Russia offers foreigners to enlist in army to obtain Russian citizenship - AFU General Staff

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces says that in Russia, foreigners are offered to join the army to quickly obtain Russian citizenship, and in Moscow, commercial organizations are forced to pay at least RUB 10 million to support the army

The General Staff shared the information in the evening report for January 16.

"On the territory of Russia, foreign citizens who are in the queue for citizenship of the Russian Federation are offered to voluntarily enlist in the ranks of the enemy army and automatically receive Russian citizenship," the report says.

Also, Moscow is pressuring commercial structures to financially support the Russian armed forces by providing RUB 10 million rubles.

The AFU General Staff informs that Russian mobilized soldiers are expected to arrive at the Kadamovsky training ground, Rostov region, for further training and manning of Russian units. 

"First of all, the replenishment will concern the Wagner PMC and Bars units, which are constantly losing personnel in Ukraine," the statement reads.

In addition, according to the General Staff, a missile hit a residential building in Novopskov, Luhansk region, on January 15. The missile was launched from a S-300 system by Russian troops. Two civilians were killed.

Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a Russian command post, 8 personnel concentrations, fuel and oil warehouses, and ammunition depots

Over the last day, units of the missile troops and artillery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit a Russian control point, 8 personnel concentrations,  a fuel and oil warehouse, and an ammunition depot.

Russian troops launch 2 missile, 6 airstrikes, and more than 20 MLRS attacks during the day

The strikes hit the civilian infrastructure of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. There are dead and injured among the civilian population. 

In addition, in the settlements of the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Russian forces are intensifying counterintelligence and security measures, conducting searches of the local population. Particular attention is paid to mobile phones.

Situation in other directions:

In Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Russian troops shelled more than 10 settlements of Kharkiv and Luhansk regions.  

In the Bakhmut direction, 15 settlements of the Donetsk region were hit.

In the Avdiivka direction, 9 settlements of the Donetsk region came under Russian fire.

In the Vuhledar direction, 4 settlements of the  Donetsk region were shelled.

In the Zaporizhzhia direction, more than 15 settlements suffered from artillery fire opened by Russian troops. 

In the Kherson direction, Russian forces do not stop terrorizing civilians. Eleven settlements were subjected to mortar and artillery shelling.

Russia reinforces combat air group in Belarus under the guise of joint exercises

Currently, the situation on the border with Belarus is without significant changes, no offensive groups have been detected.

At the same time, on January 16, near the Ukrainian border, a joint flight and tactical exercise of Belarus and the Russian Federation began, involving combat aircraft of both countries.

"Thus, under the guise of joint training, the enemy has strengthened the combat aviation group in Belarus. In view of this, the threat of missile and airstrikes from Belarus' airspace is growing," the General Staff explains.

Also, more than 30 settlements of Kharkiv and Sumy regions were subjected to tank, mortar and artillery shelling.

In total, there are about 50 units of Russian aviation equipment on the territory of Belarus today concentrated at 2 airfields - Machulishchy and Baranovichi.