Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:20 The Russians shelled Kherson - seven people were injured, including a 15-year-old child, said the head of the OVA Alexander Prokudin.
21:24 Bild writes, citing data from one of the European intelligence agencies, that Russia could strike Europe at a time when the United States finds itself “without a leader” and will be able to come to the aid of European states only after some delay. We are talking about the period between the departure of the current US President in early November 2024 and the assumption of office by his potential successor in January 2025.
21:19 The Office of the President named six EU countries that did not join the declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine: Austria, Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Malta.
20:51 Zelensky in an evening video message said that the ability to shoot down Russian fighters is one of the keys to ending the war: “This week we again proved how effective strengthening our air shield is. And not only for protecting cities and villages from Russian drones " .
20:17 Russian troops fired at an infrastructure facility in Kurakhovo, Pokrovsky district, Donetsk region, wounding five workers, the prosecutor’s office reported.
19:35 The Russian Army hit the critical infrastructure of Kherson - there was a burst in gas networks and a fire started. One of the medical institutions was also damaged, said the head of the OVA, Alexander Prokudin. In addition, during the day the Russians attacked Stanislav from a drone, one person was killed.
18:46 During the day, the enemy fired artillery at the Nikopol district of the Dnepropetrovsk region four times, and also fired nine kamikaze drones. One person was injured, two enterprises, an administrative building, nine private houses, a five-story building, a power line, and a gas pipeline were damaged, said Sergei Lysak, head of the OVA.
17:24 Putin is sending signals of readiness to freeze the war, writes The New York Times, citing two former senior Russian officials close to the Kremlin, as well as American and international officials. They note that since at least September, Western officials have been receiving new signals that Putin is interested in a ceasefire. The signals come through several channels, including through foreign governments with ties to both Washington and Moscow.
At the same time, some US officials suggest that this may be a habitual attempt by the Kremlin to mislead, and that it does not reflect Putin's genuine willingness to compromise. Former Russian officials add that Putin may well change his mind again if Russian troops in Ukraine gain momentum. They say Putin is considering a confluence of factors to create the right moment for a deal: a stalemate battlefield, the fallout from a failed Ukrainian offensive, weak support for Kiev in the West, a distraction from the Russian-Ukrainian war over the situation in the Gaza Strip.
14:08 Zelensky signed two new decrees on personal sanctions. The list included 134 companies and 51 individuals. Citizens of Russia, Latvia and Cyprus were subject to restrictions. Their assets on the territory of Ukraine are blocked, licenses are cancelled, and any trade operations and transit of resources across the country are prohibited. The companies are predominantly Russian, including Avtodel GAZ, which operates in annexed Crimea.
12:20 The Russians launched a massive missile strike on the Kirovograd region, all enemy targets over the Kropyvnytskyi and Alexandria regions were destroyed, said the head of the OBA Andrei Raikovich. Roofs of houses, fences, and cars were damaged by debris. No people were hurt.
08:59 On Friday, December 22, a meeting was held between representatives of the Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation Tatyana Moskalkova with the aim of transferring humanitarian packages and letters for prisoners of war of both countries. The transfer was carried out with the participation of representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who centrally purchased warm clothes, shoes and personal hygiene items, Lubinets said.
In addition, thanks to mutual humanitarian agreements, it was possible to return four Ukrainian citizens to Ukraine. In turn, Ukraine helped ensure that citizens went to Russia for family reunification.
08:31 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of December 23:
- personnel - about 352,390 (+1040) people,
- tanks - 5854 (+17),
- armored combat vehicles - 10,871 (+28),
- artillery systems - 8286 (+36),
- MLRS - 932 (+0),
- air defense systems - 611 (+0),
- aircraft - 327 (+3),
- helicopters - 324 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 6384 (+19),
- cruise missiles - 1613 (+0),
- ships/boats - 22 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 10,995 (+51),
- special equipment - 1223 (+6).
08:09 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) admits that Ukraine may receive the first F-16 fighters by the end of this year. Analysts refer to a recent strategic document by the Estonian Ministry of Defense, which notes that the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium have already committed to transfer F-16s to Ukraine “by the end of the year.”
07:42 Over the past 24 hours, 75 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report . In particular, in the Avdeevsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 23 enemy attacks east of Novobakhmutovka, Stepnoy, Avdeevka, as well as 17 attacks in the Pervomaisky and Nevelsky districts of the Donetsk region. Another 16 attacks were repelled in the Kupyansky direction in the Sinkovka area of the Kharkov region.
In addition, in the Bakhmut direction, enemy attacks were repelled near Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky, Kleshcheevka and Andreevka in the Donetsk region; on Maryinsky - in the Marinka and Pobeda districts of the Donetsk region; on Shakhtarsky - west of Staromayorsky, Donetsk region; on Zaporozhye - west of Verbovoy and Rabotino, Zaporozhye region. In the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces continue to expand the bridgehead, while the enemy carried out 17 unsuccessful assault operations, was repulsed and retreated with losses.
06:18 From 18:00 on Friday, December 22, until midnight on December 23, Russia attacked with nine Shahed-type attack UAVs from the areas of Balaklava and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. All nine drones were destroyed within the Odessa and Khmelnytsky regions, the Air Force command reported.
00:21 Biden signed the US defense budget for 2024, which provides a record amount for the Pentagon of $886 billion, the White House said. It provides $800 million for assistance to Ukraine.