Here is the situation as it looks on Saturday, December 24th.
Struggle
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of possible increased Russian attacks in the upcoming Christmas season and called on people in his country to “watch out for air strikes, help each other and watch out for each other.”
- Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to cover up war crimes after Russian authorities began tearing down most of its drama theater in the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, where, according to Ukrainian authorities, hundreds died in an air bombardment in March.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the country’s defense industry bosses to step up their efforts to ensure that the Russian army quickly receives all the weapons, equipment and military equipment it needs to fight in Ukraine.
- Russia has made significant progress in “demilitarizing” Ukraine, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, referring to one of the goals stated by Putin when the war began on February 24.
- The exiled mayor of Russian-occupied Melitopol in the south, Ivan Fedorov, said more Russian troops had been brought to the city and reinforced the fortifications.
Die
Diplomacy
- The US House of Representatives approved a $45 billion aid package for Ukraine after passing a $1.7 trillion spending bill. Some Republican lawmakers, however, expressed frustration over the price of the latest round of aid to Ukraine.
- Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said that bilateral relations were in an “ice age” and that the risk of a clash between the two countries was “high,” Russian news agency TASS reported.
- Ukraine will intensify its diplomatic efforts in Africa, Latin America and Asia to take advantage of the “colossal economic potential” and other international benefits, Zelenskyy said.
The
Economy
- According to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Russia could cut oil production by 5 to 7 percent in early 2023 and stop selling to countries that favor a price cap for its crude oil and oil products.
- Ukraine estimated that its grain harvest fell by around 40 percent compared to the previous year as a result of the war in Russia, said the chairman of the Ukrainian Grain Association, Serhiy Ivaschenko.