Ukrainian military naval drones attacked Russian targets near the occupied Crimea. Enemy surveillance systems on captured gas platforms were destroyed.
The Ukrainian military attacked Russian targets near the occupied Crimea with naval drones – enemy surveillance systems were destroyed. This was announced by the commander of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vice Admiral Alexey Neizhpapa, reports UNN.
"The hunt for the enemy in the Black Sea continues. Naval drones of the Navy Unit launched targeted strikes on Russian targets. Enemy surveillance systems placed on captured gas platforms off the coast of the temporarily occupied Crimea were destroyed. The invaders will not stay on our territory – we will get them everywhere," Neizhpapa said.
Ukrainian intelligence officers destroyed three more expensive radar systems in the occupied CrimeaNov 30 2024, 07:54 AM • 23228 views
He also showed the results of the "work" of naval drones of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Liverpool are hoping to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong in 2025 with the La Liga giants open to selling, according to reports.
The Netherlands international has been heavily linked with a move to the Reds’ arch-rivals Man Utd over the last couple of years with their old manager Erik ten Hag a big fan of his compatriot.
De Jong has suffered with injury during his time at Barcelona but an earlier report has claimed Liverpool see him as an ‘ideal replacement’ for Ryan Gravenberch, who is being eyed by Real Madrid.
After 224 appearances for Barcelona, it could now be time for De Jong to leave the Catalan giants with reports in Spain claiming that the La Liga side ‘need to get rid’ of the midfielder in 2025.
Otherwise Barcelona face ‘an incredible risk of seeing him pack his bags the following year’ which would mean De Jong leaving on a free transfer and not ‘leaving a single euro in the coffers’ at the Camp Nou.
That is a scenario that Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco ‘want to avoid at all costs’ after spending around €85m on signing him from Ajax almost six years ago.
De Jong is the ‘highest paid player in the dressing room, along with Robert Lewandowski’ and they ‘have long since decided to try to sell’ the 27-year-old.
Liverpool ‘want to sign’ the Netherlands international and have made an ‘offer’ of €40m (£33m) with Liverpool ‘looking to take advantage of their current situation to secure his services for a ridiculous amount’.
Arne Slot, who has made an incredible start to life as new Liverpool boss, ‘has advised the board to try to sign’ De Jong as the Reds look to grab a ‘bargain’ ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool are ‘not willing to do anything crazy’ with their offer ‘a low-cost proposal of 30 million fixed and 10 million in variables, which they hope will convince Laporta and Deco to let Frenkie go.’
The Reds are currently seven points ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League table and lead defending champions Manchester City by nine points.
And former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant reckons Slot’s side are benefitting from being less dependant on one player like Man City with Rodri.
Pennant told Mega Dice: “Liverpool aren’t as dependant on one player as Manchester City are with Rodri. I don’t think if Liverpool were to lose Ryan Gravenberch to injury at any point that it would be too costly to their season.
“We saw it against Newcastle, Dominic Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister filled in for him when he was taken off and can perform well in that position and do a job, and there was a little burst of energy in the middle of the park.
“If they did lose him to injury it would hurt, of course, because what he’s been doing this season has been fantastic and he does help Liverpool get out of trouble. Liverpool are proven without him, though, so it certainly wouldn’t be as detrimental as we’ve seen the loss of Rodri has been to City.”
Scientists from Cambridge have developed a unique urine test to detect "zombie cells" that signal the early stages of lung cancer. The test was successfully tested in mice and plans to start human studies.
Scientists have developed the world's first urine test that can detect the first signs of lung cancer. Lung cancer is often diagnosed in its late stages, making it difficult to treat. However, scientists hope that early detection of the disease will allow starting treatment at the initial stages, which will increase the chances of patients ' successful recovery.
Прошу вибачення УН за запрошення на The Guardian.
The innovative test looks for so-called" zombie cells " — damaged cells that can indicate the presence of cancer in the early stages. The study has already been successfully tested in mice, and scientists hope to start testing in humans soon.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Institute for early cancer have studied proteins released from senescent cells, often referred to as "zombie cells" because they remain alive but unable to grow and divide. These cells cause tissue damage by recycling the environment, which contributes to the appearance of cancer cells.
Scientists have developed an injectable sensor that interacts with zombie cell proteins and releases an easily detectable compound into the urine that signals their presence. Professor Lilia Fruk explained:
We know that before cancer occurs, changes occur in the affected tissues. One such change is the accumulation of damaged cells that are not damaged enough to be removed, but enough to emit signals that reprogram the tissue and make it ideal for cancer development
She added that the scientists identified a specific protein secreted by these cells in lung tissue and created a probe that splits into two parts in their presence. One part of the probe enters the urine through the kidneys, but becomes too small to detect. However, it can be made visible by adding a silver solution — the same one used in analog cameras.
WHO predicts an increase in the number of cancer cases by more than 75% by 2050Feb 1 2024, 03:28 PM • 22528 views
With this test, scientists can determine if there are cells in the lungs that indicate early signs of pathological changes that can lead to cancer. Scientists hope that this method will become a cheaper alternative to expensive scans, and also help doctors detect cancer even before obvious symptoms appear.
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the world, killing about 1.8 million people each year. The chances of survival in patients with different stages of the disease, when the cancer has already spread, are very low.
Previously
Experts gave advice on early diagnosis of cancer.
Kate Middleton has been diagnosed with cancer. The Princess of Wales is in the early stages of treatmentMar 22 2024, 06:19 PM • 44608 views
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has updated information on Russian losses in the war against Ukraine. Russia has lost another 1,300 soldiers killed and wounded and two air defence systems over the past day.
Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook
Details: The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 7 December 2024 are estimated to be as follows [figures in parentheses represent the latest losses – ed.]:
approximately 751,910 (+1,300) military personnel;
The head of the OP stressed the importance of cooperation with the UK to strengthen Ukraine and European security. Yermak stressed the need for further training of Ukrainian brigades and strengthening sanctions against the Russian Federation.
Yermak stressed the importance of the UK's role in strengthening Ukraine and creating a sustainable European security system. This is reported by the head of the Office of the president of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, reports UNN.
Details
Head of the Office of the president of Ukraine Andriy Yermak stressed that London is one of the key partners in the formation of a safe and just world order.
Yermak focused on the need for further training of Ukrainian brigades and increased sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. He stressed that a common plan for winning the war is not only a strategy, but also a common responsibility of all partners, which should end in a fair peace based on the rule of law.
He also expressed a proposal for deeper integration of Ukraine into the European security system. According to Yermak, strengthening cooperation with the UK will help strengthen the whole of Europe, ensuring a reliable future for a democratic world.
Ukraine and Made in Britain sign agreement on entering World MarketsDec 6 2024, 09:32 PM • 10674 views
On July 17, 2014, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17, a commercial plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, shocked the world. The crash claimed the lives of all 298 passengers and crew, including 80 children. It marked a significant escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine that had been unfolding since early 2014.
However, this tragic incident was just one of many in a turbulent year that also saw Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its covert invasion of Ukraine's Donbas region. What followed was a hybrid war that would span nearly a decade, culminating in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Understanding the events of 2014 and the West’s delayed and inadequate response offers critical lessons for interpreting the current war.
"Understanding the events of 2014 and the West’s delayed and inadequate response offers critical lessons for interpreting the current war."
The initial spark for the war can be traced to Ukraine's ambition to align itself with Europe through an Association Agreement with the European Union, which included a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Though primarily an economic treaty, Moscow saw it as a direct challenge to its geopolitical influence in the post-Soviet space. Ukraine’s decision to sign the agreement was viewed by Russia as a threat to its efforts to keep Ukraine within its sphere of control. Moscow feared that other former Soviet states might follow suit, prompting a decisive and aggressive response.
In February 2014, Russia began its military intervention by occupying Crimea, and by March, it had formally annexed the peninsula. In April, Russian proxy troops infiltrated Ukraine’s Donbas region, sparking violent confrontations. The war in Ukraine escalated, resulting in further tragedy, including the downing of a Ukrainian Il-76 transport plane in June and MH-17 in July. The latter prompted the European Union to impose sectoral sanctions on Russia later that month.
The West’s response to the initial stages of the war was, at best, tepid. Though sectoral sanctions were introduced after the downing of MH-17, these measures came when the Ukrainian army was temporarily making gains in the Donbas. The EU’s introduction of sanctions in immediate response to the killing of EU rather than Ukrainian citizens sent an ambivalent signal. It suggested that not Russia’s aggression per se, but its collateral damages are the problem. Accordingly, in August 2014, Russia escalated its involvement in eastern Ukraine, now deploying regular troops on a large scale.
The West’s continuing reluctance to take decisive action in 2014 can be attributed to a widely spread fundamental misreading of the situation. Many in the international community, particularly in Europe, viewed the conflict as an internal Ukrainian issue that could be resolved through diplomacy. This failure to recognize the broader strategic ambitions of Russia allowed the war to drag on for over a decade.
A key reason for the West’s failure to grasp the true nature of the conflict was a lack of expertise on Ukraine and Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics. Western journalists, many of whom had spent years covering Russia, often interpreted events through a Russian lens. Russian narratives, depicting the conflict in the Donbas as a regional uprising or civil war, were widely accepted, and Western media often failed to see the larger picture of Russian interference and subversion.
Pro-Russian demonstrations and local sentiments in eastern Ukraine were taken at face value by foreign correspondents, who struggled to distinguish between genuine local movements and orchestrated Russian interventions. Moscow deployed agents from Russia and other controlled regions, such as Transnistria, to create the illusion of local support for its collaborators. Meanwhile, pro-Ukrainian voices in the Donbas were silenced through threats, violence, and abductions, often orchestrated by Russian-backed forces. Western reporters, unfamiliar with the complexities of the region, largely missed this dynamic, resulting in a skewed portrayal of the conflict in international media.
Portraits and uniforms of Ukrainian prosecutors burn outside the Prosecutor's Office as Russia-backed militants attempt to capture the city and other parts of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on May 1, 2014. (Alexander Khudoteply / AFP via Getty Images)Russian proxies rip apart a Ukrainian flag outside of a regional state building in Donetsk, Ukraine, on May 29. 2014. (Viktor Drachev /AFP via Getty Images)
Russia’s manipulation of the conflict-resolution framework was another significant factor in the West’s delayed response. Moscow alternated between periods of overt aggression and gestures of conciliation, such as withdrawing parliamentary approval for troop deployment in Ukraine in mid-2014. This tactic, known as "escalation control," allowed Russia to exert pressure on Ukraine while maintaining plausible deniability and avoiding large-scale retaliation from the West.
By participating in peace negotiations, such as the Minsk agreements, while simultaneously violating ceasefires and continuing covert operations in Ukraine, Russia deceived many Western diplomats into believing a diplomatic resolution was still possible. The Minsk agreements, brokered in 2014 and 2015, were seen by many in the West as a step toward peace. In reality, they served Moscow’s strategy of consolidating control over the Donbas while avoiding direct confrontation with NATO.
The events of 2014 offer important lessons for understanding Russia’s broader strategy and the nature of the current war in Ukraine. One key takeaway is that the West’s piecemeal approach to Russia’s aggression — characterized by limited sanctions and delayed military support for Ukraine—only emboldened Moscow. The belief that Russia would cease its aggression if given economic incentives or diplomatic concessions has been proven wrong time and again.
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the culmination of eight years of Russian aggression and Western inaction. While the West has since stepped up its support for Ukraine, providing military aid and imposing harsher sanctions on Russia, the initial misreading of the conflict in 2014 and slow reaction to Russia’s enormous aggression since 2022 allowed the war to last far longer than it might have.
Moving forward, the international community must learn from past mistakes and adopt a more assertive and strategic approach to dealing with Russian aggression. Addressing the root causes of the conflict and providing Ukraine with the necessary support are essential to achieving a lasting and secure peace. Based on the lessons of the 2014-2022 war in the Donbas, four key policy recommendations emerge:
First, recognizing the "Russia Problem": The West must recognize that the current war is not a “Ukraine crisis” but a manifestation of Russia’s imperialist ambitions. The root cause lies in Moscow’s revisionist policies, not any internal Ukrainian issues.
Second, military support for Ukraine: As meaningful negotiations with Russia are currently impossible, the West must increase its military support to Ukraine. This will empower Kyiv to negotiate from a position of strength, ensuring that any future peace talks lead to a lasting resolution rather than a partial de-escalation followed by later re-escalation.
Third, countering Russian disinformation and hybrid warfare: Western governments must allocate more resources to countering Russia’s disinformation campaigns and hybrid warfare tactics. This includes developing whole-of-society counterstrategies to defend against Russia’s subversive activities and propaganda.
Strengthening deterrence: Any future peace agreement must include serious security guarantees and strong military deterrents to prevent Russia from using a temporary truce to prepare for another attack. NATO and the European Union must lead a united, robust response to any further Russian aggression.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. This article is based on the more extensive September 2024 SCEEUS report.
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Russian troops carried out 276 strikes on 11 settlements of the Zaporozhye region using aircraft, drones and artillery. As a result of the shelling, 10 residents were killed and 20 infrastructure facilities were damaged.
During the last 24 hours, enemy troops carried out 276 strikes on 11 settlements of the Zaporozhye region, using aircraft, drones and artillery. A day of mourning has been declared in the region. This is reported by the chairman of the Zaporozhye RMA Ivan Fedorov, reports UNN.
Details
Today, a day of mourning has been declared in the Zaporizhia region for the victims of yesterday's Russian shelling. Zaporozhye lost 10 of its residents due to the cynical blow of the country-a terrorist who claimed their lives.
The cities of Zaporizhia, Novoandreevka, Novopavlovka and Malaya Tokmachka were most affected, where the aggressors carried out 19 air strikes. In addition, 161 drones of various modifications attacked Belenke, Kamenskoye, Gulyai-pole, Shcherbaki, Novoandrievka, Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Belogorye and Novodarovka.
In addition to aviation and UAVs, the invaders conducted 7 MLRS attacks on the territories of Novodanilovka, Novoandrievka and Novodarovka. And the artillery strikes were the most intense, in particular, 89 attacks hit Kamenskoye, Gulyai-pole, Shcherbak, Novoandrievka, Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Belogorye and Novodarovka.
As a result of the shelling, there were 20 confirmed cases of destruction of residential buildings and critical infrastructure facilities. Local residents continue to experience serious difficulties in the face of constant attacks, and the authorities are working to minimize the consequences of strikes.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Ukrnafta, the largest Ukrainian oil company, signed a loan deal for €80 million.
Source: Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy
Details: The initiative envisions installing compact generators with capacities of up to 10 MW apiece in Ukraine's western and central regions, where there is now a serious lack of energy and heat.
Quote: "Since Ukrnafta is the largest producer of oil and gas in the country, as well as the operator of the largest network of gas stations, the company can use its own gas for energy generation and thus reduce the load on the country's energy system," the EBRD said.
The EBRD loan will be backed by investment grants of €9.5 million from the Netherlands and €12.5 million from the United States, which will be channelled through the EBRD Special Fund.
The financing arrangement between the EBRD and Ukrnafta was the first in the framework of the EBRD investment package for Ukraine, totalling more than €1.3 billion.
The package's finances will be used to implement initiatives aimed at restoring energy and transportation infrastructure, developing distributed generation, and improving energy efficiency.
In total, eight projects to help the public and private sectors will be funded through the EBRD investment package.
Background:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Board of Directors has approved investments in Ukraine totalling more than €1.3 billion.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) stated unequivocally that it would not lend financing to Ukrainian companies, particularly the DTEK energy company, that are controlled by oligarchs.
Yun Sok Yule admitted a mistake regarding the introduction of martial law and control over the media due to the blocking of the work of Parliament by the opposition. The president promised to restore citizens ' trust and cooperate with the parliament to resolve the crisis.
South Korean President Yoon Sok Yule has apologized to Citizens for his decision to impose martial law. This is reported by Yonhap , reports UNN.
Details
In his televised address, he said that he understands the scale of the outrage and is ready to take responsibility for the consequences of this step.
Martial law was imposed in order to combat the anti-state actions of the opposition, which blocked the work of the parliament. The decision provided for the cessation of political activity, control over the media and restriction of public gatherings, which led to accusations of trying to suppress democracy in the country.
The president promised that this will not happen again, and stressed the need to restore citizens ' trust in the authorities. He expressed his readiness to cooperate with the parliament and society to resolve the crisis caused by his actions.
South Korean President lifts martial lawDec 4 2024, 12:27 AM • 17463 views
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec. 6 announced that the first batch of a new missile-drone hybrid called Peklo (Hell) had been delivered to Ukraine's Armed Forces.
In a post on social media, Zelensky did not reveal the number of the supplied weapons but said the aim now was to "scale up production and deployment," adding they already have "proven combat effectiveness."
Long-range domestic weapons are seen as critical to Ukraine’s defense strategy, providing the country's military with an alternative to Western arms whose use is often under restrictions.
While some details of Peklo's capabilities remain undisclosed for security reasons, Zelensky highlighted the weapon as a "fundamentally new type."
The Peklo has a range of 700 kilometers (430 miles) and a speed of 700 km/h (430 mph). During the unveiling, officials reportedly said that the system has already been successfully deployed five times.
The "Peklo" (Hell) drone-missile — our Ukrainian weapon with proven combat effectiveness. Today, the first batch was delivered to our Defense Forces. The mission now is to scale up production and deployment. I am grateful to everyone involved in our defense production, whose… pic.twitter.com/MjIcWHgouZ
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 6, 2024
The officials also noted that the missiles are cost-effective and rival some Russian cruise missiles in performance.
Ukraine's missile development program has gained momentum since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Dec. 4 that the Palianytsia, a lightweight missile-drone hybrid, has also entered serial production.
These advancements come as Western partners have only recently permitted strikes on Russia’s Kursk Oblast using foreign-made missiles, while attacks deeper into Russian territory remain restricted.
The Kyiv IndependentNina L. Khrushcheva
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