January 26, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainian air defenses successfully shot down the majority of a barrage of missiles launched by Russia, but one man was killed by falling missile fragments in Kyiv.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is "not interested" in peace talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and Germany has confirmed that it will deliver Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine by the end of March.

Here are the latest headlines:

Russia launched 55 missiles at Ukraine on Thursday morning, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram, adding that the salvo was aimed at the country’s “energy facilities” and that some power substations had been hit. 

Ukraine shot down 47 cruise missiles, including 20 over the capital city, according to General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The missiles were launched from Russian warplanes and ships in the Black Sea, he added in his Telegram post.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has met with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Odesa in southern Ukraine on Thursday.

“In Odessa! To mark France's support to Ukraine's sovereignty, today as ever,” Colonna said in a tweet. 

Kuleba shared a photograph of the pair in Odesa and welcomed Colonna to the city in the caption.  

“Thanks for your brave visit. Looking forward to discussing France’s role in the international tank coalition, Grain From Ukraine, and Peace Formula," he tweeted. "The Ukrainian-French partnership remains crucial to ending Russian aggression and restoring peace.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is no match for his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

Peskov’s comments came in response to a question about Zelensky saying that he is “not interested” in meeting the Russian president for peace talks. 

“We know with what promises Zelensky was elected president, it is absolutely not difficult to remember them ourselves and remind those voters who voted for him in Ukraine,” Peskov told journalists during a daily press call. 

“He did not solve the problem of Donbass (Donbas in Ukrainian), he did not fulfil the Minsk agreements, moreover, as it turned out, he was not going to fulfil them, he was preparing for war,” he said. 

“Therefore, let’s put it this way, he himself has long ceased to be a possible opponent for Putin," Peskov continued. 

Here's what Ukrainian officials have said about the impact of the missiles that Russian forces fired across Ukraine on Thursday morning:

Kyiv city: Around 20 Russian missiles were shot down in the skies over Ukraine’s capital, said Serhiy Popko, head of city’s military administration. A 55-year-old man was killed by falling missile fragments, and two others wounded.

Kyiv region: The regional administration for the wider Kyiv region reported a “hit at an energy facility” but gave no further details.

Odesa region: Ukrainian air defenses destroyed three missiles over the region, governor Maksym Marchenko said on Telegram. The DTEK energy company said energy infrastructure had been damaged and warned the subsequent emergency power outages “may last for several days”.

Vinnytsia region: Earlier, regional governor Serhiy Borzov reported “hits by enemy missiles.” The region’s police chief Ivan Ishchenko said there were no known casualties.

The Australian Open has issued a warning to players after tennis star Novak Djokovic's father Srdjan was seen posing with flag-waving supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a video posted on YouTube by a known Putin supporter, Srdjan Djokovic can be seen posing with a supporter outside Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. 

The man is wearing a pro-war "Z" symbol on his shirt, while holding a Russian flag with Putin’s face on it. The “Z” symbol, which has been seen on Russian military equipment and clothing, is viewed as a sign of support for Russia, including its invasion of Ukraine.

According to Australian Open rules, Russian and Belarusian flags are banned from the event. 

"Players and their teams have been briefed and reminded of the event policy regarding flags and symbols and to avoid any situation that has the potential to disrupt," an Australian Open spokesperson told CNN Thursday. "We continue to work closely with event security and law enforcement agencies."

The Australian Open spokesperson went on to say that "a small group of people displayed inappropriate flags and symbols and threatened security guards following a match on Wednesday night and were evicted."

CNN has reached out to both Novak and Srdjan Djokovic for comment.

Ukraine shot down all of the Russian missiles fired at Kyiv on Thursday morning, according to Serhiy Popko, head of city’s military administration.

Popko said that around 20 missiles were destroyed after being “detected in Kyiv city airspace” in a post on Telegram.

The person who died in the attacks was identified as a 55-year-old man who was killed “due to the fall of missile fragments,” he added.

The US Ambassador to Kyiv, Bridget Brink, described the missile assault as “another cruel attack” that wouldn't stop Ukraine’s allies giving their “determined, unified support.”

The regional administration for the wider Kyiv region reported that an energy facility had been hit in the attack. “Emergency power outages were being introduced throughout the region,” it said.

Most regions of Ukraine are now no longer under an air raid alert.

Earlier Thursday, a Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson said that more than 30 missiles had been fired at Ukraine from Russian aircraft.

The missile salvo came less than 24 hours after the United States and Germany pledged to supply Ukraine with modern battle tanks.

Moscow sees the delivery of modern Western battle tanks to Ukraine as “direct involvement” in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

"There are constant statements from European capitals, from Washington that them sending various weapons systems, including tanks, to Ukraine in no way means the involvement of these countries or the alliance in the hostilities that are taking place in Ukraine,” Peskov said in a daily press call with reporters.  

Peskov's comments come after Germany agreed to send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine following weeks of diplomatic pressure.

Berlin has also said it will approve the re-export of the German-made tanks from other European allies that have stocks of the tank.

Germany is planning to deliver Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine by the end of March, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced Thursday. 

''We will deliver our Leopards – at the latest by the end of march,'' Pistorius told reporters at a news conference during a visit to a German armed forces training camp in Altengrabow. 

On Wednesday, Germany confirmed it will deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) stock to Kyiv, following weeks of diplomatic pressure on Berlin.  

When asked by a reporter on Thursday why it had taken Germany so long to announce the deliveries of the tanks, Pistorius justified Germany taking its time.   

''We did not hesitate – we negotiated with our allies – we talked to our partners and friends about what is the best thing to do now and that takes time," he said.