Zelensky warns of ‘massive’ attack ahead of Sunday peace talks & rumours swirl of Ukraine-Russia energy ceasefire

Day 1,435.

Today, as President Zelensky warns that Russia is preparing “a new massive strike”, we examine growing speculation that an undeclared truce may be in place regarding strikes on energy infrastructure. We then turn to the Russian press, where a local war memorial in the Urals appears to have inadvertently revealed the true scale of Russian casualties, and an unlikely scandal involving a baker that has caused fresh embarrassment for Vladimir Putin. And finally, we report on the launch of a new blood bank aimed at alleviating Ukraine’s mounting medical crises.

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.

With thanks to Toby Illingworth (Founder & Head of Mission for Yashchenko Foundation). @tobyillingworth

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

Learn More about the Walking Blood Bank and the Yashchenko Foundation:

https://yashchenkofoundation.org/walking-blood-bank/ 

Putin abandons Syria base to court new Islamist leader (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/01/28/russia-abandons-syria-military-base/ 

Royal Navy forces Russian ship out of British waters (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/28/russian-ship-anchors-trans-atlantic-cables-bristol-channel/ 

Exclusive: Trump's top envoy negotiating Ukraine's fate displays 'shocking' lack of knowledge about war (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/trumps-top-envoy-displays-shocking-lack-of-knowledge-about-war-politics/ 

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