Situation at a glance Before the new Trump era: Violent attacks in the Ukraine war






Donald Trump wants to quickly end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Shortly before his swearing in, both sides are trying to improve their starting position. Rockets rain down on Kyiv.

Shortly before the inauguration of the future US President Donald Trump, several people were killed in Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital Kiev and the large city of Kryvyi Rih. According to Ukrainian information, at least four people died in both cities as a result of the shelling. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone attacks were reported from Russia, which are said to have set two fuel depots on fire. According to military experts, both Russia and Ukraine are trying to use mutual attacks to improve their starting position for possible peace negotiations after Trump takes office.

Unlike previous attacks on Kiev, this time there was no advance warning: the air alarm was only triggered after several explosions. According to Ukrainian information, ballistic missiles were used in the attack on the metropolis of three million people. The Lukyanivska subway station, located near the city center, had to be closed due to damage caused by the attack – it is located directly next to an arms factory that has been the target of Russian missile attacks on several occasions.

Images on social media showed damaged cars and flooding due to a burst water pipe right at the subway station. In some neighborhoods, the water supply failed, at least for a short time. Rocket debris fell in several parts of the city.

Yesterday, in the attack on the industrial town of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipropetrovsk region, in addition to the four dead, 14 were injured, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening video message. “These attacks and losses could have been prevented if we had the air defense systems that we have long been discussing with our partners – systems that already exist in the world,” Zelensky said.

Kryvyi Rih is the birthplace of Zelensky. Since the Russian war of aggression began almost three years ago, the invaders have repeatedly shelled the city in the south of the country.

Ukrainians fear a change in course under Trump

Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s war of aggression since February 2022 and is dependent on Western military aid. There is great fear in Kiev that Trump could drastically reduce US military aid after his swearing in on Monday, thus causing a defeat for Ukraine. The Republican claimed several times during the election campaign that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. After his election victory, he was more reserved, saying he hoped to have six months to end the war.

Under the outgoing administration of Joe Biden, the United States is Ukraine’s main supporter and largest arms supplier. Trump’s assumption of office could change that – his approach so far seemed to be aimed at putting massive pressure on the conflicting parties in order to force negotiations and a quick peace.

Russia: Ukrainian attacks set fuel depots on fire

Russia and Ukraine repeatedly attack each other with air attacks. In addition to military facilities, Kiev is also increasingly targeting fuel storage facilities in order to weaken the Russian military’s logistics and supplies.

According to Russian sources, two fuel depots caught fire in the Russian regions of Tula and Kaluga on Saturday night due to Ukrainian drone attacks. A company’s oil tank was hit in Tula, Governor Dmitry Milyaev said on Telegram. There were no injuries. The extinguishing work was underway. A total of five drones were destroyed. The information could not be independently verified.

Just a few hours earlier, Russia had reported that a fuel depot in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow had caught fire in a Ukrainian drone attack. The region’s governor said it hit an industrial plant in the town of Lyudinovo. According to current knowledge, there are no deaths or injuries. Lyudinovo is about 350 kilometers from Moscow.

Gas dispute: Zelensky praises Slovak opposition

Against the backdrop of the gas dispute with the Slovakian government, Zelensky praised the opposition in the neighboring country to the west. Zelenskyj reported in his video message that he met with opposition leader Michal Simecka and was happy that he agreed with him on energy security issues.

There had recently been an open dispute between Zelensky and the Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico over Russian gas deliveries, which continued to flow to Europe via the Ukrainian pipeline system until the end of the year despite Moscow’s war of aggression. But Kiev did not extend the expiring contract – and incurred Fico’s displeasure with the step that had been announced long beforehand. The Prime Minister, whom critics describe as a left-wing populist friend of Russia, sharply criticized the end of the transit and in return threatened to stop electricity deliveries to Ukraine.

Scholz hopes the war will end this year

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) hopes that the war in Ukraine can be ended this year. All possibilities must now be explored “how the killing will stop and peace becomes possible,” he said at an SPD election campaign event in Wolfsburg. “I hope that this will happen this year, we’ll see if that’s possible.” But a peace solution should not be decided over the heads of the Ukrainians and Europeans, he emphasized – obviously also with a view to Trump’s upcoming swearing-in as US President.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil became clearer in his speech. He has an important message for the new US government: “We won’t stand by if you make a bad deal with (Kremlin chief) Vladimir Putin. There can be no decision over the heads of the Ukrainians. This is social democratic politics .”

Scholz confirmed that he also wanted to make the federal election a vote on the financing of further aid to Ukraine worth billions. “There are some people trying to lead the people behind the scenes,” he said. They didn’t explain where the money would come from. “This, please, must be said before the election, and the citizens can vote on it.”

Scholz only wants to agree to new arms deliveries worth three billion euros if they are financed by suspending the debt brake. The Union, FDP and Greens are in favor of “unplanned spending”.

  • Donald Trump

  • Ukraine

  • Kyiv

  • Russia

  • Volodymyr Zelensky

  • Moscow

  • Inauguration

  • US President

  • Missile attack

  • Tula

  • Kaluga

  • drone

  • Olaf Scholz

  • car

  • flooding

  • Dniepropetrovsk

  • Fuel storage

  • Drone attack