Ukraine Daily

Monday, December 19

Russia’s war against Ukraine

People swarm into “Centers of Invincibility” in Kyiv, which have all basic services, including electricity, mobile communications and the Internet, heat, water, and a first-aid kit, as blackouts continue due to attacks amid Russia-Ukraine war in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 18, 2022. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine overnight on Dec. 19. As a result of the attack, infrastructure and homes were damaged, and two people were injured in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast Governor Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the attacks damaged several homes and power lines. Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down 30 Iranian-made kamikaze drones.

Russian Defense Minister Shoigu claims to “visit” troops in occupied Ukraine. Attaching a short video of Shoigu in a military helicopter, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that he had spoken with troops about the current battlefield assessment “on the front line” and at a “command post.” It was unclear when Shoigu’s visit really took place or whether he had come to Ukraine at all.

Watchdog: Russia transfers more military equipment to Belarus. Russia transferred at least 50 Ural military trucks to Belarus on Dec. 16, the Belarusian Hajun, a watchdog that monitors the movement of Russian troops, reported on Dec. 18.

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General: Putin will push for Belarus’ broader involvement in war against Ukraine. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko are expected to discuss “further aggression against Ukraine” and “broader involvement” of the Belarusian military in the war at their planned meeting on Dec. 19, according to Lieutenant General Serhiy Naiev.

Zelensky: Defense of borders with Belarus remains among Ukraine’s top priorities. “No matter who or what tries to persuade Minsk to do anything, it will not help them. Our military is preparing for all possible defense scenarios,“ President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Dec. 18.

General staff: Russia amassing additional troops near occupied Melitopol. The increase in Russian troops may be a response to reports of Ukraine’s imminent counteroffensive in the southeast.

Zelensky: Electricity restored for 9 million Ukrainians. Electricity has been restored to nine million Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on Dec. 18.

Klitschko: Heating completely restored in Kyiv. “The capital’s central heating system was fully restored,” Klitschko said on Telegram, adding that minor problems with heating may arise throughout the day.

Zelensky demands international tribunal to prosecute ‘all those who provoked war.’ ”The Kremlin and those who help the leadership wage war against Ukraine should be held accountable, which include propagandists and strategists who “imposed” its ideology on society, Zelensky said.

Zelensky: More air defense can deprive Russia of its main tool of aggression. President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Ukraine’s international partners to provide the country with additional air defense systems in order to deprive Russia of its “main instrument of terror”— missile strikes.

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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine issues escalation warning ahead of Putin-Lukashenko talks.

Ukraine’s military on Dec. 18 warned of potential border escalation ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to Minsk in three years for talks with Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

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The human cost of Russia’s war

Official: Russian forces kill 2 people, injure 4 in Kherson on Dec. 18. Halyna Luhova, the head of Kherson City Council, reported on Dec. 18 that Russian troops shelled Kherson 12 times throughout the day, killing two people.

Russian missile kills 4, including 1-year-old, in Kryvyi Rih. A Russian missile killed a 1.5-year-old and his parents during a nationwide missile strike on Dec. 16, Darya Herasimchuk, a presidential advisor in charge of children’s rights, reported.

Russian forces shell hospital in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring one. Russian forces shelled a hospital in Kivsharivka, Kharkiv Oblast, injuring a 31-year-old paramedic, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

Governor: 1 killed, 8 injured by alleged attack on Russia’s Belgorod Oblast. The region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, claimed on Dec. 18 that air defense is hitting targets in the city of Belgorod. Explosions were reportedly heard in the city.

General Staff: Russia has lost 98,280 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Dec. 18 that Russia had also lost 2,987 tanks, 5,963 armored fighting vehicles, 4,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 1,948 artillery systems, 410 multiple launch rocket systems, 211 air defense systems, 281 airplanes, 264 helicopters, 1,649 drones, and 16 boats.

International response

European Parliament chief calls for more weapons, aid for Ukraine. The European Union needs to strengthen its financial and military support for Ukraine because “Ukraine must win this war,” Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, told Germany’s Bild newspaper.

Media: Latvia allocates over 500,000 euros to support Ukrainian state media. The Latvian government has agreed to allocate nearly 560,000 euros ($593,292) to purchase generators for Ukrainian state media, Delfi reported on Dec. 18.

Kuleba calls FIFA’s rejection of Zelensky’s request to offer ‘message of peace’ hypocritical. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized the International Association of Football Federations’ (FIFA) decision to reject President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to deliver a “message of peace” during the World Cup final in Qatar.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Asami Terjima, Alexander Query, Oleg Sukhov, Natalia Datskevych, Teah Pelechaty, and Lili Bivings.

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