Another exchange of prisoners, attack on Kherson, joint exercises of Russia and Belarus: today's highlights

Situation at the frontline

Occupiers are advancing in the Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Lyman directions, trying to improve the tactical situation in the Kupiansk direction. They are also focusing their efforts on capturing Donetsk Oblast within the administrative border, but are unsuccessful. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the evening report on January 8.

During the day, the occupants carried out one missile and 19 air strikes. They made more than 10 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, including on civilian infrastructure.

Success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Ukrainian aviation conducted 10 strikes on the enemy's concentration areas as well as 2 strikes on the positions of its anti-aircraft missile systems during the current day. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Ukrainian fighters also shot down three enemy drones, probably of the "Orlan" type, and 3 helicopters: one Mi-24 and one Ka-52, and the type of another one is being specified.

In turn, units of the missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces struck two areas of manpower concentration and a warehouse of fuel and lubricants of the occupiers.

Joint combat aviation exercises with Russia will be held in Belarus

Joint flight and tactical exercises of aviation units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation will be held from January 16 to February 1. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus.

“Today, on January 8, the aviation component of the military-space forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation arrived in Belarus,” they said.

The Belarusian ministry clarified that all airfields and training grounds of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Belarus will be involved in the tactical flight exercises.

Russia created the world's largest minefield in Ukraine

The invasion of Russia has led to the creation of the world's largest minefield in Ukraine. Its area is 250 thousand square kilometers. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in an interview with the South Korean Yonhap news agency.

According to him, the minefield in Ukraine of 250 thousand square kilometers exceeds not only the entire Korean peninsula (approximately 221 thousand square kilometers), but also such countries as Laos, Romania, and the United Kingdom.

Another exchange of prisoners

Ukraine conducted another exchange of prisoners. As a result, 50 Ukrainian warriors were returned home. These are 33 officers and 17 privates and sergeants. This was announced by the Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak.

The fighters from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Territorial Defense Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the Navy, and the Special Operations Forces have been returned.

“We are returning people who were captured at the Chornobyl NPP, as well as defenders of Mariupol, guys from the Donetsk direction, from near Bakhmut, as well as from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kherson and other regions where the fighting took place,” he noted.

Occupiers struck Kherson again

On the night of January 8, the Russian occupation troops struck the Tavriiskyi district of Kherson. Incendiary ammunition was used for the attack. This was reported by the head of the regional military administration Yaroslav Yanushevych.

He specified that this attack of the occupiers took place without civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure.