After 698 days of war, the situation in Ukraine continues to escalate. On Monday, January 22, 2024, the conflict saw the deaths of 27 people and injuries to 25 others after shelling hit a market in the outskirts of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk. The blame game continues, with the Moscow-appointed head of the Donetsk region blaming Ukraine for the attack, while Ukrainian forces deny responsibility and assert their control over the region. In other developments, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed to have taken control of a village in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, while a fire broke out at a chemical transport terminal in Russia’s Ust-Luga Port following two explosions.
In the realm of politics and diplomacy, North Korea’s top diplomat expressed readiness to greet Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking speculation of a potential visit from Putin to North Korea. Meanwhile, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk made a statement by refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent at the Australian Open, emphasizing the ongoing conflict between their countries. This comes as Sunday marked 100 years since the death of Lenin, with Putin publicly criticizing the Soviet Union founder’s role in dividing the Russian Empire into nation-states just before his invasion of Ukraine in 2022.