Invaders blocked traffic on the Crimean Bridge, explosions are heard in Kerch near the Zatoka shipyard. In the Kerch Strait, they report the possible appearance of Ukrainian naval drones.
On the morning of December 6, Russians blocked the Crimean Bridge, and social networks report explosions in Kerch. This is reported by the Telegram channel "Crimean wind" and Russian publics, writes UNN.
Traffic on the Crimean Bridge is temporarily blocked. Those who are on the bridge and in the viewing area are kindly requested to remain calm and follow the instructions of transport security personnel.,
– the message says.
Subsequently, the Telegram channel "Crimean wind" wrote about the loud sounds of explosions in Kerch near the Zatoka shipyard, as well as a glow in the Kerch suburb of Arshintsevo.
After some time, the same Telegram channel added With reference to subscribers ' information that Ukrainian naval drones are making a breakthrough in the Kerch Strait, and "the Z-military is trying to destroy them from the sea, from the shore and from the air.
The barriers used by Russia to cover the Kerch Bridge were washed up on the shores of KerchOct 13 2024, 02:30 PM • 34120 views
Emmanuel Petit reckons Jude Bellingham is “ignoring” Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, who has been “looking miserable on and off the pitch”.
Mbappecompleted his long-awaited move to Real Madrid in the summer. He joined the La Liga giants on a free transfer after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired.
The 25-year-old failed to score in his first three La Liga matches and has been heavily criticised for his performances since joining Real Madrid.
Mbappe has ten goals and two assists in his 20 appearances for Real Madrid, but he has missed penalties in recent defeats against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao.
Ancelotti has struggled to find the right balance with his team as Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are pretty similar. Real Madrid are second in La Liga and 24th in the Champions League.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal star Petit thinks Mbappe is “lonely at Real Madrid” and “Bellingham is ignoring him”.
“I think Kylian Mbappe is so lonely at Real Madrid,” Petit said.
READ: The ridiculous records of new Real Madrid signing Kylian Mbappe
“I saw Jude Bellingham ignoring him and it doesn’t even look like he has any help or any friends at the club.
“He’s been hammered by the press and doesn’t seem like he has friends in Paris or Spain and he’s also gone to a public enemy number one in France because of what happened in the last international break.
“He’s so far away from his level this season, too. I know he’s scored ten goals but it’s just stats and he doesn’t look like himself.
“I just say what I feel when I look at him and he looks miserable on and off the pitch. He was the king in France and could do whatever he wanted at PSG and with France and now it’s not the same anymore.
“He’s lonely and with top players, the biggest game is against yourself and you have to be able to solve your problems on the pitch.”
A criminal organization that used phishing sites and fake call centers was exposed in seven regions of Ukraine. The fraudsters deceived elderly people by stealing their money through fake websites selling goods.
The SBU served suspicion notices to individuals of organizing fraudulent call centers. They used phishing websites. The victims were mostly elderly citizens who paid them money for the alleged purchase of household goods.
Transmitted by UNN with reference to TG channel of the Prosecutor General's Office.
Large-scale operations to combat cybercrime were conducted in seven regions. [25 members of criminal organizations were served with a notice of suspicion. According to the investigation, the suspects organized the activities of fraudulent call centers.
The victims were mostly elderly people. They paid the fraudsters money for the alleged purchase of household goods.
The members of the criminal organization used phishing websites and subsequently transferred the stolen funds to crypto wallets under their control. They unauthorizedly interfered with the accounts of remote bank account management systems, reissuing citizens' SIM cards and using them as financial numbers to log in to the victims' accounts.
– the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office reports.
The suspects also called citizens on behalf of the bank's security officers, learned confidential information, gained access to account management, and withdrew the victims' funds to their own accounts. In total, the amount of losses to citizens is over UAH 5 million.
Law enforcement officers conducted 50 searches in Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Khmelnytskyi regions and in Kyiv. They seized 139 computers, 56 mobile phones, 45 bank drop cards, 26 SIM cards, more than 38 mobile operator starter packs, and draft records.
The suspects are charged with participation in a criminal organization, fraud, theft, as well as unauthorized interference with information systems and unauthorized sale or distribution of restricted information stored in electronic computers, automated systems, computer networks or on the carriers of such information (Art. 255, Art. 190, 185, 361, Art. 361-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
To recap
The Deputy Minister of Defense and former MP were exposed in a large-scale scam for the purchase of military uniforms through a Turkish company. The difference of $10 million between the real and inflated cost ended up in the pockets of the organizers of the scheme.
Police expose fraudsters who cheated money under the guise of helping children with disabilitiesFeb 19 2024, 02:45 PM • 20618 views
With attention focused on Moscow's grinding advances in Donbas, and Ukraine's efforts to hold onto Russian territory in Kursk Oblast, one area of the front lines continues to see daily battles but little coverage.
Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in an ongoing fight over a series of small islands in the Dnipro River, control of which would allow Moscow's forces to intensify attacks on the embattled city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
"Local clashes take place (for the Dnipro islands) every day," Viktor Kevliuk, a retired military officer and defense expert, told the Kyiv Independent.
"The enemy is fighting for the islands with the 61st Marine Brigade of the Northern Fleet — Ukrainian marines are countering them."
Kevliuk adds that neither side is fully in control of the islands, though he says Ukraine "has the advantage" in an ongoing fight which sees both sides trading intense artillery fire and drone attacks.
Ukrainian infantrymen from the 126th Territorial Defense Brigade train on boats to carry out combat missions on water, crossing the river and landing on the banks of the Dnipro in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine on April 16, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
"In the context of all combat clashes (along the front line), the southern direction is relatively the calmest, but only when compared to other situations along the battle line," he said.
But on Dec. 4, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin told the Financial Times that Russia "wants to launch another offensive" in the direction of Kherson, and had assembled "300 boats to cross the river," suggesting this relatively quiet part of the front line may be about to heat up.
"Controlling the Dnipro islands means controlling the Dnipro River and its coastline," Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the "South" unit of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, a volunteer military formation, told Ukrainian Radio last month.
In the fall of 2022, a Ukrainian counteroffensive succeeded in pushing Russian forces out of the city of Kherson, and other regional settlements on the west bank of the Dnipro River.
Since then, Russian and Ukrainian positions have been largely separated by the wide, swampy river dotted by numerous small islands.
The map showing a battle for the Dnipro islands. (The Kyiv Independent)
From their new positions on the east bank, Russian forces continued to shell Kherson and the surrounding villages, killing civilians in attacks which continue to this day.
Ukraine wanted to push eastward from the river to create a buffer zone between the Russian-held east bank, and the Ukrainian-controlled west bank, making it harder for the Russian troops to launch attacks.
In February 2023, Ukrainian troops began conducting risky raids across the river, probing Russian defenses. By the summer, the first reports emerged of Ukraine holding a bridgehead on the other side of the Dnipro River near the destroyed Antonivsky Bridge.
The operation reached its zenith around October when Ukrainian troops entered Krynky, a small coastal village on the east bank, turning it into the key bridgehead for Kyiv's troops operating across the Dnipro River.
A rotation of soldiers returning from their positions in the village of Krynky after crossing the river. Ukrainian soldiers from the 126th Territorial Defense Brigade carry out combat missions to ford the Dnipro River in the Kherson frontline area near the village of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine on April 21, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)
Krynky became the focal point of intense battles but the front line remained largely static for months despite heavy losses on both sides.
In December 2023, the Kyiv Independent reported from Dnipro River's left bank, speaking to soldiers taking part in the cross-river raids. Many said the fighting felt "hopeless."
By July of this year, Ukraine was forced to withdraw from its Krynky bridgehead.
Since then, Russian attacks on Kherson have only intensified, even incorporating the deliberate targeting of civilians with FPV drones in what has been dubbed a "drone safari."
"Currently, we can see how Russian drones are terrorizing Kherson, targeting civilian cars," Bratchuk said.
"In order to further escalate these terrorist attacks, the Russians aim to capture the (Dnipro) islands and deploy additional forces there."
What's the current situation on the Dnipro islands?
Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, said on Nov. 28 that Russian forces are constantly trying to gain footholds on and around the Dnipro islands.
"(Russian troops) are doing this to seize bridgeheads on the west bank and draw some of our forces and resources there, just as we did in Krynky," he said.
The day before, Voloshyn also said Russian troops were massing on the Tendra and Kinburn spits, in an effort to control the mouth of the Dnipro.
Voloshyn said Ukrainian forces maintained fire control over positions in the area, and were continuing to fend off the Russian attacks, a view shared by experts who spoke to the Kyiv Independent.
"(Russian forces) are trying to storm with small forces to constrain Ukraine's reserves, forcing Ukrainian troops to use artillery shells. In this way, Russia aims to weaken our defensive line," Dmytro Zhmailo, a military expert and executive director of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, told the Kyiv Independent.
"(Russian forces) are trying to storm with small forces to constrain Ukraine's reserves, forcing Ukrainian troops to use artillery shells."
"However, since our artillery and FPV drones are actively operating in this region, the front line along the Dnipro is more secure. Therefore, these provocation operations will be costly for the Russians," he added.
Zhmailo said another objective for Moscow's troops was to maintain pressure along as much of the front line as possible to stretch Ukrainian forces.
A road block is seen on the road down to the Dnipro River in central Kherson, Ukraine on Dec. 22nd 2023. (Ed Ram/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"Through these actions, Russia also seeks to prevent Ukrainian forces from reinforcing Kursk, Kurakhove, and other key areas where the enemy is advancing," he said.
But Prokudin's comments on Dec. 4 suggest Russian forces are about to increase pressure in the area.
Voloshyn, also speaking on Dec. 4, said Russia is now training assault groups in occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts, citing Ukraine's intelligence data, adding Moscow's troops are practising how to cross water obstacles and transfer landing groups.
Speaking to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), he reassured that there "has not been a single successful attempt at this assault or enemy crossing in a month."
"The Ukrainian Defense Forces are now reliably defending the city of Kherson and Kherson Oblast, and the entire west bank," he added.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine updated data on the losses of the Russian invaders as of December 6. The total losses of the enemy reached 750,610 military personnel, 9514 tanks and other equipment were destroyed.
Since the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the Russian Federation has already lost more than 750 thousand military personnel in the war in Ukraine. This is reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writes UNN.
Details
The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 06.12.24 approximately amounted to:
personnel-about 750,610 (+1,660) people,
tanks-9514 (+8) units,
armored combat vehicles – 19518 (+46) units,
artillery systems – 21043 (+20) units,
MLRS – 1253 (+0) units,
air defense systems – 1020 (+0) units,
aircraft-369 (+0) units,
helicopters-329 (+0) units,
Operational-tactical UAV-20023 (+46),
cruise missiles ‒ 2857 (+2),
ships ‒ boats – 28 (+0) units,
submarines – 1 (+0) units,
automotive equipment and tankers – 30899 (+56) units,
special equipment-3633 (+3)
Russian “prisoners of war” were spotted during the assaults – JFO KhortytsiaDec 5 2024, 11:52 AM • 15562 views
PoliticsWar NATO is discussing scenarios for ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations. Friday, December 6, 2024
The governments of some NATO member states are talking about different scenarios that include security guarantees for Ukraine but also seek to avoid provoking Russian President Putin. According to sources, one of the options involves the creation of a demilitarized zone that European troops would patrol. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of concerns about instability in Ukraine and the need to begin negotiations as quickly as possible. European allies also see this as a chance to demonstrate their political weight to newly elected US President Donald Trump, providing ceasefire initiatives can be implemented. At the same time, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for a focus on increasing Ukrainian military assistance, emphasizing the importance of changing the course of the war. “We must not only support Ukraine but also ensure a turning point in the war,” Rutte said, emphasizing the need to strengthen Ukrainian positions along the front line.
the Kremlin launched a large-scale campaign to spread anti-Ukrainian fakes in the United States after Trump's victory. Fake videos and regulations are aimed at undermining American support for Ukraine.
After the US presidential election, Russia has launched a new disinformation campaign that should undermine support for Ukraine among Americans. This is reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
The publication notes that the Kremlin uses state-owned media, as well as fake news sites and social media accounts, to promote narratives that cause controversy in American society.
For example, they distributed a fake video of "Ukrainian soldiers" burning an effigy of Trump. In other videos, the Armed Forces of Ukraine allegedly shoot at a mannequin with a red hat with the inscription "let's Make America Great Again", burn the books of the newly elected president and call him a coward. Several researchers denied the video, noticing signs of digital manipulation.
The publication writes that a few weeks after the election, the videos spread far beyond the borders of Ukraine and Russia, circulating among Trump supporters and supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Analysts say the content, translated into English for an American audience, is intended to reverse sentiment against Ukraine at a tipping point in hopes of reducing U.S. military aid and ensuring Russia's victory.
By discouraging U.S. support for Ukraine, the Kremlin hopes to shut down the most important source of military aid that has supported Ukrainian hopes since Russia's February 2022 invasion.,
– the publication writes.
recall
Russian propaganda channels continue to actively distribute "reports" from Syria, trying to create a fictional picture of Ukraine's involvement in the aggravation of the security situation in this country.
Ukrainian forces regain control of Novyi Komar village in Donetsk Oblast
At least 6 Ukrainian mayors held captive by Russia, Zelensky says
Ukrainian forces to receive 30,000 DeepStrike drones in 2025 as part of Zelensky's resilience plan, minister says
'There will be no Yalta-2 or Minsk-3,' Ukrainian FM says at OSCE meeting
Ukrainian troops have driven Russian units out of Novyi Komar village in Donetsk Oblast, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, told Suspilne media on Dec. 5.
Novyi Komar, a village with a pre-war population of less than 500 people, is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of the Russian-occupied town of Vuhledar.
"The enemy was driven out of there," Voloshyn said. "The village of Novyi Komar is under the control of the (Ukrainian) Defense Forces."
A day before, crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState reported that soldiers of the 48th Separate Assault Battalion regained control of the village. Russian forces suffered heavy losses, and some Russian soldiers fled to the highway near the village, according to DeepState.
At the same time, Ukraine's counteroffensive actions are not as significant as Russia's ongoing assaults in the country's east. Russia captured 234.79 square kilometers (90 square miles) in one week in mid-November, which is the highest number in 2024, according to the independent Russian outlet Agentstvo.
Ukrainian officials have also increasingly raised concerns about a possible new Russian push in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the south, just as Russian forces continue to advance in the east, focusing their efforts near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast.
Russia's advance has picked up pace over the past months as Ukraine's military struggles to replenish its ranks, and Western arms are not flowing in as fast as Kyiv has hoped.
At least 6 Ukrainian mayors held captive by Russia, Zelensky says
At least six Ukrainian mayors and community heads remain in Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 5 during an address to the human rights community.
Zelensky confirmed that Yevhenii Matvieiev, the mayor of occupied Dniprorudne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, died in Russian captivity. Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov said that Matvieiev was tortured to death.
Matvieiev was captured in March 2022 while trying to assist residents of his community.
"They are among thousands of Ukrainians who are innocent but have been in captivity for years. And not only since 2022, but also since 2014," Zelensky said.
The president said that Ukraine is doing everything possible to secure the release of its citizens.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, both civilian and military, remained in Russian captivity as of November, according to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. Of them, over 19,500 are Ukrainian children. Only 3,767 of the abducted Ukrainian childern have been freed.
Zelensky criticized the global response, noting the lack of significant action to stop Russia's crimes and punish those responsible.
"There are still few voices in the world that speak about Ukrainian children abducted by Russia," Zelensky said, adding that discussions about "freezing" the war often ignore the fate of millions of Ukrainians and hundreds of thousands of children in occupied territories.
Zelensky expressed regret over the fading international focus on Russian war crimes.
"Even the most large-scale Russian war crimes are gradually being forgotten by many in the world and in Europe, at the political level, among those who could act to fix everything," he emphasized.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners have died in captivity, according to Victoria Tsymbaliuk of the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Ukrainian forces to receive 30,000 DeepStrike drones in 2025 as part of Zelensky's resilience plan, minister says
The Ukrainian military will get over 30,000 DeepStrike attack drones in 2025 within President Volodymyr Zelensky's resilience plan, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Dec. 5.
According to Umerov, DeepStrike drones are of the new generation, capable of "operating autonomously over long distances and hitting targets with high accuracy."
"We are demonstrating to the world that Ukraine is capable of innovation and technological independence. Even in wartime, we are developing cutting-edge production and strengthening our defense capabilities," Umerov said.
Zelensky presented a 10-point resilience plan to the Ukrainian parliament on Nov. 19, which includes measures to stabilize the front line, increase the technological capabilities of Ukrainian forces, and overcome bureaucracy in the army.
The production of part of the DeepStrike drones that will be supplied to the Ukrainian army next year was financed by international partners who invested in the Ukrainian defense industry, according to Umerov.
The minister did not say how these drones will be distributed among Ukrainian troops.
Ukraine is working to scale up domestic defense production, aiming to produce 1.5 million drones by the end of 2024.
There is a "significant volume" of new and long-term orders for first-person-view (FPV) drones, reconnaissance drones, long-range drones, and missile-drones, Zelensky said on Dec. 3.
Kyiv employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics, as well as oil refineries and depots.
'There will be no Yalta-2 or Minsk-3,' Ukrainian FM says at OSCE meeting
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in Malta on Dec. 5, strongly opposed any agreements resembling past Yalta or Minsk deals that could legitimize Russian aggression.
The comments come as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged to put a swift end to the war in Ukraine and bring both sides to the negotiating table.
"Russia wants a second Yalta or at least a third Minsk. It wants a world of zones of influence where power dictates the rules, changes borders, and deprives people of their right to freedom. But we are clear: there will be no Yalta-2 or Minsk-3," Sybiha said during a closed-door meeting.
This referenced the 1945 Yalta conference on dividing post-World War II spheres of power in Europe between the Soviet Union and Western powers and the unsuccessful 2014-15 Minsk I and II agreements on ending the war in Donbas.
The minister accused Russia of using "peace plans" as a pretext to continue its aggression.
"We have seen what Russian peace means in Bucha, Mariupol, Izium. For them, it means mass graves, ruins of cities, and killed Ukrainian civilians. Ukrainian children are abducted, their names are changed, and they are forcibly assimilated into Russian culture," he said.
Sybiha added that Russia is not genuinely interested in negotiations, urging the international community to focus on Moscow's actions rather than its words. "Russia continues to expand the war," he warned.
The OSCE meeting in Malta was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, marking his first visit to the EU since the start of the full-scale war. Sybiha called Lavrov a war criminal and left the OSCE plenary hall in protest ahead of Lavrov's address. Several other foreign ministers and diplomats followed suit in a coordinated walkout.
A relay Cabinet on the key Moscow-Kursk railway line was burned down in a Moscow suburb. The sabotage disrupted the logistics of the invaders and delayed the supply of military equipment.
On the night of December 5-6, a representative of the Atesh partisan movement committed sabotage in the suburbs of Moscow. This is reported by the partisan movement Atesh, writes UNN.
Details
A Ukrainian agent burned down a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov (a suburb of Moscow). The sabotage was carried out on a key railway connecting Moscow with the Kursk region.
As a result of the operation, the logistics of the invaders was disrupted: the supply of fuel and military equipment intended for Russian terrorists was delayed.
We dedicate this operation to all our supporters and, taking this opportunity, congratulate everyone on the day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and St. Nicholas Day! We continue to work in all directions, striking at the enemy's rear. Every step we take brings our common victory over the Putin regime closer!
– writes "Atesh".
recall
A partisan of the Atesh Movement destroyed the electrical equipment of a relay cabinet in the village of Alekseyevka in the Kherson region. The sabotage is aimed at disrupting the logistics of enemy troops on the Novoalekseyevka-Melitopol railway line.
The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
