From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro
Summary of the Day:
Russia faces deepening economic and military challenges as it enters 2025. Putin has significantly reduced compensation for wounded soldiers, with severe injuries now receiving 4 million rubles ($40,136) while minor injuries get just 100,000 rubles ($1,015). The policy shift reveals mounting pressure from war costs and sanctions. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense industry cannot match battlefield losses, producing only 20 tank and artillery barrels monthly while losing about 320.
Russian forces advanced in several areas, conducting a mechanized assault on Kupyansk, though Ukrainian officials maintain control of the city. Additional Russian advances were reported in Kursk Oblast, Chasiv Yar direction, and along the Donetsk-Zaporizhia border area. Evidence suggests North Korea may be supporting Russia’s artillery shortages, with Russian military bloggers sharing images of North Korean M1989 “Koksan” self-propelled artillery systems being transported through Krasnoyarsk.
The Kremlin faces serious demographic challenges, with labor shortages reaching 4.8 million people and population expected to decline by over 600,000 annually until 2032. Despite these issues, a state poll indicates 83% of Russians feel unaffected by the war, concerning officials about public indifference as the conflict continues.
Voice of Ukraine 