Russian Chief of Staff Valeri Gherasimov visited forces fighting in eastern Ukraine. He inspected the deployment of the Western Front units and said the troops are continuing their offensive on all fronts. In a video released by the Russian Defence Ministry, Gherasimov claimed that since the beginning of the year the Russian army has taken control of 17 towns and more than 500 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory, pushing toward the city of Zaporizhzhia. The visit comes a few days after trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates, mediated by the United States, between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at ending the nearly four‑year conflict. The next round of talks is expected on 1 February, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian Defence Ministry did not disclose the exact date or location of the visit. The statement was issued by the Ministry via Telegram.

Original article can be found here.