Matthew Bryza, diplomat and former Director for Europe and Eurasia Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, stated this in an interview with Espreso."I think the problem is that President Trump positions the U.S. as a mediator without choosing either side, instead of clearly supporting Ukraine. The Biden administration declared its support for Ukraine, but as we've discussed many times, it responded very slowly to Ukraine's requests for various types of military assistance. They seemed to be afraid of Russia and didn't want to provoke it into using nuclear weapons, and as a result, they essentially restrained themselves," Matthew Bryza commented.In his opinion, Trump seems to understand that Putin has no intention of using nuclear weapons and is merely bluffing. However, since Trump is not decisively supporting Ukraine, a situation is emerging similar to that under Biden, where the U.S. president is not doing everything necessary for Ukraine to achieve victory."As a result, Ukraine is being pressured to revise its goals, which effectively means pressure aimed at territorial concessions. Therefore, there is a risk that President Trump's pressure will force Ukraine to give up too much territory, including fortress cities such as Kostiantynivka and others. Consequently, Ukraine will be left unprepared and unable to defend itself effectively in the future after this war, when Russia rearmed and likely attempts to attack again. At the same time, this risk is not immediate, and for now, I believe it's positive that the Trump administration is acting as a mediator and trying to bring Russia into the negotiation process, recognizing that it is weakening and not succeeding on the battlefield," the diplomat noted.Bryza pointed out that a positive signal is the growing likelihood of a ceasefire."At the same time, the main risk is that the Trump administration may put Ukraine in a situation where it will be forced to surrender these fortress cities and in the future will be less prepared for a possible new Russian attempt to seize Ukrainian territory. For your president, this is an extremely difficult choice—whether to agree to what the American mediator is proposing. On the other hand, President Zelenskyy has been very successful on the diplomatic front and has demonstrated impressive resilience in resisting pressure from the U.S., particularly during that terrible meeting in the Oval Office," Bryza concluded.On January 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of holding negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow, emphasizing that Ukraine is ready for any real format of meeting, and specifically invited the Kremlin leader to Kyiv.

Andrii Zakrevskyi, Deputy Director of the Association of Energy and Natural Resources of Ukraine, stated this on Espreso."If Putin strikes during peak frosts, nothing will happen to our energy system. That's the whole point, hence the ceasefire. This is all Goebbels-style propaganda - drawing attention to what has already happened. There will be frost on February 1-2, but the sun will shine very brightly. During the day we'll have electricity, and planned power outages will be applied rather than emergency blackout schedules. And then, like now, there will be two days of freezing when wires will fall again. It will be difficult for us, but not as bad as it was. That's why there's talk of a ceasefire - both Trump and Putin are racking up a heap of political points," Andrii Zakrevskyi commented.According to him, this ceasefire has a very short shelf life - until mid-February, after which the ceasefire won't interest anyone."That's why this card is being played - it flew from Putin's table toward Ukraine so that Trump would say: 'Well, he's not such a bad guy after all.' It's Putin who benefits from this ceasefire. To understand this, it's enough to analyze the sources where all this started," Zakrevskyi noted.On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that due to severe frosts in Ukraine, he personally asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin not to shell Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week, to which Putin allegedly agreed.

Zelenskyy said this in his evening video address."The American side spoke about refraining from strikes on energy infrastructure for a week, and the countdown began last night. It depends on our partners, of course – on the United States – how all this will go. Ukraine is ready to reciprocally refrain from strikes, and today we did not strike Russian energy facilities," Zelenskyy noted.He observed that since Thursday night there have indeed been almost no strikes on energy facilities."Except in the Donetsk region, where there was one strike on gas infrastructure, an aerial bomb strike. We also now see Russia reorienting toward strikes on logistics, on railway junction stations. In particular, one of the Ukrzaliznytsia railcars was hit, a special power generator railcar – this happened this morning in the Dnipropetrovsk region," Zelenskyy reported.At the same time, he noted that throughout the day there were the usual attacks with drones and aerial bombs."In the Kharkiv region there was a ballistic strike on warehouses of the American company Philip Morris. There was a significant fire. There were strikes on Nikopol, on Kherson, and border areas of the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions," the president informed.On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that due to severe frosts in Ukraine, he personally asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin not to shell Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week, to which Putin allegedly agreed.

Lukoil's press service reported the information."PJSC Lukoil announces that it has signed an agreement with American investment company Carlyle for the sale of LUKOIL International GmbH (a 100% subsidiary of PJSC LUKOIL that owns the Group's international assets)," the statement reads.At the same time, the Russian company's assets in Kazakhstan will remain in its ownership and "will continue their operations under the relevant license.""The signed agreement is not exclusive for the company and is subject to certain preconditions, such as obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals, including approval from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department for the deal with Carlyle," Lukoil emphasized.On October 22, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Russia's two largest oil companies — Rosneft and Lukoil — due to Moscow's refusal to end the war in Ukraine.Russian oil company Lukoil announced on October 27 that it intends to sell its foreign assets due to "restrictive measures by certain states."The United States renewed a license that allows negotiations and preparation of deals regarding the sale of international assets of the sanctioned Russian oil company Lukoil until February 28, 2026.

Moscow is well aware that completely paralyzing the Ukrainian economy is impossible, since a significant portion of electricity is produced by nuclear power plants.Up to 60% of Ukraine's electrical generation is provided by nuclear, atomic power plants. Russia understands perfectly well that there is currently no possibility of completely paralyzing the Ukrainian economy and minimizing electricity consumption by the civilian population.Over four years, Ukrainian energy has shown that it is capable of withstanding colossal strikes from Russia. Therefore, the question arose: how to shut it down. The answer: strikes on substations that ensure the production cycle of nuclear power plants. At the same time, Russian forces are implementing this scenario precisely at the moment of maximum cold in Ukraine. First and foremost, the strike is directed not at the military-industrial complex, but at the civilian population. The task is to provoke social upheaval. "Such actions are an element of military-political pressure aimed at forcing Ukraine to make territorial concessions."Note that at moments when the negotiation process intensifies, during meetings in Davos and Abu Dhabi, the number of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure sharply increases. Russia uses this tactic as an element of military-political pressure on Ukraine. Russian forces understand perfectly well that they cannot break through Ukrainian defense on the line of combat contact. Therefore, in their opinion, the only effective method of pressure is strikes on port, gas extraction, and energy infrastructure. At the same time, strikes are delivered not only on power plants, but also on enterprises that supply them with resources. They strike coal enterprises that supply thermal power plants with energy coal. The latest attacks on facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region led to the shutdown of six enterprises — and this in conditions of the harshest frosts. The strike on underground gas storage facilities in the Lviv region is an attempt to paralyze Ukrainian energy and prevent thermal power plants that use gas from operating."Such strikes are not just war crimes. This is genocide of the Ukrainian people. Russian forces understand perfectly well the consequences of these strikes."It should be noted that the intensification of strikes falls on energy facilities in Kyiv and Kyiv region. The main task is to essentially de-electrify the capital of Ukraine in order to create social tension. Thus, as they think in the Kremlin, they will be able to pressure the political leadership of the country from within Ukraine. But after almost 4 years of full-scale war, Ukrainians cannot be surprised by anything, and such actions by Russian forces do not produce the effect they expect. And they expect the so-called "Iranian scenario" with social unrest, but with Ukrainian specifics. I note that the latest Russian strikes, besides the capital of Ukraine, were on substations that connect the energy system of the capital and central regions with nuclear power plants. Russian forces are trying to break the chain of electricity supply and de-electrify not only Kyiv, but also the main industrial centers of Ukraine.The goal is to provoke a massive internal migration flow. This will create additional burden on budgets and infrastructure. This is financial pressure on local and central budgets, paralysis of transport infrastructure, which will work on evacuation, sowing chaos and panic among the civilian population. This is precisely what is included in the plans of Russian military command. I will draw a parallel between the current Russian strikes on Ukraine and NATO strikes during the military operation against Yugoslavia in 1999. At that time, NATO's main efforts to remove Milošević's regime were directed precisely at strikes on energy infrastructure. That is, in the opinion of the Russian dictator, in 1999 NATO countries opened the so-called "Pandora's box," and now the Russian Federation, in his opinion, has full moral right at the moment of delivering strikes on energy facilities of Ukraine.Pay attention to Trump's statement. He highly appreciated the morale of Ukrainians, saying that in minus 20 degree frost, Ukrainians steadfastly hold on and do not succumb to terror and provocations from Russian forces. This is an adequate assessment of both the Ukrainian population and the actions of the military-political leadership of our country.Ukraine has full right to respond asymmetrically to Russia for constant shelling of energy infrastructure."We have all legal grounds accordingly, because these are legitimate targets of the Ukrainian side and a moral right. Moreover, considering the factor that Russia has harsh climatic conditions — that's first. Complete collapse of the housing and utilities system accordingly — that's second. And third — practically complete absence of air defense system, which was demonstrated by strikes of Ukrainian Defense Forces on strategic military facilities on Russian territory."Precisely such actions by Ukraine will make further shelling of Ukrainian energy infrastructure impossible.In my view and my conviction, in order to make further energy terror from Russia impossible, we must, first of all, have the ability to deliver strikes on the energy structure of Russia.We must cause collapse in them, and accordingly social unrest. A Muscovite can be pulled out from his lair into God's light only under the condition of an empty refrigerator and absence of elementary, even for Russians, living conditions. That is, absence of light, water, heat. This is precisely what will force the Russian dictator to change tactics regarding Ukraine's energy infrastructure.Specially for EspresoAbout the author. Dmytro Sniehyriov, military expert, co-chair of the public initiative Right Cause.The editorial board does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.

He shared his thoughts in an interview with the Insight News Media.Serbia is often described as one of the countries where Russian propaganda has found fertile ground. Why do you think Serbia has been so receptive to these narratives?"Serbia is definitely a disinformation hub, and specifically a Russian disinformation hub in the heart of the Balkans."There is a historical sentiment towards Russian people. At certain times in history, for example in the 18th and especially the 19th century, Serbia was fighting for its independence and received help from the Russians in wars against the Ottoman Turks and Austria-Hungary. That's one of the reasons, but also here people have a lot of love for all Slavic peoples.Since everything started in Ukraine, not just three or four years ago but back in 2014, there has been a lot of disinformation. Generally, all Slavic people are well accepted here, and a typical Serbian wouldn't be able to tell if someone is Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, or some other nationality from Eastern Europe.What are the most popular narratives coming from Russia to Serbia?Russian narratives are more focused on Ukraine, the EU, and Western countries, especially when the Biden administration was in power, and now a little less since Trump is seen as a better option for Putin."When we talk about narratives about Ukraine, there is always disinformation about neo-Nazi groups and about Zelenskyy as a person—some kind of corruption, whether he has an Israeli passport, or if he has a villa in Miami, or lots of money."Russian propaganda focuses on anti-LGBT messages, anti-Western politics, anti-liberalism. It's more about ideology. You also hear that not only is Zelenskyy a Nazi, but also Ursula von der Leyen or some other European politicians, mainly from the Baltic region.Is Russian disinformation also used to undermine domestic issues in Serbia?It is mostly focused on something outside of Serbia, but we have some examples. For example, our propagandistic media use Russian propaganda to justify what politicians here are doing. The Russian Secret Service helped our Secret Service track protesters. So they use the FSB to say, "Oh, the FSB said that, so it must be true."Of course, there are Russian media here, like Sputnik and RT, and they do their propaganda. But I'm not sure how much we even need them, because we already have domestic tabloids that are pro-Russian. They deliberately use Russian sources, translating news from TASS or from other agencies. They basically transfer those narratives from Russian media for free.Could you describe the media system in Serbia?"The media are very, very polarised. Most of the media are state-affiliated. You don't have a single television channel with a national frequency that is not state-affiliated in some way. All of them are propagandistic."When we talk about online media, we do have a few very good investigative portals and four portals that do fact-checking. But most people here are older, and they still watch TV, and that is a bit of a problem."And almost all state-affiliated media spread pro-Russian narratives. We have a famous quote from one of the editors of the best-selling tabloid in Serbia. He said, "When I put Putin's head on the front page, I know I'll sell about 40% more papers that day, so I'm doing it.""It's a combination of sentiment, money, and geopolitics — that's why we have so much Russian propaganda here. Serbia kind of works as a disinformation hub, where Russian propaganda is translated and then spread to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and maybe even a bit to Macedonia.Do you observe a coordinated network of Russian disinformation media in Serbia?Russia Today and Sputnik are definitely working in a coordinated way. We also have Pravda and had a portal called Russia Beyond focused on pop culture."I think Telegram is a big problem because there are a lot of groups spreading Russian disinformation there. We also have a TV show called Aktuelnosti with national coverage—it's basically two or three hours of Russian propaganda taken straight from Telegram channels."The guests are also very problematic—some of them are ex-war criminals from the Balkan Wars, convicted criminals. Some were even prosecuted at The Hague for war crimes. Those people are the same ones who don't believe COVID is real, who are pro-Trump, pro-Putin, and silent about Gaza.In some European countries, Russia uses local actors like bloggers who are paid to promote pro-Russian views. Are there similar cases in Serbia?I don't think anyone really has to pay someone in Serbia to say pro-Russian things, because they already say them. If I were Putin, I would say that would be wasted money, because there are already a lot of people here who want to go to Ukraine and fight on the Russian side. I actually know one guy who wants to do that.You don't have to pay influencers—you already have them, and they've been doing it for free for years.How was Ukraine portrayed in Serbia before 2022?There have always been pro-Russian narratives. Obviously, there was a huge surge after 2022, but even before that you would see Putin on front pages with articles about Russia discovering a vaccine for cancer or making major technological breakthroughs."You also had magazines like Russian Doctor about Russian "natural medicine" and herbs. When you add 'Russian' as a prefix to something in Serbia, it is perceived as ultimately good by at least 60% of people, especially when it comes to medicine and health."There is this weird sentiment that everything Russian is natural—'Mother Russia' is a common saying here. But everything from the West is seen as artificial, drugs, LGBT, paedophilia. When you look at Russia, it is associated with tradition and family. And when you look at the West, it is all about narratives of wrongdoing."But you can't really blame Serbian people, because we experienced NATO aggression. How can you expect someone here to love NATO when, only twenty years ago, they bombed us without UN approval?"What is it like to work as a fact-checker in Serbia today?It's a problem because trust in the media here is so low. You publish an article showing that a tabloid lied, and people react like, "Wow, what news—everyone knows tabloids lie."There are hardcore groups who believe tabloids, and it's very hard to change their minds. They've been fed propaganda for fifteen years under this ruling party, and before that, in the 1990s, it was the same.It's very hard to reach the public. Between those who believe everything and those who are already media-literate, it's difficult to push any story and for someone to actually care enough to share it."The problem is so big that maybe we need something more than fact-checking portals and just saying that they are lying, because everybody already knows they are lying—but we have to do something more than that."

Matthew Bryza, diplomat and former Director for Europe and Eurasia Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, stated this in an interview with Espreso."We still don't know all the details of what was discussed. According to President Zelenskyy, security guarantees have already been worked out. However, the American side later stated that these guarantees still depend on one crucial issue—the territorial question. It's known that Russia's demands regarding Ukrainian territories have essentially not softened in any way. President Putin insists that Russia receive control over all of Donbas, including those approximately 20% of territories currently not under its control. This means losing the so-called 'fortress cities' that are key to Ukraine's ability to defend itself both today and in the future. Such demands are unacceptable for Ukraine," Matthew Bryza commented.In his view, on one hand, we can speak of a lack of real progress on the most important issue for which Putin deliberately started the war against Ukraine—territory. On the other hand, the negotiation process itself seems to have shifted, at least in the sense that the parties have agreed to a new meeting this weekend in Abu Dhabi. But we don't know whether this is genuine progress or just Kabuki theater, where Putin is pretending to negotiate while actually trying to avoid President Trump's anger."At the same time, another telling signal has emerged: leaks have started coming from the White House saying, 'we understand that President Putin has been negotiating from maximalist positions for a long time, but now he seems to be becoming more constructive.' The U.S. and European allies are also emphasizing that while Special Envoy Witkoff appears to be under the influence and manipulation of President Putin, President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner appears more prepared and capable of understanding the situation," the diplomat noted.According to him, it's quite possible that some progress is appearing in the negotiations, given that Russia is not winning."Russia is not capturing any significant Ukrainian territories. Its economy is weakening, and over the past few weeks, by estimates, the Russian army has lost about 20,000 troops. At the same time, Russia is forced to constantly increase payments to new recruits to attract them to the military, and this resource is likely gradually being exhausted. So perhaps Russia is indeed beginning to feel increasing pressure and is looking for a way to end the war. And perhaps that's why it agreed to another round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi this weekend," Bryza concluded.On January 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of holding negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow, emphasizing that Ukraine is ready for any real meeting format and, in particular, invited the Kremlin leader to Kyiv.

Political expert and analyst Alexander Morozov, who is based in Prague, stated this on Espreso TV."If Donald Trump and American negotiators clearly state that if strikes on critical energy infrastructure don't stop in the near future, sanctions similar to those imposed on Lukoil and Rosneft will immediately be reinstated, then the Kremlin, knowing this, will most likely agree to temporarily halt these strikes. If this doesn't happen, then I don't see the Kremlin stopping," Morozov noted.According to the analyst, there is a clear argument, though not overly optimistic: the Kremlin and Russia need a respite to restore and replenish their arsenals. This is because there is very intensive use of the types of missiles Russia produces, as well as all types of drones. Therefore, Putin may agree to a temporary halt in infrastructure strikes purely for the purpose of replenishing arsenals, or as a symbolic favor to Donald Trump, if this is clearly stated."The thing is, Europe and European countries are reacting very seriously to these strikes and to what is happening to Ukraine. There is a major campaign underway in Europe to collect generators again, with both governments and civil society organizations participating. As for Trump and his administration, they are silent on this topic. And so I don't see right now why Trump would pay attention to this. One would hope so, and if it happened, it would have results," Morozov added.On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that due to severe frosts in Ukraine, he personally asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin not to strike Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week, to which Putin allegedly agreed.

Reuters reported the information.U.S. and European officials are sounding alarms over approximately $250 million in energy aid for Ukraine that has stalled in what sources describe as bureaucratic limbo, even as bone-chilling temperatures and relentless Russian attacks push the war-torn nation's power infrastructure to the breaking point.The funds were originally earmarked to help Ukraine import liquefied natural gas and repair energy facilities destroyed by Russian missile strikes, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, including U.S. and Ukrainian officials who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. The U.S. Agency for International Development had notified Congress of its plans to release at least a portion of these funds during the Biden administration.However, the effective shutdown of USAID in the opening weeks of President Donald Trump's administration has left the money in a state of administrative uncertainty. Some officials are now advocating for the State Department—which oversees what remains of USAID—to distribute the assistance, while others push for involvement from the Development Finance Corporation, a previously low-profile federal agency expected to take a leading role in Ukraine's reconstruction.Unlike previous instances where the Trump administration paused military aid to Ukraine as leverage during peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, sources say this delay appears rooted in bureaucratic confusion and interagency disputes rather than diplomatic strategy.The holdup has sparked growing frustration as Ukraine endures what officials describe as a humanitarian crisis. Russian attacks on power plants and pipelines have left millions exposed to brutal winter conditions, with residents in major cities including Kyiv experiencing power outages lasting hours or even days. Indoor temperatures in some homes have dropped to 7 degrees Celsius, while water supplies face disruptions. Overnight lows in the capital are forecast to plummet to around -24 degrees Celsius next week.Ukrainian officials told foreign diplomats in recent days that all of the country's major energy plants had been "damaged or ruined," according to a presentation reviewed by Reuters. The document identified roughly $807 million in unfunded energy infrastructure needs."They're preparing for the fact that people in the upper (stories) of apartment buildings are going to freeze to death," said Mykola Murskyj, director of advocacy at Razom, a nonprofit supporting Ukraine. "They're preparing to retrieve the bodies. It's extremely grim."While Ukrainian officials are aware of the stalled funds, they reportedly fear that raising the issue could trigger diplomatic backlash, given Trump's sometimes cool reception to Ukrainian assistance requests. Congressional aides have also begun seeking additional information about the delayed disbursement.Halyna Yusypiuk, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, emphasized continued cooperation: "(The) Ukrainian and American sides are working on a daily basis to strengthen the stability of Ukraine's energy system."A Development Finance Corporation spokesperson said the agency is "working closely with all interagency partners with the goal of supporting Ukraine's reconstruction efforts and advancing shared economic security and prosperity for the United States and Ukraine."The White House Office of Management and Budget, however, defended the delay by citing past mismanagement. "The Biden Admin support to Ukraine's energy sector was a disaster, we have an USAID IG report showcasing how contractors in Ukraine likely lost millions worth of energy products due to no oversight, corruption, theft, etc," a spokesperson stated. "President Trump has done more than anyone to bring peace to this brutal war."The broader restructuring of the federal bureaucracy under the Trump administration has complicated aid distribution to U.S. allies. The dismantling of USAID has created uncertainty about disbursement procedures, while the drastically downsized National Security Council—which traditionally resolved conflicts between agencies—has left fewer mechanisms for coordinating responses. Sources also noted that energy assistance to Ukraine has historically moved slowly due to longstanding corruption concerns within the nation's power sector.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' General Staff reported the information.The video shows a direct hit on the Osa anti-aircraft missile system. Additionally, Ukrainian defenders struck important logistics facilities of the Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhzhia region.Specifically, strikes hit the location of a repair unit of a separate special purpose brigade of the Russian Federation near Tokmak, material and technical supply warehouses of an artillery regiment near Okhrimivka, as well as facilities of the 76th Air Assault Division in the Kyrylivka area.Russian losses are being clarified."The Defense Forces continue to take measures to undermine the military-economic potential of the Russian forces and compel Russia to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine," the General Staff concluded.According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, over nearly four years of full-scale war against Ukraine, Russia has suffered over 1.2 million casualties, exceeding the figures of any major power in armed conflicts since World War II.

Nazar Voitenkov, the press officer of the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, stated this on Espreso TV."Our military unit, our brigade, the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, is positioned in the area of the settlement of Shakhove. And overall, Russian forces have rather low success rates in terms of advancement. As is known, the Russians want some kind of global maneuvers and deep breakthroughs into the rear. Something like this happened approximately in the Dobropillia area as well, in the so-called salient, which the Defense Forces, alongside units we work with in cooperation, were able to successfully clear and, essentially, stop the adversary. Currently, this salient has been eliminated, which restored our logistics. Russian forces are moving mainly in small groups. Our last armored assaults were last year. There have been no other such instances of incursions by tanks, BMPs, or other Russian armored vehicles," he said.Nazar Voitenkov noted that Russian soldiers only move on foot, camouflage themselves in various ways, and even pretend to be dead."One, two, sometimes three during the day in daylight and even in darkness. In darkness particularly, they use camouflage cloaks or other innovations, so-called makeshift contraptions of the Russian army, like walking tents. They try to hide, camouflage themselves, also hide under camouflage nets, pretend as if they're dead, but essentially, we constantly observe their movement, and we see this unsuccessful acting of theirs and, essentially, eliminate them. We currently use mainly heavy bombers, as well as FPV 'kamikaze' drones. This is truly the most effective method of eliminating Russian forces on the battlefield. That's what we're engaged in. In addition, we use ground drones to establish logistics and, in particular, the Termit drone to transport literally tons of various useful cargo, including provisions and combat kits," he noted.

Oleksii Buriachenko, Candidate of Political Sciences, Professor at the National Aviation University Kyiv Aviation Institute, and President of the International Institute for Security Studies, stated this on Espreso TV."We are doing everything possible on our part to force and accelerate the negotiation process (regarding EU accession - ed.). And we are being partially held back by the Europeans. We've already seen this from a number of statements. By the way, from the same Kaja Kallas in Luxembourg, from Italy's deputy prime minister, if I'm not mistaken. Well, in short, there really are a number of politicians and countries in the European Union who are quite skeptical about Ukraine's accelerated membership. But I must note that we have a serious partner, a serious friend on this path. This is the United States of America. Because here too everything is very pragmatic, and this is not about democratic values, this is about Trump's policy. He believes, within the framework of the foreign policy doctrine of the United States, which they have already formalized, that what happens in Europe is Europe's responsibility. And by and large, Europe must also be responsible for security and for Ukraine's reconstruction after, at least achieving a ceasefire. Through such actions to accelerate Ukraine's membership in the European Union, Trump wants to remove part of the responsibility from himself, for example, within the framework of the Budapest Memorandum," he said.Oleksii Buriachenko noted that Ukraine, one way or another, has this partner who will push Europeans toward making the decision our country desires."But, first and foremost, of course, it will depend on the evolution of Europe itself. Because, of course, as long as the consensus rule exists, counting on Ukraine obtaining membership, for example, already in 2027, well, that's still quite doubtful. Because, first, there are the Copenhagen criteria, second, unanimous voting, and third, accordingly, ratification in the parliament of each country. But, honestly, we at least want to receive a date, this was stated directly by our President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That is, so that we understand, so that our society understands that at least they're waiting for us there not sometime, whenever. But specifically, if we do our homework, then Europe opens up the corresponding political opportunities for us. And, by the way, it's very good that we have such a good strategic partner as Poland. And that Polish politicians at the top level support our European integration," he added.

For this year, various institutions forecast nominal GDP from 8.5 to 9 trillion hryvnias, which, it's easy to calculate, is over $200 billion.This doesn't account for dollar inflation, but nevertheless GDP has been steadily growing since 2022. And this is despite a colossal outflow of the most economically active population, strikes on energy, maritime and railway infrastructure. There are significantly fewer people, electricity is available every other time, but GDP is recovering.You'll say that statistics are a kind of state lie, you can't spread numbers on bread. Fine, let's look at the material world in which Ukrainians live — housing, cars, restaurants.At the beginning of 2023, rent for one-bedroom apartments in Kyiv was around 10,000 hryvnias/month. December 2025 - approximately 16,000 hryvnias, in summer it reached 18,000-20,000. This, among other things, means that people have money to rent housing. This fact is also confirmed by state statistics — real wage growth consistently exceeds inflation:2023: +3.7%2024: +15.6%2025: +3.9% (forecast)The only thing is, this is against the backdrop of declining real monetary compensation for military personnel. That's where the real exhaustion is. Cars. In 2023, primary registrations of new passenger cars increased by approximately 60.6%. In 2024, 14% more new cars were registered."Data by months for 2025 demonstrates sales growth in year-on-year comparison. In September 2025, Ukrainians purchased over 6,800 new cars — that's about 20% more than in September 2024. In October 2025 — about 7,300 (+34% compared to October 2024). In November 2025 — about 8,300 new cars, which is approximately 58% more than in November 2024."In short, 2025 overall also demonstrates positive annual dynamics, growth in volumes of new cars almost every month compared to 2024. Is this "exhaustion"?Restaurants. Here there should be total fear of the draft centers and sitting at home since 2024. But no. For example, in Kyiv up to 215 establishments were opened (restaurants/bars/coffee shops/street food).Net growth across Ukraine in 2025 amounted to approximately 2,728 establishments. This is significantly less than in the previous year, but quite corresponds to realities. A decline is possible going forward, but it's not visible yet.***Thanks to foreign aid and the efforts of Ukrainians themselves, Ukraine is growing economically despite the war, despite serious but not critical problems. What can be said for certain — there's no reason to talk about any exhaustion from war here.Yes, Russia has now thrown all its forces at our destruction, but it's not succeeding in this at all.Yes, there is tension and uncertainty, but the economy is definitely not an argument in favor of capitulation (nor is anything else). On the contrary, this is a strong argument for continued counter-resistance to Russia's attacks, testifies to the country's viability, the effectiveness of its partners and the availability of resources both for the relatively calm life of the rear and for ensuring active combat operations. SourceAbout the author. Ihor Lutsenko, journalist, soldier of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.The editorial office does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.

The Insight News Media shared the investigation.New research analyzing the final quarter of 2025 reveals that AI chatbots directed at least 300,000 visits to eight Kremlin-linked websites, including RT and Sputnik, transforming these tools into unintended distribution channels for state-aligned messaging. The traffic came from widely used platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Mistral—services that increasingly serve as "answer engines" for millions of users seeking information.While these numbers represent only a fraction of overall traffic to major Russian outlets, the pattern signals an emerging blind spot in content moderation and sanctions enforcement.How AI tools route users to propaganda outletsTake RT as an example. The outlet attracted over 123 million page views during the three-month period, making AI-sourced visits a tiny percentage of its overall reach. Still, ChatGPT by itself channeled more than 88,000 users to the site, while Perplexity brought in just over 10,000.The pattern repeats across other major Russian-language platforms. RIA Novosti saw upward of 70,000 visitors arrive via AI tools, and Lenta.ru logged over 60,000. Notably, Perplexity emerged as a new traffic source for several sites during this timeframe, indicating that AI-powered referrals are still gaining momentum.Geography adds another layer of complexity. Even with sanctions in place, a notable portion of traffic to these restricted outlets continues flowing from European Union countries and the United States—the exact jurisdictions where access is supposed to be curtailed.Consider RT's readership composition: American users make up 10%, Germans account for 2.27%, Spanish readers for 1.48%, and UK visitors for 1.12%. These are the markets where regulatory barriers should be limiting exposure. AI platforms don't breach sanctions directly, but they can present forbidden sources as just another credible link in a response.                                Research design and data sourcesThe findings rely on SimilarWeb metrics from October through December 2025, tracking eight Russian state or Kremlin-affiliated propaganda sites penalized across Europe for spreading false information and backing Russia's military aggression in Ukraine. Investigators examined incoming traffic from leading AI platforms—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Mistral—while also mapping total visitor counts and geographic origins for each website. Traffic breakdowns reveal:rt.com: 98,400 total (ChatGPT sent 88,300, Perplexity 10,100)ria.ru: 72,200 total (ChatGPT 52,400, Perplexity 19,800)lenta.ru: 61,200 total (ChatGPT 33,800, Perplexity 27,400)iz.ru: 22,100 (all from ChatGPT)rg.ru: 18,600 total (ChatGPT 13,200, Perplexity 5,400)reseauinternational.net: 5,800 from ChatGPT, Mistral below 5,000sputnikglobe.com: below 10,000 combined (ChatGPT and Claude each below 5,000)news-pravda.com: below 5,000 (Claude only)Any figure marked "below 5,000" means the platform registered activity but it didn't reach the five-thousand-visit mark.Major Russian news sites gain AI-powered back channelsLenta.ru and Ria.ru offer a window into how conversational AI creates secondary routes to sprawling Russian information hubs that function both as domestic messaging vehicles and as narrative exporters.Lenta.ru pulled in 232.7 million total views and 14.5 million unique visitors during Q4 2025, with nearly three-quarters originating in Russia. Yet despite legal barriers, it continues drawing readers from Germany (3%), the United States (2.55%), and several NATO members including the Netherlands, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, the UK, and Poland. Against this backdrop, ChatGPT delivered 33,800 visits and Perplexity another 27,400—making them steady, if modest, traffic generators.Ria.ru follows a similar trajectory: 194.8 million views, 14.6 million visitors, heavily concentrated in Russia (77%), but with visible reach into Germany (1.2%), the United States (1%), Italy (0.8%), the Netherlands (0.73%), and Latvia (0.29%). ChatGPT produced 52,400 visits and Perplexity contributed 19,800, demonstrating that AI platforms feed reliable, ongoing traffic to a core Kremlin information source.                    Smaller outlets see disproportionate AI impactAI referral effects grow sharper when looking at niche propaganda operations. Sputnikglobe.com, a repackaged version of Sputnik that's prohibited in the EU, pulled 3.382 million views and 176,000 unique visitors over the quarter. Its audience skews international: Sweden tops the list at 16%, then Italy (11.79%), the United States (10%), Norway (6.8%), and the UK (3.7%), with further audiences in India, Pakistan, Australia, and Canada.For outlets operating at this scale, a few thousand referrals carry weight. On Sputnikglobe.com, both ChatGPT and Claude sent fewer than 5,000 visits each, yet combined they made up about 6% of all incoming referral traffic—a meaningful slice when total quarterly visitors number just 176,000.            At News Pravda, a multilingual disinformation hub linked to the Kremlin and aimed heavily at European readers, Claude-driven traffic made up close to 10% of all referrals.                     French-language propaganda gets AI amplificationThe numbers also show how AI platforms can boost propaganda aimed at specific language communities. Reseau International, a French-language outlet recognized for advancing pro-Russian and anti-EU talking points, drew the bulk of its audience from France. ChatGPT alone was responsible for 7.5% of the site's referral traffic in the quarter.The site's audience is overwhelmingly French (80%), and ChatGPT brought 5,800 visitors—representing 7.50% of referral traffic—while Mistral, an AI system developed in France, added fewer than 5,000.The detail that stands out: a French-built AI assistant is pointing users toward a pro-Russian platform that consistently vilifies French and European Union leadership. This raises the prospect that AI systems may be strengthening foreign messaging within national conversations, especially when audiences lack the tools to identify influence operations involving domestic collaborators.From social streams to conversational interfacesThe evidence points to a structural shift: propaganda encounters are migrating from search results and social feeds into conversational question-and-answer exchanges.AI chatbots don't organize information into scrollable feeds or curated timelines. They embed links within answers that appear neutral and helpful. That presentation matters. Users can stumble onto sanctioned propaganda without realizing it, particularly when there's no labeling or disclaimer to signal the source's background.                The dynamic is understated. Instead of pushing messages overtly, AI platforms can make them ordinary, slotting state-controlled outlets next to established journalism. For those studying information flows and policy enforcement, this marks a change in how exposure and persuasion should be tracked.Implications for monitoring and regulationThe data raises immediate questions for fact-checkers and government agencies. Existing oversight infrastructure centers on social networks, broadcasters, and ad platforms. AI assistants don't fit neatly into those categories, even though they're shaping how people access information at scale.Fact-checking groups may need to widen their lens to include routine audits of AI-generated responses and ongoing cataloging of problematic sources that appear frequently. Policymakers, meanwhile, confront the question of whether AI-driven traffic effectively weakens sanctions and whether new transparency or disclosure standards are warranted when automated systems surface banned outlets.When helpful tools double as propaganda distributorsThe traffic data makes one thing plain: AI chatbots are routing real, quantifiable audiences to sanctioned Russian propaganda websites. The conversational format of AI-driven discovery amplifies the significance of this traffic, even if raw numbers remain small compared to traditional channels.In absolute terms, this already translates to hundreds of thousands of visits each quarter. Structurally, what matters more is that restricted outlets are being woven back into the information ecosystem through interfaces that command more trust than social ads or search engine results.That trust differential is where the danger lies. When an AI chatbot references or links to a sanctioned propaganda site, the material typically appears without context—no disclaimer, no flag, no hint that the source is state-run or legally restricted. An average user asking a straightforward question may view the result as reliable by default.By weaving sanctioned outlets into routine exchanges, AI systems threaten to erase the distinction between verified reporting and state-coordinated messaging. Tackling that threat will take more than sharper prompts or better-informed users—it requires recognizing AI chatbots as infrastructure, complete with the scrutiny, transparency rules, and oversight that role demands.From the perspective of fact-checking, the challenge is evolving. Traditional approaches center on viral content, broadcast statements, or widely circulated false claims. AI-generated referrals are scattered, tailored to individual queries, and difficult to track in real time. Fact-checkers may need to monitor AI platforms directly: running test queries, cataloging repeat sources, and creating public explainers on source reliability rather than only debunking claims after they spread.For governments and regulators, the reality is stark. Sanctions frameworks were designed around broadcasters, digital platforms, financial institutions, and ad networks. AI systems don't fit cleanly into any category. Concrete responses might include explicit guidance on whether sanctioned sites can be surfaced as information sources, mandatory disclosures about high-risk domains in retrieval outputs, and coordinated watchlists of restricted sites that go beyond voluntary opt-in.The bottom line: AI chatbots now function as a distinct class of referrer for propaganda networks, including those under explicit legal restriction. Without active oversight, they risk making sanctioned narratives routine—not through persuasion or ideology, but through ease of access and assumed authority. Addressing this doesn't mean teaching better prompt-writing; it starts with governance, visibility, and the recognition that large language model answer engines are already part of the information infrastructure.

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported the information.As analysts note, a temporary moratorium on long-range strikes could benefit Russia if both sides participate in it."Russian forces will be able to amass drone and missile stockpiles that it can use to launch large, combined strikes in the future, while Ukraine ceases its strikes against Russian energy infrastructure," the statement reads.The ISW noted that the Kremlin has previously proposed short-term ceasefires as part of cognitive warfare, attempting to demonstrate readiness for negotiations while simultaneously rejecting calls from Ukraine and the U.S. for a longer or permanent moratorium on strikes against civilian infrastructure.On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that due to severe frosts in Ukraine, he personally asked Russian dictator Vladimir Putin not to shell Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week, to which Putin allegedly agreed.

Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service reported the information.Closures outpacing openings"In 2025, only 173,000 legal entities were registered, which is 20% fewer than the previous year. Simultaneously, the number of liquidations sharply increased to 233,000 companies, meaning that a quarter more businesses closed than opened," the intelligence service noted.Which sectors are suffering most?Reports indicate that construction, development, retail trade, and intermediary services have been hit hardest. In these sectors, profitability has sharply declined due to expensive credit, reduced demand, and the curtailment of investment programs.Additional pressure factors"Additional pressure has been created by rising insurance contributions, increased recycling fees, as well as a downturn in the consumer sector, particularly in offline retail and the automotive business," the statement reads.The Foreign Intelligence Service adds that systemic economic problems are only intensifying the negative trend."Business is facing harsh fiscal policy, strengthened tax control, and a campaign against company 'fragmentation.' Banks, for their part, are limiting lending against the backdrop of high key interest rates, while non-payments from major clients and government entities are increasingly leading to cash flow gaps and bankruptcies. Legal entities are disappearing en masse, giving way to more primitive and vulnerable forms of entrepreneurship, chosen not for development but for survival," the intelligence service added.Forecast for 2026It is noted that 2026 is expected to see further reduction in the number of legal entities, market consolidation, and growth in the role of state control."Even a possible reduction in the key interest rate, according to the Central Bank of Russia's forecasts, is unlikely to remedy the situation: the economy remains depressed, the investment climate toxic, and entrepreneurial initiative systematically suppressed," the Foreign Intelligence Service concluded.Previously, the Foreign Intelligence Service reported that Russia's economic indicators are increasingly signaling a slide toward stagflation. The Russian Central Bank's tight monetary policy has effectively strangled business activity and exacerbated stagnation processes that have already become systemic in nature.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated this, commenting on a publication by the British newspaper The Telegraph.Earlier, the British news agency reported that Beijing was allegedly supplying Moscow with specialized equipment and machine tools to expand production of the Oreshnik ballistic missile, which Russia is using to strike Ukrainian cities.In response, the Chinese side emphasized that its stance on the "Ukrainian crisis" remains unchanged."We never fan the flames, never take advantage of the situation, and of course, do not agree to accusations or shirking of responsibility," he explained.Commenting on Russia's massive missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the Chinese Foreign Ministry representative noted that Beijing continues to call on the parties for de-escalation. According to him, China adheres to the so-called "three principles": not to expand the conflict, not to intensify hostilities, and not to provoke further confrontation.Guo Jiakun added that China will continue to play a constructive role in alleviating the humanitarian situation in Ukraine in its own way.On January 28, The Telegraph reported that Beijing has provided billions of dollars in specialized manufacturing equipment and components that enable Moscow to mass-produce advanced weapons systems, including the nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile capable of striking European targets in under 20 minutes.

Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, diplomat and former Representative of Ukraine to the European Union, stated this on Espreso TV."I want to emphasize that the negotiations in Abu Dhabi are not negotiations as such. These are consultations, discussions of ideas, plans, and so on. Again, we don't know the details of these discussions," Yelisieiev said.The diplomat stressed that today it's difficult to determine how the talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war are progressing."We receive all information from statements by participants in these negotiations, particularly from the Ukrainian side, as well as in the media. There is no shortage of ideas or reports in the media. It's very difficult for me to say whether the negotiations in Abu Dhabi have made any progress or not. The only thing I can say for certain is that thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump, a window of opportunity has opened for us to employ diplomacy and begin negotiations on ending the war. This is a rock-solid fact. Everything else is a matter for discussion," he added.On January 28, Putin's assistant Yuri Ushakov stated that the Kremlin is ready to receive Zelenskyy for negotiations. According to him, Trump proposed organizing a personal meeting between Russia's leader and the President of Ukraine.

He announced this at a meeting of the U.S. Cabinet."I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this ... extraordinary cold."Trump added that Putin has "agreed to that," but there was no confirmation of that from Russia. According to Trump: "A lot of people said, 'Don't waste the call. You're not going to get that.' And he did it. And we're very happy that they did it."Trump also added that "on top of everything else—it's not what they need, missiles coming into their cities."Earlier, the Kremlin refused to comment on the topic of an alleged "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, which so-called Russian military bloggers began writing about.

The author of the Resurgam Telegram channel discussed the issue.The agreement, awaiting final approval from the U.S. Treasury Department, would see Carlyle acquire most of Lukoil's international holdings outside Kazakhstan. What concerns analysts is the personal history connecting Carlyle's leadership to Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and a close Putin associate who serves as the Kremlin's point person for U.S. negotiations.Both Carlyle CEO Harvey Schwartz and the company's commodities strategist Jeff Currie previously worked at Goldman Sachs alongside Dmitriev in the late 1990s. Dmitriev spent three years at the investment bank from 1996 to 1999, overlapping with Schwartz, who rose to managing director during that period, and Currie, who joined the same year as Dmitriev and led the firm's commodities analysis division.The connection has raised eyebrows given that Carlyle beat out major competitors including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and UAE-based IHC for the deal. Goldman Sachs itself has maintained unusually close ties to Moscow, being among the few Western firms to continue operations favorable to the Kremlin even after sanctions were imposed.Lukoil's statement about the transaction includes vague language about "preliminary conditions" beyond standard regulatory approval, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cryptically referenced "corporate arrangements" he declined to detail, saying only that "the interests of the Moscow company must be fulfilled and secured."The timing is particularly sensitive for Ukraine, as experts warn the sale could provide Russia with a channel to advance political objectives under the guise of a commercial transaction. With Carlyle's known connections to the incoming Trump administration, there are concerns the deal may involve informal commitments to lobby for Kremlin interests in exchange for access to valuable energy assets.The Treasury Department has not yet indicated when it will rule on the proposed acquisition.

Fedorov wrote about this on Telegram.According to him, Ukraine's Defense Ministry contacted SpaceX and proposed solutions to the problem of Russia using terminals for its drones."I'm grateful to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and personally to Elon Musk for their quick response and for beginning work on resolving the situation. Elon Musk's decision to urgently activate Starlink and send the first batch of terminals to Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion was critically important for our state's resilience," the minister emphasized.InformNapalm stated the day before that despite Western sanctions, Starlink terminals are being supplied to Russia through parallel import schemes using third countries.On January 28, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski appealed to American billionaire Elon Musk regarding information that the Russian army is increasingly using Starlink terminals in its drones to attack Ukraine.

Danylo Lubkivskyi, Director of the Kyiv Security Forum and diplomat, stated this on Espreso TV."We're hearing quite contradictory signals and messages regarding the negotiations currently taking place with three parties involved. As for expecting results from these negotiations, I would be cautious, though there may be some room for optimism. Several signs point to this. First, if we look at the composition of negotiators, we see that representatives from the military sphere dominate. This is qualitatively different from the farce we saw in Istanbul or previous instances when Russia was represented by some caricature mediator—Medinsky, if I'm not mistaken—with his pseudo-historical lectures. Today we see substantive talks happening between military sphere representatives, which indicates discussion of military-technical parameters," Danylo Lubkivskyi commented.In his view, however, these negotiations lack a political component, a political mandate, which EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas very directly points out. Thus, at this particular stage, we can expect certain technical solutions, without a broader political resolution."The test that will show how productive and successful these talks are will be an agreement, specifically, on stopping the bombardment of Ukraine's energy sector. Perhaps this will be the signal that allows us to assess whether this process has any prospects. As for direct negotiations with the Russians, of course direct negotiations with Russia are always a trap. And the reaction from Ushakov, Putin's adviser, suggesting that Zelenskyy should come to Moscow—that's a traditional formula that Moscow throws out. There's nothing new here; it's a KGB tactic we've heard many times before," the diplomat noted.On January 28, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the Kremlin is ready to receive Zelenskyy for negotiations. According to him, Trump proposed organizing a personal meeting between Russia's leader and Ukraine's president.

She said this in a comment to Espreso."The Russians will take advantage of the upcoming frosts, there will be large-scale attacks. Their forces cannot achieve their objectives on the front, so they have decided to fight against the civilian population in the rear and exert psychological pressure on them, which is why I don't believe this," Kosharna said.She emphasized that the so-called "energy truce" is not beneficial for the Russian dictator. "The fact that our delegation discussed this somewhere in Abu Dhabi behind closed doors — it's all an imitation of negotiations. It's not in Putin's interest to stop strikes on our rear, he believes he's in a strong position, Putin's goal is to pressure us into making the concessions he wants," the energy expert stressed.On January 29, the Kremlin refused to comment on the topic of an alleged "energy truce" between Russia and Ukraine, which so-called Russian military bloggers had started writing about.

Artem Pribylnov, head of the communications department of the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade, stated this on Espreso TV."The situation is quite difficult in our brigade's area of responsibility. Russian forces are constantly pushing forward, constantly conducting assaults. Nevertheless, our brave soldiers consistently repel these assaults. UAV units are also involved—drone operators constantly help the guys both repel these assaults and detect Russian forces. And so Russian forces are constantly trying to advance toward our positions, but again, they haven't had success so far," he said.Artem Pribylnov also noted that the Russians are attempting to bring equipment into Pokrovsk. Russian assaults using armored vehicles occurred back in December."Russian forces are combining tactics, and in our sector they constantly use various means, including armored vehicles. But recently, we're increasingly seeing this armored equipment on the approaches to Pokrovsk itself—we detect it and try to destroy it. So they're pulling equipment in, trying to bring it into Pokrovsk. The last assaults using armored vehicles were back in December. Currently, Russian forces have stopped such attempts because, again, they had no success, were completely destroyed, and lost many units of heavy equipment, including light vehicle equipment. And now they're trying to continue their infiltration tactics—two, three, or four people constantly trying to breach our lines, moving through grey zones, at night in the fog, or when weather conditions are very poor and their detection is complicated. This is how they're trying to infiltrate and establish positions in order to then continue some kind of assault operations," the serviceman noted.

Yevhen Tkachov, a representative of the humanitarian mission Proliska in the Donetsk region, stated this on Espreso TV."Most volunteers who are involved in evacuations here in the Donetsk region have experience going back to 2014-2015. So they already have, as they say, a nose for such lies. And we also work with the police, local activists, and military administrations—meaning we verify the information and don't just take unnecessary risks," he said.Yevhen Tkachov noted that many messages have been recorded where Russians tried to lure volunteers to them using false evacuation requests."Yes, many cases have been recorded where they manipulated information—claiming that somewhere in Kostiantynivka at such-and-such address there are children—trying to mislead volunteers. Also [false] information about wounded civilians who urgently need help. But thank God, there is wisdom, there is the police who verify the data and inform us that such people were evacuated long, long ago, and there's no one there. But such cases do exist, and if a sabotage and reconnaissance group manages to capture some humanitarian transport, they can cause a lot of trouble in the rear," the volunteer explained.