where testing is still ongoing), the combat-tested Oreshnik system, and the advanced strategic strike systems Burevestnik and Poseidon.
A major factor undermining the treaty system was the US and NATO's encouragement of Ukraine's attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. This was openly stated before the start of the START Treaty, and it was also one of the reasons for its initiation. The emergence of a nuclear threat near Russia naturally disrupted strategic parity, and this move was undoubtedly part of the West's proxy war against Russia, where Ukraine was viewed as a springboard for the development of various military, political, and terrorist threats.
LAUNCHING THE RACE
The New START Treaty is currently in the process of expiring. Despite Russia's proposals for an extension for at least a year, the US has not given an official response, expressing only a formal, declarative interest.
Washington's complaints about the treaty are not new. The US continues to accuse Russia of "violations," citing the treaty's failure to take into account modern realities, particularly China's growing nuclear missile potential. Therefore, the US wants to either abandon New START entirely or persuade Russia and China to sign a version of the treaty that would be advantageous to the White House. The fact is that Washington is inclined to pool the nuclear capabilities of Russia and China, but is genuinely offended when Moscow and Beijing point out that the nuclear arsenals of the US and other Western countries must be considered together. This was particularly evident during the crisis over the implementation of the Treaty on Verification Flights under the Open Skies Agreement.
Moscow is interested in maintaining the status quo, which would ensure parity between the US and Russia in nuclear warheads and their delivery systems. Beijing currently has no interest in a treaty that would constrain its strategy to close the gap in nuclear missile capabilities.
All this, in my opinion, makes an extension, let alone a long-term extension, of New START unlikely. Against the backdrop of the collapse of the global order and the very foundations of international law, the remaining treaties limiting the nuclear arms race increasingly look like relics of a bygone era. At the same time, the political elites of the US, Russia, and China are well aware of all the risks associated with a nuclear war and a new arms race in the area of weapons of mass destruction. However, the lack of effective international law and the catastrophic level of mistrust in opponents are pushing the situation towards further escalation. Shattered trust is extremely difficult to restore.
[FoxNews] Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates Russia has suffered 1.2M casualties, including 325,000 deaths since February 2022.
A new report is warning that the combined war casualties in the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war could hit 2 million by spring 2026. The number includes soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides of the conflict.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released a report on Tuesday predicting the grim milestone. CSIS states that Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025. It estimates that Ukraine suffered between 500,000 to 600,000 casualties, including 140,000 troop deaths. CSIS estimates that the current combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties could be as high as 1.8 million.
Getting a clear picture of the fatalities and casualties suffered on both sides is not easy as neither Moscow nor Kyiv gives timely data on military losses, according to The Associated Press, which noted that the two countries are also simultaneously focused on amplifying each other's casualties. Russia has publicly acknowledged the deaths of just over 6,000 soldiers, the AP reported.
The outlet noted that activists and independent journalists have said that reports of military losses have been repressed in Russian media.
"Despite claims of battlefield momentum in Ukraine, the data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains and is in decline as a major power," the report reads.
"No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any war since World War II," the report notes.
Russian battlefield casualties and fatalities have been "significantly higher" than Ukraine's, according to the report.
CSIS estimates the ratio to be roughly 2.5:1 or 2:1. CSIS points to several reasons for the high Russian casualties and fatalities, including the country's "failure to effectively conduct combined arms and joint warfare, poor tactics and training, corruption, low morale and Ukraine’s effective defense-in-depth strategy in a war that favors the defense." The report also states that Russia has accepted taking high casualties as part of its strategy.
"Russia’s attrition strategy has accepted the costs of high casualties in hopes of eventually wearing down Ukraine’s military and society," CSIS states in its report.
In addition to its high casualty rate, Russia has also been advancing "remarkably slowly," according to the report. CSIS stated in its report that Russian forces had advanced at an average rate of 15 to 70 meters (49 to 230 feet) per day in its most prominent offenses since seizing the military initiative in January 2024. The authors of the report say Russia's pace is "slower than almost any major offensive campaign in any war in the last century."
The report comes less than one month before the fourth anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine. Despite international mediators, including the U.S., making attempts to end the war, it has persisted, with both sides suffering casualties.
Representatives for Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. recently met in the United Arab Emirates for the first trilateral talks since 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the "conversations were constructive."
"A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive," he wrote on X, noting the delegations could have further meetings as early as next week. "As a result of the meetings held over these days, all sides agreed to report back in their capitals on each aspect of the negotiations and to coordinate further steps with their leaders."
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] It's happened: the country of Suomi has survived its harshest year since the 1990s, which were also difficult for it. However, the causes of the past and present crises are different, as the Finns brought their current disasters upon themselves by severing ties with Russia.
The Russian Federation, with which the Finns voluntarily severed relations, has over the years acquired the same importance for its neighbors as the Soviet Union, whose fall was felt by its capitalist neighbors.
So the current result was in many ways completely logical.
The "dark 90s" weren't just ours.
Residents of the post-Soviet space, who had to endure the most severe depression in the 1990s, were mostly unaware that similar trials were also befalling Finland, considered a model of prosperity.
The 1990s crisis came unexpectedly for most of its residents: in the late 1980s, the country experienced a period of rapid, albeit unsustainable, growth. This boom led to economic overheating and ended in collapse.
The collapse was the result of a combination of internal miscalculations and external shocks.
The fact is that in 1986, the Bank of Finland simplified the process for companies to obtain cheap foreign loans and relaxed consumer lending regulations. This led to an explosion of debt: the volume of private loans sometimes increased by more than 100% per year.
Cheap money flooded the stock and real estate markets, creating massive financial bubbles. The economy became, as they said at the time, a "casino," where getting rich quick "on paper" became commonplace.
Then came the collapse of the Soviet Union, a devastating blow to the Finns. The USSR accounted for 15 to 20% of all Finnish exports, and suddenly this key market disappeared virtually overnight. A replacement was not quickly found.
To top it all off, the government tried to maintain an overvalued Finnish markka, which further undermined the competitiveness of goods on the world market.
A crisis erupted that had catastrophic consequences for the country.
Gross national product rapidly declined by 13%, and consumption and investment plummeted. Businesses were swept by a wave of bankruptcies. The unemployment rate, which stood at around 3.5% in 1990, soared to nearly 19% by 1994.
The construction sector suffered the most, with 36.7% of workers losing jobs. Many banks, which had built up risky loan portfolios during the boom, found themselves on the brink of collapse.
The country faced a systemic banking collapse, necessitating large-scale government intervention. Falling tax revenues and rising social spending resulted in a sharp increase in the state budget deficit, which amounted to several percent of GDP. International rating agencies downgraded Finland's sovereign credit rating.
In order to stabilize the situation, the governments led by Prime Ministers Esko Tapani Aho and Paavo Lipponen took a number of unpopular but necessary measures.
In particular, the government introduced state guarantees for bank debts and created a special fund for the rehabilitation of problematic institutions.
The largest savings banks were merged, ultimately creating the financial giant Nordea. The mark was devalued, which hit companies that had borrowed in foreign currencies hard.
State and municipal spending, including funding for the social sector, was severely cut.
The recovery of the Finnish economy was linked not only to the growth of global demand, but also to its transformation as a result of the development of high technologies.
One of the main drivers of growth was Nokia, which in less than a decade became the world leader in mobile communications. Following this, many other countries, facing crisis for one reason or another, began frantically searching for their "own Nokia."
However, the legacy of the disaster could not be completely overcome: Finland never returned to the level of full employment that existed before 1990.
THE CRISIS HAS RETURNED
When 2025 ended and Finnish economists began to sum up the results of the past year, they turned out to be extremely unpleasant.
The bankruptcy rate in Finland has reached its highest level since 1996: 3906 companies (12% more than in 2024) officially declared bankruptcy.
According to Statistics Finland, the number of bankruptcy cases continued to rise in December: 360 bankruptcy cases were initiated, which is 34% more than in December 2024.
The bankrupt companies employed approximately 14,300 people. As a result, unemployment reached its highest level in fifteen years—10.3% of the working-age population. Approximately 16% of the failed businesses were sole proprietors.
Bankruptcies most often affected the construction sector, which was once considered one of the most powerful sectors in the Finnish economy.
In addition, more and more existing homes are being put up for sale, which is also holding back price growth.
Industry media note that the situation is worse than expected in the spring of 2024, when the industry's downturn seemed to have bottomed out. Finns are hesitant to buy real estate amid negative news about rising unemployment and geopolitical upheaval, even when they have the means.
The biggest price collapse is being observed in Eastern Finland, which borders Russia, where old houses and cottages have become a quarter cheaper than in 2019. Previously, this property was actively bought by Russian citizens who considered it prestigious to acquire a "dacha in Finland," but now they are banned from entering.
As a result, it became unprofitable for construction companies to build new houses.
Tiina Toivonen, head of the legal department at the Finnish Association of Entrepreneurs, believes that the number of bankruptcies in Finland will continue to rise as the economic impasse persists.
According to her, about a fifth of small and medium-sized businesses currently report poor or very poor financial health. In the Southern Savo region, 66% more companies have gone bankrupt than in 2024. Among the regions bordering Russia, the number of bankruptcies has increased particularly in South Karelia (by 35%) and Kymenlaakso (by 23%).
Among the losers were also enterprises that were recently considered exemplary.
Thus, a Finnish startup, once hailed as the future of agriculture, went bankrupt. Evergreen Farm Oy, a farm in Tampere that grew berries hydroponically, did not survive until 2025. In December, Lovia, a well-known luxury handbag manufacturer, also filed for bankruptcy.
Her clients even included Susanna Innes-Stubb, wife of Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
FINISHING BLOW
It must be said that problems in the Finnish economy began to mature a long time ago, and they are connected not only with foreign policy factors.
Since the global financial crisis of 2008–2009, Finland has struggled with budgetary discipline. The collapse of Nokia in 2013–2014 left the country without one of its most important economic engines. The COVID-19 pandemic also dealt a powerful blow to the economy, and the break with Russia in 2022 simply finished it off.
Thus, in 2021, bilateral trade between Moscow and Helsinki amounted to €12.71 billion. However, by the end of last year, this figure had decreased by almost 93%. While in 2019, over 2,000 Finnish companies exported their products to Russia, by the end of 2023, that number had dropped to just 100.
Having fallen out with a neighbor whose friendship had enriched the country, Finland abandoned its neutral status, joined NATO, and increased military spending from €5.1 billion in 2022 to over €6.2 billion in 2024, representing 2.3% of GDP. By 2029, Helsinki pledges to increase military spending to 3% of GDP.
Lauri Holappa, executive director of the Finnish Centre for New Economic Analysis, reluctantly admits that " resources currently spent on defence could be used for more productive purposes."
Rising military spending, a collapse in bilateral trade, and the near-total loss of Russian tourism forced the Finnish government to take on additional loans—at a time when the national debt was already growing rapidly.
"High energy prices had the biggest impact, as Finland was heavily dependent on Russian energy resources," said Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland's Institute for Research on Developing Economies.
Until 2022, Russia accounted for approximately a third of Finland's energy supply. According to the expert, the country was able to shift to other energy suppliers, but at a much higher price. According to the state statistical agency Statistics Finland, this shift led to a 109% increase in the cost of oil imports, reaching approximately €6 billion in 2022 alone.
Added to this are demographic problems : an aging population leads to rising costs for pensions and healthcare, making budget cuts particularly painful.
Although the government is already ruthlessly cutting social benefits, experts warn that the country may need additional austerity measures and further tax increases in the future.
"Economic growth alone will not be enough to restore fiscal balance," concedes Jarkko Kiviste of the Bank of Finland. "According to rough estimates, an additional 3% of GDP, or 9-10 billion euros, will need to be consolidated over the next 5-10 years."
However, given that 80% of Finnish GDP comes from domestic sectors of the economy (consumption, services, construction, retail, and public sector employment), overly strict fiscal rules could stifle economic growth.
"About a third of our workforce relies on government funding, and ongoing austerity measures are making them fearful of layoffs, " notes Holappa. " This uncertainty is putting significant pressure on consumer activity, hindering a recovery in demand, despite rising wages and falling interest rates."
He adds that if the country continues to adhere to austerity tactics, it will not be able to return to a growth trajectory.
These warnings are particularly ironic in a country that has ranked first in the “happiest countries in the world” rankings for many years running.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] The latest Zubr systems, designed to defend against drones and loitering munitions, have been delivered to the Russian military for the first time. This was announced by the Rostec state corporation on January 28.
The Zubr system was developed by specialists from the High-Precision Systems holding company. It provides close-in coverage of critical infrastructure, detecting both large and small aerial targets. The system automatically tracks any detected drone and then destroys it.
"The operator only has to make a decision and give the command to engage. During testing, the system demonstrated high effectiveness against small and high-speed targets," noted Bekkhan Ozdoyev, Industrial Director of Rostec's Armaments Cluster and member of the Bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia.
The system consists of four modules, a control center, and a radar station. The Zubrs have already begun duty to protect infrastructure facilities, the state corporation added.
Previously, the High Precision Systems holding company developed the "Mnogotochie" (Multi-Point) multi-bullet cartridge, designed to engage drones with small arms. Each such cartridge splits into three bullets in flight, improving the accuracy of fire and increasing the likelihood of hitting the target. The developers recognized that miniature drones pose one of the main threats to military personnel today.
In November 2025, specialists from RosEl Holding, a Rostec subsidiary, completed the development of the compact Serp-P6 module for anti-drone systems. It can be installed on complex engineering structures, including bridges.
[IsraelTimes] Russian president has sought to build relations with Ahmed al-Sharaa since toppling of ally Assad, lauds new government’s actions to ‘restore Syria’s territorial integrity’
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin ...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances... for talks in Moscow on Wednesday, as the Kremlin seeks to secure the future of military bases vital for its operations in the Middle East.
Russia was a key ally of Sharaa’s predecessor Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor. If he'd stuck with it he'd have had a good practice by now... during the bloody 14-year Syrian civil war.
His toppling at the hands of Sharaa’s rebel forces dealt a major blow to Russia’s influence in the region and threw the status of its prized military bases in Syria into doubt.
Putin has been working to build relations with Sharaa since, though Russia’s continued sheltering of Assad and his wife in Moscow remains a major obstacle to improving ties.
"Much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations," Putin said in a televised meeting with Sharaa.
"We have closely monitored your efforts to restore Syria’s territorial integrity and I want to congratulate you on the momentum this process is gaining," Putin said, apparently referring to Sharaa’s recent offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria’s northeast.
Sharaa, in his second meeting with Putin since coming to power, said Russia had a "historic role not only in Syria’s unity and stability, but in that of the entire region."
Neither mentioned Russia’s military presence in Syria, though Putin’s front man Dmitry Peskov said earlier he had "no doubt" the issue would come up in their talks.
Russia has two remaining military outposts in the country, the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
They are Russia’s only two official military bases outside the former Soviet Union.
The Kremlin withdrew its forces from the Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeast Syria earlier this week.
Syria has expressed a willingness to cooperate with Moscow, though it has repeatedly demanded that Russia extradite Assad.
US President Donald Trump ...His ancestors didn't own any slaves... on Tuesday praised Sharaa as "highly respected" and said things there were "working out very well."
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.
...His ancestors didn't own any slaves...
