**Russia-Ukraine Conflict Escalates**
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is escalating, with both sides taking military action. On January 14, outgoing US President Joe Biden’s team delivered a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop plans to smuggle incendiary devices onto US-bound cargo planes.
**Oil Tankers Paused Operations**
Sixty-five oil tankers paused operations worldwide after the recent US-UK sanctions against Russia’s oil industry and shadow fleet. This is according to Reuters, which cited maritime tracking data on January 13.
**NATO Secretary General Speaks Out**
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has spoken out about the need for increased military spending targets. He said that if these targets are not met, countries should “get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand.” This is in response to Russia’s actions and the need for NATO countries to strengthen their defense capabilities.
**Russia Attacked Ukraine**
On January 14, Russia attacked Ukraine with 80 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Ukrainian air defenses shot down 58 drones over 11 oblasts, while 21 dummy drones were lost in the airspace. The attack hit a liquified gas storage area, setting gas tanks on fire.
**Germany Delivers Military Aid**
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv to discuss further military aid for Ukraine. Germany has also delivered the first batch of promised RCH 155 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
**EU Allocates Humanitarian Assistance**
The European Union is allocating an additional €140 million ($143 million) in humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. This is on top of previous EU aid to support Ukrainian civilians affected by the conflict.
**Poland Closes Consulate Building**
Poland has closed its consulate building in St. Petersburg, following a similar move by Poland last year. The decision was made after accusing Moscow of sabotage plots.
**NATO Vessels to Guard Infrastructure**
A fleet of up to 10 NATO vessels will guard infrastructure under the Baltic Sea until April. This is in response to suspected sabotage and to protect undersea cable infrastructure.
**Reports of Sabotage and Hacking**
There have been reports of sabotage and hacking, including a claim by a hacker group that they had obtained data from Russia’s official cadastre and cartography agency.
**Ukrainian Ambassador Speaks Out**
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, has spoken out about the conflict. She said that a draft resolution was submitted by a bipartisan group of legislators in support of Ukraine.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com