Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] The enemy is trying to capture Chasiv Yar, then go to Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.
by Tanya Matyash
Russian troops are advancing in the Kupyan, Lyman, and Bakhmut directions in order to capture new settlements in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.
This was announced by the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The Bakhmut direction remains extremely important for the invaders. They concentrate their main efforts on it and use the most combat-capable units of the landing forces, the marines and the "Storm Z" and "Storm V" units formed from former criminals to carry out assault operations.
"The goal of the enemy in this direction is clear - it is an attack on the settlement of Chasiv Yar, then on Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, with further access to the borders of the Donetsk region," S
In the Lymansky direction, the occupiers switched to constant attacks on the positions of our troops in the directions of Makiivka and Terni. Military operations are underway in the Seversky direction. The occupiers actively use equipment during assaults, which are constantly destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.
The daily assault actions of the Russian troops in the Sinkivka area with the aim of capturing it and creating a bridgehead for the further offensive on the city of Kupyansk do not stop.
"The situation is difficult. We have to fight in conditions of superiority of the enemy both in weapons and in the number of personnel. However, commanders and staffs monitor changes in the situation 24/7, analyze the actions of the enemy and their troops, make effective management decisions to strengthen defense and destruction of the enemy," Sirsky emphasized.
He also noted that a number of decisions regarding methods of destroying the enemy were made by the command directly in the combat areas.
"On all three directions, our troops are holding the defense and destroying the enemy. The enemy is suffering heavy losses, which he is replenishing with the reserves of assault battalions formed from former prisoners. Despite daily losses in personnel and equipment, the Russian occupiers continue to carry out offensive actions," the commander added.
Syrskyi also said that in the first half of December, the enemy lost about eight thousand servicemen in the zone of responsibility of the "Khortytsia" air defense system . In addition, more than 500 units of enemy military equipment were destroyed or damaged. Among them: 67 tanks, more than a hundred armored fighting vehicles, 77 guns and mortars of various calibers.
"Unlike the aggressor, the Ukrainian defense forces try to achieve success through thoughtful planning of combat operations and effective use of artillery, mortars, attack drones and small arms. And the greatest value for us is the life of our soldiers. Minimizing losses is always a priority when planning operations," - emphasized the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
We will remind that 105 combat clashes took place during the past day. In total, the enemy launched 1 missile and 6 air strikes, carried out 62 attacks from rocket salvo systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas. As a result of Russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.
At night, the Russian invaders once again attacked Ukraine, using 2 unmanned aerial vehicles of the "Shahed-136/131" type. They were destroyed by anti-aircraft defense.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] The Defense Forces repulsed the largest number of enemy attacks in the Avdiiv direction.
by Iryna Lysohor
In the Avdiivka direction, the defenders continue to restrain the enemy, who does not stop trying to surround Avdiivka.
They repelled 11 attacks by Russians in the Avdiyivka districts and another 13 attacks in the Severny, southern Tonenko, Pervomaisky and Nevelsky districts of the Donetsk region. The spokesman of the General Staff, Andriy Kovalev, announced this on the air of the telethon.
"In the Mariinsky direction, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the Novomykhailivka district of the Donetsk region, where our defenders repelled 13 enemy attacks," he said.
In Zaporizhzhia, the defenders repelled 17 attacks in the areas west of Verbovoy and Robotyny. At the same time, in the Melitopol direction, the Defense Forces continue to actively inflict losses on the occupiers.
In the Kupyansk direction, the defenders repelled five enemy attacks in the areas of Synkivka and east of Petropavlivka, where the occupiers tried to break through the defenses of our troops. In Lymanskyi, the defenders repelled 10 enemy attacks in the areas of Makiivka, Luhansk region, east of Terniy and Spirnyi, Donetsk region.
In the direction of Bakhmut, the defenders repelled 21 enemy attacks in the areas of Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka. Defense forces continue to inflict losses on the enemy.
During the past 24 hours, 105 combat clashes took place, the enemy launched one missile and six air strikes, carried out 62 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
During the previous week, the enemy carried out 41 missile and 237 air strikes , carried out 410 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:17 The Russian army shelled Kherson - two people were wounded, among them a child, said the head of the OVA, Alexander Prokudin. An educational institution, residential buildings, and garages were damaged.
21:49 Russia, bypassing sanctions, receives Western electronics through Morocco, according to an investigation by The New York Times. According to the newspaper, chips used both in industry and for the production of weapons pass through this country. Goods from production centers, including Taiwan, are reloaded at the port of Tangier-Med by ship, bound for the Russian Federation.
21:40 Zelensky held his annual press conference on December 19. About the interesting things the head of state said in the material Relations with Zaluzhny and mobilization .
21:36 France will join the training of Ukrainian pilots on Western fighters at the beginning of 2024. According to the country's Ministry of Defense, we are talking about initial training, which will then be continued by European partners.
20:21 Zelensky promised that next year 1 million drones will be produced in Ukraine. “We will do everything to make it so,” he emphasized. The president also spoke about a case when 26 thousand drones “lay in a warehouse and did not arrive.” “We will overcome this - logistics,” he added.
19:48 Zelensky said that he will not sign the bill on the mobilization of women. At the same time, he noted that he would most likely approve lowering the mobilization age from 27 to 25 years.
19:22 Zelensky said that Ukraine will not revise the strategy for entering the 1991 borders, but may change tactics. He also admitted that Ukraine is not being invited to NATO - none of the member countries has done this. “Signals about participation in the Alliance are nonsense, these are just messages,” the president added.
Speaking about relations with Zaluzhny, Zelensky emphasized that this is a working relationship, and the commander-in-chief must be responsible for the results on the battlefield. "I'm expecting very specific things on the battlefield. I want to see details," he added.
18:39 Zelensky said that this winter Ukraine will be protected by several new Patriot systems, but he refused to specify their number and the countries that provided these systems.
The president also said that at a meeting of the Headquarters, the General Staff and the Commander-in-Chief submitted a request for the mobilization of 450-500 thousand people. However, according to Zelensky, the topic of demobilization, rotation, leave, etc. needs to be worked out, so a decision has not been made yet. He added that mobilization in this format would cost 500 billion hryvnia.
Asked whether the war would end in 2024, the president replied: "I don't think anyone knows the answer." Zelensky noted that the lack of control over the skies affected the counter-offensive, but overall he is confident in partners and financial assistance.
18:25 Zelensky gives the annual final press conference. The meeting with journalists takes place in secrecy. Korrespondent.net is conducting an online text broadcast of the event.
18:17 Germany should be ready to increase spending on supporting Ukraine against the backdrop of cuts by other countries, said German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck.
18:03 A meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense was held in Russia, at which Sergei Shoigu reported on the so-called “successes” of the Russian army in the past year. At the same event, Vladimir Putin promised to fight in 2024, until the “North Military District goals” are fully achieved. Read more in the article What Shoigu lied about .
17:36 In Melitopol, an explosion occurred near a school, which the Russians were one of the first to capture. As a result of the explosion, a policeman from Krasnodar, who came to Melitopol to work with the occupation police, was wounded, said the mayor of the city, Ivan Fedorov.
17:28 Italy has adopted a law allowing military supplies to Ukraine to continue until the end of 2024, the country’s Ministry of Defense reported. The supplies include not only weapons, but also vehicles, power generators and "everything necessary to support military operations in defense of unarmed civilians."
17:23 Director of the FSB of the Russian Federation Alexander Bortnikov said that Ukraine “is beginning to intensify the secret struggle, sending agents and saboteurs to Russia.”
17:09 The Russians fired at Antonovka, Kherson region - two people were injured as a result of a direct shell hit on a house. Another person was wounded as a result of enemy shelling at Tyaginka, the OVA reported.
17:04 In the Dniprovsky district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, air defense destroyed an X-59 guided missile, the Air Command reported.
16:30 The fourth plane since the beginning of the war took off from Boryspil airport. According to the airport's press service, in the morning a technical transfer of the Boeing 777-300 aircraft took place from Boryspil to one of the European airports at the request of the operating company Skyline Express. The flight was operated without passengers or cargo on board.
16:23 The White House explained the difference between the victims of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. National Security Council Speaker John Kirby stressed that the Israeli army, unlike Russian troops in Ukraine, does not aim to kill, torture and rape civilians, and does not intentionally try to kill civilians. “Torture, rape, murder of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure, terrorization of the population - all this is included in Putin’s war plan,” Kirby said.
16:19 The Russians fired artillery at the town of Kupyansk-Uzlovoy, Kharkov region, one person was wounded, the prosecutor’s office reported. Residential buildings, outbuildings and a hospital were damaged.
15:38 The Office of the Prosecutor General said that they are in contact with Russian ex-Colonel Igor Salikov, who wants to testify at the International Criminal Court about Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The work with him has been going on for six months now, and the Office of the Prosecutor General was able to confirm some of the information received from Salikov.
14:57 Shoigu said that Russian troops have mined 7,000 square meters in the occupied regions of Ukraine. km of territory, while the depth of the minefields is up to 600 meters, which is “twice the standard.” Also, according to the minister, 1.5 million “dragon teeth”, 2000 km of anti-tank ditches, 12 thousand prefabricated reinforced concrete structures, 3000 platoon strong points, 45 thousand dugouts and more than 150 thousand shelters for equipment were installed.
14:15 Propaganda Russian media admitted the death of five employees of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in Skadovsk as a result of the HIMARS strike on November 9. Earlier, the “governor” of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, stated that all the missiles were allegedly shot down, and one fell on a private sector and injured civilians.
13:44 Putin said that “Russia was the only guarantor of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine.” According to him, the West allegedly started a war in Ukraine in 2014, and “there would have been a massacre” in Crimea if Russia had not annexed the peninsula after the “coup d’etat” in Kyiv. The head of the Kremlin also claims that Moscow “did not intend to fight with Europe and is not going to now.”
13:36 Shoigu said that plans for recruiting the army and navy of the Russian Federation in 2023 have been completed in full, their number has been increased to 1 million 150 thousand military personnel. According to the Russian Minister of Defense, the increase in the number of armed forces to 1 million 320 thousand people began in December in accordance with Putin’s decree.
Shoigu also claims that, in general, all the tasks defined for 2023 have been allegedly completed by the Russian Armed Forces, “the specified level of maintaining defense capability has been ensured.” In 2024, the Russian military will continue the war in Ukraine “until the tasks determined by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief are fully completed,” the minister added.
12:53 Putin once again stated at a board meeting at the Russian Ministry of Defense that Russia “is not going to give up” its goals for the war in Ukraine.
12:08 Vnukovo Airport introduced restrictions on the arrival and release of aircraft, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced the destruction of a drone in the Odintsovo urban district. According to him, there was no destruction or casualties at the site where the debris fell. Also, the Russian Ministry of Defense today announced the alleged destruction of one drone over the Kaluga region and three over the Bryansk region.
11:42 In the Kupyansk direction, many units of the Russian military have recorded an outbreak of so-called mouse fever - a viral disease that is transmitted to humans from rodents, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. Symptoms include severe headache, body temperature up to 40 degrees, decreased blood pressure, nausea, and severe pain in the kidneys. The Russian command ignored complaints about fever from personnel, regarding them as another manifestation of avoidance of participation in hostilities.
11:11 The EBRD announced that it will increase the bank’s capital by 4 billion euros, to 34 billion. The additional capital of shareholders will be used for investment in the Ukrainian economy both in wartime and during the recovery period. Since the Russian invasion began, the EBRD has already provided more than €3 billion in loans to Ukraine.
10:37 US Ambassador to Kiev Bridget Brink voiced Washington’s main priorities for Ukraine. "Protecting Ukraine's energy infrastructure in winter and maximizing exports across ports and borders are top US priorities. A productive discussion on how to help Ukraine defend against Russian attacks and speed up its economic recovery," she said following a meeting with Ukrainian officials.
09:58 Ukraine has decided to compensate for the shortage of artillery shells by producing drones, said Deputy Minister of Defense Ivan Gavrilyuk. In addition, according to him, its own production of ammunition “of almost all types of the former USSR”, as well as Western caliber 155 mm, is being increased. At the same time, Gavrilyuk clarified that it is not yet possible to talk about the production of 155-mm shells in large quantities, but next year they will be produced “enough to cover the difference between what is needed and the number of shells that partners can provide.”
09:07 Britain plans to sign a ten-year security pact with Ukraine in the coming weeks, writes The Telegraph. According to the draft document, London undertakes to “support Kyiv in the fight” by providing military assistance focused on naval assets. Financial assistance and intelligence sharing are also provided. In addition, the pact will contain promises of post-war security guarantees.
08:40 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of December 19:
personnel - about 348,300 (+1140) people,
tanks - 5798 (+15),
armored combat vehicles - 10,771 (+19),
artillery systems - 8190 (+15),
MLRS - 926 (+0),
air defense systems - 611 (+1),
aircraft - 324 (+0),
helicopters - 324 (+0),
Operational-tactical level UAV - 6299 (+9),
cruise missiles - 1611 (+1),
ships/boats - 22 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 10,842 (+20),
special equipment - 1200 (+2).
08:36 On the evening of December 18, the Russians shelled Kupyansk, Kharkov region - private houses were damaged, one person was wounded, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA.
08:28 Over the past 24 hours, 105 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report . In particular, in the Avdeevka direction, the Defense Forces repelled 11 enemy attacks in the areas of Avdeevka and another 13 attacks near Severny, south of Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye and Nevelskoye in the Donetsk region. Also repelled were 21 attacks in the Bakhmut direction (near Bogdanovka, Kleshcheevka and Andreevka in the Donetsk region) and 17 attacks in the Zaporozhye direction (west of Novopokrovka and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region).
In addition, in the Kupyansk direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled enemy attacks in the Sinkovka areas and east of Petropavlovka, Kharkov region; on Limansky - east of Ternov, Spornoye, Donetsk region; on Maryinsky - not far from Novomikhailovka, Donetsk region.
07:39 At night, air defense destroyed both “martyrs” in the Khmelnitsky region, which Russia attacked from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk area, the Air Force command reported. Monitoring publics clarified that the drones were again flying in the direction of Starokonstantinov, where the military airfield is located.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] As a result of the attack, there was damage to the educational institution, houses and garages.
Representatives of the city authorities noted that “arrivals” are recorded in the central part of Kherson.
Russian war criminals attacked Kherson with drones on Tuesday evening, December 19, injuring two people. This was announced by the head of the Kherson OVA, Alexander Prokudin.
“The invaders struck Kherson. As a result of the attack, a child and a woman were injured,” the report notes.
He added that there was damage to the educational institution, houses and garages.
The head of the Kherson State Military Administration, Roman Mrochko , noted that the work of mobile air defense teams can be heard in the city, and drones are being shot down.
First Deputy of the Kherson Regional Council Yuriy Sobolevsky reported that arrivals are recorded in the central part of Kherson.
Let us remind you that the police showed a suicide attack on a hospital near Kherson . At the time of the attack, patrol officers and hospital workers were in the building. As a result of the shelling, a service vehicle was damaged.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] The defense asked to transfer Azerbaijani activist Aykhan Israfilov under house arrest or send him to a pre-trial detention center adapted for the disabled, but the court refused to grant both requests, the lawyer said. The arrest of his brother had a serious impact on the condition of his mother, whom Aykhan was caring for, and the financial situation of the family, his sister said.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, on August 11, a member of the board of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan during the "Democracy 1918" movement, Aykhan Israfilov, was detained and then arrested on charges of drug trafficking. Israfilov’s case is falsified and is retaliation for trade union activities, his associates said. The appellate court upheld the decision to arrest Israfilov, ignoring the appeal of human rights activists who called for a softening of the preventive measure due to the activist’s disability and family circumstances.
A preparatory hearing was scheduled for December 11 in the Baku Serious Crimes Court in the case of Aykhan Israfilov, a member of the independent Confederation of Trade Unions "Working Platform" ( this is the name of the organization of which Israfilov is a member - note of the "Caucasian Knot" ), Aykhan Israfilov, but the hearing was postponed due to the failure of the state prosecutor to appear, lawyer Fariz Namazli told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. On December 11, Israfilov complained that he was kept in an overcrowded cell in a pre-trial detention center and that the books that were brought to him were not handed over.
In September, the Democracy 1918 movement announced the cessation of its activities due to the lack of political freedom in Azerbaijan. The trade union structures and student organization that operated during the movement will continue to work, activists said. The dissolution of the "Democracy 1918" movement will not soften the attitude of the authorities towards the activities of the structures that existed under it and will not entail immediate leniency towards the arrested trade union activists, indicated analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".
A preparatory hearing in the case of activist Aykhan Israfilov was held today at the Baku Serious Crimes Court, chaired by Judge Fakhri Mammadov.
The presiding judge read out a written request from lawyer Fariz Namazli, who was absent from the court, to transfer Israfilov to house arrest. The defense lawyer motivated the petition by saying that the preliminary investigation had been completed and the grounds for keeping Israfilov in custody had been eliminated. The petition was supported by lawyer Parviz Hajili, who was present at the trial . “The witnesses in the case are police officers, and the assumption that Israfilov, being at large, can put pressure on them, is absolutely unfounded,” he noted.
The lawyer also pointed out that Israfilov has not been convicted before, does not plead guilty, and a drug test did not reveal his drug addiction. Among other things, Israfilov is a disabled person of the third group. In addition, he has a mother in his care, a disabled person of the first group.
If this request is not satisfied, the lawyer asked the court to make a decision to transfer him from pre-trial detention center-3 in the village of Shuvelan to Baku pre-trial detention center-1, explaining that the Shuvelan pre-trial detention center does not meet the conditions for keeping disabled people.
The state prosecutor opposed changing the preventive measure, noting that “the grounds for keeping Aykhan Israfilov in custody remain until the completion of the judicial investigation.” And the prosecutor left the question of changing the pre-trial detention center to the discretion of the court. However, the court, after a short meeting, rejected both petitions and scheduled a hearing on the merits for 2:15 p.m. on December 26. However, the judge did not justify his decision in any way.
The sister of activist Sevinj Israfilova reported on the difficult conditions of her brother’s detention in Shuvelansky pre-trial detention center-3. “This is an old pre-trial detention center. Prisoners are provided with untreated water for drinking. Salt water is provided for bathing. My brother is kept in a cell with 18 other prisoners, although it has a capacity of 10 people. They sleep in turns. The cell is constantly noisy. The room is not heated. If he had been transferred to the Kurdakhan pre-trial detention center (Baku pre-trial detention center-1), which is a modern prison complex, then at least the conditions there would be better, there would be a warm floor, the cells would be heated. But the judge today even refused this,” said S. Israfilova.
The activist is a disabled person of the third group, she noted. “When Aykhan was 22 years old, he was electrocuted. After that, one of his legs cannot bend. Of course, for such a person, staying in prison is very difficult. The only request that was granted was that he was allowed to play sports once a week, that is, do exercises in connection with a leg disease,” said Sevinj Israfilova.
For a long time, the activist was not given any books, she said. “But recently Ayhan was able to receive books. We gave him “1984” by James Orwell, “My Orange Lima Tree” by Jose Vasconcelos and “The Humiliated and Insulted” by Fyodor Dostoevsky,” Sevinj Israfilova said.
According to her, the arrest of the activist created big problems for their family. "My mother is a disabled person of the first group. Aykhan looked after my mother. After his arrest, I moved to my mother. I have not been at home for four months. The biggest problem is the moral suffering of the mother, her concern for her brother. Injustice oppresses her. My brother even He doesn't smoke cigarettes, not to mention alcohol, but he doesn't drink energy drinks either, and he is accused of using drugs. And this despite the fact that the examination did not reveal any drugs on him. The investigation claims that he was found to have 8 grams of heroin, which he " found" on the street. But this is a very frivolous statement," she said.
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[EngMilRu] In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled eight attacks of the AFU 14th and 60th Mechanised Brigades, as well as inflicted losses on units of the 115th Mechanised Brigade near Sin'kovka (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 60 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, and one 152mm Msta-B howitzer.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled five attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 24th and 116th Mechanised Brigades near Chervonaya Dibrova and Petrovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 185 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Mar'inka, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 28th, 42nd, and 93rd Mechanised Brigades close to Kurdyumovka, Andreyevka, and Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses in this direction amounted to up to 180 Ukrainian troops, three armoured personnel carriers, and four motor vehicles. In addition, in the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one 122mm D-30 howitzer were eliminated.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled one attack and inflicted losses on units of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 100 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one 152mm Msta-S howitzer, and one 152mm D-20 howitzer.
In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled one attack launched by assault detachments of the AFU 14th National Guard Brigade and inflicted losses on manpower of the AFU 117th and 118th Mechanised Brigade near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.
In Kherson direction, as a result of artillery strikes at enemy deployment areas, the AFU losses amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, and two 152mm Giatsint-B howitzers.
Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one ammunition depot of the AFU 115th Mechanised Brigade, one Pelican air defence radar, as well as engaged manpower and military hardware in 112 areas.
Russian air defence units intercepted six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Korsunka, Radensk, Novaya Mayachka (Kherson region), and Nesteriyanka (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 553 airplanes and 259 helicopters, 9,867 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,177 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 7,397 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,453 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:55 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 12/19/2023 to 00:00 12/20/2023.
Over the past 24 hours, the Representation has recorded 26 incidents of firing by the Ukrainian Federal Unitary Forces.
Information was received about the injury of 15 civilians in the Petrovsky, Kievsky, Kirovsky, Kuibyshevsky districts of Donetsk.
A total of 22 residential buildings were damaged in the Budennovsky, Kievsky, Kuibyshevsky, Petrovsky districts of Donetsk, as well as eight civil infrastructure facilities.
Districts of four settlements of the Republic were under enemy fire: Gorlovka (Tsentralno-Gorodskoy, Nikitovsky districts), Yasinovatsky district, the capital city of Donetsk (Leninsky, Budennovsky, Kievsky, Kuibyshevsky, Kirovsky, Petrovsky districts), Makeevka (Chervonogvardeysky district).
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy carried out 20 attacks from MLRS and 155mm artillery, incl. with a cluster warhead, an attack UAV.
At Gorlivskoye there were five attacks from 155mm and 152mm artillery and attack UAVs.
On Yasinovatsky there was one artillery attack from 155mm artillery.
A total of 83 units of various ammunition were fired.
A previous five artillery attacks were recorded from the VFU during the day.
21:04 Calculations of The Metis-M1 anti-tank complex of the Vostok group of troops effectively destroys the enemy in the South Donetsk direction in the Northern Military District zone.
21:03 The Armed Forces of Ukraine found themselves in a difficult situation in a number of areas due to Russia’s advantage in weapons and personnel
This was stated by the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky. He added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces went on the defensive in the Kupyansky, Artemovsky and Limansky directions, in particular in the area of the village of Sin'kovka, Kharkov region.
19:25 Explosions occurred in the Kyiv-controlled city of Kherson, Ukrainian media write.
It is reported that after this, electricity was cut off in some areas of the city. An air raid alert has been declared in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Kherson region.
18:59 Artyomovskoe (Bakhmutskoe) direction 19.12 18:30:
Comrades report the advance of our assault units as darkness sets in.
Our units are beating the enemy near the village. Khromovo and Ivanovsky.
The fighting in Kleshcheevka and Andreevka continues unabated, although their results here are not yet so noticeable.
18:35 Tankers of the Guards 41st Combined Arms Army are storming in the Avdievka area. Fire at the Armed Forces of Ukraine is carried out from all the weapons of the T-72B3 tank, including the PKT and even the NSVT "Utes" by the commander's forces.
18:05 Sumy region. Tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces identifies enemy positions for high-precision strikes. The sound of an explosion was reported, writes Front Bird.
17:20 The commander of the ground forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Alexander Syrsky, called the situation in the Kharkov direction difficult, noting that the Russian troops have an advantage.
16:40 In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops advanced 700 meters between Rabotino and Verbovoye.
The Russian army is expanding the zone of control of Novomikhailovka from the south.
In the Nevelskoye area in the DPR, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are making attempts to move forward.
In the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops are advancing in different directions. To the south of the city there is progress in the forest, and ours also entered Kleshcheevka. To the north of Bakhmut, the control zone of the Bakhmut-Chasov Yar highway has been expanded.
In the Kherson direction, Russian troops recaptured previously lost positions in the Krynok area.
16:20 Consequences of artillery attack of the Kyiv region of Donetsk by Ukrainian militants -photo.
16:15 Avdeevskoe direction. From the field they report on the work of our MI-28N and KA-52 Alligator attack helicopters.
Soldiers report that our helicopters hit enemy armored vehicles with Vikhr and Product 305 guided missiles, as well as 2A42 cannons, writes Frontline Bird.
16:10 Donetsk, DPR. The Nazis fired 16 rockets at the Kyiv district of the city. The shell hit a high-rise building and a residential apartment building caught fire. The gas pipe is damaged.
15:40 Russian drones attacked Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities in the Kherson region.
According to “Come and See”, a massive drone attack on Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities is taking place in the Kherson region.
“Russian drones are in Berislav and the region,” the source said.
According to him, the attack continues. Currently, Berislav is under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
15:20 As a result of the artillery attack of the Kievsky district of Donetsk, women born in 1967, 1968 and 1977, and a man born in 1932 were wounded.
During the artillery attack of the Petrovsky district, women born in 1941 and 1950 were injured, the city administration reported.
15:05 DPR (area of Chasov Yar settlement)
The front bird reports the defeat of two enemy defensive positions.
Our Mi-28N “Night Hunter” helicopters were tested. In addition, some of the enemy units hastily retreated to rear positions.
14:30 Zaporozhye direction, Rabotino village, explosion of a Ukrainian T-72 tank on a mine -video.
13:55 The Russian Armed Forces liberated territory five times larger than what was part of the DPR and LPR before the start of the North Military District - Shoigu.
13:22 Consequences of artillery attack of the Budennovsky district of Donetsk by Ukrainian militants -photo.
13:00 Calculation of the 152mm Acacia self-propelled gun destroyed enemy fire weapon in the Krasnolimansk direction
Operators of the Aistenok artillery reconnaissance complex of the Center group of troops discovered a Ukrainian Armed Forces gun, after which they transmitted its coordinates to the command post.
With a precise strike from the Akatsiya self-propelled gun, the enemy's fire weapon and artillery crew were destroyed.
12:22 The Front Bird writes about the intensification of fighting in the Kupyansky direction (near the village of Sinkovka):
Guys from the spot report an intensification of shooting battles. Our fighters suppressed an enemy firing point using a modular machine gun on an infantry fighting vehicle and used an anti-tank gun.
Fire support is also provided by army aviation and Ka-52 Alligator helicopters.
11:35 In Krynki in the Kherson direction, the guys occupied the center of the village and are moving forward. Obviously, the command decided to end the Nazi bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnieper. Our troops also entered the part of Kleshcheevka abandoned by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the DPR.
11:14 The main thing from the Russian Ministry of Defense report for December 19:
In the Kupyansky direction, eight Ukrainian attacks were repelled, in the Sin'kovka area. The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 60 people and a tank.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, five attacks were repelled, enemy losses amounted to 185 people and two infantry fighting vehicles.
In the Donetsk direction, three attacks were repelled in the Mar'inka area, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 180 people and three armored personnel carriers.
In the South Donetsk direction, one attack was repelled, the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were up to 100 people.
In the Zaporozhye and Kherson directions, Ukrainian losses per day totaled up to 155 people.
11:00 StatementHead of the press center of the Vostok group
During the active defense in the South Donetsk direction, motorized rifle units, supported by artillery and army aviation, repelled three attacks by the 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Novomikhailovka area.
Bomber strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems hit the temporary deployment points and concentrations of manpower of the 79th Air Assault and 58th Motorized Infantry Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Novomikhailovka and Urozhainy areas, and thwarted attempts to rotate militants to forward positions in the Novodonetsky and Staromayorsky areas. Total losses amounted to up to 90 military personnel, three pickup trucks and a 2S1 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled gun.
10:38 The Front Bird writes about the unsuccessful enemy attack in the Verbovoy area:
Yesterday, late in the evening, the enemy tried to conduct reconnaissance in force, consisting of one tank and two infantry fighting vehicles.
Moving along the forest belt, the enemy T-72 drove into a minefield. The tank was broken down into atoms. The tower flew up 10 meters.
10:35 Consequences of artillery attack of the Leninsky district of Donetsk by Ukrainian militants -photo.
10:20 Statement of Head of the press center of the Center group:
In the area of Serebryansky forest in the Krasnolimansky direction, the movement of personnel and equipment of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade “Azov” (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) was discovered. As a result of coordinated actions of motorized rifle units with the support of artillery from a group of troops, the enemy lost up to 220 military personnel. A tank, three armored personnel carriers, five vehicles and a 155mm self-propelled gun of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed.
09:45 The criminal Kiev regime continues to fire at the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired from cannon artillery:
-- n.p. Novie Lagerya three rounds;
-- n.p. Dnepryan four rounds;
-- n.p. Krynki 29 rounds;
-- n.p. Alyosha 10 rounds;
-- n.p. Obryvka of three rounds;
-- n.p. Podlesnoe two rounds;
-- n.p. Velikaya Lepetikha three rounds;
-- n.p. Sagi four rounds.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the village. Novaya Kakhovka, n.p. Kakhovka, n.p. Proletarka, n.p. Korsunka, n.p. Aleshki, n.p. Dnepryany, n.p. Krynki, n.p. Golaya Pristan, firing a total of 39 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being determined.
09:24 The Ukrainian Armed Forces left a number of positions on the front line of the defense line in the area of the village of Novomikhailovka in the DPR. This was announced by the adviser to the head of the DPR, Yan Gagin.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that they had repelled seven attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Novomikhailovka area and destroyed about a hundred personnel and several pieces of equipment.
08:16 Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian armed forces have carried out shelling of Petrovsky, Kuibyshevsky and Kirovsky districts of Donetsk.
Ukrainian nationalists used 155mm artillery and an attack UAV on the civilian infrastructure of Donetsk.
As a result of artillery artillery attack in the Petrovsky district, the roof, glazing and outbuildings of a private residential building were damaged.
In total, one residential building was damaged by shelling, as well as one civilian infrastructure facility.
08:07 The Russian Ministry of Defense publishes personnel combat work on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Artyomovsk direction of the crews of the 82mm mortar “Tray”, the automatic mounted grenade launcher AGS-17 “Plamya” and the anti-tank grenade launcher RPG-7 200 of the separate guards motorized rifle brigade of the Northern Fleet.
08:00 Summary on the morning of December 19, 2023:
Once again, in the dark, the Geranium UAV attacked the Starokonstantinov airfield in the Khmelnytsky region. Explosions also occurred at a facility in Kremenchug, Poltava region, and in the Krivoy Rog district, Dnepropetrovsk region. The enemy reported the use of missile weapons by the Russian Armed Forces.In the Kherson direction, the enemy uses drone bombers of the Baba Yaga type, our heavy flamethrower system was destroyed, the crew died a heroic death. Enemy personnel are under constant attack from our FAB and artillery, they reported a reduction in the zone of control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Krynki. The futility of a further operation and the mediocre waste of enemy manpower on our bank of the Dnieper are openly discussed in the Western press.
On the Zaporozhye front, the Ukrainian Armed Forces yesterday morning tried to storm our positions west of Rabotino, but were met with artillery and small arms fire. At Verbovoy, the Russian Armed Forces attacked enemy strongholds after artillery preparation and an airstrike. Mutual artillery strikes do not stop, the enemy is using cluster munitions.
The Russian Armed Forces continue to clear the suburbs of Marinka; they plan to move west. Radio interceptions indicate increasing cases of desertion of enemy soldiers, including by units up to a platoon. However, the enemy is trying to carry out counterattacks. Our troops are advancing south along the road to Novomikhailovka; from the east, this settlement is also being attacked by the Russian Army. The enemy is withdrawing units to the center of the village.
In the Avdeevsky direction, our troops are gaining a foothold on the southern outskirts of the city, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to counterattack. The enemy is actively using FPV drones and artillery. Units from the Zaporozhye Front were transferred to the Avdeevsky Sack. Enemy units enter battle from the march.
West of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the Russian Armed Forces are advancing towards Ivanovsky. Enemy analysts report the need for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to bring reserves into battle. The fighting at Kleshcheevka led to half-covering the territory of the village from the north; our troops are advancing along the heights to the north. Near Bogdanovka there are battles near the eastern and northern outskirts of the village, airborne units have established a foothold on one of them.
In the Bryansk region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the village of Sopychi, Pogarsky district. artillery attack of the Belgorod region continues. In Donetsk (DPR), the enemy fired 8 rounds in a day, there were no wounded. Such a “small” amount of ammunition used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against the civilian population of the DPR may indicate problems with ammunition supply, or redirection of artillery fire to other targets.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov
[REGNUM] In the sensational video, when a deputy of the Keretskovsky village council in Transcarpathia blew up three grenades during a meeting, what is most striking is the everyday nature of the action.
A 54-year-old representative of the Servant of the People party Sergei Batrin , who lives in the village of Kushnitsa, was called by his fellow countrymen “eternal oppositionist” in relation to the local authorities. He also had a long-standing conflict with the head of the village council, and on December 15, the deputy demanded that the budget report for the current year be announced, and then the financial document for 2024 be adopted.
According to Ukrainian media, Batrin also “quarreled with colleagues about the allocation of a 50% bonus to the village head during the war and a monthly bonus of 100% of the salary.” Other deputies did not accept his claims and arguments, after which the man left, returned two minutes later with three grenades and threw them one by one on the floor, continuing to calmly stand at the door. Those sitting in the hall did practically nothing, the man in the first row did not even change his position, although grenades fell right in front of him, and the women simply covered their ears.
As a result, Batrin did not influence decision-making, but there were 26 wounded in the hospital, one of whom died. The bomber himself is in serious condition, they are fighting for his life - only to later be placed in custody on charges of committing a terrorist attack. That is, if the truth-teller leaves intensive care, he will be imprisoned for 10 years with confiscation of property.
In fact, this episode only got a lot of attention because someone made a quality video. And incidents with live grenades occur regularly in Ukraine; for example, quite recently everyone was heatedly discussing the self-detonation of assistant commander-in-chief Zaluzhny. As IA Regnum reported , a colleague gave six imported grenades to Major Gennady Chastyakov for his birthday. The result is one corpse, one cripple.
But what is more interesting here is the fact of the free circulation of ammunition, which complements the theme of their widespread use in civilian life. And in crime reports you can generally get acquainted with the new Ukrainian tradition of solving various problems. Two neighbors quarreled - one went for a grenade. The man had an argument with his partner and her 14-year-old daughter and pulled out a grenade. In November, Dnepropetrovsk businessmen did not share the topic - they threw a grenade at Lexus. In the Odessa region, a serviceman stopped a car on the highway, asked for a ride, then began to extort money, which ended with a grenade explosion.
The statistics have already become commonplace, and this is just one type of ammunition that has been arriving in abundance from the front lines to rear cities since 2014. To be honest, the author of these lines also has two grenades hidden in a safe place near Kyiv, honestly bought from reliable people “just in case.” And I had to communicate with characters in whose yard a service dog, trained on TNT and gun oil, would go crazy.
Against the backdrop of discussions by Ukrainian publicists about upcoming problems in Russia with veterans of the Northern Military District, who will return to their hometowns with a disturbed psyche, veterans of the ATO and the “Great War” have already returned. As of July 1, 2022 alone, there were 438,834 combatants in Ukraine. And as follows from a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of veterans, their family members and family members of fallen military personnel may increase to 4-5 million people.
However, given the pace and tightening of mobilization, this figure could be much higher. As part of a national survey conducted by the sociological group “Rating” in September 2023, 65% of respondents indicated that they have loved ones who have fought or are fighting on the front line since February 24, 2022. And in the summer of 2022, this figure was 54%.
At the same time, more and more people began to associate the concept of “war veteran” with people with disabilities. In January this figure was 29%, and in early autumn - 47%. According to the head of the center for prosthetics, rehabilitation, reconstructive surgery and psychological support Superhumans Center Olga Rudneva , “the world has never known so many young prosthetic users.” The vast majority of these people are guaranteed not to find any use in peaceful life.
Such a place is not provided even for those who have not lost a limb, but have wounds and concussions, acquired post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. These conditions are known to lead to problems in the family, alienation from society, problems with adaptation to peaceful life, as well as suicide. Without appropriate support and assistance, veterans feel unwanted and misunderstood. But this support in Ukrainian conditions is very limited.
The first comprehensive study of the needs and requests of veterans and military personnel, published by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund under the relevant ministry, shows that 53.8% of their charges already require help in improving their health.
In particular, they see a big problem in the fact that “commanders today do not take neurological and psychiatric diseases into account at all” and there is no common position on what to do about it. When talking about psychological and psychiatric care, the military emphasizes the lack of qualified personnel. But most people do not have the opportunity to use sanatorium-resort services, travel abroad to treat complex injuries and illnesses, undergo normal prosthetics without bribes, and deal with the treatment of PTSD.
Plus there are constant problems with government payments. “A comrade from our company, when it all started, left Kyiv for the Zhitomir region, and there in a village he joined the defense industry. From there he was drafted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although they promised not to draft him from these formations. And two months later he died near Bakhmut. We took him to the village and buried him there. But the wife still cannot receive benefits,” says the interlocutor of Regnum news agency in Kiev. And this, in accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated February 28, 2022, is 15 million hryvnia.
In addition to physical and mental ill health, social injustice, and traditional corruption schemes, problems with work are added at every step. Firstly, there is none, since the economy as a whole is in a deplorable state. Secondly, 52% of Ukrainian employers consider the psychological problems of veterans and their disabilities to be a major obstacle to employment.
“Less than a quarter of employers do not see any features that prevent the employment of veterans with disabilities. 24% are cautious, but ready to employ veterans with disabilities. 52% say that they are frightened by psychological problems and behavior patterns of veterans. 19% consider alcoholism and drug addiction, which, in their opinion, our veterans are prone to, to be a serious obstacle , ” says Andrei Zaitsev, a representative of the charity foundation “You are with us.
In principle, ordinary people see the situation the same way. In the aforementioned Rating survey, 32% of respondents believe that the main problem of those returning from the war will be psycho-emotional instability, and the same number see difficulties with physical health and obtaining medical care. 28% state the lack of inclusive space and adapted workplaces for people with disabilities, and an equal number of respondents note problems with obtaining social benefits. Everything is clear about conflicts in the family.
The predictable response to any difficulty will naturally be gun violence.
Grenades will explode at home and in government buildings, and there will be much more news about shootings in public places. Meanwhile, the society has grown with new specialists. Another Ukrainian source , IA Regnum , who works in the unmanned environment, notes that experienced drone operators, primarily FPV, are a real discovery for the criminal world. Flying into someone’s window or killing a chosen person on the street, blowing up a car, even just “restoring justice”—Ukraine has yet to get to know each other better. And no method has yet been invented against this scrap.
But if until now we have talked only about the military, then we should not discount civilians. The same social injustice, the same (and even greater) problems with treatment and prosthetics due to injuries and injuries associated with the war, the same lack of work and constant fear of the future. And there are always grenades and firearms at hand, purchased from other “reliable people” or simply picked up at battlefields, waiting in the wings.
And this interesting circumstance is not at all taken into account by those who seriously or playfully discuss plans for the “post-war restoration of Ukraine.”
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Pavel Anisimov
[REGNUM] In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the creation of the Leningrad Military District (hereinafter referred to as LMD). For some reason, this statement remained in the shadows of Russian political scientists and experts.
At the same time, Western media, including Norwegian journalists, presented the information as an event exclusively in Russian-Finnish relations, since Vladimir Putin himself said that Finland may have problems after joining NATO related to the creation of the LVO.
Ideas about recreating the LVO were first voiced at the end of last year at a board of the military department.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu then stated that “given NATO’s desire to increase its military potential near Russian borders, as well as to expand the North Atlantic Alliance at the expense of Finland and Sweden, retaliatory measures are required to create an appropriate group of troops in northwestern Russia .” And although neither Shoigu nor Putin announced specific dates for the reconstruction of the LVO, the development plan of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for 2023–2026 includes the emergence of a LVO.
It is worth noting that the LVO already existed in the period from 1918 to 2010. And in this regard, a reasonable question arises: why was it necessary to disband the LVO?
The LVO covered, among other things, the border with the three Baltic states, Norway and Finland. All except Finland were NATO members at that time. And if we take as a basis Putin’s statement that between Russia and Finland there were “the kindest, most cordial” relations, then it’s hard to apply similar categories to Russia’s relations with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The accession of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania to NATO in 2004 caused a negative reaction from the Russian side. Due to NATO's expansion to the East, which certainly did not meet Russia's national interests, NATO military bases were located in close proximity to the Russian border, and flight time to major Russian cities was reduced to 5–30 minutes.
In addition, Lithuania's accession to NATO complicated the situation in the Kaliningrad region. Freight transit was often used as a means of putting pressure on Russia.
For example, such a situation occurred in 2008 during the conflict in South Ossetia. It is worth noting that at that time the three Baltic states took the position of Georgia, and Estonian President Toomas Ilves said: “The Russian-Georgian war is a touchstone for the European Union in terms of shaping European security in the future.”
And so, against the backdrop of this Russophobic policy of the border countries, in 2010 a decision was made to disband the LVO.
The warmth and kindness inherent in the relations between Russia and Finland, which Vladimir Putin spoke about, may also have been only the fruit of the desire of the Russian side.
Ya think??
In 2010, the Ambassador of Finland to Russia, Matti Anttonen, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, stated: “The Winter War, almost unnoticed by the world due to World War II, is firmly entrenched in the historical memory of the Finnish people.”
Now we live in an era of global instability, which is characterized by confrontation. The attention of key players is increasingly focused on the Arctic, which, after the start of the North Atlantic Ocean, has lost its immunity to political disagreements occurring in other parts of the Earth.
Large-scale exercises by NATO countries are increasingly taking place in the North.
For example, in March 2024, the Nordic Response exercise will take place, the geography of which will include the territories of Norway, Finland and Sweden, as well as the waters of the Norwegian and Barents seas. About 14 countries, up to 20,000 personnel, more than 50 ships, submarines and vessels, more than 100 aircraft and helicopters will be involved in the maneuvers.
In addition to large-scale exercises, in December the United States signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Sweden and Finland, which gives the United States the opportunity to use 17 military bases, training grounds throughout Sweden, as well as 15 military bases, airfields and ports to which the US the military will have unhindered access to Finland.
A similar agreement was adopted by the Norwegian Parliament in the spring of 2022. The Norwegian-American agreement envisages the creation of four so-called “common zones” at the airfields of Rygge, Sola and Evenes and at the naval base in Ramsund. The United States may receive exclusive rights to use part of the territories and build military infrastructure. At the same time, the Americans plan to make large investments in four bases.
And literally today, when this text was being prepared for printing, a message came that the previously prepared bilateral agreement on military cooperation between the United States and Denmark had been signed.
Separate agreements with the Nordic countries mean the presence of an American contingent near Russian borders. Under the Agreement, the United States will be able to act more quickly in the event of a crisis, without waiting for a decision in NATO.
The gradual expansion of the American presence near the Russian borders requires a logical response, which can be regarded as the creation of the Leningrad Military District and, in response, the deployment of certain types of weapons on the borders with the mentioned countries.
Of course, in Western countries the re-establishment of the LVO will be interpreted not as a response to Finland’s entry into NATO, but as an attempt by Russia to escalate the situation in the North. This is exactly how the Baltic and Scandinavian countries will present this step to the public of their countries.
Considering that the “Russian card” plays an important domestic political role in some of these countries, this will harmoniously fit into the explanatory model of the current authorities, where citizens feel the anti-Russian policies being pursued in themselves and in their wallets.
The creation of the LVO, or to be more precise, its re-creation, is much more important, primarily for the modern security architecture in the Arctic and the further building of relations with the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] The Kiev regime, with the direct support of foreign intelligence services, openly took the path of state terrorism, sabotage and terrorist attacks against civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this in a video congratulation on the Day of Security Agencies Worker.
“These are sabotage against civilian objects, transport and energy infrastructure, terrorist attacks against civilians, government officials and public figures,” the Russian leader said.
Putin called for strengthening anti-terrorism work, making widespread use of a range of technical and operational capabilities, and actively interacting with the Ministry of Defense and other departments.
Attempts by Western intelligence services to destabilize the situation in Russia and the desire to undermine civil peace and interethnic harmony must also be strictly suppressed.
According to the president, Russian security agencies have every opportunity to protect the country and its citizens.
As Regnum reported , Vladimir Putin congratulated employees and veterans of the security agencies on their professional holiday.
The main priority of all security agencies, primarily the FSB, remains the fight against terrorism, the Russian leader emphasized.
On December 12, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov said at the final meeting of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee that in 2023, 228 terrorist crimes were prevented in Russia, including 146 terrorist attacks. The activities of more than 180 organized criminal groups involved in illegal arms trafficking were also suppressed. It was possible to liquidate 146 illegal workshops for modernizing weapons.
During the year, Russian security forces stopped the activities of 73 secret terrorist cells. The Russian intelligence services blocked the accounts of more than four thousand individuals involved in the financing of terrorism and Ukrainian armed forces.
Vladimir Putin was the geopolitical winner of the year, columnist Gerald Baker wrote in an article in The Wall Street Journal on December 18 .
Well played, Rossiya...
[Regnum] US intelligence officials have accused Russia of trying to embarrass Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterm US congressional elections, thereby undermining support for Ukraine. This is stated in the report of the National Intelligence Council.
Can the Democrats be embarrassed?
“The Intelligence Community believes that the Russian government and its affiliates sought to denigrate and undermine the Democratic Party's credibility in the run-up to the midterm elections, primarily to undermine U.S. support for Ukraine,” the document noted.
US intelligence representatives did not provide any evidence, emphasizing only their confidence in the reliability of the conclusion.
In addition, the report alleges that several other foreign actors tried to interfere with the re-election of a number of American politicians. China, Iran and Russia have allegedly made such efforts. Their attempts were more narrowly focused and had a smaller scale of action.
Based on the report, Chinese representatives are interested in the opportunity to influence the outcome of the US Congressional elections. In the interests of Beijing, American intelligence officers believe, to prevent the election of congressmen who are belligerent towards China, the PRC is allegedly trying to assist those who advocate building relations with them.
As Regnum reported , in recommendations sent to US state and municipal officials in mid-September, intelligence officials said they believed Beijing saw less risk in interfering in the midterm elections compared to the presidential election.
According to Jena Easterly , director of the US Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency , the current environment is much more complex than in 2020. China's efforts are aimed more at shaping political prospects, including at local levels, than at election results, he said.
One senior FBI official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russia was amplifying hot-button issues already circulating online, including doubts about the integrity of the U.S. election, but was not creating its own content.
Commentary by Russian military Journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] 1. Losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces since the beginning of the Special Military Operation - 383,000 killed and wounded.
2. Ukraine's losses during the "counter-offensive" - 159,000 killed and wounded.
3. Each of the armies of the RF Armed Forces now has a full-time reserve regiment. The Russian Armed Forces are now the most trained and combat-ready army in the world.
4. In preparation for repelling the offensive, 1,500,000 dragon teeth, 2,000 km of ditches, 7,000 km of minefields, 150,000 military equipment shelters, and 12,000 reinforced concrete structures were created.
5. The United States and NATO supplied Ukraine with 5,220 tanks and armored fighting vehicles of various types, 28 aircraft, 87 helicopters, 23,000 UAVs, 1,300 towed guns, self-propelled guns and mortars, as well as 2,000,000 shells.
6. The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in equipment during the “counter-offensive” amounted to 767 tanks (of which 37 Leopards), 2,348 armored fighting vehicles (of which 50 Bradleys), 121 aircraft, 23 helicopters.
7. The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in equipment since the beginning of the Special Military Operation - 14,026 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, 8,510 guns, mortars, self-propelled guns and MLRS, 553 aircraft, 259 helicopters.
8. During the SVO in Ukraine, 103 particularly brutal war criminals were eliminated. 5,800 foreign mercenaries were also destroyed - 1,427 from Poland, 466 from the USA, 344 from Britain.
9. The number of foreign volunteers wishing to join the Russian Armed Forces has increased seven times. In Ukraine, the number of mercenaries has fallen six times.
10. Over the past six months, the air defense of the Russian Armed Forces has shot down 1,062 HIMARS missiles. Air defense capabilities are growing. Electronic ones will appear next year veteran's certificates.
11. During the military military training, 272 people became heroes of Russia. 320,000 received state awards. The procedure for obtaining the status of a combat veteran was simplified.
12. Thanks to the good work of military doctors, the survival rate of wounded soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces increased manifold.
13. The pace of creation of new weapons for the RF Armed Forces reached the pace of the Great Patriotic War.
14.The RF Armed Forces are provided with artillery ammunition in accordance with their tasks. Contract workers and volunteers now receive salaries of 210,000 rubles and more. 40 billion rubles have been allocated for housing for SVO participants.
15. Since the beginning of 2023, 490,000 contract soldiers have been recruited. During the Northern Military District, 650,000 soldiers and officers received combat experience.
16.The 10th wave of mobilization is already underway in Ukraine. Limited eligible citizens are also called up.
17. In Russia, plans for recruiting the RF Armed Forces have been fully implemented by the end of 2023. The target number of 1,150,000 people has been reached. Next year the figure will rise to 1,320,000 people. Next there will be an increase to 1,500,000.
18. Two combined arms armies, a new mixed aviation corps, four divisions, 18 brigades, 28 regiments, as well as two new military districts have been formed.
19. 1,530 tanks, 2,518 armored fighting vehicles, 237 aircraft and helicopters, 86 air defense systems, 67 radar stations were supplied to the army. 1,700 crews of UAV operators and 1,500 FPV drone operators were prepared.
20.The level of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear forces has been increased to 95%. They are in high combat readiness.
2. The West continues to wage a hybrid war against Russia and is building up US and NATO forces near the borders of the Russian Federation.
3. The West lies at every turn. Russia was deceived with NATO expansion.
4. The Russian army has the initiative in the Northern Military District zone. Attempts to defeat Russia militarily failed. First of all, because of the Russian soldier.
5. Fulfillment of the State Defense Order in 2023 will be 98%. It is necessary to increase the production of drones and precision-guided munitions.
6. The threat of drones cannot be underestimated. It is necessary to improve the work of air defense and improve the means of protection against drones.
7. The role of the Russian nuclear triad has grown significantly.
8. The war in Ukraine destroyed the myth of the invulnerability of Western technology. The experience gained in Ukraine must be used when training troops.
9. The military-industrial complex has achieved a breakthrough in a number of areas, purchases of military equipment for the front are growing, it is necessary to quickly respond to the needs of the active army.
10. The supply of Russian troops has improved over the past year. Volunteers help the army play an important role.
The special military operation (SVO) revealed a number of problems that require solutions. Russia must increase the production of drones and satellites, improve air defense, and rebuild the communications system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 19, speaking at a board of the Ministry of Defense.
“We have talked about this more than once; the conduct of the SVO revealed problems. Thus, we need to seriously restructure the operation of the communications system, use modern means of reconnaissance, target designation and counter-battery warfare much more efficiently, and increase the capabilities of our satellite constellation - not only in the Northwestern Military District zone, but also at the global level,” Putin emphasized.
He added that it is necessary to seriously increase the production and supply of high-precision projectiles, as well as various types of drones. There are changes in this area, and they are quite rapid, but this trend needs to be consolidated.
The air defense system also requires improvement, the Russian leader noted, emphasizing that the domestic Pantsir, Buk, S-300 and S-400 systems operate flawlessly and, without any exaggeration, are the best in the world.
According to him, it is impossible to miss “some small drones”, flying “plywood”, which had not been paid attention to before. This is damaging; it is unacceptable to consider drones as some kind of trifle.
THE ARMY AND NAVY NEED A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE
The head of state noted that the expected completion of the state defense order by the end of 2023 will be at the level of 98%. He emphasized that it is necessary to continue sending the most modern weapons to the troops, as well as create a foundation for the future for the army and navy. Putin explained that he was talking about the development and serial production of promising types of weapons.
“I mean robotic systems and combat lasers, weapons using artificial intelligence technologies and based on new physical principles,” the president explained.
One of Putin’s priority and systemic tasks is the timely and complete supply of everything necessary to the military personnel participating in the Northern Military District. He stated that the supply of Russian troops is improving, including thanks to the real labor breakthrough made by teams of defense enterprises and design bureaus.
LABOR BREAKTHROUGH
Russian defense industry workers respond faster and more accurately to current events and to the needs of combatants, the Russian leader said. He said that in 2023, the volume of supplies of armored vehicles increased threefold, cars - 4.5 times, and in general the number of purchased main types of weapons increased by 2.7 times, especially in demand - seven times.
At the same time, Putin called on the government and the Ministry of Defense to analyze the situation on the battlefield every day and carefully monitor what additional soldiers on the frontline need.
“I said about armored vehicles, cars and so on. Yes, the supply of armored vehicles has tripled. But more is needed. We need modern tanks, modern armored vehicles,” the president emphasized.
PROBLEMS WITH PAYMENTS FOR SVO PARTICIPANTS
The head of state stated that problems still remain in such an important area as material and social security for the participants of the Northern Military District and their families. Over the past year, much has been done to establish a system of monetary allowances, provide additional payments, benefits and compensation.
“At the same time, the problems have not all been solved; they remain,” Putin said.
He emphasized that all participants in the special operation - contract soldiers, volunteers, mobilized citizens, fighters of individual formations, Donbass militias - should receive equal guarantees. This is the principle of justice and military brotherhood.
Putin called on the Ministry of Defense and other departments, regional authorities to promptly solve problems with payments, provide them in a timely manner and in full.
Injured SVO participants should receive proper treatment, he added, and in general the system of benefits, compensation, and additional payments should be improved. Putin promised that work will continue on housing and social programs for military personnel, on the arrangement of military camps and garrisons.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] In 2024, the Russian Navy plans to receive the Borey-A nuclear-powered submarine cruiser Prince Pozharsky, three submarines and 11 surface ships, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on December 19 at an extended meeting of the department’s board.
“To accept into the fleet the Borei-A nuclear submarine cruiser Prince Pozharsky, as well as three submarines and 11 surface ships,” Shoigu named one of the priority tasks for 2024 at the meeting.
As Regnum reported , on December 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during the ceremony of raising the Russian flag on the nuclear submarine Krasnoyarsk and the nuclear submarine Emperor Alexander III in Severodvinsk, said that in the coming years the Russian Navy will receive three missile submarines project "Borey A".
The head of state noted that the construction of five more nuclear-powered missile cruisers of the Yasen-M project is currently underway, of which the Arkhangelsk submarine is at the final stage.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
