Friday, December 27

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian firefighters work to put out flames from Russian shelling in a market and are forced to take cover as more artillery strikes nearby in Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast on Dec. 26 2024. Russia has regularly used ‘double-tap’ attacks to target emergency rescue personnel on-scene of a Russian attack. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ukraine hits ballistic missile propellant plant in Rostov Oblast, Stratcom reports. The Ukrainian Air Force struck a plant in Kamensk-Shakhtynsky, Rostov Oblast, that produces solid propellant for ballistic missiles, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications (Stratcom) reported on Dec. 26.

North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast endure heavy losses, logistical struggles, Ukrainian military intelligence says. North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast continue to suffer significant losses, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) reported on Dec. 26.

‘Increase in enemy activity’ — governor on Russia’s assaults in Kherson Oblast. Russia’s sabotage groups are trying to gain a foothold and have increased the number of attacks in Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Dec. 26 on national television.

Russian air defense missile caused plane crash over Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani government sources claim. A Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani government sources reportedly confirmed on Dec. 26. The missile was fired from a Pantsir-S air defense system.

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Biden directs Pentagon to ‘continue its surge’ of weapons deliveries to Ukraine after Russia’s Christmas attack. U.S. President Joe Biden directed the Pentagon to “continue its surge” of weapons deliveries to Ukraine in response to Russia’s mass attack on the country on Christmas Day, he announced on Dec. 25.

Willingness to support Ukraine ‘until it wins’ drops significantly in Western Europe, poll says. Public willingness to support Ukraine “until it wins” has dropped significantly across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, and the U.K., according to a YouGov poll reported by The Guardian on Dec. 26.

Russia closes all 4 Moscow airports for unspecified ‘safety’ concerns. “To ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights, temporary restrictions have been introduced on the operation of Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky and Kaluga airports,” Rosaviatsiya said on Dec. 26.

Lukashenko seeks to deploy 10 Russian Oreshnik missile systems in Belarus. “If the Russians want to deploy more, we will deploy more,” Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said.

Human cost of war

Russian drone attack on central Nikopol market injures 8, officials report. Russian forces struck the central market in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, with a drone on Dec. 26, injuring eight people, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported.

18 Russian soldiers allegedly killed in Ukraine’s Dec. 25 attack in Kursk Oblast, military says. Ukrainian troops reportedly hit the command post of Russia’s 810th Separate Marine Brigade in the town of Lgov in Kursk Oblast overnight on Dec. 25.

Opinions and insights

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits ballistic missile propellant plant in Rostov Oblast; North Korean troops endure heavy losses

North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast continue to suffer significant losses, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) reported on Dec. 26.

Photo: Ed Jones / AFP via Getty Images

Historian Marci Shore: Putin’s obsession with denazification is ‘Freudian projection’

The Kyiv Independent spoke with U.S. historian Marci Shore about a number of topics related to Russia’s war against Ukraine, including national trauma, guilt, dehumanization, and totalitarianism.

Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP via Getty Images

‘Praise is not practice’ – Snyder’s new book challenges America’s understanding of freedom through comparison with Ukraine

The U.S. scholar’s latest book challenges readers to rethink their understanding of freedom and how it impacts their lives.

Photo: Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images

International response

Polish PM Tusk slams Hungary’s Orban for praising Putin amid Ukraine attacks. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for calling Vladimir Putin Hungary’s “honest partner” during Russia’s massive missile attacks on Ukraine on Christmas Day, according to a Dec. 26 statement on X.

Russian shadow fleet tanker likely caused damage to undersea power cable, Finland says. The Estlink 2, an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, was seriously damaged on Christmas Day. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of sabotage.

Thailand accepts Russia’s invitation to join BRICS. “(M)embership in BRICS will benefit Thailand by promoting trade, investment, food and energy security,” Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nikondet Phalangkun said on Dec. 26.

Iranian President Pezeshkian plans to visit Moscow in January. Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to sign an agreement on cooperation between Tehran and Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jan. 17.

Russia ‘not opposed’ to having Slovakia host peace talks, Putin says. Responding to questions from journalists, Putin said that Slovakian officials “would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.”

Trump administration should make first move to ‘restore dialogue,’ Lavrov says. Russia is willing to improve relations with the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, if the United States makes the “first move” in restarting dialogue, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Dec. 26.

In other news

Russian companies increasingly using Bitcoin amid sanctions, Reuters reports. Russian companies are increasingly using Bitcoin and other digital currencies for international payments in response to Western sanctions, Reuters reported on Dec. 25.

Russia’s inflation hits year-high, driven by war spending, food price hikes, Rosstat says. Inflation in Russia has reached its highest levels in nearly a year, driven by war spending and rising food prices, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 25, citing Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat).

Russian luxury market thrives despite sanctions through shadow networks, FT reports. Russian shoppers continue to access luxury Western brands despite sanctions imposed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, The Financial Times reported on Dec. 26.

Russia declares state of emergency due to oil spill in Kerch Strait. Some 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil have spilled into the Black Sea since two Russian oil tankers were severely damaged in a storm on Dec. 15.

Russia detains 4 suspects allegedly planning to assassinate top defense officials. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), four Russians were involved in an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate senior military officers.

Ukrainian platoon commander charged with abuse of authority, accused of beating, humiliating subordinates. Ukrainian law enforcement agents have charged a platoon commander of Ukraine’s 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade with abuse of authority, accusing the individual of beating and humiliating subordinates, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Dec. 26.

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