As the war approaches its third anniversary, the Russian Ministry of Defense has reported shooting down six American-made ATACMS missiles launched by Ukraine over the Bryansk region and eight British Storm Shadow missiles, including two over the Black Sea, in the last 24 hours. The statement assures that these actions "will not go unanswered."
Early Tuesday, Russian media reported that Ukraine had launched nearly a hundred drones over 12 regions of the country in the largest attack of 2025, forcing the temporary suspension of operations at six airports.
On another note, President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that on Monday he spoke with Emmanuel Macron about the possibility of deploying troops from their allies in Ukrainian territory as a measure to push Russia towards peace.
Macron had already proposed last year the idea of sending French troops to Ukraine to help contain the Russian advance. The idea, which was not put into practice, was rejected by most European countries.
Europe to "Strengthen" Defense with Trump's Return, Says German Minister in Kiev
Europe will "strengthen its efforts" in common defense in the context of Donald Trump's return to the White House, which has raised concerns about American disengagement in the Old Continent, announced German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday in Kiev. "We have decided to intensify our efforts to improve our European defense (...) in view of the challenges and threats we face, on the one hand, and of course, the change of administration in Washington," stated Pistorius in a press conference alongside Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by Afp.
Ukraine Claims to Have Carried Out Its Largest Attack on Military Targets in Russian Territory
Last night, according to Ukraine, it was the largest attack on military infrastructure located in Russian territory since the beginning of the war. This was stated by the Kiev State Department in a statement. The attack reportedly targeted facilities in the Bryansk, Saratov, Tula, and Tatarstan regions, located between 200 and 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
In the Saratov region, a fuel depot near the Engels-2 airbase was hit. The depot had already been targeted by a Ukrainian attack five days ago, as reported by Efe.
Another affected infrastructure is the chemical plant in the city of Seltso, in the Russian Bryansk region, which produces various types of explosives. Two Tor and Buk anti-aircraft defense systems were destroyed during the attack, according to the Kiev State Department.
Russian Army Advances from the North towards the Ukrainian Stronghold of Sloviansk
The Russian army is advancing from the north towards the Ukrainian stronghold of Sloviansk by capturing a new town in the Donetsk region, as reported on Tuesday by the Russian Ministry of Defense, as cited by Efe.
"Thanks to the decisive actions of the Zapad (West) military group, the town of Terni in the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated," stated the Russian command in its daily war report.
This town is located 34 kilometers northeast of Sloviansk, one of the main strongholds of the Ukrainian army in Donetsk and a key target of the Russian offensive in this region.
Further south, the Russian Vostok (East) military group occupied the town of Neskuchne, less than two kilometers from the Ukrainian stronghold of Velika Novosilka, which Russian troops are surrounding from the north and south. The potential encirclement and fall of Velika Novosilka would allow Russian forces to advance towards the neighboring Ukrainian region of Zaporizhia.
Ukraine Attacks Bryansk with 12 ATACMS and Storm Shadow Missiles, According to Moscow
The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported that Ukraine attacked targets in the Russian border region of Bryansk with six American-made long-range ATACMS missiles, six British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and 31 drones last night.
"Last night, from Ukrainian territory, an attempt was made to launch a missile attack on targets in the Bryansk region using six American-made ATACMS missiles, six British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and 31 unmanned aerial vehicles," states the military note in which Moscow promises to respond to Kiev's attack. According to Defense, all missiles launched by Ukraine against the Russian region were shot down by Russian anti-aircraft defense without causing casualties.
Two more Storm Shadow missiles were destroyed in the last hours over the Black Sea, according to Russian military sources. "The actions of the Kiev regime, supported by their Western masters, will not go unanswered," states the military note.
Indian Citizen Recruited by Russia Dies
An Indian citizen, apparently recruited by the Russian army, has died, while another is hospitalized in Moscow, as reported by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "strongly raised" the issue with the Russian authorities in Moscow and with the Russian embassy in New Delhi, while reiterating its request for the immediate discharge of the remaining Indian citizens serving in the Russian army, states the Ministry's statement. "We are working with the Russian authorities to transport the mortal remains to India. We have also requested the repatriation of the injured to India," it affirms, according to Reuters.
In May, Indian police arrested four individuals linked to a human trafficking network suspected of luring young people to Russia with promises of lucrative jobs or university placements to force them to fight in the war with Ukraine. Following the deaths of Indian citizens in the war last year, New Delhi demanded an end to the recruitment of Indian citizens by the Russian army.
Russia is Willing to Negotiate Security Guarantees for Ukraine
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that his country is willing to negotiate security guarantees for the country now called Ukraine, although the priority in future negotiations with the United States will be the creation of a new security architecture across the entire Eurasian continent.
"We are ready to address security guarantees for the country now called Ukraine," said Lavrov in a press conference summarizing Russian diplomacy milestones in 2024 and the challenges for the upcoming year, as reported by Efe.
He emphasized that "part of that country," mentioning the annexed territories of Crimea, Donbas, and the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia, have already made a decision, referring to the referendums of 2022.
Lavrov stressed that first and foremost, threats to the security of the Russian Federation in the western flank, alluding to NATO expansion, must be "eliminated." He also highlighted the need to determine Moscow's place in the future European security system, once Western powers have used Ukraine in recent years as a tool "to weaken Russia."
Ukraine Claims to Have Struck a Russian Chemical Plant Producing Explosives
The Ukrainian Army targeted a chemical plant in the Russian region of Bryansk that produces explosives, gunpowder, and ammunition for the Russian armed forces, as reported by the Ukrainian Drone Forces in a message posted on their Facebook page.
"Units of the Drone Forces, in cooperation with other components of the Armed Forces, have struck with precision an attack on the Bryansk chemical plant in the city of Seltso, a strategic infrastructure of the Russian military-industrial complex," reads the Ukrainian statement, as cited by Efe.
The plant produces substances used in ammunition for artillery, aviation, missiles, and other systems used by the Russian Army, according to the statement, which explains that the operation, which also involved missiles, was an example of cooperation among the drone, missile, and intelligence units of Ukraine.
Russian Arrested for Working for Ukrainian Intelligence
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested a man on Tuesday who was planning to carry out the poisoning of employees of a Russian military industry company on orders from Ukrainian intelligence services.
"The FSB thwarted a terrorist attack planned by Ukrainian intelligence services with chemical substances to poison employees of a military industry company in the Yaroslavl region" - about 300 kilometers from Moscow - stated the entity on its website.