Dec 8: E-Stories
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Catching up…
EA Worldview’s Ukraine Up-date- hop over to Scott’s amazing hourly Ukraine up-date page. I’ll fill in with some bits and bobs.
Olena Halushka: Christmas in Kyiv
Stories we’re following…
Update: Russian strike on Novohrodivka, Donetsk Oblast, kills 5. Forensic experts identified the body of the fifth victim of Russia's Nov. 29 missile strike on Novohrodivka in Donetsk Oblast, the National Police reported on Dec. 8.
Air Force: Ukraine downs 15 of 18 attack drones launched by Russia overnight. Ukrainian forces shot down 15 of the 18 Shahed "kamikaze" drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported on Dec. 7.
One of Ukrainian national thermal power plants in the frontline area was damaged by several Russian bombardments on the night of 5-6 December 2023; there were no casualties, reports press service of DTEK, Ukraine's main energy producer.
The supply of electricity has been restored to all cities and villages cut off due to extreme weather, but 423 settlements have been cut off due to hostilities and technical reasons as of 6 December, reports the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
The US justice department has filed war crime charges against four members of the Russian military accused of abducting and torturing an American during the invasion of Ukraine in a case that’s the first of its kind. The four Russians are accused of kidnapping the American from his home in a Ukrainian village in 2022. The American man was beaten and interrogated while being held for 10 days at a Russian military compound, before eventually being evacuated with his wife, who is Ukrainian, US authorities said.
What is left of Avdiivka.
Ukraine has told residents to save energy after a power plant near the front line was hit by shelling, in the first such warning this winter. “This afternoon, the enemy attacked one of the thermal power plants in the front-line zone. The equipment was seriously damaged as a result of shelling,” the energy ministry said on Thursday. It did not say which plant was affected, but said that two of its power units had stopped working, leading to a “temporary shortage of electricity” in the grid.
Combat Situation Update
The Russians tried to carry out attacks on six fronts in Ukraine within the last 24 hours. The biggest number of attacks was registered on the Avdiivka front, and 77 combat clashes occurred in total, as per the evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. The operative situation in the east and south of Ukraine remains complicated.
Estonian intelligence: Russia began regrouping its forces. This may mean that in the coming weeks, even more intensive offensives by Russia may begin in Ukraine, commander of the Estonian Military Intelligence Center Ants Kiviselg said.
Ukraine is currently working on obtaining radio-electronic intelligence and radio-electronic warfare systems, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov said.
"The air defense system is a priority for us. But, in accordance with the agreements reached, we are currently working on the systems of electronic warfare, air defense systems, and hybrid systems," he emphasized.
Noel Reports: The building of Electrozavod, which produces electrical equipment for all industries, including the Russian defense industry, is on fire in Moscow.
Russia announced the evacuation of civilians in the territory of occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region.
"Those who want to be taken to a "safe territory" should register and gather near the hospital on December 13," rightful head of the Kherson administration, Serhii Khlan said, citing the Russians.
During a meeting behind closed doors, Ukraine presented a list to the US of which it says it needs it to fight the Russian military that includes sophisticated air defense systems, F-18 "Hornet" fighter jets, drones, Apache and Blackhawk helicopters.
Chief Assistant to the US National Security Advisor Jon Feiner on the White House's strategy for the war in Ukraine for 2024.
"We want Russia to be faced with a decision by the end of 2024: either they have to sit down at the negotiating table on terms acceptable to Ukraine which means sovereignty and territorial integrity for all of Ukraine, or they will face a stronger Ukraine, which is backed by defense industrial base of the US and Europe. For Russiathis will be a difficult strategic choice."
A gas pipeline caught fire in Kerch, occupied Crimea, Russian media reports. Power lines have already been damaged by the ongoing fire. Some houses are currently experiencing power outages.
Behind the Lines
The Union of Road Hauliers of Slovakia (UNAS) has stated that it is ready to completely block the Vyšné Nemecké-Uzhhorod checkpoint border crossing if the permit system for Ukrainian truckers is not cancelled, although the union is aware that the path to solving the problem is not easy, reports UNAS on Facebook.
Despite EU sanctions, Russia has increased profits from oil sales. Russia's monthly income from oil exports is greater now than before the invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the failure of measures to curb its war chest.
Four occupied regions of Ukraine are forced to participate in Russia’s presidential election next year, after the date was set for 17 March. Russia’s Federation council confirmed the date this morning, with Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, saying a decision will be made by 12 December on whether occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson will take part.
Donald Tusk has promised that Poland's new government will unblock the border and reduce tensions with Ukraine. The leader of the opposition "Civic Coalition" party says he will take on the task of resolving the situation at the border between Poland and Ukraine, where multi-kilometer queues with thousands of trucks have gathered due to a strike by Polish carriers. According to the politician, he intends to act in the interests of Polish carriers, but at the same time he will seek to resolve the issues so that the border blockade ends.
The Ukrainians have found a way of unblocking the traffic on the Polish border and getting those trucks into Ukraine.
The police of Nepal detained 10 men who were sending young people to Russia to be recruited into the Russian army reports Reuters and the ВВС. The Kathmandu District Police reports that the detainees collected up to US$9,000 from the victims and sent them to Russia on tourist visas through the UAE.
US charges 4 Russian soldiers with war crimes against American in Ukraine. The U.S. Justice Department charged four Russian soldiers with unlawful detainment and torture of a U.S. citizen residing in Ukraine in a historic case, the Justice Department announced on Dec. 6.
The human rights commissioner of Ukraine’s parliament has said that the officially confirmed number of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia now stands at over 19,540. Speaking at a human rights conference in Kyiv, Dmytro Lubinets said “this is against the background of the Russian Federation continuing to deport more and more groups of Ukrainian children from our state every day”.
Russians, Belarusians to be allowed to compete as neutral athletes at 2024 Paris Olympics. Under the rules, Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be able to participate as teams nor display any flags or any official identification with either country. Athletes or support personnel who have openly supported the war will not be allowed, as will anyone who has served or is affiliated with either the military or security organizations of Russia or Belarus.
Meanwhile in Russia
Steve Rosenberg for the BBC: Putin is ‘running’ for the presidency. What a joke.
Putin was in in Abu Dhabi on Dec 6, in a rare trip abroad, to hold talks with Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss oil, OPEC+ and the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Relations between Russia and the United Arab Emirates are at an unprecedented high, Putin said at a meeting with the UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Wednesday. Russia and the UAE cooperate in Opec+ and are involved in major oil and gas projects, Reuters reported. Putin said in televised comments that the situation in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be among the topics of discussion.
Russia records 11 incidents involving civilian airplanes in first 8 days of December. All of the planes that experienced serious incidents, which included cabin depressurization, fires, engine and rudder failure, among other issues, eventually landed safely, although several were forced to make emergency landings.
Steve Rosenberg: I speak to Karin Kneissl, Austria’s former foreign minister, who once invited Vladimir Putin to her wedding and has now moved to Russia with her boxer Winston Churchill.
Russia’s Federation council has confirmed the date of the 2024 presidential sham election in the country as 17 March, moving Vladimir Putin closer to a fifth term in office and handing him the opportunity to remain in power until at least 2030. Under a constitutional overhaul he oversaw, Putin is eligible to seek a further two six-year terms after his current one expires. It was rubber-stamped by the State Duma.
Leonid Pasechnik, the Russian-installed head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, hailed the potential participation of the occupied Ukrainian territory in Russia’s 2024 presidential election. In a message posted to Telegram, he wrote:
The elections will traditionally be held over three days – 15-17 March. And these three days are the very time when we can prove to the whole world: we are strong, we are together, we are a united great Russia.
Without exaggeration, we can say that the elections on 17 March are a new Donbas spring. Just as Crimea once “returned to its native harbour,” so Donbas returned home with the steel will of its people. For centuries our lands were Russian. And they will always be like this!
Today we have every opportunity to complete all integration processes in the shortest possible time. We are a full-fledged region of a great country. Pride, confidence, faith in the future – this is what unites all Russians, all of us, today.
The UK has said it has levelled “appropriate sanctions” on Russia following accusations that groups linked to the Russian FSB had been hacking prominent British figures as part of attempts to “meddle in British politics”. UK deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said Russia was “behind sustained hostile cyber operations aimed at interfering in parts of the UK democratic processes. This has included members of parliament, civils servants, thinktanks, journalists and NGOs”. The former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, Sir Richard Dearlove, has confirmed he was one of the figures targeted.
UK sanctions 17 members of Belarusian judiciary over role in politically-motivated cases. The U.K. announced sanctions on Dec. 8 against 17 members of the Belarusian judiciary, including judges, prosecutors, and an investigator, for their involvement in politically-motivated cases. The sanctioned individuals had been involved in cases against "political activists, independent journalists, and human rights defenders."
Allied Support
US President Joe Biden and the leaders of the G7 countries agreed to a ban on Russian diamonds. The ban on imports will come into force on January 1, 2024, then an embargo on the circulation of stones will be gradually implemented during the year.
The United States will complete the transfer of 14 Vampire systems to Ukraine this month, the US Naval Air Systems Command reports. These systems are designed specifically for Ukraine to detect and intercept enemy drones.
"Right now, there is ~$4.8 billion in restored presidential drawdown authority still available, and there is $1.1 billion in existing resources available to backfill U.S. stocks," US Department of Defense spokesman Pat Ryder said about aid to Ukraine.
The EU will give member countries the right to block the import of Russian gas. According to the documents, this will allow EU energy companies to withdraw from contracts with Russian companies “without significant compensation”.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron said that there are strong arguments in favor of seizing frozen Russian assets and directing them to rebuild Ukraine.
"Instead of just freezing that money, let's take that money, spend it on rebuilding Ukraine and that is, if you like, a downpayment on reparations that Russia will one day have to pay for the illegal invasion that they've undertaken. I've looked at all the arguments and so far, I haven't seen anything that convinces me this is a bad idea."
The Bulgarian Parliament overrode a presidential veto on sending 100 APC's to Ukraine as aid. The legislature reconfirmed, in a 162-55 vote, the ratification of an agreement between the Defence Ministries of Bulgaria and Ukraine for the provision of aid.
Reuters: Ukraine requests US air defense systems, fighter jets. Ukraine's most recent weapons request includes U.S. air defense systems, F-18 "Hornet" fighter jets, drones, and Apache and Blackhawk helicopters, according to documents seen by Reuters journalists on Dec. 6.
Japan is ready to provide $4.5 billion for the restoration of Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during the G7 summit. Zelenskyi, who took part in the event, repeated his call on the G7 members for continued aid.
Netherlands allocates 2.5 billion euros for Ukraine in 2024. "Your fight is our fight. Your security is our security. That’s why the Dutch government has allocated 2.5 billion euros to support Ukraine in 2024," said Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot.
Finland will not extradite the head of the neo-Nazi group "Rusich" Jan Petrovsky to Ukraine. The Supreme Court of Finland believes that Petrovskyy's rights may be violated in a Ukrainian prison. The court also ruled that it no longer makes sense to detain Petrovskyy for the purpose of extradition and demanded that he be released if there are no other grounds for imprisonment, Helsingin Sanomat has said.
Britain on Wednesday announced 46 new sanctions against individuals and groups from different countries involved in Russia’s military supply chains and helping sustain its invasion of Ukraine. Those sanctioned included entities operating in China, Serbia and Uzbekistan, Britain’s foreign ministry said.
British police said they had issued an alert to financial institutions and other members of the UK regulated sector to warn that Russia was trying to obtain sanctioned goods through intermediary countries. The National Crime Agency, which issued the alert, said Russia was using complex supply chains and alternative supply routes to acquire sanctioned products, Reuters reported.
Zelensky signs 4 laws required for EU accession. However, the law on reforming the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) signed by Zelensky failed to fully repeal the so-called Lozovyi's amendments, which are thought to help those suspected or accused of corruption to avoid responsibility.
Responding to newly announced UK sanctions against individuals and groups from different countries it said were involved in Russia’s military supply chains, the Chinese embassy in the UK has said:
UK sanctions against individuals and groups alleged to be involved in Russia’s military supply chains violate international law
China has maintained an objective, fair position on Ukraine
The UK is urged to correct its mistakes and withdraw the sanctions
Any action that harm’s China’s interest will be met with a firm response from China
Reuters: EU orders only 60,000 rounds for Ukraine under its million-shells scheme. EU members have so far placed orders for only 60,000 artillery shells under the bloc's scheme to supply Ukraine with 1 million rounds by March, Reuters reported on Dec. 6, citing undisclosed sources.
Dutch FM: Ukraine 'will be finished' if it cannot fight Russia. Ukraine has no choice but to keep fighting the Russian invasion, since an end to their fight would mean the end of their country, Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot told Dutch radio station BNR on Dec. 5.
The first meeting of the Council for the Register of Damages Caused by Russia's Armed Aggression to Ukraine will be held in The Hague in December, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal reports. Shmyhal, together with government officials, representatives of the President's Office, the NBU, and diplomats, held a meeting on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad and the implementation of international legal mechanisms for compensation for damage caused to Ukraine as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation.
