Ukraine attacks Russia’s border region, but is running out of fuel

Ukraine bombs border region with Russia

The city of Belgorod in western Russia came under attack late Monday, said the governor of the region, which borders Ukraine.

Three people were injured and one killed by shrapnel, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that some apartment windows were blown out and cars and trucks damaged.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said ten rockets fired by Ukraine were shot down.

Russian State TV aired footage showing damaged houses with broken windows and cars hit by shelling.

Gladkov said the injured people have undergone surgery and are in stable condition.

“In the morning, we will conduct door-to-door inspections in those neighbourhoods that were damaged by shrapnel,” he said in a video statement.

Russian towns and villages have come under an increasing number of cross-border drone and rocket attacks since late December.

Cluster bombs not enough

The Kremlin once again accused Ukraine of using cluster munitions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian military |will continue to do everything to minimize this danger first.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia will increase it arms supplies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has convened a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff dedicated to securing the contact line and strengthening air defence.

UK Defence Intelligence review dated 9 January says that the most recent attack on Russian infrastructure in occupied Crimea’s Saky airfield and Sevastopol shows that Russia’s air defence is unable to keep important locations protected.

Nonetheless, Russia’s recent escalation of missile and drone attacks is stretching Ukraine’s air defence resources, a Ukrainian air force official said Tuesday, leaving the country vulnerable in the war unless it can secure further weapons supplies.

Germany calls for more European support for Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on European Union states to step up support for Ukraine.

Scholz made the comments in Berlin, following a meeting Monday with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden.

“As important as our German contribution is, it alone will not be enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security in the long term. I therefore call on our allies in the European Union to also step up their efforts in support of Ukraine,” Scholz said.

Scholz said the arms deliveries to Ukraine planned by most EU countries “are too small.”

“Europe must demonstrate that it stands closely by Ukraine’s side, by the side of freedom, international law and European values,” Scholz added.

Scholz also called for an improvement in humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, where the ongoing war has entered its fourth month.