Wednesday, December 11
Russia’s war against Ukraine
The aftermath of the Russian strike against the regional center of Zaporizhzhia in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on Dec. 10, 2024. (Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration / Telegram)
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Zelensky announces ‘successful tests’ of new Ukrainian missile. Successful tests of a new Ukrainian missile, dubbed Ruta (Rue), are underway, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 10.
Confusion over Russian advances in Sumy Oblast, authorities deny border breach. The map changes showed Russian forces occupying 2 square kilometers (0,8 square miles) in Sumy and advancing in the Kursk Oblast. These developments are reflected as of December 10.
Russia could swap North Korean soldiers for Su-27s and MiG-29s, US officer says. Russia may have transferred MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter jets to North Korea in exchange for North Korean soldiers, Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said on Dec. 8, according to Aviation Week Network.
Explosions heard in occupied Donetsk Oblast city, Russian proxies announce evacuation. Russian occupation authorities in the Donetsk Oblast city of Yenakiieve announced evacuations from parts of the city on Dec. 10 amid reports of explosions.
Russian drone hits IAEA service vehicle near Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. On Dec. 10, a Russian drone struck and severely damaged an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) service vehicle on its way to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), President Volodymyr Zelensky reported.
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Zelensky tells Trump ‘Putin fears only him and, perhaps, China.’ “And that’s the truth — only decisiveness can bring this war to a just end and ensure lasting peace,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.
Russia reduces barge barriers protecting Crimean Bridge by half in a month. The number of barges Russia has deployed in the Kerch Strait to protect the illegal Crimean Bridge against Ukrainian maritime drones has halved in a month, the Center of Journalistic Investigations reported on Dec. 10.
Ukrainian missile attack damages critical infrastructure in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, Russian officials claim. A Ukrainian missile struck a boiler plant in Russia’s Rostov Oblast overnight on Dec. 11, damaging critical infrastructure in the city of Taganrog, Russian officials claimed.
Russian troops sabotage their boats to avoid Dnipro River crossing, Ukrainian partisans claim. Russian soldiers increasingly sabotage their own boats and equipment to avoid having to attack the Dnipro River islands on the southern front, Ukrainian resistance group Atesh claimed on Dec. 10.
70% of Ukrainians support ‘West German’ model for NATO accession, survey shows. A key difference is that the invitation would encompass the entire Ukraine, but the alliance’s defensive “umbrella” would extend to the occupied territories only after their future liberation.
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As China weaponizes the drone supply chain, Ukraine builds more parts at home.
Imported Chinese drones are often laden with defective parts. China is also actively cutting off its exports of components and materials critical to drone building.
In the face of these threats, Ukraine’s drone industry is increasingly onshoring the production of more ambitious components. And they’re getting better than anyone expected at building even the trickier gadgets needed to keep Ukraine’s army of drones in flight.
Photo: Sofiia Bobok/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Ukraine war latest: US announces $20 billion loan for Ukraine as part of G7 initiative
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Dec. 10 that it will provide $20 billion in loan assistance to Ukraine, marking its contribution to a broader $50 billion initiative supported by G7 countries.
The loan will be repaid using proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
Photo: Ken Ishii/Pool/Getty Images
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Human cost of war
Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia kills 3, injures 16, destroys clinic. The strike destroyed a private clinic and damaged nearby buildings.
Russian attacks against Donetsk, Kherson oblasts kill 3, injure 14 over past day. Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least three civilians and injured at least 14 over the past day, regional authorities reported on the morning of Dec. 10.
Russian missile attack against Kharkiv Oblast town injures 11. A Russian missile attack against the town of Zlatopil in Kharkiv Oblast on Dec. 10 injured at least 11 people, officials reported.
General Staff: Russia has lost 755,940 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 1,350 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
International response
US announces $266 million in sales to bolster Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets. The State Department approved a $266 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine on Dec. 10, enabling the sustainment of services as well as repairs necessary for the upkeep of the country’s F-16 fighter jets.
Hungary’s PM Orban meets with Trump, Musk, says ‘future has begun’. “The future has begun — an afternoon in Mar-a-Lago,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
China curbs sale of drone parts to US, Europe, hindering Ukraine’s war effort, Bloomberg reports. Chinese manufacturers began limiting their sales of vital drone components to their U.S. and European customers, preluding a broader ban on exports by officials, Bloomberg wrote on Dec. 9, citing undisclosed sources.
Taurus delivery to Ukraine should be coordinated with US, European partners, German opposition leader says. German Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz would closely coordinate the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine with the U.S. and European partners, he said in an interview with Bild on Dec. 9.
Ukraine peace talks could start this winter, Tusk says. Peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine could begin as early as this winter, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Dec. 10, Reuters reported.
In other news
Politico lists Yermak, Putin among Europe’s most influential people. Politico presented on Dec. 10 its end-of-the-year list of the most influential people in Europe, with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Russian President Vladimir Putin among the finalists for the “dreamers” and “doers” categories, respectively.
Russia detains Russian-German citizen over alleged sabotage plot. Russia’s security services detained a Russian-German citizen for allegedly preparing a sabotage plot against railways, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Dec. 10.
Chinese exports to Russia decrease for first time in 4 months, Reuters reports. The decrease of 10.5% compared to November 2023 marks the first drop since July, Reuters writes.
Russian losses in Syria — BBC identifies 543 soldiers, Wagner mercenaries who died since 2015. Of the total number, 346 were employees of the Wagner company, a private mercenary group also deployed in Russia’s war in Ukraine and elsewhere.
44% of Ukrainians trust Trump, more than elsewhere in Europe, survey suggests. Some 44.6% of Ukrainians trust U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, roughly 10 points less than incumbent President Joe Biden, a survey by New Europe Center published on Dec. 10 showed.
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