Victory Chronicles-DAY 1433

Russian forces likely used Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones controlled via Starlink satellite internet during a strike near the city of Kropyvnytskyi (formerly Kirovohrad) in central Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian military technology expert. 

Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, an adviser on technology to Ukraine’s defense leadership, said the drones were used to target helicopters on Jan. 25 and appeared to be manually guided using a live video feed rather than a nearby radio relay network.

Beskrestnov said analysis of imagery showed automatic target acquisition combined with manual control, while no other drones were present to form a mesh communications network. Based on that, he concluded the Shahed drones had been operated through Starlink. He added that the drones flew close to the ground, likely to avoid radar detection.

The expert said he had previously warned such tactics were possible and stressed that Ukraine would need to adapt quickly, describing the development as a new technical challenge rather than a surprise.

France provides Ukraine long-range drones capable of striking targets in Russia. France has supplied Ukraine with several long-range drones that are capable of flying up to 500 kilometers (about 310 miles), giving Kyiv extended reach for reconnaissance and strike missions, French media reported on Jan. 25. 

The drones, known as Rodeur 330, were produced by EOS Technologie and were delivered to Ukraine in limited numbers, according to France24 television. Their distance could target sites and facilities inside Russia as well.

The company said the Rodeur 330 could remain airborne for up to five hours, reach speeds of about 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) and operate at altitudes of up to 5,000 meters (about 16,400 feet). The system can be used for surveillance missions or configured as a loitering munition, often described as a one-way attack drone.

Russian strike damages Kyiv Caves Monastery for first time since WWII. Buildings at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were damaged during a large Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight on Jan. 23-24, marking the first time the historical complex suffered direct wartime damage since World War II. 

Maksym Ostapenko, director general of the national reserve, said the strike damaged structures at the entrance to the Far Caves and the Church of the Conception of St. Anne.

Blast waves shattered windows and doors and damaged plasterwork in several areas, Ostapenko said, though the caves themselves were not affected. He said the Lavra had previously sustained only indirect damage, such as shrapnel or debris from intercepted weapons, but had never been hit by an aerial explosion.

The monastery, founded nearly 1,000 years ago, remains one of Ukraine’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks that tourists visit when they stay in Kyiv.

Ukrainian special forces clear central Kupiansk in close-quarters operation. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces carried out a successful combat mission in the central part of Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region, disrupting Russian positions in order to liberate the area from Russian occupation, the military said. 

During reconnaissance in the city center, special forces identified a group of Russian troops who were holding positions inside a destroyed supermarket and a nearby building.

Ukrainian operators conducted direct action raids, and killed two Russian servicemen while  taking two prisoners. The operation helped neighboring Ukrainian units regain control of central Kupiansk, a strategically important city in northeastern Ukraine that has seen repeated fighting.

Key Takeaways

1. Kremlin officials continue to reiterate Russia’s commitment to its original war aims and reject Western security guarantees for Ukraine, amid continued reporting that negotiations will resume in the coming days.
2. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a statement suggesting that the Kremlin is using its participation in ongoing negotiations with the United States to stave off a significant increase in US pressure against Russia that could impede its war effort.
3. Russia continues to intensify recruitment efforts for the Russian Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) that may also staff the conventional Russian ground forces.
4. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appointed Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov as a Ministry of Defense (MoD) advisor on defense technology on Jan. 25.
5. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in western Zaporizhia Oblast. Russian forces recently advanced near Borova, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and near Novopavlivka.

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• Russian forces drop bagged explosives from drones to mine border areas of Ukraine
• Media report: France detains captain of Russian tanker seized day earlier
• Ukrainian forces strike oil refinery in Russia’s Slavyansk-on-Kuban