World Bank approves over $2 billion in funds for Ukraine
The funding includes a $1 billion grant from the new $20 billion U.S. loan backed by frozen Russian assets. Another $1.05 billion is supported by the U.K. and Japan.
Abbey Fenbert
Articles
One of Russia's largest chemical plants reportedly attacked in Rostov Oblast
The attack struck the Kamensky Combine, a chemical plant that produces rocket fuel for the Russian military, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center.
North Korean soldiers 'legitimate targets' for Ukrainian military, US official says
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller warned that if North Korean troops crossed the border into Ukraine to fight for Russia, that would mark a serious "escalation" in the war.
Russia trying to hide North Korean losses in Ukraine war, Zelensky claims
"Russia is not only involving North Korean soldiers in assaults on Ukrainian positions, but is also trying to hide the losses of these people," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 16.
North Korean troops open fire on Russian unit, Ukraine's military intelligence claims
North Korean soldiers allegedly killed eight members of the Chechen Akhmat unit in a "friendly fire" incident, HUR said, attributing the attack to persistent language barrier problems.
Ukraine sending humanitarian aid to Syria to prevent 'food crisis,' Zelensky says
"We are ready to help Syria prevent a food crisis ... I have instructed the government to organize food deliveries in cooperation with international organizations and partners willing to help."
Kyiv delayed minerals deal with US to let Trump take credit, NYT reports
Ukrainian authorities twice delayed signing the agreement, officials on both sides of the negotiations said. The delays offer the opportunity for Trump to claim an early victory at the start of his term.
North Korean troops joining Russian assaults in Kursk, Zelensky says
North Korean units have sustained "noticeable losses" alongside Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 14.
Russian guided bomb attacks fall sharply after ATACMS, Storm Shadow strikes, analysts say
Russian attacks against Ukraine with guided aerial bombs have reportedly fallen by over 50% since Western partners allowed Kyiv to target Russia with long-range missiles.
White House announces new $500 million weapons package for Kyiv
"This additional assistance, provided under previous drawdowns from Department of Defense stocks, is valued at $500 million," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Dec. 12.
Trump invites Xi to inauguration, CBS News reports
Trump's team is also considering inviting other world leaders, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Tough battles, lost positions in Pokrovsk demand 'non-standard decisions,' Syrskyi says
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that "non-standard decisions" are needed near the embattled city of Pokrovsk, after the military reported that Russia had destroyed two Ukrainian positions in the area.
UK sanctions illicit gold trade, says it funds Russia's war
The latest round of sanctions imposes asset freezes on five individuals involved in the illicit gold trade, including the CEO of Paloma Precious, which has purchased more than $300 million of Russian gold.
Ukraine approves Droid TW robotics system for combat operation
The system was approved after performing reliably in combat testing, the Defense Ministry said on Dec. 9.
Ukraine won't trade young soldiers' lives for better weapons, Zelensky says
"The priority should be providing missiles and lowering Russia's military potential, not Ukraine's draft age. The goal should be to preserve as many lives as possible, not to preserve weapons in storage."
Syrian rebels announce fall of Russia-backed Assad regime
"The tyrant Bashar al-Assad has fled. We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad," rebel leaders claimed on Dec. 8.
Rebels enter Damascus, Assad reportedly flees capital
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad boarded a plane out of Damascus on Dec. 8 as rebel forces swept into the capital, two senior army officers told Reuters.
Russia's war in Ukraine weakened Assad regime, US won't get involved, Sullivan says
"Assad's backers — Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah — have all been weakened and distracted," U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. Russia cannot provide large-scale military support while "ground down in a war of attrition" in Ukraine.
Syrian government forces withdraw from Homs, cutting Assad off from key Russian military base
Homs is located between Damascus, Syria's capital, and the Mediterranean coast — where Russia maintains its Khmeimim Air Base and Tartus Naval Base.
Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway line linking Moscow to Kursk Oblast, group claims
An Atesh operative burned down a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov in Moscow Oblast, disrupting Russian supply lines, the group alleged.
Ukrainian group in US opposes Starlink expansion due to Musk's Russia ties
The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) cited concerns over Musk's "contacts with Russia and the alleged use of his Starlink system by Russian forces in Ukraine."
Putin changes Russian gas payment laws after US sanctions Gazprombank
According to Putin's new law, gas purchases are no longer tied to Gazprombank and can be settled by offsetting mutual debts. The U.S. sanctioned Gazprombank on Nov. 21.
White House planning new weapons, sanctions package in last-minute effort to aid Ukraine, Sullivan says
Washington will send Kyiv hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles before mid-January. The U.S. also offered to train soldiers at sites beyond Ukrainian territory.
UNESCO adds Ukrainian egg decoration to intangible cultural heritage list
"The aggressor is destroying our culture, monuments, theaters, libraries, and museums. ... We, however, are proving that even in the darkest times, we remain unbroken," Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi said.
UK must help put Kyiv 'in strongest possible position' for peace talks, Starmer says
"We must continue to back Ukraine ... To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so that they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their future."
Yermak to visit US for talks with Trump's team, NV reports
Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak will lead a Ukrainian delegation in meetings with U.S. officials, particularly "people from the entourage of ... Donald Trump," sources said.
Putin at helm of 'systemic' program to Russify Ukrainian children, Yale study finds
The study showed that Russian Aerospace Forces and military aircraft transported multiple groups of children in 2022 under Putin's orders.
Construction of fortifications in Zaporizhzhia nearly complete, governor says
Governor Ivan Fedorov said the designs for the fortifications have been "significantly improved" compared to previous versions and that the modernized defenses are particularly adept at repelling drone attacks.
US suspends strategic partnership with Georgia amid mass protests
"Georgian Dream’s various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership ... As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism."
Protests erupt across Georgia in defiance of government's anti-EU stance
Protests have now spread from Tbilisi to Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gurjaani, and other Georgian cities, sparked by the government's decision to postpone EU accession talks.
CERN ends cooperation with Russian institutes
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on Nov. 30 officially cut ties with research institutes in Russia, following a decision to allow the cooperation agreement to expire in light of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kills 4, injures 24
An 11-year-old boy is among the wounded, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said. Seven of the injured victims are in serious condition.
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