Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 5, 2026
Institute for the Study of War••world
Key Points:
- Russia is modifying its Shahed long-range strike drones by equipping them with man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), likely Verba MANPADS, to target Ukrainian aircraft, marking the first use of such modified drones on January 3-4.
- Overnight on January 4-5, Russian forces launched missile and long-range drone strikes on Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts, hitting a hospital in Kyiv and an American-owned enterprise in Dnipro, causing casualties and significant damage.
- Ukrainian President Zelensky appointed Major General Yevheniy Khmara as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) following the resignation of Lieutenant General Vasyl Malyuk, who will remain to lead
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