Russia says it has detected a shift from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his team towards recognising the "realities" on the ground in Ukraine, and sees this as a welcome sign as it prepares to study his plan for ending the war.

Trump has reaffirmed his intention to broker peace in Ukraine, declaring earlier this month that “Putin wants to meet” and that such a meeting is being set up. In the past, he has criticized U.S. military aid for Ukraine and even vowed to end the conflict in a single day if elected.

For Russia, the return of Donald Trump provides a chance to end western sanctions against it, and provide solace for its appalling war losses.

Despite the Biden administration's $175 billion in aid to Ukraine throughout nearly three years of the war, Trump's stance on future assistance remains unclear. Ukraine has received the first $3 billion tranche of a G7-backed $50 billion loan,

January 13, 166 combat clashes took place on the front. Half of them occurred in the Pokrovsk direction, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "During the past day, the missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces struck one area of enemy personnel,