Russia suffers heavy losses in the Ukraine war. Ukrainian soldiers repel enemy attacks in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The news ticker.
- Putin’s strategy: Is the Russian President planning a new major offensive?
- Battle for Bachmut: Kyiv reports “heavy casualties” on the part of Russia in the region.
- Editor’s note: Read the latest developments from the Ukraine conflict in our news ticker. The information processed here Ukraine war come partly from the warring parties Russia and the Ukraine. They can therefore not be independently checked in part.
Update from Tuesday, January 17, 6:30 a.m.: The Defense Forces of Ukraine on Monday (January 16) repelled enemy attacks in areas with more than 20 settlements in Donetsk and Luhansk. “The enemy does not give up on its intentions to completely seize the Donetsk region and is conducting offensive operations in the direction of Bakhmut and Avdeevsky,” reports the news portal Ukrainska Pravda with reference to the Ukrainian General Staff.
Meanwhile, in the Russian city of Belgorod and in the Belgorod district, there were reports of renewed explosions early on January 17. This was reported by regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov by telegram. The air defense had been activated. Information on damage or casualties has not yet been reported.
Russia’s losses in the Ukraine war: suspected Wagner deserter flees to Norway
+++ 7.20 p.m.: Ukrainian forces shelled eight makeshift Russian bases, a checkpoint and a fuel and ammunition depot on Monday (January 16), the Ukrainian General Staff said on Facebook.
+++ 6.45 p.m.: A suspected deserter from the Russian mercenary group Wagner has fled across the border to Norway and is seeking asylum there. As his lawyer announced on Monday (January 16), 26-year-old Andrei Medvedev fled across the border in northern Norway at the end of last week. A police spokesman confirmed that a man had been arrested on Friday night (January 13) for illegally crossing the border and had applied for asylum.
Medvedev’s lawyer Brynyulf Risnes told the news agency AFPAfter crossing the border, the young man turned to local residents and asked them to call the police. He is now in a “safe place” while his case is being reviewed. In his own words, Medvedev wanted to “speak to people investigating war crimes about his experiences with the Wagner group.” The 26-year-old stated that he had led a unit of five to ten soldiers in the mercenary force.
Heavy losses for Russia: Ukraine holds position in Soledar
+++ 5:04 p.m.: After reports that Russia had taken the town of Soledar near Bakhmut, it is now said that the fighting is continuing. Thus, the spokesman for the Eastern group of Ukrainian Armed Forces said on TV that “Ukrainian units are holding positions in the city and on the outskirts.” This is reported by the news portal Ukrainska Pravda. The British Ministry of Defense also wrote on Twiter that the army of Ukraine was “almost certainly” able to hold its position in Soledar over the weekend. Earlier, both Russia and a Ukrainian commander had reported that the city had been captured.
The British Ministry of Defense also reports that Russia suffered losses in the battle for the city of Kreminna. This is also near Bachmut at the front. According to the ministry, Ukraine’s units are gradually advancing on the eastern outskirts of the city.
High losses for Russia in the Ukraine war – is Putin planning a new major offensive?
+++ 3.12 p.m.: Russia’s high losses and failures in the Ukraine war could lead to a change in Putin’s strategy. This writes that Institute for the Study of War from the USA in a recent analysis of the conflict. According to the think tank, Russia has failed to meet most of its wartime goals. So neither the regions of Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk could be taken, nor the areas of Kharkiv and Cherson held. In addition, it was not possible to demoralize the population by destroying civil infrastructure or to achieve any other strategic effects.
From these observations, combined with Putin’s behavior, the institute concludes that Russia may soon change its strategy in the war. The Russian President had already signaled in December that he wanted to improve Russia’s combat capability. A possible consequence could be another major offensive against Ukraine and in particular the Luhansk region.
+++ 12.21 p.m.: According to Ukraine, Russia continues to suffer heavy casualties on the war front. The military leadership in Kyiv spoke on Monday (January 16) of “heavy personnel losses on the Russian side” in the region around the embattled city of Bakhmut. In addition, Ukrainian air force units, missile and artillery troops are said to have attacked 18 Russian positions in one day, including a command post and two air defense installations.
Russia’s losses in the Ukraine war: Kyiv reports current figures
Update from Monday, January 16, 10:40 a.m.: In its January 16 situation report, the Ukrainian General Staff reports Russia’s losses in the war to date. The number of Russian soldiers who have been killed since the beginning of the war is 116,080. In addition, the troops of Ukraine are said to have destroyed twelve tanks within one day. All figures at a glance:
- Soldiers: 116,080 (+790)
- Tank: 3118 (+12)
- Armored Fighting Vehicles: 6204 (+5)
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 4870 (+24)
- Artillery Systems: 2099 (+5)
- Multiple Missiles: 438 (+1)
- Air defense systems: 220 (+1)
- planes: 286 (+0)
- Helicopter: 276 (+0)
- drones: 1872 (+0)
- boats: 17 (+0)
- (Source: Report of the Ukrainian General Staff of January 156)
Losses for Russia: Soldiers blow themselves up with their own ammunition
First report from Monday, January 16, 8:40 a.m.: Korocha – More than ten months after the invasion began, Russia is still struggling to gain a decisive advantage in the fighting in Ukraine. Above all, the increasing losses are making life increasingly difficult for the Russian armed forces. The inadequate training of the mobilized recruits also plays an important role here.
Now three Russian soldiers have been killed and 16 others injured as a result of a heavy explosion in a barracks in the western Russian region of Belgorod. Eight other men have been missing since the incident, which took place on Saturday (January 14) in the region bordering Ukraine, the Russian state news agency said interfax on Sunday, citing emergency services.
Heavy losses for Russia: Explosion at Russian base
According to the information, a non-commissioned officer accidentally detonated a hand grenade, after which a fire broke out in the building. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital. “Preliminary cause of the explosion is negligent handling of ammunition,” a representative of the rescue service told the news agency mug.
The internet portal Baza In turn, the man reported that the man handled the grenade in a cultural center that had been converted into a military headquarters near the city of Korocha in order to gain authority before military personnel under his command. The dead and injured are said to be mobilized recruits.
Other portals also wrote that the fire also caught a weapons store and caused the ammunition to explode there. The various statements could not initially be verified independently. (cs/dpa)
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