Ukraine

• Ukraine eventually acknowledged a Russian strike on Kramatorsk, but said it merely damaged civilian infrastructure. Russia claimed it killed hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.
• The NYT assessed that Russia and Ukraine are "going toe to toe" in a pitched battle in Soledar and Bakhmut - a notable change in strategy from earlier in the war, when Ukraine avoided high-attrition fights and instead focused on using its lopsided advantages like strategic tricks and long-range weapons.
• Pres. Zelensky says Ukraine repelled Russia's - or rather, Wagner Group's - attempt to capture Soledar, but with heavy casualties.
• Following France's announcement that it's sending Ukraine AMX-10 RC light armored combat vehicles (which some are calling "tanks"), Germany hinted that it's cautiously considering sending Ukraine the Leopard 2 tanks (actual tanks) Pres. Zelensky requested.
• If Germany sends Ukraine Leopard 2 tanks, the UK and Poland would probably send tanks too...and if the UK or Poland agrees to send Ukraine tanks first, Germany would probably be compelled to follow suit and send Leopard 2s.

• Brasilia police said they have now detained over 1,200 supporters of former president Bolsonaro for storming government buildings on Sunday, in what The Economist called "Brazil's January 6."
• Yesterday I wrote that Brazil's Supreme Court had sacked the governor of the capital district for failing to act fast enough during the riots. The Court actually only suspended him for 90 days.

• Taiwan said that Chinese planes crossed the median line between China and Taiwan again yesterday - for the second consecutive day and the third time in a week.

• Rwanda's Pres. Kagame antagonized DRC by threatening to block Congolese refugees from crossing into Rwanda: "This is not Rwanda’s problem. And we are going to ensure that everybody realizes that it is not Rwanda’s problem."
• This is a political battle between Rwanda and DRC: DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels whose attacks stirred this wave of refugees.

• Norwegian Refugee Council secretary-general Jan Egeland is in Kabul meeting Taliban officials this week, and it sounds like it's not going very well: Egeland lamented that "the Taliban’s internal debates and extreme decrees have paralyzed our work."