Free Republic

Since the missile attack, all 8 Tu-95s which were airborne and 1 of the Tu-160s landed at Engels-2 Airbase. The whereabouts of the other 3 Tu-160s is currently unknown. A few hours ago, 7 Tu-95s departed from Engels-2, and are redeploying to Ukrainka Airbase in Amur Oblast. The other Tu-95 and the Tu-160 have likely been equipped or are in the process of being equipped with Kh-101 cruise missiles, from the first IL-76MD which landed there 12 hours ago. This also means that this is one of the rare instances where there are no strategic bombers stationed at Olenya Airbase...

While Spiderweb played out on Telegram and television, Russian forces continued to advance – slowly, methodically, and without spectacle. Around Chasiv Yar, in the ruins of Avdiivka, and along the land bridge to Crimea, Moscow is doing the work that wins wars. It’s pushing lines. It’s holding ground. It’s breaking down Ukrainian defenses by weight of numbers, firepower, and time. That kind of warfare doesn’t trend on social media, but it changes maps.

Russia has launched a huge attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which authorities said was the twelfth large-scale attack on energy facilities this year. Russia said the attack was in response to a Ukrainian strike on a military airbase in south-west Russia using US-made missiles, which US President-elect Donald Trump described as "crazy". In an interview with Time magazine on Thursday, to mark being named Person of the Year, Trump said he disagreed "very vehemently" with American made missiles targeting sites in Russia. "We're just escalating this war and making it worse," he said.