Ukraine Conflict Escalates as President Zelenskyy Visits Frontline City; Russia and Belarus Remain Silent

At a press conference following their talks on Monday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not mention the war in Ukraine.

President Lukashenko of Belarus sought to allay any worries that his country could be taken over by Russia, its more powerful neighbor. He noted the advantages of the close relationship between the two nations, such as energy and industry, and promised to strengthen the bond between them.

President Lukashenko stated, as reported by Belarusian state news agency BelTA, that Russia has always been willing to meet halfway on any issue, and that even in the most difficult of times, both countries are still finding ways to come to an agreement.

In other news, the city of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine is still a major area of contention in the ongoing conflict. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared it to be the most intense area of the dispute.

President Zelenskyy recently reported on Telegram that Bakhmut is still the most intense area of the front line, stretching over 1300 km. Since May, the occupiers have been attempting to take control of Bakhmut, but it has been to no avail. Bakhmut is not only proving to be a challenge for the Russian army, but also for the mercenaries that have been sent to replace the occupiers' lost army.

A member of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's press team has provided additional details regarding his visit to the frontline city of Bakhmut today.

Serhii Nikiforov reported on Facebook that Volodymyr Zelenskyy had taken a business trip to the Donetsk region, where he had the opportunity to meet with the Ukrainian military personnel who are protecting the city of Bakhmut.

President Zelenskyy took a trip to the frontline of one of the mechanized brigades, which is currently facing off against the enemy near the city. He was given an overview of the current situation and was presented with ideas for further action.

During his visit to the area of conflict, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the Ukrainian soldiers for their bravery, tenacity, and power in defending against enemy assaults. He also bestowed awards to the soldiers.

A post on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram account displayed pictures of his visit, accompanied by a comment.

The Bakhmut Fortress stands as a testament to the courage and strength of our people. They have proven that they will not be conquered by the enemy, and Ukraine is proud of them. I am proud of them too, for their bravery in repelling the enemy's attacks. Thank you for your resilience and determination.

For months, Bakhmut has been the focal point of conflict in Donetsk, located in eastern Ukraine.

President Zelenskyy declared in his address on Monday that Bakhmut is the most intense area of the entire battle line, spanning 1,300 kilometers of active combat. Since May, the invaders have been attempting to take control of Bakhmut, but the passage of time has seen the Russian army and their mercenaries, who were sent to replace the lost occupiers, suffer defeat.

On Tuesday, the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that he had traveled to the frontline city of Bakhmut.

The office reported that President Zelenskiy visited Bakhmut, which has experienced some of the most intense combat in eastern Ukraine in recent times. During his visit, he conferred with military personnel and presented awards to the soldiers.

Oleksey Kuleba, the head of the Kyiv region's military administration, reported on Tuesday that the electricity supply situation in the region is still dire, with as much as 80% of the area without power.

«Following the recent drone and rocket attacks, the process of restoring power is still ongoing. I would like to emphasize that with each attack from the enemy, the difficulty and length of the repair work increases,” he stated, as translated by Google.

Due to extensive damage to the energy system, 'Ukrenergo' has implemented emergency power outages. 80% of the area is without electricity, with the most severe conditions in the Buchanskyi, Vyshgorodskyi, Obukhivskyi, and partially Fastivskyi districts, which encompass more than 30 communities.

On Monday, Ukrenergo, a Ukrainian power company, announced that it had implemented emergency power outages for industrial and other types of customers in all areas of Ukraine.

According to Kuleba, essential infrastructure like hospitals, heating, and water supply systems were given priority when it came to providing electricity.

Early Monday morning, Kyiv was the target of a drone attack while many of its citizens were asleep. This attack caused damage to essential infrastructure in and around the city.

Britain's Ministry of Defense has suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent gathering with high-ranking military personnel was likely a staged event to show collective accountability for the special military mission.

On December 16th, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Joint Headquarters of the Special Military Operation, which is the name Russia has given to its invasion of Ukraine. During his visit, he was filmed meeting with a number of senior military officers, including Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

At the meeting, President Putin asked for ideas on how to move forward with the situation in Ukraine. General Sergey Surovikin, the Commander of the Russian Group of Forces in Ukraine, was one of the people who gave a presentation, according to the United Kingdom.

The ministry suggested in its latest intelligence update on Twitter that the display was likely intended to shift the blame away from Putin for military failure, high fatality rates, and rising public discontent with mobilization. Additionally, the televised footage was likely meant to counter any rumors of General Gerasimov's dismissal circulating on social media.

At a press conference following their talks on Monday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not mention the conflict in Ukraine.

President Lukashenko of Belarus sought to allay any worries that his country could be taken over by Russia, its more powerful neighbor. He pointed out that Belarus has gained from its close relationship with Russia in terms of energy and industry, and the two leaders promised to strengthen their bond.

President Lukashenko stated, as reported by Belarusian state news agency BelTA, that Russia has always been willing to meet them halfway on any issue, and that they are doing the same in the most difficult of times. He asked the question of why someone would be absorbing someone else.

In 2020, it was not Russia that attempted to divide us, but rather forces from the West. They sought to take away our independence and sovereignty, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Instead, Russia offered us assistance and support.

In 2020, Belarus experienced a wave of protests in response to an election that many believed was manipulated to keep President Lukashenko in power. The security services of Belarus responded with a strong hand to the demonstrations. Lukashenko accused the West of instigating the protests without any evidence. Russia declared that it was prepared to back Lukashenko's leadership if the protests became too intense.

In recent months, there has been a rise in joint military exercises and meetings between Belarus and Russia, leading to worries that Belarus may join the Ukraine war to help Moscow. On Monday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko declared that nothing could disrupt the bond between the two countries, but he did not address the possibility of Belarus aiding Russia in the Ukraine conflict.

President Lukashenko declared that the bond between them will only become stronger, not weaker. He also mentioned that today, with the help of the president and their colleagues, they have established a foundation for future growth.

Bakhmut, located in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, is a major area of contention in the ongoing conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has declared it to be the most intense area of the dispute.

President Zelenskyy recently reported on Telegram that Bakhmut is the most intense area of the entire front line, stretching over 1,300 km. Since May, the occupiers have been attempting to take control of Bakhmut, yet the passage of time has seen the Russian army and their mercenaries suffer losses in their efforts to do so.

I am immensely grateful to all of our brave warriors who are courageously defending the Bakhmut area, Soledar, Avdiyivka, Maryinka, Kremensky region, and the entirety of Donbas. Before Russia's interference, this region was one of the most powerful in Ukraine, yet Russia is attempting to tear it apart. However, their cruelty will not bring them any success.

The president asserted that Russia had suffered a death toll of nearly 100,000 in Ukraine, and declared that the casualties had been in vain.

President Zelenskyy expressed his dismay at the war being waged, noting that it was costing people their lives, but not those of the people in the Kremlin. He suggested that the conflict was being perpetuated because the small group in the Kremlin was unable to admit their mistakes and were scared of facing the truth.

The number of Russian casualties in Ukraine is disputed, with most sources claiming it is lower than Ukraine's reported figures. Russia has not released any information on fatalities in a while.

On Monday, energy ministers from the European Union reached a consensus on a "dynamic" limit on the cost of natural gas after two months of strenuous talks.

Imposing a cap on gas prices has been a contentious issue for European authorities. While some EU countries have asserted that the measure is necessary to reduce exorbitant energy expenses for customers, others have been concerned about the potential market repercussions of the policy.

Jozef Sikela, the industry minister of the Czech Republic, declared in a press conference that the mission had been accomplished and the deal was secured. The Czech Republic currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU.

Energy ministers were able to come to a consensus and create a market correction mechanism. This mechanism will be triggered if the front-month gas contracts exceed 180 euros ($191) per megawatt hour on the Dutch Title Transfer Facility for three consecutive working days, and the price is 35 euros higher than the reference price for liquid natural gas on global markets for the same period.

Starting on February 15th, a new "dynamic bidding limit" will be put in place for natural gas futures transactions for a period of 20 business days.

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, declared the situation in four regions of Ukraine to be "extremely difficult" and commanded the security services to increase their surveillance in order to protect the borders and fight against any potential threats.

On Security Services Day, a holiday widely celebrated in Russia, President Putin made a statement. This came as Ukraine requested more weapons in response to Russian drones attacking energy targets, and as worries increased that Belarus, an ally of Moscow, could launch an attack against Ukraine.

In response to the potential of new threats from abroad and internal traitors, Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Federal Security Services (FSB) to increase their surveillance of the nation and its borders.

In a rare acknowledgement of the struggles of the invasion of Ukraine, Putin expressed his concern about the difficult situation in the regions of Ukraine that Moscow had taken control of in September. He also instructed the FSB to guarantee the "safety" of the people living in those areas.

Vladimir Putin commented on Monday that the conditions in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, are extremely challenging, according to a Reuters translation.

According to U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, the relationship between the United States and Poland is having an impact on Russia's capacity to wage an unprovoked war in Ukraine.

On Monday, Adeyemo met with Anna Moskwa, the Polish minister of climate and environment, in Brussels. During the meeting, Adeyemo commended the joint efforts of the G-7 countries in their support of Ukraine and their sanctions against Russia, as well as the $60 price cap on Russian seaborne oil. A readout of the meeting was released.

The sanctions imposed have had a significant impact on Russia's tank production and financial situation, according to the officials. Adeyemo also praised Poland's dedication to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and noted both countries' commitment to offering additional assistance to Ukraine.

The head of intelligence in Moldova has cautioned of a "very high" possibility of a Russian attack towards the east of the country in the coming year. He also noted that Moscow is still aiming to gain a land route through Ukraine to the Moldovan region of Transdniestria that has declared independence.

Alexandru Musteata, the leader of the Information and Security Service, has recently expressed his opinion that echoes the warnings of Ukrainian army generals who have cautioned of the potential for a large-scale Russian offensive in the beginning of 2021.

Musteata expressed to the TVR-Moldova television channel that the issue is not if the Russian Federation will make a move towards Moldova's land, but when it will happen.

He indicated that his organization thought Russia was examining multiple possibilities to get to Moldova and that it was conceivable an attack would be initiated in the early months of the year or later in the spring.

On Monday afternoon, Russian state media reported that President Vladimir Putin had arrived in Minsk to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

President Putin's recent visit to Minsk has raised concerns that Russia may be pressuring Belarus to become more involved in the ongoing conflict. This is the first time Putin has been to the Belarusian capital since 2019.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, recently declared Belarus to be Russia's "number one ally" in a statement to Russian news agencies. He also denied any claims that Moscow was attempting to coerce Minsk into joining the conflict, calling them "stupid and unfounded fabrications."

The Kremlin dismissed any notion that President Vladimir Putin's trip to Belarus implies an increase in the country's involvement in the conflict.

The Kremlin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, dismissed reports as "groundless" and "stupid" according to Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, shortly before President Putin was set to arrive in Minsk.

On Monday afternoon, Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to Belarus in over three years. This visit comes shortly after the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced that it had completed a series of inspections to assess the readiness of its armed forces.

A drone attack conducted by Russia has caused a power outage in Kyiv, resulting in the Ruble taking a tumble.