Russian forces have made confirmed advances south and southwest of Avdiyivka, ISW says. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visits Kyiv. Zelenskyi signs a decree on Russia\u2019s territories historically inhabited by Ukrainians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russian forces recently made confirmed advances south and southwest of Avdiivka. Geolocated footage published on January 21 shows that Russian forces advanced in the \u201cTsarske Polyuvannya\u201d restaurant area along Soborna Street (south of Avdiivka) and along a tree line southwest of Avdiivka, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a recent report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets stated that Russian forces advanced along Kolosova and Lermontova streets, although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of this alleged advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Russian and Ukrainian sources stated that positional engagements continued northwest of Avdiivka near Novobakhmutivka and Stepove; near the Avdiivka Coke plant in northwestern Avdiivka; west of Avdiivka near Sieverne; and southwest of Avdiivka near Pervomaiske, Vodyane, and Nevelske.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ukraine\u2019s commander of the Tavria operational strategic group, Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi and spokesperson for the joint press center of Ukraine\u2019s defense forces in the Tavria direction, Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun stated that Russian forces are preparing to intensify activity in the Avdiivka direction and have concentrated over 40,000 personnel in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tarnavskyi noted that Russian forces have not conducted any airstrikes in the Tavria direction (Avdiivka through western Zaporizhia Oblast) in the past two days, ISW said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On his visit to Kyiv on January 22, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed to resolve all disputes between Poland and Ukraine \u201cin the spirit of friendship\u201d and \u201cnot to maintain or multiply them.\u201d Poland is \u201cthe most reliable, most stable ally of Ukraine in this deadly clash with evil,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is nothing more important than supporting Ukraine in its war effort against the Russian attack. This is absolutely number one,\u201d he stressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have many bilateral issues to discuss. There are some conflicts of interest, we know it well, and we will talk about them, but not only in the spirit of friendship, which is obvious, but with the attitude to solve these problems as soon as possible, not to maintain or multiply them,\u201d Tusk said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAn honest conversation between friends can work wonders,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tusk said he is in Kyiv not just for Ukraine\u2019s security, but also for the security of Poland and European allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is a matter of security of the entire free world, and Poland in particular, if only because of geography,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tusk\u2019s trip coincides with Ukraine\u2019s Unity Day. Kyiv was the first foreign capital he visited since taking office on December 12, 2023. He met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tusk said he was scheduled to discuss Poland\u2019s ban on Ukrainian agricultural products and Ukraine border blockade by Polish truckers with Ukrainian leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an address on Ukraine\u2019s Unity Day on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said he had signed a decree \u201cOn the Territories of the Russian Federation Historically Inhabited by Ukrainians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe must take steps not only to strengthen the unity of Ukraine and our people, but also to act for the unity of rights and freedoms, the truth about Ukrainians, the truth about us, and the truth about our history. To this end, I have signed today a decree \u2018On the Territories of the Russian Federation Historically Inhabited by Ukrainians\u2019,\u201d Zelenskyi said in an address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the \u201crestoration of truth about the historical past for the sake of Ukraine\u2019s future,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Decree No. 17\/2024 was published on the president\u2019s web site later on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It lists the areas in Russia where ethnic Ukrainians live. This is Kuban, Starodubshchyna, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchyna within the modern Krasnodar Krai, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation. Russia continues to pressure Ukrainians there, the text reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decree instructs the Ukrainian government to develop a \u201cplan\u201d for preserving the national identity of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation and establish a center of historical memory. Ethnic Ukrainians living in Russia have the right to education in the Ukrainian language and can freely exercise their civil, social, cultural and religious rights, the decree reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n