Part of plan to avoid another Russian offensive - Skibitskyi comments on AFU Makiuvka 

Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said this in an interview with Corriere della Sera publication.

"Makiivka is part of our counter-offensive, which began in August There will be others (strikes - ed.). It is part of the plan to avoid another Russian offensive. It was a big loss for them. It is hard to say what consequences it will have, but we will see. Probably, this is a message to all Russian soldiers who are forced to fight," said the DIU representative.

Vadym Skibitskyi also added that over the past two weeks, the Russian forces have moved additional forces not only to the eastern front but also to Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

"They were transported by trains and planes, from Rostov and other regions on the border with Ukraine," he said.

• Journalist Denys Kazansky reported that on New Year's Eve the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck with HIMARS at the barracks of the Russian forces in the temporarily occupied Makiivka on the site of vocational school No. 19. Information stated, in local chat rooms, hundreds of Russian soldiers were killed by the strike. 

• On January 2, the Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged the death of 63 Russian servicemen in Makiivka, but on January 4, the Russian department confirmed the death of 89 servicemen.