Source: ISW
Details: It has been reported that Putin convened a meeting of the Security Council of Russia on January 20, during which he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed Russia's readiness for peaceful negotiations with the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Putin emphasized that any peaceful resolution must be based on "eliminating the root causes" of the conflict, which, according to him, includes meeting Russia's stringent demands.
Verbatim: "High-ranking Kremlin officials, particularly Putin and Lavrov, have repeatedly stressed in recent weeks that the Kremlin refuses to consider any compromises regarding Putin's demands made at the end of 2021 – beginning of 2022. These demands include a permanent 'neutral' status for Ukraine, its non-accession to NATO, strict limitations on the size of the Ukrainian army, and the removal of the Ukrainian government from power."
Details: Putin also stated that in 2021, then U.S. President Joe Biden proposed postponing Ukraine's NATO membership for 10-15 years, but even that did not prevent the Russian invasion, which he claimed was "inevitable due to NATO's actions."
Key Findings:
- Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported on January 20 that Russian troops suffered over 434,000 casualties in 2024, with 150,000 killed in action.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on January 20 that the Kremlin is ready to negotiate with the United States regarding the war in Ukraine but noted that he will not back down from his demands for Ukraine's complete capitulation.
- Reportedly, on January 20, Ukrainian forces struck an aircraft manufacturing plant in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, as part of an ongoing series of strikes aimed at weakening Russia's military capabilities.
- Ukrainian strikes on Russian military-industrial complex facilities are reportedly affecting the combat readiness of Russian troops.
- Authorities in Moldova and Transnistria continue efforts to supply Transnistria with European gas.
- Russian forces have advanced near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhovo.
- A Russian war correspondent and former "Shchurma-Z" instructor reiterated on January 20 complaints that Russian war correspondents first raised in May 2024 regarding inadequate quality control of Russian artillery shells.