President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Andrii Kovalenko as the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

This is stated in decree No. 29 of January 26, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"To appoint Kovalenko Andrii Valeriiovych as the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation," the decree says.

Kovalenko previously worked as a deputy head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Kovalenko is an information technology expert, PR-consultant.

In 2012, he graduated from the Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv with a degree in Sociology.

He began his career at the end of 2010 as a journalist. He worked in the publications Segodnya, Komentari, served as an editor of the website of the Espreso TV channel,

In 2015-2019, he worked as an editor, the first deputy editor-in-chief of the Depo.ua website, in 2019-2020, he was the editor-in-chief of this site.

Later, he held the posts of a communications specialist at the State Agency of Fisheries and the State Inspectorate of Urban Planning, headed the media direction at the election headquarters of the Servant of the People party of the Borshchahivska territorial community.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in April 2023, Zelenskyy dismissed the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Polina Lysenko, who held this position since April 2021.

In August 2021, it became known that Lysenko was going on maternity leave, her first deputy Andrii Shapovalov became the acting head of the Center.

In March 2021, Zelenskyy put in place a decision by the National Security and Defense Council to create the Center for Countering Disinformation.

Parliament and Parties

Health Ministry says cryobanks will not dispose of frozen biomaterial of killed military, legislative conflict will be eliminated

(Ukrainian News, Martynova Ludmyla, 27.01.2024 15:15:00)

The Ministry of Health has said that cryobanks will not dispose of frozen biomaterial of the killed military, the legislative conflict will be eliminated as soon as possible.

This is stated in the message of the Ministry of Health on Facebook, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

The Ministry noted that in March the law passed by Parliament will come into force, which allows the families of military to save reproductive cells free of charge and use them to continue the genus of Ukrainian defenders.

"The fact that this law does not provide the same opportunity for those who were killed is a legislative conflict, which will be eliminated as soon as possible. The Ministry of Health, together with parliamentarians, is already conducting appropriate work. The issue must be and will be resolved urgently," it said.

The Ministry of Health made such a statement after a scandal arose on social networks that the widows of the fallen military began to be denied the opportunity to give birth to a child using their sperm.

The law on ensuring the right of military personnel to biological paternity provides for the disposal of sperm from the killed.

Member of Parliament from the Servant of the People faction, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Health of the Nation, Medical Assistance and Health Insurance Mykhailo Radutskyi, reacting to the scandal, noted that the prohibition of the use of biological material of the killed military by their wives is unfair and wrong towards the fallen Ukrainian Heroes, and assured that the Verkhovna Rada will not hesitate to vote for the necessary changes.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in November 2023, the Verkhovna Rada allowed military personnel to store their reproductive cells free of charge in cryobanks during the period of martial law.

Foreign Policy

Russia keeps 6 ships on combat duty in Black Sea, of which 4 missile carriers - Navy

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 12:21:00)

As of 07:00 a.m., Saturday, January 27, russia holds 6 ships on combat duty in the Black Sea, including 4 carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles with a total salvo of up to 22 missiles.

The command of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced this on the Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"In the Black Sea there are 6 enemy ships, including 4 carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles, a total salvo of up to 22 missiles; in the Sea of Azov - 1 enemy ship; in the Mediterranean there are 2 enemy ships, including 1 carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, a total salvo of up to 8 missiles," the report said.

During the day, in the interests of the russian federation, the following passed along the Kerch Strait:

- to the Sea of Azov - 5 ships, of which 2 moved from the Bosphorus Strait;

- 6 ships to the Black Sea, of which 2 continued towards the Bosphorus Strait.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, as of Thursday, January 25, russia kept 4 ships on combat duty in the Black Sea, including 2 Kalibr cruise missile carriers with a total salvo of up to 8 missiles.

MONITORING: Putin calls war against Ukraine fair and announces number of occupiers

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 13:03:00)

The decision to launch an invasion of Ukraine, which brought russia losses record high since World War II and made the country the champion in terms of the number of sanctions imposed, was "right" and “just,” said russian president vladimir putin.

It was reported by the website of The Moscow Times.

“We're doing everything right. And we are fighting for a just cause," putin said at a meeting with participants in the war.

According to him, after the change of power in Ukraine in 2014, the country "began to exterminate" those who were determined to establish relations with moscow, while creating an "anti-russian enclave."

"Ten times in a row deceived us about the non-expansion of NATO. But all this together just left us no chance but to start trying - and here we have launched a special military operation, but this is not the beginning of the war," putin said.

Currently, according to the president, there are 600,000 people in the combat zone who "should become the basis of the russian state." "The entire state apparatus" should be set up for this, putin said: "the fatherland at all times needs people who have passed the crucible of combat tests."

Almost 800 occupiers eliminated, 15 armored vehicles knocked out - General Staff updates data on enemy losses

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 14:19:00)

During the day on January 26, Ukrainian soldiers eliminated 770 russian invaders. They also destroyed 44 units of military equipment and weapons of the enemy. In particular, the russian army during the day lost six tanks and eight units of special equipment.

Updated data on russian losses in the war were published by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Having eliminated 770 invaders on January 26, the Defense Forces of Ukraine brought the irreversible losses of the russian federation in manpower during the full-scale aggression to 381,370 people.

Also, the russians during the day lost six tanks (in total, 6,271 units have already been destroyed), 15 armored fighting vehicles (in total, 11,652 units have been eliminated), three artillery systems (in total, 9,085) and eight units of special equipment (1,433).

The AFU also destroyed four operational-tactical-level UAVs (a total of 7,037 have been landed) and eight units of motor vehicles and tank trucks (since February 24, 2022, 12,072 have already been destroyed).

The number of MLRS (972), air defense equipment (660), aircraft (331), helicopters (324), as well as cruise missiles (1,845), ships/boats (23) and submarines (one) remained unchanged compared to the previous operational summary.

Law Enforcement Agencies

98 combat clashes take place at the front over day, the most - 29 - on Avdiivka axis - AFU General Staff operational update

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 12:12:00)

Over the last day, 98 combat clashes took place at the front, the most - 29 - on the Avdiivka axis.

This is stated in the text of the morning operational update from the command of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In total, the enemy launched 8 missile attacks (with the S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles on the civil infrastructure of Myrnohrad, Novohradivka, Donetsk Region and Antonivka, Kherson Region) and 4 air strikes, carried out 78 attacks from multiple rocket launchers on positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

Last day, the russian invaders also launched another air strike, using 4 Shahed-136/131-type strike UAVs. By the forces and means of air defense of Ukraine, all the strike UAVs were destroyed.

In the morning, the russian occupiers attacked the civil infrastructure of the city Sloviansk, Donetsk Region with an Iskander ballistic missile.

More than 120 settlements of the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv Regions were under artillery fire.

In the area of responsibility of the North Operational and Strategic Troops Group, on the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes, the enemy maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts active sabotage activities in order to prevent the transfer of the Defense Forces to threatening axes, increases the density of mine-explosive barriers along the state border in the Belgorod Region.

In the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Troops Group on the Kupiansk axis, 13 enemy attacks near Tabaivka, Kharkiv Region and Stelmakhivka, Luhansk Region were repelled by defenders.

On the Lyman axis, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 8 attacks by the invaders near Terny and Torske, Donetsk Region.

On the Bakhmut axis, the Defense Forces repelled 11 enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka, Donetsk Region.

In the area of responsibility of the Tavria Operational and Strategic Troops Group on the Avdiivka axis, Ukrainian defenders continue to deter the enemy, who does not abandon attempts to surround Avdiivka. The warriors steadfastly hold the defenses, inflicting significant losses on the occupiers. Thus, the Defense Forces last day repelled 20 attacks by invaders near Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka and 9 more attacks in the areas of Opytne, Vodiane, Pervomaiske and Nevelske, Donetsk Region.

On the Mariinka axis, the Defense Forces continue to deter the enemy near Heorhiivka, Pobieda and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Region, where 14 attacks were repelled.

On the Shakhtarsk axis, the defenders repelled an attack of the invaders in the area of Zolota Nyva, Donetsk Region.

On the Zaporizhzhia axis, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 6 enemy attacks north of Pryiutne, south of Chervone, west of Verbove and Robotyne Zaporizhzhia Region.

In the area of responsibility of the Odesa Operational and Strategic Troops Group on the Kherson axis, the Defense Forces continue measures to expand the bridgehead. Despite the significant losses, the enemy does not give up trying to knock our units out of their positions. During the past day, the enemy carried out 4 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of Ukrainian troops.

At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers with active actions inflict casualties on the occupation troops in manpower and equipment, deplete the enemy along the entire front line.

Air defense forces shoot down all 4 kamikaze drones during night attack on Ukraine by russia

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 12:41:00)

On the night of Saturday, January 27, russian troops fired 4 Shahed-136/131-type strike drones on the territory of Ukraine, air defense forces destroyed all air targets.

The press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced this on the Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports

It is noted that this night the enemy attacked Ukraine with four strike UAVs from the southeast direction (Primorsko-Akhtarsk, russia).

"All four were destroyed in the Kirovohrad Region," the report said.

The invaders also struck with an Iskander-M missile at the Donetsk Region from the Rostov Region (russian federation).

According to preliminary information, there were no injuries.

Meanwhile, the head of the Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration, Andrii Raikovych, clarified on his Telegram channel that the wreckage of one of the downed drones fell in the Kropyvnytskyi District, damaging the fence of an abandoned private house.

There were no casualties.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on the night of January 25, russians attacked Ukraine with 14 Shaheds and 5 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, air defense forces shot down 11 drones.

One of victims of russian attack on Kyiv on January 23 died in hospital

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 16:17:00)

One of the victims of a russian missile attack on Kyiv on January 23 died in a hospital.

The Lokomotyv football club announced this on Facebook, Ukrainian New Agency reports.

At the time of the shelling, the man was at the Lokomotyv stadium.

"The tragic news came tonight (January 26). As a result of a terrorist Russian missile strike on the Lokomotyv (stadium) on January 23, unfortunately, one of the victims, Mykhailo Donskyi, who was in serious condition, in a coma, died," the report said.

The FC added that the deceased was a rehabilitation doctor, a powerlifting athlete.

Together with his family, he constantly visited the stadium.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the General Staff specified that in a combined missile strike on Ukraine on January 23, the aggressor state of the russian federation used 44 means of air attack. Air defense forces destroyed 22 russian missiles.

In addition, as a result of rocket fire in Kyiv, the apartment and car of the lawyer, public figure Masi Nayyem were damaged.

Also during the missile attack on Kyiv on the morning of January 23, the warhead of one of the missiles fell near residential buildings, but did not explode. Rescuers of the State Emergency Service showed how they were neutralizing it.

Economics

New threat arises on Zaporizhzhia NPP. Fuel life expires

(Ukrainian News, Mazur Oleksandr, 27.01.2024 11:21:00)

At the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the manufacturer's six-year term of residence of nuclear fuel in all six reactors expires. This can lead to abnormal situations.

The Acting Chairman of the Board of the Energoatom JSC Petro Kotin has reported this.

He explained that the use of fuel that has expired is a violation of safety standards. Because of this, fuel cells can collapse, leading to an accident.

"The attempts of the invaders to alternately transfer the power units of the nuclear power plant from "cold shutdown" to "hot" will further undermine the situation, not to mention the outright violation of the conditions of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate licenses for the operation of these nuclear facilities, that is, at the same time, the requirements of Ukrainian and international legislation," Petro Kotin emphasized.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, observers of the International Atomic Energy Agency in early January 2024 could not get into the reactor halls of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, as the russians who seized the station try to hide the real situation at the facility.

And in early November 2023, IAEA observers reported a leak of boron water from the coolant of the fifth power unit of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

Джерело: http://www.ukranews.com

Випуск новин від ІА "Українські новини" англійською мовою "Daily News: Policy" від 27.01.2024

President

Zelenskyy appoints Kovalenko head of Center for Countering Disinformation at NSDC