Bob Homans January 2, 2023
20220102
Ukraine – 1/2 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
January 2, 2023
News From the Battlefield
There have been reports of a drone strike on St. Petersburg, Russia. Both the Latest Denys and “Reporting From Ukraine” report on a Ukrainian strike last night, against a concentration of Russian troops in Makiivka, just east of Donetsk City. The Russian Defense Ministry said 63 Russian soldiers were killed. Ukrainian sources report 400 to 600 Russian troops were killed including 3 senior commanders, and several hundred more were wounded.
The latest drone strike on Kyiv resulted in all 39 drones being shot down. Both the Latest Denys and Reporting From Ukraine have pictures of Ukraine’s new mobile anti-drone units, consisting of 2 all-terrain vehicles. One vehicle has a searchlight mounted on the back for spotting the drones, that are increasingly flying at night, the other a machine gun. Judging from the most recent result, the anti-drone units seem to be very effective. They also serve the purpose of saving the larger antiaircraft systems, mostly provided by the West, for use against cruise missiles. For every Russian gambit, Ukraine seems to have a solution.
“General Winter”
Attached to this email is an article in the recent edition of “Foreign Affairs,” by Sir Antony Beevor, entitled “Russia’s New Winter War – Could Putin Go the Way of Napoleon and Hitler?” The article recounts the history of winter warfare on the territory of the Russian Empire, the former Soviet Union, and Ukraine, going back to the Great Northern War in the early 18th Century. Sir Antony knows his subject, as he is the author of “Stalingrad,” “Battle for Berlin” and, most recently, “Russia, Revolution & Civil War 1917 – 1921.”
Note: This is a PDF. Write and I’ll email a copy.
The 134th Rose Parade
I’m including the video of the just concluded 134th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California (near Los Angeles) for 2 reasons: A brief respite for those in Ukraine suffering from Russian assaults; in the hope that in 2024 Ukraine will have a presence in the Parade. Fittingly, this year there is one float that featured a family of raccoons.
The first Rose Parade was held in 1890. I always make a point of watching the parade. For me, it’s a New Year’s morning ritual (or New Year’s afternoon when I was in Kyiv). I have been to the parade twice, most recently on New Year’s Day 2014, when I took my Ukrainian family to the Parade. When we came out of the parking structure at 6AM prior to the start of the parade, and we saw thousands of people on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. We thought we had been instantly transported back to Independence Square in Kyiv. Later, we joined my American family for a picnic prior to the start of the Rose Bowl football game between Stanford and Michigan State (sadly, Stanford lost).
1/2 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon January 1 to 12:00 noon January 2, 2022 (starts on next page)
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
January 2
11:53: The main Christmas tree of Ukraine in Kiev on Sophia Square entered the top 15 most beautiful Christmas trees in Europe, — BBC News rating.
08:51 Al-Ikhbariya: Israel attacked the southern part of Damascus.
· Syrian air defenses reportedly repelled the attack, explosions were heard over the city.
08:05 Czech Radio: The Czech Republic has officially terminated cooperation with the Russian Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in connection with the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
08:04 Nikkei: Japan plans to invite President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take part in an online format at the G7 summit, which will be held on May 19-21 in Hiroshima.
09:20 UK Ministry of Defence: The Armed Forces are fighting for a key highway in Luhansk region.
· According to the report, over the past five days, Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting for control of the P66 highway north of the city of Kreminna in the Russian-held Luhansk region.
January 1
19:24 NATO Secretary General: Russia has not abandoned its attempts to seize Ukraine and may be preparing for a new offensive.
· "We know that Russia has mobilized and joined the military, many of those mobilized are now undergoing training," Stoltenberg said.
19:04 Reuters - Interior Ministry spokesman: Today, January 1, an explosion occurred in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan near a military airport, killing 18 people.
· "This morning, an explosion occurred near Kabul military airport that killed and wounded several of our citizens."
17:53 GB Foreign Ministry: From now on, the United Kingdom stops importing liquefied natural gas from Russia.
· "From January 1, 2023, the United Kingdom stops all imports of Russian liquefied natural gas and supports countries around the world in reducing their own dependence (on Russian gas - ed.)," the ministry said.
14:34 Croatian National Bank: On January 1, 2023, Croatia switched to a single European currency and entered the Schengen area.
· From today in Croatia, the euro becomes the official currency, which should gradually replace the Croatian kuna. The country also received the right to issue Schengen visas and use the Schengen information system.
13:46: As of January 1, the OSCE Chairmanship will transfer to Northern Macedonia, - OSCE.
· The head of the Organization is Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani. Back in September, he promised that Ukraine would remain the highest priority during North Macedonia's OSCE chairmanship.
· According to the diplomat, Russia's aggression against Ukraine is unjustified and erroneous.
13:16: Production of RCH155 wheeled self-propelled guns for Ukraine has begun in Germany, says Nicholas Drummond, British adviser to KMW manufacturer.
· "Sometimes combining two proven solutions in a new concept can be revolutionary while avoiding significant risks. Production of Boxer RCH155 for Ukraine has begun."
NATIONAL
January 2
08:41: Air defense destroyed 39 "Shahedas", two "Orlan-10" and Kh-59 at night, according to the Air Force of Ukraine.
· "Anti-aircraft missile units, Air Force fighter aircraft and mobile fire groups were involved in repelling the attack," the statement said.
07:46 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06:00 January 2:
· "Over the past day, the enemy launched 51 air strikes. They used 44 Shahed-136 UAVs. All of them were shot down by units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
· Information about the night strike on the capital will be announced a little later. The enemy also carried out 55 shellings from the MLRS, including at the children's hospital in Kherson.
· The threat of the enemy's air and missile strikes on critical infrastructure remains throughout Ukraine."
· "The fire damage on December 31 of the areas of concentration of manpower and equipment of the occupiers in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhia region was confirmed.
· In the areas of the settlements of Tarasovka, Basan, Polohy, Berdyansk, Tokmak, the enemy's losses amounted to more than 175 wounded servicemen.
· Also, 12 units of weapons and military equipment of various types and an enemy ammunition depot were destroyed. Information on the liquidated occupiers is being clarified."
· "The aviation of the Defense Forces inflicted 13 strikes on the areas of concentration of the invaders.
· Units of rocket troops and artillery, in turn, hit 5 areas of concentration of enemy manpower and military equipment during the day."
07:35 National Security and Defense Council Secretary: Mobilization in Ukraine has not stopped since February 24 and is going according to plan.
· "As much as our Armed Forces need - so many Complete Equipment Centers call to our army those people who the Armed Forces consider necessary for this period of time."
01:23: Over Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, air defense forces destroyed nine Shahed drones and one missile flying in the direction of the Dnieper — PvK "Vostok".
January 1
23:30: Oleksandr Povorozniuk was added to the "Peacemaker" base.
· The reason for the introduction is "Conscious actions aimed at robbing Ukraine. Sincerely, he independently admitted that he robbed the state for a long time, boasts that he made his fortune with this," the department said. (The Peacemaker data base contains names and contact information of people suspected of betraying Ukraine – ed.)
19:52 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on January 1:
· "During the day, the enemy inflicted 35 air strikes, using the Shahed-136 UAV, all of which were shot down by units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
· The Russian occupiers also carried out 16 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems, including at the Children's Hospital in Kherson.
· The danger of air and missile strikes remains throughout Ukraine. Don't ignore the air alarms."
· "In order to destabilize the humanitarian situation in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region and force the local population to the so-called "voluntary evacuation", Russian occupation forces are shelling Oleshka, Hola Prystan, Plavni, as well as country settlements between these settlements with mortars."
· "Mobilization measures are underway in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea. The military commissariats have begun checking the lists of persons who have not yet participated in the large-scale invasion of the Ukraine and are subject to conscription by mobilization in 2023."
· "Ukrainian aviation inflicted 13 strikes on the areas of the invaders, and our units of rocket troops and artillery hit 2 areas of concentration of enemy manpower and military equipment."
19:39 Operational Command South: The Armed Forces are actively advancing in the south and have already achieved certain results.
· "Indeed, we are heading in this direction with a pretty powerful step, as for the enemy. Our work has certain results that we just can't announce right now."
18:09: The temperature record for all years of scientific observation was recorded on January 1 in Kyiv and many other cities and villages of Ukraine
· During the day, until sunset, according to various weather sites (in particular, Accuweather), the temperature in the capital reached 13 or even 14 °C.
· The previous temperature record, +11.1 °C, was recorded in 1991
17:38: In 2022, Ukraine returned 1596 prisoners - the Ministry of Reintegration.
· Of these, 1464 are military personnel and 132 civilians.
17:20: From the beginning of the war until the beginning of 2023, an air alarm was announced approximately 14,870 times throughout Ukraine.
· Such statistics are shown by the Alerts resource, which records all such cases since last February.
17:05 Deputy Operational Department of the General Staff: More than 20 thousand servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already been trained abroad.
· He clarified that the training of the Ukrainian military is conducted in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the US forces in Germany. In 2022, brigade headquarters were trained abroad, as well as battalion, company, artillery battery and air defense battery units.
15:20: Up to 5 Russian ships are on alert in the Black Sea.
· According to the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russians deployed 1 ship in the Sea of Azov, and 9 in the Mediterranean, of which 5 are carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, the total volley of which is 72 missiles.
15:04: Natalia Gumeniuk, head of the Joint Press Center of the Defense Forces of the South, said that Russia had used missile carriers in the Caspian Sea for the first time on December 31 to attack Ukraine.
· "Characteristic of yesterday's rocket attack was that rocket carriers from the Caspian Sea were used. This is the first time during a full-scale invasion that has been recorded. Because, probably, it is more difficult for them to deliver their reserves to the Black Sea coast. This suggests that we manage to keep logistics under fire control quite successfully," she said.
13:30 DTEK: Yesterday, a missile strike was launched on one of the thermal power plants.
· "One of DTEK Energy's energy facilities was again damaged by enemy shelling. The equipment of the enterprise was damaged," the message says.
12:51: Civilian casualties as a result of Russia's armed aggression for 31.12.2022 (as of 09:00 01.01.2023) according to regional military administrations.
· Dnipro – 1 wounded
· Donetsk – 1 wounded
· Zaporizhia – 5 wounded
· Mykolaiv – 6 wounded
· Kharkiv – 1 wounded
· Kherson – 1 killed and 4 wounded
· Khmelnytskyi – 10 wounded
· City of Kyiv – 1 killed and 22 wounded
12:35 Air Force spokesperson: On New Year's Eve, Ukrainian air defenses demonstrated a huge rate of fire from NASAMS missile systems.
· "NASAMS servicemen barely had time to reload. As with the artillery, they were constantly reloading. Perhaps no one has such experience in using this air defense system: during the battle, reload the complex and destroy air targets. This suggests that we just have few of them, there are missiles, and we need more air defense systems themselves," he said.
MORDOR (russia)
January 2
10:25: Tonight, on the approach to Voronezh, a small-sized reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle launched from the territory of Ukraine was discovered and shot down by air defense, the government of the Voronezh region said.
· There are no casualties or destruction of the land, local authorities said.
10:05: This morning, a Ukrainian UAV attacked the Klimovsky district of the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation, says Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz.
· The power supply facility was damaged, which is why there is no electricity in the village. Bogomaz claims that there are no casualties after the attack.
January 1
18:32 The Insider: Journalists report a police search in Rostov-on-Don of six armed "Wagnerians."
· Among the fugitives: one Russian, one Belarusian, three citizens of Uzbekistan and a citizen of Kyrgyzstan. The police indicate their status as contract workers, but clarify that they are prisoners.
14:16 Institute for the Study of War: russian armed forces are gradually exhausting their supply of artillery shells.
· ISW believes that restrictions on ammunition will partially prevent Russian forces from maintaining a high pace of operations in the Bakhmut area and other sections of the front line in Ukraine in the near future.
15:34: Eight million Russians became confined to russia due to debt at the end of last year. This is the absolute highest in the last 15 years, according to the press center of the Federal Bailiff Service.
· 10 years ago, there were about 300 thousand people on the lists of non-travelling debtors, in 2016 — about 1 million, then in December 2019 — 3.4 million. At the beginning of last summer, 5.5 million Russians were not allowed to leave.
13:45 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Belgorod region, Russia.
KHARKIV
January 2
10:15 Kharkiv RMA: Last day, Russians were under attack: Kupyansk, Vovchansk, Ogirtsevo, Novomlinsk, Andreevka, Kucherovka, Lyman First, Vilshana, Orlyanskoye, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka and other settlements.
· A 77-year-old woman was injured in the shelling. Assistance was provided on the spot.
January 1
16:49 Luhansk RMA: In Luhansk region, aerial reconnaissance of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine destroyed a Russian IFV together with its crew.
DONETSK
January 2
10:53 Donetsk RMA: In the Volnovakha direction, Vuhledar and the outskirts of the city came under fire. Shelling was also recorded on the outskirts of Vodiane, Prechistivka and Bogoyavlenka,
· In Donetsk sector, Marinka and the outskirts of the Ocheretynska community were subjected to periodic shelling. At night there were isolated arrivals in the old part of Avdiivka, and the next morning the city was shelled from Grad rockets.
· In the Horlivka direction, the Kostiantynivska community suffered the most : a house in Ivanopillya and a house in Oleksandro-Shultyn were damaged.
· In the Lysychansk direction, there are about 30 arrivals in the Zarechny, Torsky and Terns of the Liman community without casualties.
January 1
22:20: In the temporarily occupied Makiivka, Donetsk region, school number 19 was destroyed, where mobilized from Russia were located.
· Russian warlords report several hundred dead.
16:55 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region.
14:00: In the so-called "DPR", tariffs for housing and communal services have begun to be raised to the level of other regions, the process will last 10 years, according to the so-called "DPR" government.
12:08: The situation in Bakhmut is consistently dire - artillery, mortars, aviation, MLRS, but this will change soon, the Ukrainian military said.
ZAPORIZHIA
January 2
00:38 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Zaporizhia.
00:26 Social Networks: Explosions were heard in the area of the temporarily occupied Melitopol.
January 1
23:05 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Zaporizhia region. Previously, air defense works.
18:46 Social Networks: Reports of explosions in the Zaporizhia district.
18:12 Social Networks: Explosions in temporarily occupied Melitopol are reported.
16:34 Zaporizhia RMA: In the afternoon, the Russians shelled Orikhiv in the Zaporizhia region - 1 dead, 3 wounded.
DNIPRO
January 2
08:22 Dnipro RMA: Sky defenders from Air Command Vostok destroyed all four enemy air targets over the region.
· "We canceled the Kh-59MK2 missile and three kamikaze drones that were going to destroy our energy infrastructure," Reznichenko said.
· The Russians shelled the Nikopol district at night with heavy artillery, said the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Valentin Reznichenko.
· "They hit Nikopol and Manganese four times. More than 20 enemy shells arrived in the cities. Damaged recreation center. Everywhere passed without victims," Reznichenko wrote.
00:32 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Dnipro.
January 1
22:42 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Previously, air defense works.
21:43 Social Networks: Explosions are reported in Dnipropetrovsk region, previously — air defense.
KHERSON
January 2
11:30 a.m. Social Networks: Explosions in Stanislav, Kherson region, are also reported.
10:40 Kherson RMA: This morning, the Russians attacked the center of Beryslav and shelled the city market.
· "Presumably, the fire was fired from a tank from the side of the temporarily occupied Kakhovka.
· At this moment, 5 wounded are known. Three people are in serious condition," the report said.
09:57 Kherson RMA: Russians shelled the territory of Kherson region 71 times.
· Kherson was attacked 30 times by the Russian army. 1 person died, 4 residents were injured of varying severity.
January 1
21:49 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kherson region. Previously, air defense works.
17:31 Social Networks: Explosions are reported in the temporarily occupied Kherson region.
16:28 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
14:29 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Oleshky, Kherson region.
14:11 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
13:27 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
12:20 p.m. President's Office: Russians shelled Kherson again on New Year's Eve.
· As a result of another Russian shelling, 1 person was killed and 1 was wounded. The buildings of the regional children's hospital were damaged. About 7 arrivals were recorded, more than 700 windows were broken.
MYKOLAIV
January 2
11:28 Social Networks: Explosions are reported in the Ochakov community of the Mykolaiv region.
January 1
22:05 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Mykolaiv region. Previously, air defense works.
21:17: Mykolayiv OVA chairman Vitaliy Kim reports two groups of kamikaze drones.
15:50 State Emergency Service of Mykolaiv: Today, at about five o'clock in the morning, Ochakov was shelled.
· Shells hit the residential sector, one of them hit the building of the fire and rescue unit – windows flew out, the ceiling of the building and the garage were destroyed.
ODESA
January 2
11:09 Social Networks: Sappers in Odessa destroyed a mine that drifted to shore.
January 1
18:42 Odesa RMA: The explosion, which was heard in Odesa, is a controlled explosion of a mine.
18:00 Social Networks: Reports of an explosion in Odesa.
KYIV
January 2
09:50: One of the victims of the Russian attack on the capital onDecember 31 died this morning, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
· A 46-year-old man was in intensive care in serious condition.
09:40 DTEK: There are emergency blackouts in Kyiv.
· They were used because the energy infrastructure of the capital was damaged as a result of the night attack.
07:19: As a result of the night shelling of the capital, energy infrastructure facilities were damaged. There are emergency power outages in the city. Accordingly, there are de-energized heat supply facilities, - Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
04:29 KCMA: During the air raid over the capital, 20 air targets were shot down.
03:24 Kyiv RMA: Loud in the region and the capital. Night drone attack. The Russians launched several waves of shahed drones. They aim at critical infrastructure facilities. Air defense is working out.
02:51: Explosions are heard again in Kyiv. Previously, air defense works.
02:38 KCMA - Kyiv City Military Administration ed: 16 objects have been shot down over Kyiv.
02:27 KCMA: As of this moment, 12 air targets had been shot down over the capital.
02:11 KCMA: As of this moment, about 10 air targets have been shot down over the capital.
02:02 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kyiv. Previously, air defense works.
01:26: Vitali Klitschko said that an injured 19-year-old boy was hospitalized in the Desnianskyi district of the capital.
01:15 Kyiv City Military Administration: Said that the wreckage in the Desnianskyi district, located on the Left Bank of the Dnieper River, northeast of Central Kyiv. It damaged balconies and window panes in a high-rise building. There is no ignition.
01:08: Vitali Klitschko said that the explosion was in the Desnianskyi district of Kyiv. All services follow the place.
00:18 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kyiv. Previously, air defense works.
00:10 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kyiv region. Previously, air defense works.
January 1
23:59: Head of the Kyiv OVA Oleksiy Kuleba confirms the threat of an attack by kamikaze drones.
14:50: Kyiv residents have water and heat, the vast majority of consumers have electricity, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
· "All life support systems of the capital after yesterday and night shelling are working as usual. Where emergencies are recorded, energy workers are working to restore electricity," Klitschko said.
SUMY
January 1
14:05 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the border areas of the Sumy region with the Russian Federation.
13:00 Sumy RMA: Around midnight, Russians fired mortars at the Mid-Buda community. There were 6 arrivals.
KIROVOHRAD
JANUARY 1
23:18 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kirovohrad region. Previously, air defense works.
POLTAVA
JANUARY 2
00:49 Poltava RMA: Air defense forces are working in Poltava region.
00:44 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kremenchuk, Poltava region. Previously, air defense works.
CHERKASY
JANUARY 2
01:16 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Uman, Cherkasy region. Previously, air defense works.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://euromaidanpress.com/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka