Victory Chronicles-DAY 1052

A warehouse storing reconnaissance drones in Russia’s Rostov region suffered an aerial attack in a joint operation conducted by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Navy overnight on Jan. 10. 

SBU drones and a Neptune subsonic missile were utilized in the successful airborne attack. The purpose was to hit an ammunition and reconnaissance drone storage facility near the village of Chaltyr in the Rostov region. The SBU drones overwhelmed Russian air defenses, allowing the Neptune missile to strike the facility, according to a source in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Witness accounts on Russian social media suggest multiple explosions near Chaltyr, indicating a secondary detonation of ammunition. The source stated that the operation successfully targeted a strategic warehouse that housed drones used to direct enemy strikes on Ukrainian cities and the front line.

Ukraine receives first installment of 3 billion euro from EU as part of joint loan. This loan is backed by frozen sovereign Russian assets. The disbursement of funds is the EU’s contribution to the G7 loan, which totals around 18 billion euros. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the disbursement on X (formerly Twitter), stating that it will provide Ukraine with the financial capacity to continue its fight for freedom and stand firm. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed gratitude for the EU assistance, which is being provided as part of the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative. The funds are intended to support Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, ensuring macroeconomic stability, and restoring critical infrastructure.

Ukraine National Security Council: Drones target Russian defense industry facilities disguised as civilian plants. The attacks targeted facilities in the Rostov and Leningrad regions of Russia, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council. He stated that Russia is trying to hide its true production by disguising the defense plants as civilian ones, but Ukraine is aware of their true nature. Media reports indicate that there are fires in Russian factories following the drone attacks. Specifically, an “acetone plant” in the Gatchina, Leningrad region is burning, and a fire has broken out at the PlastFactor plant in the Rostov region.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry releases video of Russian armored assault on Ukrainian forces in Toretsk sector. The video shows attack drones from the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade targeting the approaching enemy and the Azov tank battalion joining in the destruction of the occupiers in destroyed buildings. Despite the enemy’s continuous attempts to advance along the Toretsk axis in Donetsk region, the Azov servicemen are working hard to hold them back and destroy as many targets as possible.

Russian elites and high-ranking security officials are reportedly frustrated with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin’s efforts to wage a full-scale war in Ukraine with half measures and are increasingly concerned with Putin’s timeline to end the war.

Sources in the Russian presidential administration, State Duma, and wider Russian federal government and regional governments told Russian opposition media outlet Meduza that Russian elites are increasingly “disappointed” and “tired” of waiting for the war to end and are growing increasingly concerned about the long-term impact of Western sanctions on Russia’s economy.

Two sources close to the presidential administration noted that the Russian government currently lacks a clear vision for post-war Russia and that an end to the war could be “critical” for the presidential administration if the administration cannot identify a clear narrative and political framework for Russian society after the war. A source in the Russian presidential administration told Meduza that Russian elites, primarily high-ranking security officials, are increasingly frustrated with not having “enough” manpower and materiel to conduct the war and assess that Putin needs to conduct “mobilization” and completely transition Russian society and the Russian economy to a wartime footing.

Sr. Lt. Eldar Yusifov, codenamed Argon, was killed on March 10, 2024 near the village of Kopiiki in Sumy region. While performing his duties, he was fatally wounded in an enemy air strike. The officer was 37 years old. 

Yusifov was a native of Kharkiv. He graduated from the National Technical University ‘Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute. He became the founder of UKRKRIOGEN LLC, which was engaged in the transportation of cryogenic materials. In his spare time, he repaired cars and had a talent for it, loved reading books about military equipment and weapons, and training future soldiers.

During the full-scale war, the officer joined the Armed Forces and went to defend his country. He served in the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Lieutenant General Marko Bezruchko. He held the position of tank company commander. He received the For Defense of Ukraine award.

“Eldar was a great man. He was kind and compassionate. He always smiled and was never upset. He was a positive person. We all met at the beginning of the war together in Kharkiv in Northern Saltovka. It was scary, but he was not afraid, he went to evacuate his friends and acquaintances. He did not refuse to help anyone. A few days later, he stood up to defend his homeland. This is a heavy and terrible loss for us…” said Yulia, the wife of the deceased’s brother.

The officer was buried on the Alley of Glory in Kharkiv. Yusifov is survived by his parents, wife and brother and their families.

*Eldar’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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