Russia-Ukraine War: Key Developments on Day 1,061 of Full-Scale Invasion
Here are the major events marking the 1,061st day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As of Monday, January 20, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to evolve, with several notable developments.
Fighting: Russia has initiated criminal investigations into what it describes as a “cannibalistic massacre” in the village of Russkoe Porechnoye, located in the western part of the country. The village has been under Ukrainian occupation since August 2024, and reports indicate that at least seven civilian bodies were found in the basement of a residential building by Russian soldiers.
On the Ukrainian side, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii admitted that the Ukrainian military is currently facing a shortage of mechanised brigades. He also expressed concern that the country's military mobilisation capacity is insufficient to meet the full needs of the armed forces. To fill the gap, personnel with different expertise are being deployed, although within manageable limits.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff accused Russian forces of using ammunition containing banned chemical agents on 434 occasions in December 2024 alone, bringing the total number of documented cases to 5,389 since February 2023.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down 43 of 61 Russian drones launched in an overnight raid targeting nine Ukrainian regions. Despite the number of attacks, no significant damage or casualties have been reported thus far.
In the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Russia’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed the capture of the village of Vozdvyzhenka by Russian forces. However, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian forces have also recently made advances in Kursk, a Russian region where Ukrainian forces had previously gained ground. Ukrainian forces have reportedly recaptured positions in Chasiv Yar and Toretsk.
The ISW also noted that Russian volunteer military detachments are continuing to bolster the Russian Army’s ranks, now recruiting women to serve in the conflict.
Military Aid: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has once again appealed for continued and stronger support from Ukraine’s international allies. Specifically, he has called for additional United States-made Patriot air defence systems in light of over 1,000 Russian air attacks carried out in the past week.
As the war drags on, the situation remains tense, with both sides continuing to make strategic military moves, while international efforts to support Ukraine persist.