Right here is the state of affairs on Saturday, December 14:
Combating
- Russia hammered Ukrainian vitality services in an aerial assault that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as one of many largest but on the ailing grid and proof of why Kyiv wanted extra Western assist earlier than any peace with Russia.
- Moscow reportedly fired no less than 93 missiles that “severely broken” Ukrainian energy vegetation, the DTEK vitality firm mentioned.
- Ukrainian drones attacked an infrastructure facility storing gas in central Russia’s Oryol area, sparking a fireplace and smashing home windows in houses, regional governor Andrei Klychkov mentioned.
- Russian air defences destroyed Ukrainian drones in a number of areas of the area south and east of Ukraine, the governor of Krasnodar region, Vladimir Kondratyev, mentioned. One drone smashed home windows in village homes, however there have been no accidents.
- Russian air defences additionally destroyed seven drones over Bryansk – on Ukraine’s northern border – Governor Alexander Bogomaz mentioned.
- Ukrainian forces attacked two villages in Russia’s Belgorod area, injuring one resident and triggering a fireplace in a home that was rapidly extinguished, based on Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Politics and diplomacy
- The Kremlin praised US President-elect Donald Trump for criticising Ukrainian missile strikes into Russian territory. Nonetheless, it mentioned discussions about deploying European troops to maintain peace in Ukraine had been untimely.
- The US introduced a brand new $500m package of military aid for Ukraine, as Washington races to bolster Kyiv earlier than Trump takes workplace.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mentioned he mentioned with French President Emmanuel Macron the potential for overseas troops in Ukraine in case of a ceasefire, however that Warsaw was not “planning any such actions”.
- Zelenskyy will attend a gathering with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the European Union and NATO in Brussels subsequent week to debate assist for his nation, Reuters information company reported, citing sources accustomed to the plan.
- The US will within the coming days introduce monetary sanctions towards Serbia’s oil firm NIS, which is majority-owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft and Gazprom, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic introduced.
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Ukraine, a worldwide producer and exporter of grain and oilseeds, is able to provide meals to Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval mentioned. Russian and Syrian sources had mentioned Russian wheat provides to Syria had been suspended over uncertainty in regards to the new authorities and cost delays.
- EU overseas ministers will impose sanctions on Russian intelligence brokers over “hybrid” assaults towards the bloc on Monday, diplomats mentioned. The EU and NATO have accused Moscow of being behind a spate of incidents geared toward destabilising the West.
- A Ukrainian courtroom sentenced a lady to 14 years in jail for working with Russian intelligence to jot down pretend experiences justifying Moscow’s invasion.
- Kyiv additionally arrested a number of folks it accuses of being Russian spies and undermining Ukrainian safety.
