Sunday, December 22
Russia’s war against Ukraine
Two women comfort each other as they stand next to empty chairs with soldiers’ uniforms hanging on them by a symbolic Christmas table set with traditional dishes during a rally in support of prisoners of war and missing soldiers in Lviv on Dec. 21, 2024. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images)
For first time, Ukraine attacks Russian positions using solely ground, FPV drones. A military spokesperson said the drones included ground systems equipped with machine guns, and kamikaze FPV drones.
Zelensky meets with CIA director in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 21 that he met with CIA Director William Burns in Ukraine, marking a rare public acknowledgment of their discussions during Russia’s full-scale invasion
Russian attack on cancer treatment center in Kherson ‘heinous act of cruelty against civilians,’ Zelensky says. The oncology center, which has operated in a limited capacity since the start of the full-scale invasion, housed the only linear accelerator offering radiotherapy treatment in the city.
Ukrainian boxer Usyk defeats Fury to retain heavyweight championship belt. Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk defeated U.K.-born Tyson Fury by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 22 to retain his unified heavyweight championship title.
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Two Russian airports suspend flights after Ukrainian drones target Kazan, media, officials report. Russian state media Kommersant reported that the airports of both Kazan and the neighboring city of Izhevsk had suspended flights.
Fire reported at oil depot in Russia’s Oryol Oblast amid drone attack. Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil depot in the suburbs of the Russian city of Oryol overnight on Dec. 22, causing a fire to break out, Oryol Oblast Governor Andrey Klychkov said.
Ukraine’s General Staff denies Guardian report about air defense personnel being transferred to infantry units. A source told the Guardian the situation was reaching a critical level, expressing doubts about the air defense’s ability to function effectively.
Ukrainian woman in serious condition following Germany’s Christmas market attack. A Ukrainian woman is in serious condition after a car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on the evening of Dec. 20. The incident has claimed five lives and left over 200 people injured, many of them critically.
Are Russian gems “blood diamonds?”
Human cost of war
Media identifies nearly 85,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. According to the outlets’ conclusions for the year, 2024 will likely mark the “war’s deadliest year,” with a current count of over 20,000 deaths confirmed over the past 12 months — although final conclusions cannot yet be made as data on casualties continues to emerge.
General Staff: Russia has lost 772,280 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 1,860 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
International response
‘If Putin attacks, we need to be able to wage war,’ German Defense Minister says. Boris Pistorius has come out in favor of a reform of the debt brake in order to increase funding for military defense.
Orban says Hungary proposing ‘trick’ to keep Russian gas shipments via Ukraine. Ukraine has said it will not extend the transit agreement for Russian gas through its territory, set to expire on Dec. 31.
Slovak PM Robert Fico to visit Putin in Russia next week, Serbian president says. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he had “learned unofficially” of the upcoming visit.
Russian embassy condemns UK plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid. The Russian embassy in London criticized the U.K.’s plan to transfer more than two billion pounds ($2.5 billion) to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, calling it a “fraudulent scheme.”
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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Chris York, Martina Sapio, Olena Goncharova, and Dmytro Basmat.
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