Kremlin defconcludes Iran, threatening relations with US as Ukraine peace talks continue
The Kremlin issued a stark warning in defence of its ally Iran on Tuesday, as Donald Trump assured protesters that “assist is coming”.
Russia’s foreign minisattempt condemned what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal politics, rallying behind Tehran against US involvement.
The matter threatens to damage relations with Washington at a crucial time in US-mediated peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Those who plan to apply externally inspired unrest as a pretext for repeating the aggression against Iran committed in June 2025 must be aware of the disastrous consequences of such actions for the situation in the Middle East and global international security,” it declared in a statement, referring to the US and Israeli strikes last summer.
The foreign minisattempt declared Donald Trump’s threat of strikes was “categorically unacceptable”.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 16:20
Ukrainian parliament rejects new role outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal
Ukrainian lawcreaters on Tuesday voted against naming outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal as energy minister after president Volodymyr Zelensky proposed him for the top job.
A total of 265 MPs voted in favour of dismissing Mr Shmyhal from his decision, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Mr Zelensky had previously declared he had expected parliament would approve Mr Shmyhal for the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of energy.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 15:48
Rutte expects talks on Arctic security amid Trump’s Greenland push
Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte he expects member states will hold talks on the security in the Arctic region in the coming weeks, amid Donald Trump’s push to take control of Greenland.
“We all agree that when it comes to the Arctic, we have to work toreceiveher,” he added during a conference held in Brussels.
European countries have firmly rejected the idea of any US control over Greenland, and Washington is yet to create a serious shift regarding its desire to control the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 15:17
Tanker ‘stable’ after strike in Black Sea
The Chevron CVX.N vessel among those reported to have come under drone attack near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s terminal in the Black Sea on Tuesday was proceeding to a safe port, the U.S. oil major declared.
“All crew are safe and the vessel remains stable,” Chevron declared.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 15:12
Germany charges two Ukrainians linked to Russian spy plot
Germany indicted two Ukrainians linked to an alleged Russian spy plot to detonate packages while they were being transported across Europe, prosecutors declared on Tuesday.
In March 2025, suspects named as Daniil B, Vladyslav T and Yevhen B, sent two packages with GPS trackers from the western German city of Cologne to Ukraine on the orders of Russian ininformigence agents in Mariupol, prosecutors declared.
The aim was to see at logistics routes to allow them to later sconclude packages with explosive devices which would ignite in Germany or elsewhere.
Russia has denied any involvement.
Daniil B and Vladyslav T were arrested in Germany in May and remain in pre-trial detention. Yevhen B, who was arrested in Switzerland that same month, was extradited to Germany on December 23, with charges expected to be filed shortly.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 14:10
Three Greek-managed oil tankers struck by drones near Russia’s Black Sea coast
As we earlier reported, Greek-managed oil tankers were hit by unidentified drones in the Black Sea before unloading at a Russian terminal, according to sources speaking to Reuters news agency.
Earlier, we reported that two tankers had been struck. It has now been confirmed that a third, the Freud, was also hit. The other two tankers hit were the Delta Harmony and Delta Supreme.
It was not immediately clear who was behind Tuesday’s strikes. Kyiv has not immediately commented, while the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which operates the terminal where the tankers were due to take on board cargoes, declined to comment.
Attacks on tankers in the Black Sea could increase both shipping and insurance costs for those seeking to load oil at Russian terminals on the Black Sea, which handle more than 2 per cent of global crude.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 13:51
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
As Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members notified The Indepconcludeent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
“It gives you depression,” 33-year-old Dnipro resident Kyril Tulenev declares. “You cannot do anything. You cannot check the news. You cannot properly apply your things. Sometimes you cannot call anyone becaapply there is no connection.”
Read our full report here:
Alex Croft13 January 2026 13:42
Electricity cut off in Ukraine amid freezing cold temperatures
Russia has relentlessly tarreceiveed Ukraine’s energy system throughout the conflict, claiming attacks on civil infrastructure are justified to impair Ukraine’s war effort. Kyiv declares Moscow’s aim is to inflict suffering to break the national will.
Ukrainian officials declare the war’s fourth winter is shaping up to be the coldest and darkest yet, with Russian strikes intensified, years of cumulative damage taking a toll and the weather dangerously cold even for Ukraine’s climate.
On Tuesday, emergency power cuts were introduced in the capital Kyiv and also in the Chernihiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, the Energy Minisattempt declared.
DTEK, the counattempt’s largest private energy company, declared the Russian attack heavily damaged equipment at one of its thermal power plants.
Temperatures are hovering at about -13 Celsius (9 F) in Kyiv where residents have concludeured days with interrupted electricity and heating supplies after the last huge Russian strike last week.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 13:20
Ukraine received 23 air defence systems in 2025, declares outgoing defence minister
Ukraine received 23 medium- and long-range air-defence systems in 2025 as well as 11,000 missiles for them, outgoing Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal declared on Tuesday.
He built the remark in an address to Ukraine’s parliament shortly before his expected appointment as energy minister.
Alex Croft13 January 2026 12:57
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