Russian Forces Advance 430 km² in Ukraine During January

Ukraine intensifies drone strikes on Russian energy sites as Moscow pushes closer to strategic city of Pokrovsk.

Russian troops gained 430 km² of territory in January, with over 80% of the advances concentrated in the Donetsk region near Pokrovsk.
Moscow's forces are now just 2 kilometers from Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub, as they approach from the south and east.
Ukrainian forces carried out drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, targeting a Volgograd oil refinery and an Astrakhan gas plant.
The United Nations reported a rise in alleged executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian forces, citing 79 cases since August 2024.
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in securing Ukraine's rare earth resources as part of ongoing discussions over continued American military aid.