Russia condemns new US sanctions on energy sector

Russia has condemned the latest U.S. sanctions targeting its energy sector, calling them a deliberate attempt to harm its economy while endangering global market stability. On Jan. 11, the Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the measures, announced the day before, as "hostile" and pledged to adjust its foreign policy strategy accordingly. The ministry accused Washington of trying to inflict economic damage at the expense of international market stability, describing the sanctions as a desperate act during the final days of President Joe Biden's administration. Despite this, Russia reiterated its commitment to advancing major oil and gas projects.

The sanctions, the most extensive yet, aim to reduce Russia's oil and gas revenues, which are critical to funding its war effort in Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury targeted two major oil producers, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, along with 183 vessels involved in transporting Russian oil, including those from a shadow fleet of aging tankers used to evade restrictions. These companies reportedly produce over 1 million barrels of oil daily, generating $23 billion annually. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the sanctions, emphasizing their potential to weaken Russia's revenue streams and hasten peace in Ukraine.

Over 130 people were evacuated from Donetsk Oblast  on January 11

Over the past day, 132 people, including 12 children, were evacuated from the front-line areas of Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin announced on the morning of Jan. 12. In response to fierce Russian offensives and daily attacks, authorities have intensified evacuation efforts since the summer, with the support of police, military personnel, and volunteers. Despite these efforts, as of early January, approximately 307,000 civilians remain in Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donetsk Oblast.

Filashkin reported that Russian troops conducted 20 attacks on settlements in the region over the past day, killing one person in the village of Hryshyne near Pokrovsk. Seven individuals were injured in separate attacks on the villages of Bilytske and Kostiantynivka. Additionally, over 60 houses were damaged on Jan. 11. According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russian forces continue to advance on the Lyman, Siversk, Kramatorsk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove axes, with Pokrovsk and Kurakhove remaining critical points of the Russian eastern offensive, now entering its fifth month.

Russians approach Dnipropetrovsk Oblast by bypassing Pokrovsk from south

The Russian army has shifted its strategy around Pokrovsk, opting to bypass a direct assault on the city by advancing southward and westward, aiming toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. This maneuver was confirmed by military sources on the Pokrovsk front, including Serhii Filimonov, commander of the 108th Da Vinci Wolves Separate Mechanised Battalion.

Currently, Russian forces are progressing toward Kotlyne and Udachne, settlements along the Mezhova-Pokrovsk road. According to the Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState, the Russians are less than 2 kilometers away from these locations, but some sources report they are within a kilometer. This advance has effectively blocked the Mezhova-Pokrovsk road, a vital supply route connecting Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to Pokrovsk and critical to Ukraine's defense logistics. The Russian forces are now approximately 7 kilometers from the administrative boundary of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Filimonov remarked that the Russians’ strategy is to disrupt logistics and capture Pokrovsk without direct confrontation. However, another source from Ukrainska Pravda suggested that Pokrovsk itself may not be the primary target. Instead, the ultimate objective appears to be penetrating Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and pushing the offensive further into Ukrainian territory.