Drone attack on ammunition factory in Russia – DW – 01/16/2025

The Kremlin said it was ready to supply gas to Transnistria this month after Russia’s cuts plunged the breakaway region of Moldova into an energy crisis.

But it gave no details of how, whether or when it would be ready to resume supplies to the pro-Moscow region, which has been without heat and hot water for more than two weeks.

“Moscow is ready to provide help to Transnistria,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, without giving specific details.

“But purely logically, actions must be taken from the Moldovan side to ensure gas supplies. So far, we have not heard any statements about their readiness,” he said.

Russia cut off gas supplies to Transnistria on January 1 over a debt dispute with the Moldovan government.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a “historic” 100-year partnership deal with Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Kiev.

This treaty covers the areas of security, science, energy and trade. It aims to strengthen military cooperation to enhance security in the Baltic, Black and Azov Seas and to deter Russian aggression.

“Together we signed a historic agreement, the first of its kind, a new partnership between the UK and Ukraine, which reflects the enormous affection that exists between our two countries,” Starmer told reporters.

“Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever,” Zelensky told media after the signing.

Read more: Ukraine: UK starmer signs ‘100-year’ treaty

Russia denied Warsaw’s accusations a day after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed Moscow was planning acts of “air terrorism” against global airlines.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “This is nothing more than another completely baseless accusation against Russia.”

During a visit to Warsaw by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a day earlier, Tusk had said that “Russia had planned acts of air terrorism, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world.”

Polish–Russian relations are historically tense and, since the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2022, Poland has become an important ally for Kiev.

Ukrainians who lost a close relative in the war can now submit claims for compensation to the international register.

Ukraine’s Register of Losses said it was a way to recognize the extent of human suffering in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and for families to “seek justice and recognition for their profound losses.”

Claimants must provide information about the person killed and the circumstances of their death. The register says they do not need to provide proof of direct financial losses, such as loss of financial aid, and can submit their claims digitally.

Previously, Ukrainians could only file claims for property damage caused by Russian attacks, such as the destruction of homes.

A major Russian ammunition factory in the Tambov region has been attacked, a Ukrainian official said. They did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility or specify the consequences of the attack.

“The enterprise is one of the main suppliers of explosive materials to the army of the Russian Federation,” Andrey Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, wrote on Telegram.

The attack on the ammo factory was reported by the Russian Telegram channel Shot, but there was no further information about the damage caused to the factory.

Separately, the Ukrainian military said it attacked the Liskinskaya oil depot in Russia’s Voronezh region overnight.

“According to available information, at least three attack drones attacked the target. A massive fire broke out at the facility,” a military statement on the Telegram app said.

Russian officials previously said the fire at the facility was caused by debris from a fallen Ukrainian drone.

dh/rc (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)