Victory Chronicles-DAY 1415

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv has finalized a draft bilateral framework on long-term security guarantees with the U.S., paving the way for high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Speaking on Jan. 8, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov briefed him on recent negotiations that cover post-war security guarantees and economic recovery. Zelenskyy said talks addressed difficult elements of a broader framework that seek to end Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war against Ukraine, with Kyiv presenting options to move toward completion. 

Ukraine’s second war-time president emphasized the importance of keeping U.S. and European efforts aligned as diplomacy intensifies. Zelenskyy noted that Washington plans separate contacts with the Kremlin, but said continued Russian aerial strikes indicate no change in Moscow’s military priorities. Any future security guarantees, he stressed, must be reinforced now through increased pressure on Russia alongside diplomatic engagement.

Russian strike on Odesa kills two civilians, disrupts maritime hubs. A Russian missile and drone attack on Jan. 7 struck port facilities in Ukraine’s southern Black Sea port region of Odesa, killing two civilians and injuring eight others, regional authorities said. 

The strike hit the ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, both of which are critical to Ukraine’s Black Sea trade and agricultural exports. The victims are two men, ages 48 and 46, Kiper says. Eight others are injured, ranging in age from 29 to 70. Two are in serious condition, while six are hospitalized with moderate injuries. All are receiving medical care.

Emergency and utility crews continue working at the sites to assess damage and secure the area. Earlier reports said one person had been killed.

Russian attack damages commercial site in Zaporizhzhia. Russian forces struck the southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Jan. 7, damaging a commercial facility but causing no reported injuries, regional officials say. The regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said the attack hit a market, underscoring the continued threat to civilian areas far from the front lines.

Emergency services inspected the damage and secured the area as debris littered the site. Initial assessments suggest there were no casualties, Fedorov said, though the extent of structural damage is still being evaluated.

Zaporizhzhia, a major industrial city in southeastern Ukraine, and has come under repeated Russian attacks throughout the war. Ukrainian officials say such strikes frequently target civilian infrastructure.

Ukrainian drone unit repels Russian assault near Kupiansk, destroys armored vehicles. Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian assault near the Kharkiv regional town of Kupiansk in northeastern part of the country, destroying an infantry fighting vehicle and a tank, military officials say. The 429th Unmanned Systems Regiment, known as Achilles, said its drone crews thwarted the attack on Jan. 8 along that axis, a section of the front line upon which Russian troops have pressed for weeks.

According to the unit, Russian forces attempted a mechanized push, but Ukrainian drone operators detected the movement early and struck with precision, eliminating a BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle and a tank before they could break through defensive positions.

Key Takeaways

1. The U.S. Coast Guard seized two oil tankers with links to Russia for attempting to bypass US sanctions against Venezuelan oil.
2. U.S., Ukrainian, and Coalition of the Willing officials continued talks in Paris on Jan. 7, and details of the potential security guarantees for Ukraine are beginning to emerge.
3. Russian forces are likely unable to simultaneously replace losses suffered in Ukraine and build out their strategic reserves.
4. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kharkiv and Pokrovsk directions. Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and in the Hulyaipole direction.

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• UK would send ‘fewer than 7,500’ troops to Ukraine
• Lithuania considering sending its troops to Ukraine
• White House says Trump is not afraid of worsening relations with Putin over tanker seizures
• Germany sees need to maintain Ukraine’s defense after potential peace agreement
• White House says сrew of seized tanker could face US prosecution 
• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry urges citizens to leave Iran amid escalating situation
• Spain indicates possible troop deployment to Ukraine for first time