Ukrainian President Zelensky has celebrated a "historic week" that saw him travel across various international destinations, including West Africa, South America, the USA, Scandinavia, and Germany. This week also marked the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova by the EU, with Zelensky stating, "Ukraine will always be a part of our common European home."
Meanwhile, the city of Nikopol has experienced three attacks with kamikaze drones and heavy artillery fired twice, according to authorities. As a result, infrastructure has been damaged, but thankfully, no one was injured.
In a tragic turn of events, a 69-year-old woman in the settlement of Krasnopillja was killed at midday due to Russian artillery shelling, as reported by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office.
Russian media reported that regular Ukrainian units have attacked villages in Belgorod. Ukrainian military intelligence also confirmed the unexpected attack on Russian positions, with the Russian troops firing "chaotic artillery fire" on nearby villages. The "Freedom of Russia Legion," a group responsible for attacking Belgorod, later claimed responsibility for the operation.
Relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war have taken to the streets in Zaporizhia, with approximately 200 participants holding posters with the names or photos of the soldiers, some of whom will spend another Christmas in captivity.
Deminers have rendered 928 explosive devices harmless this week, with most of them being discovered in the Kharkiv oblast. The Bundeswehr is planning to send two more reconnaissance satellites into space before Christmas to supplement existing reconnaissance capabilities, while also working to prevent espionage from space by other countries.
Intelligence services in Britain expect Russian agencies to cheat in the upcoming election in the occupied territories in Ukraine, ensuring that President Putin wins with a significant margin and that voters will be intimidated.
In the city of Kherson, Russian forces have shelled the center, resulting in one civilian death and the destruction of several houses. Moscow has also announced plans to test seven intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2024, giving 24 hours notice to the United States.
Russian disinformation agents have taken to impersonating Ukrainian brigades and battalions on Telegram, attempting to discredit their command and soldiers. Russia is also reportedly pressuring Ukrainian workers at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant to obtain Russian passports and sign contracts with the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom by December 31.
On a different note, Defense Minister Pistorius is planning to sign a roadmap for the deployment of a Bundeswehr combat brigade in Lithuania, with the aim of strengthening deterrence on NATO's eastern flank. The UK has accused Russia of supporting Ukraine with Iranian drones, with Shahed drones being used in large numbers during attacks.
In an interview, Russian President Vladimir Putin has called US President Joe Biden's warnings of a potential Russian attack on NATO "complete nonsense," asserting that Russia had no interest in a conflict with NATO and stating that such a claim was an attempt to justify flawed US policy towards Russia. Russian air defense has reportedly intercepted and destroyed 33 drones sent from Ukraine towards Russia, and the Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that the Ukrainian General Staff is suffering heavy losses, with 1250 soldiers injured or killed in the past 24 hours.
Despite the ongoing conflict, the majority of Ukrainian businesspeople expect good economic developments in the country, with 41% expecting similar revenues and 55% planning to employ the same number of people in the future, while 33% even plan to hire new employees.
Selectively incorporating relevant insights from the enrichment section, we can note that:
- Cyber warfare has become an integral part of both Russian and Ukrainian operations in the conflict, with both sides conducting significant attacks and counterattacks.
- Western officials have expressed concerns about Russia's use of AI in cyberattacks and the potential for these attacks to outpace Western defenses.
- Ukraine has received significant international funding to bolster its cyber capabilities to counter Russian threats and potential attacks.
