The Kremlin has announced the sudden death of the head of military intelligence, who played a key role in its actions in Ukraine:
The Kremlin says the head of Russia's military intelligence agency, which is known as the GRU, has died unexpectedly.
A statement posted on the Kremlin website on January 4 said that President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Igor Sergun's relatives over his "sudden death."
Sergun, who had headed the GRU since 2011 and was also a deputy head of the Russian military General Staff, was 58 years old.
The Kremlin statement did not give a cause of death.
It quoted Putin as saying that Sergun had dedicated his "entire life...to serving the homeland and the armed forces."
GRU is a secretive agency, and Sergun was not widely known as a public figure.
His death comes amid an upsurge in Russian military activity abroad. Russia launched air strikes in Syria in September and is accused by the Kyiv and the West of direct military support for separatists in a conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 9,000 people.
Two Russians captured in Ukraine last year have said they were active GRU officers when they were seized, while the Russian military says they were not serving at the time. (w/ TASS)
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense council (click to enlarge):
Barring any major developments, this ends our live blogging for January 3. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.