**Drones Attack Russia’s Largest Commercial Seaport**
Russia’s largest commercial seaport, Ust-Luga, was attacked by drones overnight on January 4. The port is located in Leningrad Oblast, over 1,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
The attack was reportedly carried out by Ukraine, which has been targeting Russian facilities that fuel its war efforts since the start of the full-scale invasion. Most of the drones were shot down over the terminal of Novotrans, a Russian transportation and logistics company.
According to Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko, four drones were downed in Leningrad Oblast using electronic warfare and firearms. The attack damaged windows in one building on the port’s territory, but there were no casualties.
This is not the first time Ukraine has targeted Russia’s key facilities. On January 24, 2024, a gas-condensate plant caught fire at the port of Ust-Luga following a possible coordinated effort by Ukraine to strike deep inside Russian territory.
**Russia Strikes Back**
Russian forces have been launching drone attacks on Ukraine, with one person killed and four others injured in an attack on Kyiv Oblast early on January 3. The attack was part of a larger assault that saw 81 drones launched from Russian cities.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces suffered 1,510 casualties over the past day. The attacks come as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate.
**International Reaction**
The international community is calling on Russia to end its war efforts in Ukraine. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said, “Russia is revealing the inevitable outcome for all its allies — betrayal and isolation.”
Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Financial Times that China had engaged with Russia, saying, “Don’t go there.” The comment suggests that China may be trying to distance itself from Russia’s actions.
**Ukraine Exports Record Amounts**
Despite the conflict, Ukraine has continued to export large quantities of agricultural products. In 2024, Ukraine exported 78.3 million tons of products, including grains and sunflower seeds critical to markets across Africa and Asia.
The country’s Navy Commander said that 4,651 vessels arrived in Ukraine, while 4,410 departed for other ports, enabling the export of over 74.4 million tons of cargo.
**Protests Against Pro-Russian Policies**
In Slovakia, approximately 4,000 people assembled on January 3 to protest Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico‘s pro-Russian policies. The protest follows a series of demonstrations by Polish farmers against Ukrainian agricultural imports.
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