Russian drone strike on Kyiv, attacks across Ukraine kill 1, injure at least 4
Russian attacks across Ukraine, including a drone attack on Kyiv, killed one person and injured at least four overnight on Dec. 21, regional authorities reported.
Nate Ostiller
Articles
Ukrainian parliament votes to legalize medical cannabis
The draft law proposed to license the economic activity of cultivating hemp for medical, industrial, and scientific purposes. It aims to help Ukrainian war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), people with cancer, and other serious illnesses to get pain relief and reduce other symptoms. If the law comes into force, the distribution of cannabis for recreational purposes would still be prohibited.
Germany announces 88.5 million euros in winter aid for Ukraine
The funds will help pay for spare parts for critical energy infrastructure, repairs, and equipment, such as generators and transformers.
EU sends last 1.5 billion euros of macro-financial assistance for Ukraine for 2023
The tranche is part of an 18 billion euro ($19.6 billion) support package for 2023, known as the Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) package for Ukraine, which was disbursed monthly throughout the year.
Abramovich loses appeal to be removed from EU sanctions list
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has a net worth estimated to be around $9 billion and has Russian, Israeli, and Portuguese citizenship. He was formerly the governor of the Chutokha region in Russia's far east, and previously owned the U.K. Chelsea football club, which he was forced to sell after the outbreak of the full-scale invasion.
Prosecutor's office: 4 Ukrainians convicted after fighting with Russian forces
A Ukrainian court sentenced four Ukrainians charged with fighting together with Russian-led militants against Ukraine to 12 and 15 years in prison, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Dec. 21. They were convicted of treason and participation in a terrorist organization.
Russian attacks in Nikopol kill 2, injure 1
Russia used heavy artillery to carry out the attacks, said Governor Serhii Lysak.
Update: Umerov says he wants to mobilize Ukrainian men living abroad
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Ukrainian men living abroad would first be "invited" to report to recruiting offices, but added that measures would be taken if they did not show up willingly.
Switzerland announces $13 million in winter aid for Ukraine
Switzerland announced a new CHF 11.5 million ($13.3 million) winter aid package for Ukraine on Dec. 20, bringing the total of Switzerland's winter assistance to Ukraine to around CHF 26 million ($30 million).
US has 'concerns' about Hungary's 'sovereignty' law
The U.S. State Department released a statement expressing concern about Hungary's adoption of a "Sovereign Defense Authority" law that contains "draconian" provisions that could be used to degrade civil liberties, spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Dec. 20.
Kremlin rules out peace negotiations with Ukraine
"Currently, there are no prerequisites for peace negotiations with Ukraine," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Ukrainian and Western leaders have also repeatedly said that they do not believe Russia is interested in good-faith peace negotiations.
Minister: Ukraine already produced 50,000 FPV drones in December
FPV drones are cheap to manufacture and can be precisely flown into targets. They have the capability of destroying much more expensive military equipment.
German Prosecutor General wants to confiscate over $780 million in Russian funds
If the plan comes to fruition, it would mark a change in Germany's position toward Russian assets it holds, as currently Germany has only frozen funds belonging to sanctioned individuals and companies.
Poll: Majority of Ukrainians would disapprove of Zaluzhnyi's resignation
An overwhelming majority (72%) of Ukrainians would disapprove of the resignation of Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, and only 8% believe that there are serious disagreements between him and President Volodymyr Zelensky, a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) released on Dec. 20 found.
Putin: There must be severe action against 'foreign agents' who help Ukraine, destabilize Russia
Russian leader Vladimir Putin said that there must be a "severe" response against foreign intelligence services that "directly" support Ukraine and seek to "destabilize the socio-political situation in Russia" in a video address published on the Kremlin's website on Dec. 20.
Poll: Majority of Ukrainians want fastest possible punishment for corruption, regardless of due process
The results should be viewed in light of the extremely low public trust in the courts and prosecutors, said Anton Hrushetskyi, the executive director of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast injure 16, including 4 children
Russia attacked the oblast 82 times, using artillery, mortars, drones, aircraft, tanks, and multiple-launch rocket systems.
Kyivstar reports outages in parts of Ukraine
Kyivstar is Ukraine's leading phone services provider, with over 24 million mobile customers and more than 1 million home internet customers as of September this year.
General Staff: Russia using low-quality, defective North Korean shells
In particular, the General Staff said that this appeared to be happening with Russian troops in the Dnipro Group under the command of Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, operating in the south of Ukraine.
Missile strikes Kharkiv in overnight attack
The location was "purely" a civilian target, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said, with no military infrastructure nearby.
Moscow mayor claims air defense prevented drone attack
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Dec. 19 that air defenses near the Russian capital had shot down a drone as it approached the city.
US, Denmark agree on bilateral security pact
It will be officially signed later this week and fully enter into force once both countries pass the required legislation, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Russia says recent US-Finland defense cooperation deal won't go 'unanswered'
The U.S.-Finland bilateral defense cooperation deal signed on Dec. 18 "threatens the security of the Russian Federation" and will not go "unanswered," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Dec. 19.
Poll: Zelensky tops list as most trusted Ukrainian political figure
Zelensky came in first, with 77% saying he is trustworthy, followed by comedian, public figure, and noted fundraiser Serhii Prytula with 69%, and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in third place with 52%.
Ukrainian citizen who spied for Russia sentenced to 15 years in prison
The convicted spy attempted to create a group of informants to gather information about the location of Ukrainian troops in the south and also tried to recruit agents from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Minister: Ukraine-EU export increased by over 40% since permit system liberalized
Since the suspension, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that exports to the EU from Ukraine have increased by 47.5%, and imports to Ukraine have grown by 44%.
Military: Storms create increased risk of sea mines in Black Sea
Lengthy storms in the Black Sea have created an increased risk of naval mines drifting towards places that may endanger civilians, Nataliia Humeniuk, spokesperson of Ukraine's Southern Operational Command, said on national television on Dec. 19, Ukrinform reported.
Air Force: 2 Shahed-type drones destroyed over Khmelnytskyi Oblast
The drones were launched from Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, the Air Force reported on Dec. 19.
Telegraph: UK to sign 10-year pact on naval security commitments for Ukraine
The U.K. plans to sign a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding to "keep Kyiv in the fight" against Russia in the Black Sea, the Telegraph reported on Dec. 18, citing unnamed British military sources.
Finnish court orders Russian neo-Nazi fighter into custody, awaiting potential war crimes charges
A court in Helsinki ordered the pre-trial detention of Yan Petrovsky, a Russian neo-Nazi mercenary who has fought against Ukrainian troops, as he awaits potential formal charges on war crimes he allegedly committed in Ukraine, the Finnish media outlet Helsingin Sanomat reported on Dec. 18.
Germany signs 'historic' agreement on permanent troop deployment in Lithuania
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius noted that it was a "historic moment" because it would be the first permanent deployment of German troops abroad since the end of World War II.
Zaluzhnyi: Unlikely that secrets were discussed in room with recording device
It was Zaluzhnyi's first public comment on the news that recording devices had been discovered in rooms used by the general and his staff.
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