War in Ukraine: terrorist attack foiled, ATACMS missiles intercepted, journalist killed… an update on the situation

Des missiles ATACMS interceptés par la Russie. ILLUSTRATION MAXPPP – U.S. Army/Avalon

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Saturday, January 4, 2025, discover the latest news about this conflict.

A journalist from the Russian daily Izvestia killed by a drone in eastern Ukraine

The Russian media Izvestia announced on Saturday the death of one of its journalists, killed by a Ukrainian drone strike near the city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine. “The Ukrainian army launched a drone attack on a civilian car carrying Izvestia's independent correspondent Alexander Martemyanov”, the daily reported on its Telegram channel.

According to Izvestia, the car was traveling “far from the contact line” on a highway connecting Donetsk, the main city in the Russian-controlled region, and Horlivka, to the north According to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 15 journalists have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

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Four minors suspected of planning an attack arrested in Russia

The Russian security service (FSB) announced on Saturday that it had arrested four minors suspected of planning to commit a bomb attack in Yekaterinburg, in the Urals. The four individuals, born between 2007 and 2008, “planned to commit a terrorist act using an improvised explosive device in crowded places in the city of Yekaterinburg”, the FSB said, quoted by Russian news agencies.

Two of the four suspects are also accused of having “set fire” to a police car, according to Russian news agencies. The state agency TASS published a video showing, according to it, one of the arrested minors who, facing the camera, admits to following “neo-Nazi channels on the social network Telegram”.

“I read on these channels that action should be taken against the police“, says this individual with a blurred face. Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, Russian security agencies have frequently announced the arrest of individuals suspected of collaborating with kyiv. Trials for “treason”, “terrorism”, “sabotage” or “espionage”,which are always accompanied by heavy sentences, are increasing in Russia. Thousands of people have been sanctioned, threatened or imprisoned because of their opposition to the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia says it has intercepted 8 American ATACMS missiles and promises “retaliation”

Russia claimed on Saturday, January 4, that it had intercepted American ATACMS missiles fired by Ukraine the day before and promised “retaliation”, this type of attack being presented by the Kremlin as a red line in the conflict. “These actions by the kyiv regime, which is supported by its Western guardians, will be met with reprisals”, the Russian military warned in a statement.

In recent weeks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to order his army to strike downtown Kiev in response to Ukrainian attacks using American ATACMS or British Storm Shadows, but has not yet carried out his words.

Earlier on Saturday, the Russian military said it had intercepted “eight missiles” ATACMS targeting the Russian region of Belgorod, on the border with Ukraine, and more than “72 drones”. Moscow's forces have not, however, specified whether this Ukrainian attack had caused casualties or material damage.