On January 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine held a session that saw the approval of resignations for Vasyl Maliuk as SBU chief, Mykhailo Fedorov as Minister of Digital Transformation, and Denys Shmyhal as Minister of Defense. However, deputies could not appoint replacements: there were not enough votes for Shmyhal, and voting on Fedorov did not take place. The Rada will return to these personnel issues tomorrow amid signs of internal bargaining within parliament.
According to media sources, Kyrylo Budanov's appointment as Head of the President's Office resulted from pressure by Western partners. Nonetheless, deputies and staff from the previous administration remain, limiting Budanov’s operational independence.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that sanctions pressure and allied actions have forced at least 20% of Russia's "shadow" fleet to cease operations, reportedly reducing Russian budget revenues by $30 billion.
Kyiv continues to face critical issues with power supply: blackouts, supermarket closures, and humanitarian aid efforts for residents. Some districts may remain without electricity for several days.
In the Black Sea, four oil tankers reportedly used for Russian oil exports were attacked by unidentified drones. There has been no official response from Ukraine or the relevant consortium.
NATO has called for urgently supplying Ukraine with air defense systems and missiles in response to increasing Russian attacks on civilians and infrastructure, but concrete military support remains limited.
In Iran, mass protests continue amid severe crackdowns. Media citing opposition sources estimate more than 12,000 deaths during recent demonstrations. The European Commission is preparing new sanctions against Iran. Donald Trump has publicly supported Iranian protesters and announced political pressure on Tehran's regime.
