German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was ready to continue the dialogue with Putin, despite the frustrating conversation in November. Scholz emphasized that it is important to convey to Putin the unwavering support of Germany for Ukraine.
Despite an unsuccessful phone conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is ready for further talks with him, the German edition RND reports, according to UNN.
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"It was frustrating," said the Chancellor in the RTL channel's annual review, "because he just repeated all his formulas again."
Nevertheless, the phone call was necessary to make it clear to Putin that he could not hope that Germany's support for Ukraine would weaken and to ask him "that he also has to withdraw his troops so that the basis for peaceful development can be created," Scholz explained. "And it needs to be done, and I will do it again. But we should not have any illusions about this," he said.
Addendum
Scholz called Putin on his own initiative in mid-November, the first time since December 2022. This drew criticism from Russia's EU neighbors.
Scholz did not discuss Taurus with Putin: what is known about secret talksNov 19 2024, 09:40 AM • 14672 views
Russia has lost 758,730 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 12.
This number includes 1,390 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,532 tanks, 19,644 armored fighting vehicles, 31,127 vehicles and fuel tanks, 21,072 artillery systems, 1,253 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,023 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 329 helicopters, 20,111 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
There were 203 combat engagements in the frontline, with the largest number of attacks in the Kurakhove sector – 49. The enemy launched 2 missile and 15 air strikes, firing 3,500 times.
203 combat engagements took place on the frontline over the last day, the most intense – in the Kurakhove sector, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in its morning report, UNN writes.
The situation at the front remains difficult. The enemy, using its superiority in manpower and equipment, continues to attack our positions. Ukrainian defenders are steadfastly holding back the onslaught of the occupiers and inflicting significant losses on the enemy. In total, 203 combat engagements were registered over the last day
– reported the General Staff.
Yesterday, the enemy launched two missile and 15 air strikes at the positions of Ukrainian units and localities, using two missiles and dropping 24 drones. In addition, it fired three and a half thousand times at localities and positions of our troops, 134 of them from multiple launch rocket systems, and used over a thousand kamikaze drones to attack.
Over the past day, the missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces, as indicated, hit four control points and four areas of concentration of enemy personnel.
The situation is reportedly as follows:
In the Kharkiv sector, Russian terrorists stormed the positions of Ukrainian troops six times without success near Hlyboke, Lyptsi, Starytsia and Vovchansk.
In the Kupyansk sector, 14 militants' attacks took place over the last day. Defense forces repelled enemy assaults near Zakhidne, Pishchane, Lozova and Zahryzove.
On the Lyman direction, the invaders attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders 30 times. They tried to break into our defense near Tverdokhlibove, Druzhelyubivka, Novoyehorivka, Hrekivka, Makiivka, Terny, Torske, Hryhorivka, Kopanka and in the Serebryansky forest.
In the Siverskiy sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled one attack by Russian invaders near Verkhnekamianske.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy made two attempts to advance near Chasiv Yar and Stupochky yesterday.
Using guided aerial bombs actively in the Toretsk sector, the occupants stormed the positions of our defenders in the Toretsk area five times yesterday.
In the Pokrovsk sector, our defenders stopped 40 enemy offensives. The enemy was actively using aviation. He stormed Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Shevchenko, Pishchane, Novotroyitske, Novooleksiyivka, Novyi Trud, Dachanske, Lysivka, Myrolyubivka, Promin and Pokrovsk.
In the Kurakhove direction, the defense forces repelled 49 attacks. Most actively, the invaders tried to move forward near Solntsevka, Starye Ternovi, Dachensky, Zarya, Kurakhovo, Dachny, Katerinovka, Elizavetovka, Ganovka, Antonovka and Uspenovka.
On the Vremivsky direction, the enemy made 29 assaults on our positions in the areas of Trudove, Kostiantynopolske, Sukhi Yaliv, Blahodatne and Novodarivka. He actively used bomber aircraft to carry out attacks in the area.
The enemy did not conduct any offensive actions in the Gulyaypilsky sector yesterday.
Yesterday, in the Orikhivsky sector, the enemy attacked our positions once near Novoandriivka.
Five times, the invaders tried to force the units of the Defense Forces out of their positions on the Prydniprovsky direction without success.
No signs of enemy offensive groups were detected in the Volyn and Polissia directions.
On the border with Chernihiv and Sumy regions, the enemy from the territory of the Russian Federation is actively using artillery and aviation in the areas of Ukrainian settlements.
"In the operational zone in Kursk region, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 22 attacks by Russian invaders over the past day," the report says.
According to the General Staff, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces and are actively undermining the enemy's offensive potential in the rear.
Plus 1390 occupants, 6 tanks and 28 armored vehicles: General Staff updates data on enemy lossesDec 12 2024, 05:48 AM • 7101 view
Ukraine is exhausted. Low on manpower, ammunition, and, most importantly, morale, the country is slowly reckoning with the fact that the ongoing war may be unwinnable on the battlefield — at least for now. According to a Gallup survey published on Nov. 19, 52% of Ukrainians now say they want their country to negotiate an end to the war “as soon as possible.” However, the terms of such a settlement would depend on Washington as much, if not more, than on Kyiv.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been vocal about Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine, often making remarks in support of Moscow rather than Kyiv. He has promised to end the war within “24 hours,” without providing details, and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “the greatest salesman.” Trump and his allies have blocked a $61 billion aid package critical to Kyiv’s war effort for over six months.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., has vocally opposed outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia with Western-provided long-range missiles. These developments have unsettled Kyiv.
Another concerning development is Trump’s nominations for key positions, including individuals with controversial views on Ukraine. Among the most contentious are Tulsi Gabbard, his pick for director of national intelligence, and Pete Hegseth, a candidate for defense secretary. The stance of Keith Kellogg, nominated as a potential special envoy for Ukrainian peace, remains to be seen.
In March 2022, Gabbard echoed Russian propaganda by promoting false claims that Ukraine was hosting “U.S.-funded biolabs.” She also warned that U.S. sanctions against Russia could trigger nuclear war. Meanwhile, Kellogg co-authored a peace plan proposing to freeze the front line in Ukraine, delay NATO accession indefinitely, and partially lift sanctions on Russia.
These statements and nominations have fueled concerns in Kyiv and Moscow that the new administration will push to freeze the war along current front lines. But both sides are likely to reject such a proposal.
A Ukrainian soldier looks out from a trench at an artillery position near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 6, 2024. (Photo by Nikoletta Stoyanova/Getty Images)
“The (Russian) president has repeatedly said that any option of freezing the conflict won’t work for us,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Nov. 20. “It’s important for us to achieve our goals.”
Russia’s goals include occupying more territory in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast and pushing Ukrainian forces out of Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Moscow may also aim to retake northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, with Russian forces currently threatening Kupiansk, a city liberated by Ukraine in September 2022.
Russia’s steady advances in eastern Ukraine, combined with its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, give Moscow leverage in potential peace talks. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko has warned that Russia’s demands far exceed what Ukraine can offer. Moscow has already declared the annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — despite not fully controlling them.
"Russia’s steady advances in eastern Ukraine, combined with its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, give Moscow leverage in potential peace talks."
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin cannot backtrack on annexations,” Merezhko told the Kyiv Independent.
Russia is also expected to demand that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations.
Caught in this dire situation, Ukraine faces a difficult balancing act. A source in Zelensky’s office, speaking anonymously, said Kyiv will not agree to freeze the war along the current front lines. Such an arrangement would leave Ukraine vulnerable, allowing Russia to regroup and rearm.
“Many of our fellow citizens will be hurt by these words, but the defense of Kursk Oblast is a higher priority than the Kurakhiv bridgehead, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts,” said Dmytro Zhmailo, a military expert and executive director of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center.
Holding Russian territory could prevent peace talks on Moscow’s terms, as the Kremlin has stated it will not negotiate while Ukraine controls any part of Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine must maintain morale while engaging with Trump’s incoming administration to promote the idea that supporting Kyiv serves U.S. interests.
In September, Zelensky presented Biden with a “victory plan,” outlining steps needed for Ukraine to continue its fight. While the plan received little enthusiasm, two proposals reportedly caught Trump’s attention: Ukrainian troops replacing U.S. forces in Europe and sharing Ukraine’s critical natural resources with the U.S. and its allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R), French President Emmanuel Macron (C), and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) pose for photos at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, France, on Dec. 7, 2024. (Chesnot/Getty Images)
Over the past few months, Ukrainian leadership has shown greater openness to peace talks, even with limited leverage. Kyiv hopes to push the U.S. toward stricter sanctions on Russia and a stronger negotiating position for peace talks expected next year.
However, whether these talks will yield results remains uncertain. Ukrainian officials insist that any agreement must provide security guarantees, ensure Ukraine’s independence, and restore at least some territories occupied by Russia.
The potential shift in U.S. policy under Trump has alarmed not just Kyiv but also its allies in Europe. Countries like Poland, which share a direct stake in Ukraine’s survival and regional stability, are already bracing for the impact of a reduced American commitment.
Poland, in particular, has emerged as a key player in rallying European support for Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, drawing from his experience in the European Council, has expressed concerns about Trump’s unpredictability and its implications for Ukraine. He warned that we must expect the worst, and that a forced ceasefire on Putin’s terms could lead to renewed conflict and greater instability in Eastern Europe.
Poland is leveraging its defense spending — nearly 5% of GDP — and its strategic purchases of American weapons to assert its commitment to NATO and transatlantic security. Warsaw hopes to use this position to persuade Trump to maintain U.S. support for Ukraine. At the same time, Poland and its regional partners are preparing contingency plans, including potentially forming a coalition of willing nations to continue military aid if U.S. support falters.
Yet, even with such efforts, Europe faces significant challenges in maintaining the flow of military supplies to Ukraine. Production levels have not yet scaled up to meet demand, and some Western European leaders remain hesitant about deeper involvement.
Ukrainians are exhausted, and for now, a military solution seems out of reach. The trajectory of peace talks, however, will largely depend on Washington. There is a golden opportunity to persuade the new administration to take decisive action.
Ending the war for good is within reach, but it will require granting Ukraine NATO membership and reclaiming territories currently occupied by Russia. The U.S. has the leverage to compel the Kremlin to negotiate and to force meaningful concessions. Key economic tools include lowering global oil prices, tightening sanctions enforcement, and cutting off Moscow’s ability to sustain its war effort financially.
To support Ukraine, the U.S. could also tap into frozen Russian assets to fund the military hardware Ukraine still needs. A critical window of opportunity is on the horizon, and the U.S. has the tools to seize it. Now, it’s up to Kyiv to convince Trump that this is the path forward.
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 was created as part of the Thematic Networks of PULSE, a European initiative promoting transnational journalistic collaborations.
No Russian ships have been spotted in the Black Sea or the Sea of Azov. There are two Russian vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, one of which is equipped with Kalibr missiles.
As of November 14, 2024, no enemy ships have been spotted in the Black and Azov Seas. This is reported by the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, UNN reports.
Details
However, according to reports, there are two Russian vessels in the Mediterranean, one of which is equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles and is capable of firing up to eight missiles.
Three vessels crossed the Kerch Strait to the Black Sea over the past 24 hours, none of which continued on to the Bosphorus. Three vessels also arrived in the Sea of Azov, one of which was heading from the Bosphorus.
No enemy ships in the Black and Azov SeasNov 10 2024, 05:01 AM • 47323 views
Battles in the front-line city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast is "exceptionally tough," requiring Ukraine's military leadership to make "non-standard decisions," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Dec. 11.
Previously on Dec. 11, military spokesperson Nazar Voloshyn confirmed that Russian forces had destroyed two Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk.
Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in the east, has seen heavy fighting in recent months as Russian forces continue their relentless advance in Donetsk Oblast.
Syrskyi's comments followed a visit to the 38th Separate Marine Brigade, operating on the front lines in the Pokrovsk sector.
"We have to make non-standard decisions to increase the resilience of the defense and more effectively destroy the occupiers," he said in a Facebook post Dec. 11.
"The battles are of an exceptionally tough nature."
The Ukrainian military also confirmed on Dec. 11 that Russia had gained ground in Pokrovsk. Speaking in a televised broadcast, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, said that Russian troops had destroyed two Ukrainian positions in the area.
"As a result of prolonged clashes, two of our positions were destroyed, one was lost," Voloshyn said.
"Currently, measures are being taken to restore positions."
According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian military is at a disadvantage, especially in terms of manpower. Russian troops outnumber Ukrainian units and "are throwing all available forces forward."
Syrskyi did not say what kinds of unconventional decisions would be required in the coming days, but said a priority was to deliver sufficient quantities of ammunition to the front line. He also said he responded to "existing problems" by issuing "appropriate orders."
Russian forces are now only 3 kilometers (1.5 miles) from Pokrovsk, according to the crowd-sourced monitoring website Deep State.
Observers and the Ukrainian military have previously warned of an increasingly difficult situation in Pokrovsk as Russian forces push forward. Syrskyi ordered additional reserves and weapons to Pokrovsk on Nov. 29 in an effort to stall Russia's assault.
Russia's grinding advance in eastern Ukraine continues to gain momentum at the cost of heavy personnel losses.
EU and US companies continue to supply weapons to Russia through intermediary countries. Arms exports to Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and other countries have increased 2.5 times in three years, from where they end up in Russia.
Despite years of sanctions, Russia annually purchases thousands of Western rifles and millions of rounds of ammunition from companies in the European Union and the United States. No one sells them directly, but large batches of various weapons reach Russia through third countries and are then used in the war with Ukraine. This is stated in a joint investigation by The Insider with Czech Investigace.cz, Italian IrpiMedia and Kazakh Vlast.kz, UNN reports.
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The journalists found out that in recent years, companies from the European Union, the United States (US) and Turkey have been sending more weapons to Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Weapons exports to these countries have increased two and a half times in three years: from 19,556 guns in 2020 to 53,211 in 2023,
– the publication says.
Investigators note that the export of rifles and shotguns from Italy to Armenia has increased almost 30 times in four years – from 68 weapons in 2019 to 1,862 in 2023. Kyrgyzstan did not buy weapons from Italy in 2020 and 2021, but received 882 weapons in 2022 and 4434 in 2023. Arms exports from Turkey to Georgia increased from 8,426 in 2019 to 18,843 in 2023.
The largest European arms manufacturer with ties to Russia is the Luxembourg-based Beretta holding. In June 2024, the Russian importer of Beretta was included in the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions list. Despite the sanctions, Beretta Holding remains the majority owner of the Russian company.
Foreign components made in 2023 were found in North Korean missiles used by Russia to hit Ukraine – DIUNov 25 2024, 07:15 AM • 13146 views
Among the German arms manufacturers, Hans Wrage & Co from Hamburg maintains ties with Russia. Its head, Frauke Löhmann, still owns 15.96% of the Russian Rusimpeks.
"Despite the war in Ukraine, this company continues to import Japanese Miroku carbines, German Anschutz, Krieghoff hunting rifles, Ruag Ammotec and RWS ammunition, including army calibers," The Insider writes.
Russian snipers, both civilian and military, continue to use Western rifles and ammunition instead of Russian weapons. This is confirmed by the protocols of sniper competitions that took place last September at the Angarsk training ground in annexed Crimea,
– the publication writes.
EU countries have imposed an arms embargo on Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. But, as the investigation notes, there are still no controls on exports to the Customs Union countries of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, which share a common customs space with Russia and the CSTO military-political bloc.
Recall
The President of Ukraine saidthat Russian missiles attacking Ukrainian schools may have components from America, Europe and Asia. He emphasized that the safety of children is everyone's concern.
Something is wrong with YouTuber Johnny Harris’ lens — not the one he uses to film himself, but his view of Eastern European history. Known for his unquenchable thirst for maps and archival documents, Harris has become a prominent voice on geopolitics and history. If you're unfamiliar with him, Harris developed his personal brand at Vox Media before leaving during the COVID-19 pandemic after his web series “Borders” was canceled.
On Dec. 5, he published a video titled “Why People Blame America for the War in Ukraine.” In it, he echoes Kremlin talking points about NATO expansionism being the cause of Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine. As Kyiv Independent’s Creative Video Director, I often see this argument in our YouTube comments — usually from bots. To hear it from Harris, however, is unexpected. To summarize his argument: NATO provoked Russia, and the Kremlin was left with no choice but to invade Ukraine. Of course, buried in the final moments, he acknowledges how inexcusable and tragic this war has been.
Harris’ video claims that the United States treated Russia as a defeated belligerent at the end of the Cold War, taking advantage of its weakness to expand NATO to Russia’s borders. Despite all the maps in Harris’ possession, he shockingly overlooks how little of Russia NATO actually borders. Before Russia’s 2022 invasion prompted Finland to join the alliance, NATO only bordered about 378 kilometers (235 miles) of Russia’s 57,792-kilometer (35,910 miles) border. This point is neglected by Harris.
In his narrative, the Soviet collapse of 1991 is treated similarly to Germany’s 1918 surrender in World War I — shamed, indebted, and politically isolated. Yet, in the decades that followed, the new Russia was awarded a permanent Security Council seat, invited to the G7, given lucrative energy deals, and hosted the Olympics and World Cup. While some in Washington remained skeptical and suspicious of Russia, Moscow received far more generosity and prominence than any other former Soviet republic.
In contrast, the U.S. pressured Ukraine to weaken its defense deterrence at Russia’s insistence, prioritizing friendlier relations with Moscow over Kyiv’s security concerns. We explore this in our recent video on the Budapest Memorandum. Yes, the reality is more complex than I’ve outlined, but that’s precisely my point: Harris’ perspective is too narrow to the point of irresponsibility.
Harris’ perspective is too narrow to the point of irresponsibility.
Harris issued an apology early Dec. 6 after a “wave of feedback” and removed the video — likely prompted by his sponsor “not wanting to be associated” with it. He admitted he “omitted the valuable perspective of these Eastern European countries.” With sleek design, he mapped NATO’s expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. Somehow, it didn’t occur to him to question why these countries voluntarily joined a defensive military alliance. As one colleague put it, “When you join a gym, we don’t call it gym enlargement.” Why would these countries want to join NATO?
In Harris’ telling, Russia wanted peace and to partner with the West after the fall of the Soviet Union. Yet, Russia had a curious way of showing this. Harris neglects even a cursory glance at Russian history. Moscow spent much of the 1990s at war, occupying parts of Moldova and Georgia, and crushing the uprising in Chechnya. He praises Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s efforts to end the Cold War, yet ignores how Gorbachev sent tanks to Lithuania to crush its independence movement. Central and Eastern Europeans remember these events — and the comments on Harris’ video made him very aware of this.
Johnny Harris is not stupid. He was aware of what he was doing in this video. In fact, he joked that his viewers would be Googling “Is Johnny Harris funded by the Russian government?” after watching it. With a broad grin, he dismisses this as if it were not a serious concern. It’s not like the U.S. Justice Department exposed a Russian operation in September that covertly paid several prominent right-wing influencers to promote its agenda. Or the questionable finances of former RT journalist Max Blumenthal’s “The Grayzone.” Similar operations have been exposed in the media, academia, and NGOs — including an arrest of a think tank employee this week. With Harris’ massive following and his scrutiny of official narratives, he would make for an attractive target — whether wittingly or not.
People walk among the ruins caused by a Russian missile strike in Grozny, Chechnya, on an unknown date in 1999. (Antoine GYORI/Sygma via Getty Images)Russian soldiers sit in an armored vehicle in Russian Tskhinvali, Georgia, on Aug. 12, 2008. (Dmitry Kostyukov / AFP via Getty Images)A man walks past apartment buildings destroyed by a Russian bombing in Ochertyne, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on April 15, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)
Harris appears genuinely surprised by the backlash. But should he be? More importantly, should any of us really be surprised by this video from him?
Harris has long been guilty of a white-savior complex, broadcasting the plight of the colonized and Global South to the world — from Venezuela’s hyperinflation to Sudan’s civil war. Yet, you rarely hear their voices in his videos — especially after he left Vox. He’s hesitant to turn the camera away from himself. He understands it’s his face that gets views, so it’s understandable to put himself front and center. But when dealing with sensitive subjects, it’s past time for him to include the voices of those who have spent more time experiencing and studying the topics he explores.
Harris is not a nobody. He has over 6 million global subscribers, corporate sponsors, and a Patreon that earns up to an estimated $21,000 per month. This is not the first time he has been called out for prioritizing sensationalism over facts and disregarding history. This was evident in his video “Why Is Russia So DAMN BIG?,” which whitewashes Russia’s violent history of expansionism.
This is especially important in the visual medium we operate in on YouTube. Video is a powerful tool of persuasion. The experience of watching a Harris video is hypnotic due to his masterful use of storytelling, music, graphics, and editing. It can move viewers emotionally as well as intellectually.
Take one moment in Harris’ now-deleted video on NATO and Russia (still available on a Twitch stream), where he says: “Here in the political West, we mostly blame Russia and China for greedily trying to disrupt the U.S.-led rules-based order, but what if that’s wrong?” As he says this, he cuts to House Speaker Mike Johnson. Why him? Johnson is not representative of American foreign policy, but to Harris’ target audience, he represents American hypocrisy. Johnson has constantly defended convicted felon and incoming president, Donald Trump. He is certainly not the face of a “rules-based order.” Furthermore, Johnson only joined Congress in 2017, meaning he was not involved in NATO expansion, which Harris explores in the video.
That subconscious influence through editing makes video an effective tool for propaganda. The question for Harris is whether he wants to be a journalist or a propagandist.
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.
In the occupied territories, Russians are conducting mandatory testing of schoolchildren for knowledge of the Russian Constitution. The tests are organized by the “citizen” association with the support of the occupation “ministries of youth”.
In the temporarily occupied territories, Russians are forcing students of seized schools to take tests on the knowledge of the fake constitution of the Russian Federation. This is reported by the Center for National Resistance (CNR), UNN reports.
Details
The testing is carried out by the public association "citizen", with the support of the "ministries of youth" in the occupation administrations.
The Russians are trying to impose this useless document, the norms of which are not enforced in Russia, on Ukrainian children in order to integrate them into the occupation society.
– the CNS said in a statement.
The event was covered by fake media, which sought to show the loyalty of the local population to the invaders.
Compulsory tests are held until December 12, when Russia celebrates Constitution Day.
Recall
The occupation authorities of Donetsk are forcing students of a technical university to participate in Kremlin propaganda events. Students are threatened with problems at exams and forced to donate blood for terrorists.
Russia continues to suffer record losses in December, Zelensky says
Ukraine has arms to resist at least until mid-2025 if US cuts aid, finance minister says
Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison
Russia may launch new Oreshnik missile against Ukraine in 'coming days,' US intelligence says
Russian forces have incurred record-high casualties in manpower during hostilities in both November and December, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 11 after hearing a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Moscow's troops are advancing at a rapid pace in Ukraine's east, pushing back outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian defenders at the cost of staggering losses.
"As in November, the Russian military is using a record number of its men in December in battles and assaults," Zelensky said on Telegram.
"These months — November and December — saw record Russian losses," the president noted, adding that the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast remain the active parts of the front.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Dec. 1 that Russian losses throughout November amounted to 45,720 soldiers wounded, killed, or captured, as well as over $3 billion worth of equipment.
November also saw the record broken for the enemy personnel losses in one day with 2,030, the highest figure since Feb. 24, 2022. Ukrainian and Western estimates put Russian losses at between 600,000-750,000 killed, injured, or captured, while Moscow has not disclosed the exact figures.
Despite the losses, Russia holds the upper hand on the battlefield, advancing toward key Donetsk Oblast towns like Pokrovsk and chipping away at the Ukrainian position in the Russian border region of Kursk.
In his post, Zelensky also thanked Ukrainian forces for "tangible hits on Russian targets last night," namely "military facilities on Russian territory" and "energy and fuel facilities."
Earlier today, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported a successful strike against a Druzhba oil pipeline loading station near the Russian city of Bryansk, resulting in a large-scale fire.
Ukraine has arms to resist at least until mid-2025 if US cuts aid, finance minister says
Ukraine has enough funds and ammunition to continue resisting Russia at least throughout the first half of 2025, even if U.S. assistance dries up, Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said in an interview with the El Pais newspaper published on Dec. 11.
Marchenko's comments come amid growing concern that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump might withdraw Washington's crucial support for Kyiv after he takes office in January.
"I believe that we have enough funds, enough weapons, missiles, and artillery shells to resist at least during the first half of 2025," Marchenko said. Ukraine is allocating necessary funds from its budget to purchase equipment and continues to receive U.S. arms, the minister explained.
"This means that at least during the first half of the year and beyond, we will be well-equipped to resist this aggression," he added.
The outgoing Biden administration has accelerated its weapons deliveries ahead of Trump's inauguration, announcing an arms package worth nearly $1 billion on Dec. 7. Washington has provided Ukraine with over $60 billion in arms and equipment since the outbreak of the full-scale war, making it by far the most important military donor.
The flow of supplies may soon dry up, as Trump recently said that Kyiv could expect a reduction of U.S. assistance after he takes office.
Marchenko noted that the possibility of Trump cutting aid is a "challenge." It is, therefore, in Kyiv's interest to "create the necessary conditions" for cooperation with the new administration, he added.
"We want to build a good relationship," Marchenko said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump in Paris on Dec. 7 for the first time since the latter's reelection. Reuters wrote that the two did not discuss the specifics of any concrete peace plan, but the Ukrainian president stressed the need for security guarantees.
Marchenko expressed his belief that full NATO membership remains the best possible guarantee to deter Russian aggression, with a "modern and strong Ukrainian military" as the only alternative.
Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison
Russian occupation authorities in Donetsk jailed nine Ukrainian soldiers captured after defending Mariupol to between 24 years and a life sentence, the city's exiled authorities reported on Dec. 11.
Russia often uses trumped-up charges to jail captured Ukrainian soldiers, activists, journalists, and regular civilians for lengthy terms.
Moscow's proxies in Donetsk now sentenced soldiers of the 36th Marine Brigade who fell into Russian hands after a gruesome siege of Mariupol and its Azovstal steel plant in the spring of 2022, the exiled Mariupol City Council said on Telegram.
Andrii Shestak, Nazarii Moroz, Vladyslav Yavorskyi, Vadym Shulha, Serhii Yampolskyi, Maksym Kolbasin, Dmytro Shalara, Volodymyr Penzin, and Kostiantyn Romaniuk will serve their sentences in a high-security prison, according to the statement.
The occupation authorities accused the soldiers of shelling the village of Staryi Krym near Mariupol in March 2022.
Ukraine's former Prosecutor General said that nine out of 10 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) are subjected to physical and moral torture. While Ukraine has managed to bring back home some of the captives, including Azovstal defenders, through prisoner exchanges, many more remain in Russian captivity.
Russia may launch new Oreshnik missile against Ukraine in 'coming days,' US intelligence says
Russia may launch its new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) against Ukraine for the second time "in the coming days," the Associated Press (AP) reported on Dec. 11, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
Russia launched its new intermediate-range ballistic missile at Dnipro in Ukraine on Nov. 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the strike was in response to Ukraine's use of American and British weapons to target deeper within Russia.
Washington still sees the experimental Oreshnik missile more as "an attempt at intimidation than a game-changer on the battlefield in Ukraine," a U.S. official told reporters on condition of anonymity, referring to a U.S. intelligence assessment.
Russia has only "a handful" of the Oreshnik missiles, and they carry a smaller warhead than other missiles that Russia has regularly launched at Ukraine, AP reported, citing an official.
In early December, the Moscow Times reported, citing four Russian official sources, that the media blitz following the strike on Dnipro was a carefully staged stunt designed to scare off the West.
The Oreshnik is likely not a new Russian development but a modification of the RS-26 missile, also known as the Rubezh, Fabian Hoffmann, a defense expert and doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo, told the Kyiv Independent.
"I think basically they (Russians) just took apart the RS-26 or just cannibalized it, and then put together this new missile with a couple of upgrades, and a new paint job."
First produced in 2011, and successfully tested in 2012, the Rubezh is a 36,000 kilogram, nuclear capable, intermediate-range ballistic missile with a known range of 5,800 kilometers.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
