Three months before Russia's planned presidential election, preparations are underway for Vladimir Putin's renewed candidacy. A so-called voters' initiative, consisting of selected politicians, sports figures, and artists loyal to the Kremlin, unanimously nominated Putin as a candidate for the March 2024 vote. The next step is to collect signatures from citizens, but this is considered a mere formality in Russia in view of accusations of manipulation and the near elimination of the opposition.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its sixth wave of airstrikes on Kiev in a month, with several explosions reported during the night. The troops on the front line also struggle with the cold, as ice falls from the sky instead of snow.
Russia is reinforcing its troops in the Kharkiv region in order to capture Kupiansk. The army is moving reserves of assault battalions into the area to replace heavy losses sustained recently. This move comes after Moscow concentrated a large force on the Kupiansk-Lyman axis in north-eastern Ukraine, resulting in heavy fighting to this day.
The Mayor of London refuses to deliver cars recently handed in by citizens for scrapping to Kiev despite a request from the mayor there for pick-ups and four-wheel drive vehicles. The cars, which could still be of good service in Kiev, were requested for emergency rescue and transportation.
The EU is paving the way for accession talks with Ukraine. Russia sees this as the invaded country's way into NATO, leading to shock among Kremlin leadership.
Ukraine has reported downing 30 of 31 drones fired at it by Russian forces on Saturday night. The drones were shot down over eleven regions in the center, north, and south of the country.
Ukrainian forces are fighting on slippery ground around Avdiivka, where growing signs suggest an imminent new Russian offensive. Kiev residents were warned to use air raid shelters due to a possible drone barrage on the capital.
For the past two days, Russian troops have attacked the Kherson region in southern Ukraine 83 times, firing 483 shells. Four people were injured according to the head of the military administration of the Kherson region.
Ukrainian General Staff estimates that Russia has lost 930 fighters in the last 24 hours, with 14 tanks and 13 armored vehicles knocked out, among other losses.
Recent BBC research reveals that Russia uses Tiktok for its information war, with thousands of fake accounts spreading disinformation about the war. Tiktok has become a popular platform, especially among young Germans, for the dissemination of false videos aimed at undermining support for Western countries.
Journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is imprisoned in Russia and accused of espionage, was visited by the American ambassador on Friday. Gershkovich, who writes for the Wall Street Journal, denies the charges and has spent months in custody.
Russian airstrikes on Kiev were thwarted without causing any casualties or major damage. The night-time attack was successfully repelled with all energy targets destroyed by air defenses.
Lithuania is providing Ukraine with further military aid, including several million cartridges, thousands of shells for portable short-range anti-tank systems, and around a thousand folding beds.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry puts the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, on its wanted list, a symbolic move as Kirill is in Russia and does not face arrest there.
Alexei Gorinov, a former Moscow local politician who was sentenced to seven years in prison last year for criticizing the Russian offensive in Ukraine, has gone missing by his supporters. Orban, Hungary's Prime Minister, has already announced blackmail in response to the EU's move to pave the way for accession talks with Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military reports downing of 30 Russian drones on Saturday night. They were shot down over eleven regions in the center, north, and south of the country. Explosions shook the Ukrainian capital Kiev, resulting in an air defense warning and an order for residents to seek shelter. French President Macron warns Hungary's Prime Minister Orban against holding the EU hostage as the planned multi-million euro aid packet for Ukraine remains blocked by a Hungarian veto. Putin warns against "interference" in the upcoming presidential election in Russia, with any foreign interference in Russian internal affairs "severely suppressed."
