• US Senate postpones approval of new aid to Kiev until next year, but Biden says “support for Ukraine is necessary for world peace.”
• Conflicting news from the war front. Zelensky admits the difficulties on the ground and continues to ask “friendly” countries for weapons and ammunition, but also says: “We are not losing the war.” Moscow instead claims continued military successes (difficult to verify)
11:21 p.m. – Russian drone attack on Kiev: A building is set on fire
In the evening, Russian kamikaze drones hit Kiev. In a district of the capital, rubble fell on a residential building and a fire broke out. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Telegram channel of the military administration of the city of Kiev.
10:48 p.m. – Ukraine: “A massive attack by Russian drones is underway”
In a new post on Telegram, the Ukrainian Air Force reported at least five sustained Russian drone strikes over Ukraine on Thursday evening, December 21st. In southern Ukraine, groups of unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted in the Mykolaev and Kirovograd regions, in the northwest direction, in the Odessa Oblast, in the northern direction, in the Cherkasy region, in the Kiev direction and in Vinnytsia in the northwest direction. In the northern part of the territory, the army also detected drones in the Poltava and Chernihiv regions towards Kiev. Shortly after 11 p.m., warning sirens went off in the Ukrainian capital and air defense is active.
8:51 p.m. – USA: “We are working on a new proposal for the Americans imprisoned in Russia (Whelan and Gershkovich)”
The last proposal “we” put forward for the release of Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich was rejected and “we are now working on a new serious proposal” for the release of the two Americans imprisoned in Russia. This was stated by John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council.
7:59 p.m. – Macron: “We can’t let Russia win”
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the West cannot let Russia “win” in Ukraine and that support for Kiev must continue, even if it “costs.” “Whoever knows the balance of power measures what we cannot allow and how much we cannot let Russia win,” he told French forces stationed in Jordan during a Christmas dinner. “What would tomorrow look like for us Europeans? That is why we will continue to help Ukrainians, which we do, even if it costs us something,” Macron said.
6:51 p.m. – “Europe and the USA are examining the use of Russian resources to support Kiev”
The United States and Europe are weighing the consequences of using the $300 billion in Russian assets frozen in Western countries to help Ukraine. This is reported by the New York Times, citing some sources, according to which the Biden administration has signaled its support for the seizure of the assets and has begun discussions with allies to use the funds to support Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has previously argued that seizing the funds without action from Congress would be illegal. But the administration, in coordination with the G7, has begun reconsidering whether to use its existing powers or seek congressional approval to use them.
5:59 p.m. – “The Prague Killer was inspired by Alina Afanaskina, a 14-year-old girl who killed a person in a school in Russia on December 7, 2023.”
On a Telegram channel created a few days before today's shooting, the Prague University attacker reportedly stated that he was tired of life, that everyone hated him, and that he hated everyone. Local media reported on it. The 24-year-old, identified as David Kozak, a student of the same faculty who was attacked, made it clear that he wanted to carry out a mass shooting, inspired by Alina Afanaskina, a 14-year-old girl who killed a person in a school in Russia on January 7 December 2023. “He didn't kill enough people, I'll try to fix that,” Kozak reportedly wrote.
5:42 p.m. – Telephone call between Putin and Venezuelan President Maduro
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation and took stock of the “excellent” state of relations and strategic partnership between the two countries. This was stated by the Foreign Minister of the South American country, Yvan Gil. Putin conveyed best wishes to both nations for the coming year and reiterated the importance of the signing of the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Treaty, as well as the importance that Russia attaches to Venezuela's desire to join the BRICS mechanism as a full member.
4:06 p.m. – The President of the Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation is wanted
Maria Pevchikh, investigative journalist and president of the Anti-Corruption Foundation founded by opponent Alexei Navalny since March last year, has been added to the Russian Interior Ministry's wanted list. This emerges from the ministry's database cited by the Tass agency. It is not known what crime the journalist, who has both Russian and British citizenship and lives in London, is wanted for. The Anti-Corruption Foundation is classified as an extremist organization in Russia, and Pevchikh has already been designated a foreign agent.
Pevchikh posted the message on his X account and wrote: “Look, I am on the wanted list in Russia. I don't know why, but who cares).
3:08 p.m. – Gerasimov: 160,000 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the failed counteroffensive
During the counteroffensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to make slight progress towards Zaporizhzhia without breaking through the tactical defense zone of the Russian troops. This was stated by the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, adding that “in six months of the counteroffensive, enemy losses in all directions amounted to about 160,000 people, more than 3,000 armored fighting vehicles, including 766 tanks,” as well as 121 aircraft and 23 Helicopter.”
2:55 p.m. – Kiev to men abroad: “Come back and register”
Kiev will call on Ukrainian men between the ages of 25 and 60 living abroad to enlist in military service. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced this, describing it as an “invitation” but hinting that sanctions would be in place for anyone who evaded the draft. President Zelensky said last Tuesday that the army had asked him to mobilize between 450,000 and 500,000 troops, but acknowledged that achieving that goal was a “delicate issue.” According to the BBC, which analyzed data from the European statistics agency Eurostat in November, around 768,000 Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 64 have left the country for the EU since the start of the Russian invasion. The number does not take into account citizens who live outside the EU or who have stayed somewhere abroad since February 2022. In an interview with “Die Welt”, “Bild” and “Politico”, Umerov described the recruitment campaign as “not a punishment” but “an honor”. “We are still discussing what might happen if they do not appear voluntarily,” he added, although a ministry spokesman later denied any kind of coercion.
– A Ukrainian soldier in a trench at the front (Afp)
2:01 p.m. – Putin: “The USA and Europe are no longer waiting for us to collapse”
“It is time for the United States and Europe to stop generally fooling around and waiting for us to collapse,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects. “I want to emphasize that we will not isolate ourselves from the American continent, from North America, from the United States and Canada, we will not isolate ourselves from European countries,” Putin added, as reported by Tass agency.
12:36 p.m. – Moscow: Launch of a carrier rocket with a military satellite
The Russian Defense Ministry has announced the launch of a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the aim of sending a military satellite into orbit, reports Tass. The launch would have taken place from the Plesetk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region in northern Russia.
12.11 p.m. – Von der Leyen: “Last tranche of 1.5 billion in Kiev today”
“Today we are providing Ukraine with the final €1.5 billion of our €18 billion support package for 2023. We must find an agreement to continue to give Ukraine the support it needs to rebuild, rebuild and reform.” We stand with our neighbor, friend and aspiring member.” The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote it on X-Twitter.
12:01 p.m. – Moscow military leader: “In Ukraine we are expanding the controlled areas”
Russian troops in Ukraine are “constantly expanding the zones under their control in all directions” along the entire front line and conducting “successful active defense.” This was stated by Russian Chief of General Staff General Valery Gerasimov while receiving military attachés from foreign embassies for the 2023 budget. “The much-hyped counteroffensive by Ukraine and its NATO allies has failed,” he added, quoting Tass agency’s Gerasimov. According to the general, Kiev forces had planned to surround the city of Melitopol within 15 days and then advance towards the Sea of Azov, Mariupol and the border with Crimea. “The increase in supplies of Western weapons to the Kiev regime and the use of strategic reserves in the battle decided by the Ukrainian command did not change the situation on the field,” but “only increased the number of losses of Ukrainian units Armed Forces» , concluded the general.
11:59 a.m. – Kiev: 1,080 Russian soldiers killed in the last day
Russia has lost 350,270 soldiers in Ukraine since the war began on February 24, 2022, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported, adding that this figure includes 1,080 casualties suffered by Russian forces in the last day. According to the report, Russia also lost 5,828 tanks, 10,825 armored fighting vehicles, 10,919 fuel vehicles and tanks, 8,226 artillery systems, 932 multiple rocket systems, 611 air defense systems, 324 aircraft, 324 helicopters, 6,342 drones, 22 boats and a submarine.
10:53 a.m. – Kiev: “Two women killed in bomb attack in Nikopol”
Two women, aged 46 and 60, were killed by Russian artillery in the southern Ukrainian city of Nikopol. This was announced by local authorities after another night of attacks by Russian drones. Russian forces have systematically shelled Ukrainian towns and villages near the front lines, even reducing large cities to rubble.
10:14 a.m. – Moscow: “Symmetrical reactions if the EU seizes Russian assets”
Russia is ready for an “absolutely symmetrical response” if the European Union decides to confiscate the profits from Russian Central Bank deposits frozen in European countries to use them to benefit Ukraine, as proposed by the Brussels Commission. This was stated by Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov. “If such a decision is made, we will react absolutely symmetrically, we also have enough funds that are frozen here,” Siluanov warned in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel, the Interfax agency reported. Last week, the European Commission proposed raising 15 billion euros from profits from frozen Russian funds by 2027 to reallocate to Ukraine.
9:52 a.m. – Moscow and Kiev positions near Donetsk are destroyed
Russian artillery destroyed some positions of the Ukrainian armed forces near the city of Donetsk. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense, quoted by Ria Novosti. “Russian artillerymen of the 9th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps destroyed targets of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Donetsk during combat operations,” the Russian ministry said. Aerial reconnaissance made it possible to determine the positions of the Ukrainian armed forces. The Russian ministry claims that Moscow troops destroyed several different units of light armored vehicles and a concentration of Ukrainian troops. In addition, Su-25 aircraft hit the bases of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction. The attack was carried out by unguided air missiles.
9:40 a.m. – Ukraine admits Russia's advance around Avdiivka
The Ukrainian army confirmed that Russian forces have gained ground in a two-month ground offensive in southeastern Ukraine around the industrial city of Avdiivka. “Since October 10, when the enemy became more active, in some places he has advanced one and a half to two kilometers,” said Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun. “But it cost them a lot,” Shtupun said of attacks along the front, particularly in Avdiivka, near the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk. Appearing on Ukrainian television news on Wednesday, Shtupun acknowledged that Russian forces were numerically superior. Observers such as the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have also pointed out the large deployment of Russian soldiers and armored vehicles in the region as well as the high losses in the Russian ranks. Their reports also confirm the Russian advance, which is putting increasing pressure on the remaining Ukrainian defenders at Avdiivka. Last night's Ukrainian General Staff report listed 89 separate Russian ground attacks on seven sectors of the front. According to the report, there were 31 attacks near Avdiivka.
9:30 a.m. – Ukrainian ministers meeting in Warsaw to protest against truck drivers
Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announced that he was in Warsaw, where he met his Polish counterpart from Donald Tusk's new pro-European government, Dariusz Klimczak, to discuss how the protest by Polish truck drivers at the border between the two Countries can be broken against the import of agricultural products, which is damaging the Ukrainian economy. “We discussed various issues in the transport sector, but the main topic was the unblocking of the border” between Ukraine and Poland.
7:44 a.m. – Air Force: Attack with 35 Russian drones during the night
Ukraine said it suffered a new night attack by Russia with 35 Iranian-made Shahed drones, 34 of which were shot down. The attacks came “in waves” throughout the night and came from Chuda (in occupied Crimea), Primorsko-Akhtarsk (on the eastern shore of the Sea of Azov) and Kursk, a Russian city near Ukraine's northern border. The Ukrainian Air Force announced this via Telegram.
7:32 a.m. – Kiev: “Male citizens abroad should come forward to report”
In search of more soldiers, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov wants to invite men living abroad to serve in the military next year. Ukrainians between the ages of 25 and 60 who live in Germany and other countries eligible for military service are being asked to report to the armed forces' recruiting centers, Umerov told German media, including the Bild newspaper, on Wednesday evening. The minister said it was “an invitation” but made it clear there would be sanctions if anyone did not follow the call. “We are still discussing what will happen if they don’t come voluntarily,” he said. The Ukrainian army wants to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 more soldiers to repel the Russian invasion. However, the financial and political framework conditions have not yet been clarified. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the mobilization as a “delicate issue.” Umerov said justice is important. In the future, it should be made clear to those who are being recalled in advance how they will be trained and equipped, where and when they will serve and when they will end their service. Despite the ban, many Ukrainian men went abroad ahead of a possible draft.
7:21 a.m. – Kiev, Russian drone strikes in 12 regions overnight
Tonight Russian drone attacks were recorded in twelve regions of Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrinform agency, citing the Air Force. Air defense forces were deployed in Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Poltava, Chernihiv and Kirovohrad oblasts. According to the Ukrainian military, 34 of the 35 drones launched by Moscow forces were shot down.
6:04 a.m. – USA: One thousand containers of ammunition from North Korea to Russia
According to a recent report from US officials confirmed by satellite images, North Korea has delivered more than a thousand containers of military equipment and ammunition to Moscow. This was announced by US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith yesterday evening, citing the Ukrinform agency. “We condemn North Korea for providing Russia with this military equipment that is used to attack cities, kill Ukrainian civilians and promote illegitimate wars,” White House National Security Council Communications Coordinator John Kirby said in Moscow. “In return for this support, we expect Pyongyang to request military assistance from Russia, including combat aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or other advanced materials and technologies,” Kirby added, ensuring that this The United States will continue to monitor developments and identify any attempts by Pyongyang to supply weapons to Russia. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia is forced to use low-quality artillery and mortar shells supplied by North Korea due to its low ammunition stocks.
5:56 a.m. – The White House is optimistic about negotiations in the US Senate on new aid for Kiev
The Biden administration believes that negotiations in the US Senate over immigration reform, which should also lead to the release by Republicans of a new large-scale aid package for Ukraine, are “going in the right direction.” White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said this yesterday evening, citing the Ukrinform agency. “The negotiations are going in the right direction.” This is very important,” said Jean-Pierre, stressing the importance of Congress reaching an agreement on the adoption of the request for additional appropriations for national security, among which Other things include additional aid for Kiev. “We have to do it, very quickly. And for this reason, we call on Republicans in Congress not to hesitate,” the White House spokeswoman stressed, noting that it is vital for the United States to continue providing security assistance to Kyiv, including in light of the situation on site. In fact, Washington believes that Russian troops could step up their offensive operations in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Avdiivka area, once the ground freezes.
05:35 – Sumy, 14 Russian attacks in 24 hours
Russian forces attacked 14 communities and targets in Ukraine's Sumy province on Wednesday. This was announced by the local Ukrainian military command.
2:30 a.m. – Russia, the pacifist journalist Duntsova takes on Putin
According to international media reports, former television journalist Yekaterina Duntsova has applied to run against Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the presidential elections in March 2024. The 40-year-old local politician in Tver Oblast and mother of three has publicly spoken out in favor of “peace” in Ukraine, but refrains from using the term “war” in her interviews with journalists.
“Sooner or later, any armed conflict ends and I hope it ends as soon as possible,” Duntsova said last month. The former reporter submitted documents to the Central Election Commission of Russia to officially register his candidacy. To advance as a candidate, she must collect 300,000 signatures nationwide by January 31st.