Ukraine - Russia's perfidious attack, a chronicle of events

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 11.12.23 were approximately:

Situation update as of 6 a.m., December 11, 2023

Day 656 of the russian full-scale military aggression against Ukraine has begun.

During the day of December 10, there were 98x combat engagements.

The enemy launched a total of 3x missile and 61x air strikes, 67x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the russian terrorist attacks have wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

During the day of December 10, russian occupants launched yet another air strike on Ukraine, using 18x Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed all 18x of the enemy drones.

Also, during the day of December 11, the russian occupiers launched yet another strike on Kyiv. The aftermath of the attack is being clarified.

Air strikes hit Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Pershotravneve, Cherneshchyna, Druzhelyubivka (Kharkiv oblast), Tverdokhlibove, Makiivka, Serebryans’ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Kolodyazi, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Kalynove, Ocheretyne, Novopokrovs’ke, Avdiivka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast).

More than 100x settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts came under artillery fire.

Pivnich operational-strategic group, Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. The enemy troops conduct active subversive activities in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. The adversary increases the density of minefields along the state border in Belgorod oblast (russia).

Khortytsia operational-strategic group, Kup’yans’k axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Syn’kivka and Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 5x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Terny, Vesele (Donetsk oblast), and Makiivka (Luhansk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian soldiers repelled 13x attacks of the enemy in the vicinities Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue assault operations south of Bakhmut (Donetsk oblast), inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy, and consolidate their new positions.

Tavria operational-strategic group, Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy who keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka. The Ukrainian soldiers are standing their ground as they inflict major losses on the enemy. The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 49x attacks of the adversary in the vicinities of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, south of Sjeverne and Tonen’ke, Pervomais’ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar’inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinities of Mar’inka and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian defenders repelled 18x attacks in that area.

Shakhtars’ke axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled all of the enemy attacks in the area southeast of Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3x enemy attacks in the vicinity of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast).

At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their active operations on Melitopol’ axis to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, and exhaust the enemy all along the front line.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain their positions held on the left bank of the Dnipro River, continue to conduct counter-battery fire, as they strike behind the enemy lines.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 3x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, as well as 1x ammunition depot of the russian invaders.

[Alex_Sor]

On February 24, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities,

conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages.

I am in the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kyiv.
I do not leave the city, I follow what is happening here, reassure my family and friends, explain the situation and follow the press reports.

A lot of panic messages, a lot of fake news from Russian propaganda.
I select only the information that has confirmation.
As a former military man (in the distant past), I have a good understanding of how hostilities are conducted and what weapons are used.

I will answer all your questions.

Since February 24, Russia has attacked Ukraine, many cities of Ukraine have been destroyed.

Because of the war, I lost my business in Ukraine, if you want to help me and my family, my Paypal is: Alex.Sor.2022@gmail.com

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 12.12.23 were approximately:

 

Situation update as of 6 a.m., December 12, 2023

Day 657 of the russian full-scale military aggression against Ukraine has begun.

During the day of December 11, there were 89x combat engagements.

The enemy launched a total of 10x missile and 18x air strikes, 60x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Also, during the day of December 11, the russian federation launched yet another strike on Ukraine, using 15x Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed 9x attack UAVs.

Air strikes hit Pobjeda and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast).

More than 90x settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson oblasts came under artillery fire.

Pivnich operational-strategic group, Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. The enemy troops conduct active subversive activities in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. The adversary increases the density of minefields along the state border in Belgorod oblast (russia).

Khortytsia operational-strategic group, Kup’yans’k axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Syn’kivka and northwest of Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 8x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Spirne and Vesele (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian soldiers repelled 14x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, and Pivnichne (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue assault operations south of Bakhmut (Donetsk oblast), inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy, and consolidate their new positions.

Tavria operational-strategic group, Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy who keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka. The Ukrainian soldiers are standing their ground as they inflict major losses on the enemy. The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 42x attacks of the adversary in the areas east of Novobakhmutivka, Avdiivka, south of Sjeverne, south of Tonen’ke, Pervomais’ke, and Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar’inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinities of Mar’inka, Krasnohorivka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian defenders repelled 14x attacks in that area.

Shakhtars’ke axis: the enemy did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations.

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 3x enemy attacks in the areas north of Pryyutne and west of Novopokrovka (Zaporizhzhia oblast).

At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their active operations on Melitopol’ axis to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces and exhaust the enemy all along the front line.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain their positions held on the left bank of the Dnipro River, continue to conduct counter-battery fire, as they strike behind the enemy lines.

During the day of December 11, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 2x air strikes on the concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment of the adversary.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 3x concentrations of troops, weapons, and military equipment, 2x ammunition depots, 1x command post, and 1x artillery system of the russian invaders.

[Alex_Sor]

"We Won't Return to Europe of 2021: This Would Be Europe of 1930s"

Alarm bells are ringing.

While Ukrainian forces are struggling on the frontline, unequipped for a long war of attrition, Russia is cranking up its arms production, Europe is falling behind on its promise of ammunition deliveries, and the US, with its upcoming election, is threatening to end its military aid.

Against this backdrop, some believe that the most reasonable option is to force Ukraine to make concessions and end the war.

Today, we – think-tankers who have been working on European security for many years – make a solemn appeal to the citizens of Europe and their leaders.

Abandoning Ukraine would render Europe terribly vulnerable.

More text:
https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/eng/articles/2023/12/11/7175292/

[Alex_Sor]

“This is war”: the Kyivstar company named the target of a large-scale hacker attack

The Kyivstar company said it could not say how long it would take to restore the system after a large-scale hacker attack. The goal of cybercriminals is to destroy the infrastructure of a mobile operator.

"This is a war. It is going on not only at the front, but also in virtual space, in cyberspace. Unfortunately, we are amazed as a result of this war. This is penetration into the infrastructure and its destruction. We see that the main goal of this attack is the maximum destruction of the virtual operator’s IT infrastructure,” said Kyivstar CEO Alexander Komarov during the telethon.

According to him, there is no leakage of personal data because it is located on other elements of the infrastructure.

“The main goal was the destruction of infrastructure and it was partially achieved. The infrastructure was significantly damaged, access was limited, which is why we could not counteract at the virtual level, so we physically turned off Kyivstar’s networks in order to limit the enemy’s access to the company’s infrastructure,” noted representative of the company.

At the same time, he pointed out that the Kyivstar network covers various spheres of life of Ukrainians, so the attack significantly affects the Ukrainian economy. In addition, national roaming does not work now because two important systems are partially destroyed.

At that time, Komarov said that the fixed network was now partially working, but if the problem was not fixed, it would stop working within 8-12 hours.

Details of a hacker attack on the network of the mobile operator Kyivstar have become known.

As a representative of the mobile operator told UNIAN, today, December 12, the Kyivstar communication network was subject to a hacker attack.

“The network became the target of a powerful hacker attack, which caused a technical failure, as a result of which communication services and Internet access were temporarily unavailable,” the representative emphasized.

He noted that in order to record the circumstances and consequences of illegal actions to interfere with the company’s network, the operator attracted representatives of law enforcement agencies and special government services who are now working in the company’s office.

According to the company, as of now it is known that the personal data of subscribers has not been compromised. The operator’s specialists are working to eliminate the consequences of the hacker attack to quickly restore communications and provide services.

Kyivstar will definitely provide compensation to subscribers who had no connection or could not use the operator’s services. We apologize to subscribers for the temporary inconvenience and thank you for your understanding,” the company said.

[Alex_Sor]

Ukrainian authorities are trying to resolve the issue of financing military expenses if the allies are unable to provide the promised assistance. However, such options carry certain risks.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-12/kyiv-s-budget-options-narrow-after-political-paralysis-hits-western-aid?srnd=premium-europe

Fiscal tools include increasing tax revenues, which is an obvious problem for a devastated economy, or reducing spending for the population. Monetary policy options include devaluation of the Ukrainian currency or a return to NBU restrictions, which, according to Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko, will have “negative consequences,” Bloomberg writes.

“Ukraine’s financial stability is at stake after Kyiv’s counter-offensive failed and the second winter after the Russian invasion brought new difficulties,” the newspaper writes.

As Finance Minister Marchenko stated, support from the EU and the US is crucial. Ukraine maintains active communication with representatives of the European bloc and the United States, informing about the needs for the next budget year.

Journalists note that Kyiv plans to cover its budget deficit primarily through external financing in the amount of more than $40 billion next year. According to Marchenko, more than two-thirds of this amount has not yet been confirmed.

“Even after the central bank announced a more flexible managed exchange rate in October, partially lifting capital controls, monetary policy has kept the hryvnia exchange rate fixed against the US dollar through market interventions,” the newspaper writes.

[Alex_Sor]

The political standoff in the US Congress, which is hostage to a new military aid program for Ukraine, inspires Vladimir Putin and his cronies. This opinion was expressed by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in his speech at the US National Defense University.

"Let me be frank with you, friends. If anyone is inspired by the unresolved problems on Capitol Hill, it is Putin and his sick clique," Zelensky told a room full of military officers from around the world.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who also attended the event, called US military assistance to Ukraine key to supporting the global struggle for freedom against tyranny.

"Ukraine is essential to America's security and the trajectory of global security in the 21st century. We are determined to show the world that America will not falter in defending our freedom if we do not confront the Kremlin's aggression today, if we do not deter other potential aggressors, we will We will only provoke more aggression, more bloodshed and more chaos," Austin said.

In the further part of his speech, Vladimir Zelensky expressed the conviction that Putin is seeking to restore the Soviet Union piece by piece, but he started with Ukraine.

"Russia's war against Ukraine is not just some old-fashioned dictatorship trying to settle scores, real or imagined. It is Putin attacking the big shift that happened back in 1989. Putin's real goal is the freedom enjoyed by people from Warsaw to Chicago and Yokohama, he is trying to make democratic countries lose hope by pushing the idea that dictatorships with a share of market economies are winning this global confrontation,” Zelensky said.

[Alex_Sor]

EU diplomats are discussing technical proposals to raise emergency funding for Ukraine outside the bloc's general budget if Hungary does not veto a four-year support package critical for Kyiv, the Financial Times writes, citing knowledgeable sources.

There is less and less time left before the start of the summit, which will take place on December 14-15. Diplomats have begun private talks about the feasibility and technical details of a potential financial package among the bloc's remaining 26 members.

     “The negotiations, which involve representatives of the European Commission and large EU member states, which will bear most of the costs, are being kept secret so as not to undermine the main goal - overcoming the Budapest veto, since Orban (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - ed. .) said that he does not object to assistance from other EU countries,” the publication says.

An off-budget instrument will take longer and cost more in interest and other expenses.

“Nobody wants to do this if we don’t have to... But it would be stupid not to have a plan B,” one of the publication’s sources noted.

Ukrainian and European officials warn that the EU's failure to agree on the proposed package will have a serious impact on Ukraine's financial stability.

[Alex_Sor]

China has built an “eternal” rail gun, solving the problem of rapid barrel wear

The railgun was invented about a hundred years ago, but despite potential benefits such as economy and projectile speed, things have not yet progressed beyond testing, and a number of shortcomings cast doubt on the practical effectiveness of this type of weapon. However, a team of Chinese Navy engineers managed to build an electromagnetic gun without one of its key disadvantages - rapid barrel wear. During testing, it fired 120 shots in a short time at a distance of 100 to 200 km.

“Military vehicles are slowly transitioning from chemical energy to electromagnetic energy (...) and continuous rate of fire is an important indicator of the combat effectiveness of electromagnetic railgun launch systems,” says a paper recently published by scientists and engineers from the University of Naval Engineering.

     The breakthrough by the team led by Professor Lu Junyong means that the railguns can fire with high reliability, speed and continuously, SCMP reported. And it makes China a world leader in this technology.

The principle of operation of a rail gun is to accelerate a current-carrying projectile using two parallel electrodes and the Ampere force. Theoretically, such a projectile can reach speeds and distances inaccessible to conventional guns. However, a number of obstacles prevent the effective use of this type of weapon in practice. One of the problems is the rapid wear of the weapon due to continuous shooting.

The success of Professor Lu's team can mainly be attributed to the use of a sophisticated measurement and diagnostic system. By collecting and analyzing over 100,000 quantities that affect shooting, they were able to discover the key factors influencing the rapid wear of barrels and understand how to minimize their impact without losing overall effectiveness. At the same time, machine intelligence helped to significantly reduce the processing time of the entire array of collected information.

As a result, the new electromagnetic gun fires multiple projectiles quickly without causing damage—and maintaining a significant level of accuracy. During field tests, the railgun fired 120 shots. The initial speed of the projectile is 2 km/s, the range is from 100 to 200 km.

In the 2010s, the Americans carried out active testing of railguns, but in 2021 they curtailed the program. China saw this as a chance for itself to catch up and overtake its geopolitical enemy. Researchers are not going to limit themselves to military applications of the technology and are thinking about launching bullet trains in vacuum tubes or rockets into space.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, unlike the US Navy, has not abandoned the idea of equipping ships with rail guns. This year they conducted tests. The published video shows how the gun mounted on board the warship fires several times at targets.

[Alex_Sor]

About 5.9 billion dollars remained in the US for military aid to Ukraine.

This was stated by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, reports Censor.NET with reference to Radio Liberty.

"Currently, we have approximately $4.8 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority (a mechanism that allows the President to transfer military supplies from bases and depots of the United States Armed Forces without consulting Congress, within limits set by Congress for maximum amounts of such supplies.), and $1.1 billion of available resources to replenish American stocks," he noted.

According to him, without additional funding, the US Defense Ministry may soon reach a limit beyond which it will not be able to maintain the current level of security assistance to Ukraine.

"This situation underscores the importance of further support from Congress for Ukraine at a crucial moment in its campaign to defend its freedom and resist Russian aggression," the Pentagon spokesman said.

Ryder noted that the US Department of Defense's spending decisions will be based on many factors, including Ukraine's urgent needs, the availability of equipment and the US's ability to replenish its resources.

[Alex_Sor]

Pentagon: US arms industry struggling to keep up with China

A draft copy of the new National Defense Industrial Strategy says American companies can’t build weapons fast enough to meet global demand.

The publication notes that the project refers to the state of the US defense industrial base. In particular, it is noted that it "does not have the potential, capabilities, responsiveness, or resilience necessary to meet the full range of military production needs at the required speed and scale."

The report notes that America makes the best weapons in the world but can't produce them fast enough.

"This disparity poses a growing strategic risk as the United States faces the imperatives of sustaining active warfare ... while containing a larger and more technologically advanced threat looming in the Indo-Pacific region," the paper writes.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/02/draft-pentagon-strategy-china-00129764

 

[Alex_Sor]

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 13.12.23 were approximately:

Situation update as of 6 a.m., December 13, 2023

Day 658 of the russian full-scale military aggression against Ukraine has begun.

During the day of December 12, there were 95x combat engagements.

The enemy launched a total of 2x missile and 13x air strikes, 63x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the russian terrorist attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were destroyed or damaged.

Also, during the day of December 12, the russian federation attacked Ukraine yet again, using 10x Shahed-136/131 strike UAVs. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed all of the strike UAVs.

Also, during the day of December 12, russian occupants launched yet another missile on Kyiv, using 10x missiles (S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles, Iskander cruise missiles). The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed all of the missiles. The aftermath of the attack is being clarified.

Air strikes hit Novomykhailivka and Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast).

More than 130x settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson oblasts came under artillery fire.

Pivnich operational-strategic group, Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. The enemy troops conduct active subversive activities in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. The adversary increases the density of minefields along the state border in Belgorod oblast (russia).

Khortytsia operational-strategic group, Kup’yans’k axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 8x enemy attacks in the vicinities of Syn’kivka, Petropavlivka, and Ivanivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 2x enemy attacks in the vicinity of Makiivka (Luhansk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian soldiers repelled 5x attacks of the adversary in the vicinities of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue inflicting losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy, and consolidate their new positions.

Tavria operational-strategic group, Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy who keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka. The Ukrainian soldiers are standing their ground as they inflict major losses on the enemy. The Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully repelled 51x attacks of the enemy in the areas east of Novokalynove, east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Avdiivka, south of Sjeverne, south of Tonen’ke, Pervomais’ke, and Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast).

Mar’inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinities of Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). The Ukrainian defenders repelled 13x attacks in that area.

Shakhtars’ke axis: the enemy did not conduct any offensive (assault) operations.

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8x adversary attacks in the areas north of Pryyutne, west of Verbove, and south of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their active operations on Melitopol’ axis to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, and exhaust the enemy all along the front line.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain their positions held on the left bank of the Dnipro River, continue to conduct counter-battery fire, as they strike behind the enemy lines.

During the day of December 12, the Ukrainian Air Force launched 1x air strike on the concentration of troops, weapons, and military equipment of the adversary.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 2x command posts, 3x concentrations of personnel, weapons, and military equipment, and 2x ammunition depots of the russian invaders.

[Alex_Sor]

Russian occupiers fired missiles at Kyiv at night, causing damage to civilian infrastructure. As a result of falling debris, a huge hole was formed in the courtyard of the house, and parked cars were thrown into the territory of the kindergarten.

An UNIAN correspondent visited the scene of the incident. Windows in a residential building and a kindergarten located nearby were knocked out by the blast wave. They are temporarily covered with film.

To help city residents, an operational headquarters will be deployed and doctors will be on duty to provide assistance. In addition, you can file a claim for damage on the spot.

 

[Alex_Sor]

On the night of Wednesday, December 13, the Russians attacked Kyiv with S-400 missiles and Iskander missiles.

“During the current day, the Russian occupiers launched another missile attack on Kiev, using 10 missiles (S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles, Iskander cruise missiles). Ukraine’s air defense forces and means destroyed all the missiles. The consequences of the attack are being clarified,” the General said Ukrainian Armed Forces headquarters in the morning report.

According to the General Staff, over the past 24 hours the enemy launched 2 missile and 13 air strikes, and carried out 63 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas. In addition, over the past 24 hours, the Russian Federation once again attacked Ukraine, using 10 UAVs of the "Shahed-136/131" type. The Ukrainian air defense forces and means destroyed all attack UAVs.

At the same time, over the past 24 hours, aviation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces has struck an area where enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment are concentrated. And units of the missile forces inflicted defeat on 2 control points, 3 areas where personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated, and 2 enemy ammunition depots.

[Alex_Sor]

The Ukrainian military on the front line did not feel the disruption in the work of the Ukrainian telecom operator Kyivstar.

The head of the Public Relations Service of the Command of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vladimir Fityo, spoke about this during the telethon. He emphasized that on the front line the military uses slightly different communications.

     “There is absolutely no influence of the situation on the actions of military personnel. Perhaps there are some inconveniences for civilians, but for the military this has absolutely no meaning,” he explained.

Problem with Kyivstar

On the morning of December 12, a large-scale failure occurred in the work of the Ukrainian operator Kyivstar. The operator’s website does not work, and there is no mobile connection or Internet.

The problems arose due to a powerful hacker attack on the operator’s infrastructure. Kyivstar CEO Alexander Komarov said that the goal of a large-scale hacker attack is to destroy the infrastructure of the mobile operator.

“This is a war. It is going on not only at the front, but also in virtual space, in cyberspace,” he noted. It is also impossible to say for sure when full-time operator work will be restored.

[Alex_Sor]

According to the Kiev City Military Administration, as a result of air defense work to shoot down air targets in the capital, about a dozen cases of falling debris were recorded.

Goloseevsky district: falling of debris onto the roadway without subsequent combustion.

Darnitsky district: fire of a private house on an area of 400 m2.

Desnyansky district: a fire on the 7th floor of a 9-story residential building and 8 cars in the courtyard of the house.

Residents were evacuated. 17 people were rescued, including 7 children. The Red Cross is working on the spot, a Kievpastrans bus has been brought in to warm people, and assistance is provided by the psychological service. The injured were provided with medical assistance.

     at two other locations in the area, burning rocket fragments were found in open areas.

Dneprovsky district:

     The blast wave blew out windows in two residential buildings.
     fire in a private residential building on an area of 2 m2.
     rocket debris falling on 3 more private residential buildings without fire. There was partial destruction of houses and auxiliary structures.
     rocket debris falling onto the roadway, damage to the water supply network - emergency crews are working on the spot.

[Alex_Sor]

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky addressed those voices that propose that Ukraine abandon the territories and people occupied by Russia. According to an UNIAN correspondent, the statement was made at a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

     "The question is not only in our words or thoughts. The question is what are we ready for and what not? How can Ukraine simply give up its territories? That is, this is absolute madness. To be honest, we remember God very often. This is definitely not Christianly. Our people live there. Our families live there. Children there,” Zelensky emphasized and added that they are all part of Ukrainian society.

He added: “We are talking about living people. They are bullied. They are raped. They were killed. And we know this very well. The issue is not only in the land. The issues are in living people, in their destinies, in their stories. The issues are in these families. , their children. Give the children? Let those voices - I don’t know who is talking about this - I have one question for them: Are they ready to give their children into the hands of terrorists? I think not."

[Alex_Sor]

The US Congress will likely delay consideration of legislation to help Ukraine and US border security until next year. The Hill writes about this.

Thus, Republican Senator John Cornyn, a member of the leadership group of Senate Republican leader Mitch Mackeonnell, told reporters that additional funding for Ukraine will likely be delayed until 2024. According to him, it will not be possible to reach agreement on the security of the US southern border until December 25.

Asked if there was time left this year to reach an agreement on border security reform and military aid to Ukraine, Cornyn responded briefly: “No.”

At the same time, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it would be “almost impossible” to pass this bill. He also called on President Biden to become more involved in the stalled negotiations.

"All I said is that even if we reached an agreement, it would be virtually impossible to work it out, get it through the Senate, get it through the House of Representatives by Christmas. That doesn't mean it's not important," he stressed.

[Alex_Sor]

President of the United States of America Joe Biden, during a joint conference with Vladimir Zelensky, said that the American people cannot leave Ukraine without help.

     "Ukraine will emerge from this war strong, proud, and firmly embedded in the Western system if we do not abandon it. Americans should be proud of the role they played in supporting Ukraine's success. And we will continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and weapons it needs for as long as we can." , - he said.

He noted that Putin is betting on the inability of the United States to help Ukraine and this war. “And therefore we must, we must prove that he is wrong. The US Congress must provide support. We must understand how this situation is viewed around the world, how Russia takes advantage of it,” the American president emphasized.

In this regard, Biden said that the US Congress should approve additional funding for Ukraine. He believes that history will judge harshly those who turn their backs on the fight for freedom, because today the freedom of Ukraine is at stake. "If we don't stop Putin, he will endanger everyone's freedom almost everywhere. Putin will continue to move, and potential aggressors everywhere will be inspired to take what they can by force," Biden said.

"Mr. President, I will not abandon Ukraine, and neither will the American people. A clear bipartisan majority of the people in the United States and in Congress support your country. They understand, as I do, that Ukraine's success and its ability to deter future aggression are vitally important." for the security of the world as a whole," Biden said.

He said his team is working with Senate Democrats and Republicans to find a bipartisan compromise to resolve domestic policy issues over the border and immigration and also support new funding for Ukraine.

"Holding funding for Ukraine hostage to try to impose an extreme unilateral Republican agenda on the border is not how it should work. We need real solutions," Biden said.

Zelensky recalled that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have already liberated 50% of the territories occupied by Russian invaders since the beginning of a full-scale war, and have also achieved success in the Black Sea. “We want to gain superiority in the skies, this will strengthen our position in 2024. Who controls the skies controls the duration of the war,” he said.

 

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 14.12.23 were approximately:

 

[Alex_Sor]

If Ukraine loses the war with the Russian Federation, this will become a personal defeat for the tenure of current US leader Joe Biden at the level of a “second Afghanistan.”

Currently, the US Senate has still not reached a consensus on the approval of a new $61 billion support package for Kyiv. Washington failed the corresponding vote on the night of December 7, and the Biden administration faced pressure from Congress - the topic of Ukraine is being “speculated” in order to get the White House to agree to strengthen the security of the border with Mexico, although all possible “deadlines” regarding the provision of weapons to Kyiv already almost completed. The Wall Street Journal emphasizes this.

We are talking about internal immigration control, which Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson and other Republicans are insisting on strengthening.

The US Congress met for the official “winter break” without reaching any agreement on the issues of providing financial assistance to Ukraine and Israel, the media recalls. This raises the key question of whether the United States will actually allow differences in its own internal problems to be turned “into a betrayal” of Ukrainian interests at the moment of “a turning point in history,” which Biden personally mentioned in his speech on Tuesday, the WSJ recalls. “It’s hard to believe, but perhaps it is so,” the publication writes.

     "Biden warned on Tuesday that America is 'at a critical juncture in history' that could 'define the future' of Europe. He's right. Without more American weapons, Ukraine will lose to Vladimir Putin. One result of its loss will be an unstable Europe." - emphasizes the media.

Ukraine will soon need more ammunition, and American supplies are running low. The Kremlin is launching new production facilities and betting that the “winter stagnation” in Western decisions will ultimately nullify support for Ukraine. The publication indicates that Ukraine no longer has enough air defense systems to protect cities from Russian air attacks.

However, Biden seems to be in no hurry to show through his actions that he is really relying on Ukraine in this war, the media notes. He has only recently begun to seriously consider the demands of the Republicans, although a few months ago it was clear that the fate of Ukraine would become the subject of “bargaining” if his administration was intractable.

The WSJ says Republicans are right to make efforts to improve U.S. domestic border security as thousands of new migrants enter the country every day, making their proposals "justifiable."

At the same time, it should be understood that Congress must quickly make the right decision for Ukraine before its need for weapons becomes irreparably critical.

“The slower the delivery of weapons, the longer the fighting will continue and the less likely it is that Ukraine will be able to seize the initiative on the battlefield. Critics of Ukraine want Kiev to negotiate with Russia, but why should Putin negotiate now if he believes that may well win?”, writes the media.

Biden is still hesitant to make a final compromise and is sensitive to the opinions of the “progressive left,” who are already dissatisfied with his support for Israel. Biden does not understand that the defeat of Ukraine in the war with the Russian Federation will result in more dire consequences for the United States compared to the defeat in Kabul - it will be a “second Afghanistan.”

     "Occupied Ukraine would become a second Afghanistan for President Biden. The expected strategic damage - Putin's victory, the inspiration of China - is much worse than the defeat in Kabul. The Republicans do not want to be involved in such a world, but they will if they abandon Ukraine now after its people have already given up so many lives in two years of war,” the publication notes.

The WSJ believes that an agreement on the “Ukrainian-American border” would be a useful boost and tonic for the polarization of American politics. They also recalled that Kyiv is not the only interested party that monitors the decisions of Biden and American legislators.

[Alex_Sor]

As Western support for Kyiv wanes and the US Congress delays urgently needed aid, Russian President Vladimir Putin's chances in his war against Ukraine increase. New York Times columnists Paul Sonne and Andrew Kramer write about this in their article.

It is noted that Ukraine is faced with a reduction in ammunition supplies, fighters and Western support.

"The counteroffensive launched six months ago has failed. Moscow, once mired in recriminations over the disastrous invasion, is celebrating its ability to sustain a long war," the authors write.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/world/europe/ukraine-under-pressure-russia.html

 

[Alex_Sor]

Russia is capable of producing or repairing up to 150 tanks per month. This is "much more" than Europe can do.

The corresponding statement was made by the State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Defense Janis Garisons at the Riga Security Forum, Delfi reports.

     “If you look at history, it is clear that the side that is able to provide greater efficiency in military equipment and weapons wins. Logistics must also be thought out so that supply networks work quickly and accurately,” Garisons said.

In his opinion, it is possible to increase the number of soldiers, but we need weapons, tanks and other types of equipment. The European Union, according to the official, can cope with this as before.

[Alex_Sor]

Russian enemies dealt a massive blow to the south of Ukraine, more than 10 adults and children were injured.

According to the press service of the Southern Defense Forces, for more than 6 hours in a row, from the evening until late at night, the enemy terrorized the southern regions with several waves of drone attacks and simultaneously launched a missile strike.

In particular, 39 UAVs of the "Shahed-136/131" type were launched from the temporarily occupied Crimea against civilian infrastructure. The air defense forces accurately worked on all attack drones: two were destroyed in the Kherson region, five in the Nikolaev region and 32 in the Odessa region.

“In the Odessa region, the enemy directed his attacks both on Odessa itself and on the south of the region - the Danube region. In Odessa, more than a dozen buildings, mostly residential, were damaged by the debris of downed kamikaze drones, private cars were on fire. It is preliminary known that 11 civilians were wounded, including 3 children. Rescuers quickly put out the fires and set up a heating center," the military said.