As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly and vividly warned. He warns Russia is likely planning for a second “year of war” in 2026, which risks raising the intensity of the fighting that has persisted for 14 months and counting. This announcement coincides perfectly with the timing of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s insistence that Moscow would “undoubtedly” accomplish its goals in Ukraine. This declaration stokes an already combustible situation between the two countries.
In today’s news from the war zone, Russian air strikes flattened residential buildings in the city of Zaporizhzhia. To date, these attacks have resulted in at least 32 injuries—including 5 child injuries. Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, described a tragic scene in Kushuhum, south of Zaporizhzhia. Yet in a separate drone strike on a civilian vehicle, two more people were injured. Life supported Tolleksrud’s account, noting that all the fatalities came as expected from the city itself and the nearby communities.
“Unfortunately, there are dead and injured.” – Alexander Skriabin, Mayor of Rostov-on-Don
On Wednesday, Russian shelling hit an apartment building, a home, and a school. This awful attack led to a temporary toll of 30 deaths. Local rescue services have been working tirelessly to manage the aftermath and provide assistance to those affected by the attacks.
In response, Ukrainian forces launched a drone strike on a Russian merchant tanker docked in the southern port of Rostov-on-Don. According to initial accounts, the strike killed at least two crew members on the ship. Emergency teams were mobilized to put out the fire from the sudden drone attack that touched down with no warning. They soon were able to block a large leak of oil-based products.
“Emergency teams are extinguishing the fire on the tanker that was struck while docked in a drone attack … A leak of oil products was avoided.” – Alexander Skriabin
While military actions escalate, political maneuvers continue on the international stage. In a further dramatic twist, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued an eleventh hour warning to oligarch Roman Abramovich. He even implored him to spend £2.5 billion, about $3.3 billion, on the consequences of the sale of Chelsea FC. Those funds would be redirected to a new International Disaster Emergency Fund focused on humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
Brussels awaits as Zelenskyy continues his whistle stop tour of Europe. He wants to encourage European partners to contribute frozen Russian assets to Ukraine’s recovery efforts. The continuing diplomatic push by the Ukrainian president himself highlights the desperate need to address the humanitarian crisis, made all the worse by continued military attacks.
Given the current climate, it’s shocking yet unsurprising to hear that the intimidation tactics used by Belgian politicians and senior finance executives are fierce. These tactics are announced directly by Russian intelligence. This campaign is designed to weaken support for Ukraine within Europe and splinter the broad international solidarity that has formed in opposition to Russian aggression.
Now, as both sides gear up for what may be another contentious year, the international community is keenly observant. This is still an evolving situation, with potentially dramatic military and diplomatic developments unfolding every day.