Drones plunge Ukraine regions into ‘total blackout’ & Russian-flagged oil tanker attacked after Trump acts

Day 1,414.

Today, as yet another Russian shadow fleet tanker makes the news, but this time after an explosion by a suspected Ukrainian drone in the Black Sea forced it to divert to Turkey, we hear live from Ukraine where overnight strikes left two regions without power as temperatures plummet below zero. We report how the value of defence company shares have surged after comments by Donald Trump - but not if they’re based in the US - and we hear from Ukraine's International Legion about proposed changes that have left some soldiers in “total bewilderment”.

Contributors

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

Lily Shanagher (Foreign Correspondent). @LilyShanagher on X.

With thanks to Anna Conkling, Freelance journalist & contributor to the news app Noosphere. @ConklingAnna on X.

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

Noosphere - news app

https://www.noosphere.app/author/anna/

'Everyone's in shock' — Ground Forces reorganization leaves International Legion soldiers in limbo

https://kyivindependent.com/everyones-in-shock-ground-forces-reorganization-leaves-international-legion-soldiers-in-limbo/

Ukraine now has the fortress belt it wishes it had in 2022

https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/01/07/ukraine-now-has-the-fortress-belt-it-wishes-it-had-in-2022

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