Shipments from Ukraine. Day 1 034.
Kherson region. Russian attacks in the Kherson oblast, or southern region, left three more people dead and one injured on December 22.
Donetsk region. Between December 19 and 22, Russian bombing raids on the Donetsk region of southeastern Ukraine killed six civilians and wounded others.
Russian troops executed 4 Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Volnovakha district, on the front line of the region, on December 22, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine. After an artillery attack, 4 Ukrainian infantrymen sought safe refuge in a personal house. They surrendered and were taken prisoner after Russian forces surrounded the house. Testimonies imply that two of the Ukrainian prisoners of war were forced onto a road, while the other two remained lying on the ground; all four were executed, a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
On December 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that around 3,000 North Korean infantrymen had been killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region. Zelensky warned of the option of sending more North Korean troops and military equipment to Russia, promising strong responses. after the integration of 11,000 North Korean troops into Russian forces and the delivery of complex military apparatus, such as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launch systems, from North Korea to Russia.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico traveled to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on his first stop at the Kremlin, on December 22. The unannounced meeting focused on energy issues, in particular the origin of Russian fuel for Slovakia after 2024. Slovakia traditionally imports Russian fuel. Ukraine fuel. But due to Russia’s aggression, kyiv refused to terminate its fuel transit agreement after it expired at the end of this year, putting Slovakia’s energy security at risk. Fico has become the third European leader to meet with Putin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, following Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The visits to Moscow by Western officials are arguable because they undermine Putin’s diplomatic isolation, offering him an additional platform to spread his propaganda and granting him legitimacy as a global leader.
The United Nations has reported that more than 12,300 civilians have been killed and more than 27,800 injured in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022. In November, attacks with long-range weapons accounted for 42% of the civilian casualties, a sharp increase compared to recent months. Data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission shows that 2024 is a devastating year in terms of civilian casualties, with aerial bombardments killing 341 civilians. and 1,803 injured, figures that tripled and sextupled compared to last year.
The European Union plans to unveil its 16th set of sanctions against Russia on February 24, 2025, the third anniversary of Moscow’s liberation from its large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sanctions have in the past targeted ignored or outsourced sectors of the Russian economy, as well as Americans and organizations known to propagandize or undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The package could also impose travel bans and freeze the assets of suspected spies and participants in disinformation campaigns, showing that such activities remain difficult. The package will follow the EU’s 15th sanctions package, imposed earlier this month, which banned 52 ships belonging to Russia’s “ghost fleet” that had evaded sanctions on energy exports and, for the first time, Array addressed so-called “hybrid” Russian attacks. or acts of sabotage against EU countries.
Ukraine has received a conditional disbursement of $1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund under its four-year Extended Fund Facility, bringing the total funds received to $9.8 billion of the planned $15.6 billion. This marks the seventh tranche in the initiative, disbursed after Ukraine met critical structural reform goals in public finance, monetary policy, governance, and the energy sector. Looking ahead to 2025, the program outlines up to $2.7 billion contingent on successful quarterly reviews of reforms progress.
Germany has delivered another significant military aid package to Ukraine, bolstering its defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Announced on Dec. 23, the package includes 15 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks with ammunition, 30 mine-resistant armored vehicles, two Patriot missile defense launchers, and advanced IRIS-T air defense systems with ammunition. Additionally, Ukraine will receive two Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft units, one self-propelled howitzer, radars, drones, and 52 thousand 155mm artillery shells.
Despite a pledge to phase out Russian fossil fuels by 2027, EU imports of Russian liquefied herbal fuel (LNG) hit a record 16. 5 million tonnes in 2024, only around 10% above current levels. 2023. As pipeline fuel imports from Russia have fallen and oil and coal are banned, falling Russian LNG prices, especially since the Yamal terminal, a primary LNG production facility in the Russian Arctic, has made it a controversial, though growing, component of European strategy. power mix. France and Belgium lead imports, and France doubles its entries. The EU plans to ban the use of European ports for LNG transshipments (transfer of fuel from ice class ships to normal shipping ships) for non-EU countries in March 2025.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 22: Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine in action against Tyson Fury of United … [+] Kingdom during “Riyadh Season” boxing match event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 22, 2024. (Photo by Mohammed Saad/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk dominated his British rival Tyson Fury in their highly anticipated rematch on Dec. 21, winning by unanimous decision with identical 116-112 scorecards from all three judges. Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the fight saw Usyk’s superior speed, skill, and movement outclass Fury’s larger frame and physicality. Fury, who outweighed his opponent by 55 pounds, struggled to maintain his pace after the early rounds, allowing Usyk to control the action with precision and lateral movement. Despite Fury’s attempts to land heavy shots, Usyk’s sharp counters and relentless pace overwhelmed the Briton as the fight progressed. Fury left the ring in disbelief, while Usyk solidified his legacy as world heavyweight champion, securing a purse of $104.5 million, compared to Fury’s $84.5 million. This victory follows Usyk’s earlier win over Fury in May.
By Danylo Nosov and Karina L. Tahiliani
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