Ukraine – 12/18 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
December 18, 2022
“Who Can Guarantee Russia’s Security?”/Lawrence Freedman
The title of Freedman’s latest post on Substack. Based on the specific type of security Russia desires, the answer is likely no one. Some excerpts (in the order listed in the post):
The 1997 NATO-Russia “Founding Act” – “To manage the inevitable tensions in 1997 NATO and Russia signed what was described as the ‘Founding Act’ to govern their future relationships. It oozes with optimism and good will, so makes for painful reading now.”
“ ‘NATO and Russia do not consider each other as adversaries. They share the goal of overcoming the vestiges of earlier confrontation and competition and of strengthening mutual trust and cooperation. The present Act reaffirms the determination of NATO and Russia to give concrete substance to their shared commitment to build a stable, peaceful and undivided Europe, whole and free, to the benefit of all its peoples.’ “
“To this end they promised to refrain ‘from the threat or use of force against each other as well as against any other state, its sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence.’ The Founding Act has not yet been repudiated, although some have argued that it should be.”
1994 Budapest Memorandum – “It is worth noting the language of the Budapest memorandum. In it the US, UK and Russia:
“ ‘reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;’ “
And
“ ‘reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.’ “
“The first of these is the stronger, leaving little wiggle room, and a commitment that has been crudely violated by Russia (justified by Moscow on the grounds of the illegitimacy of the government in Kyiv). The second is more of a ‘security guarantee’ and as such quite weak. It required taking the issue of aggression to the UN, which of course the US and UK did, only to be faced with a Russian veto.”
“The ultimate failure of this agreement lies in reports that cruise missiles handed over to Russia have been used (minus their nuclear warheads) in the attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.”
NATO Article V – “There is no alliance to compare. It (NATO) has 30 member states, and two more (Finland and Sweden) going through the process of joining. The advantage can be seen by comparing Russia’s readiness to aggress against neighbouring Georgia and Ukraine with its caution in comparable disputes with the Baltic states. NATO has seventy years of experience and working practices, an integrated military command with a permanent headquarters, the backing of the world’s strongest power, and an active secretariat and regular summits.”
“It offers, in its Article V, this security guarantee:”
“ ‘if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.’ “
“But note that while there is a presumption that action will be taken there is no automaticity. Members states have the option of deeming it necessary to do nothing at all. Other alliances have their own get-out clauses or requirements to do little more than deliberate about next steps. There are no cast iron security guarantees.” (My emphasis)
What does Russia want to guarantee against? – “What would it take to make Putin feel secure? I was recently reminded by a friend of one of the best essays about Putinism published last March in Foreign Policy by the liberal theorist Paul Berman. Berman sees in Putin the latest attempt to create a resilient Russian state, following precedents set by the Tsars and the Soviets. He describes a view which amounts ‘to a species of climate paranoia’:”
“ ‘This is a fear that warm principles of liberal philosophy and republican practices from the West, drifting eastward, will collide with the icy clouds of the Russian winter, and violent storms will break out, and nothing will survive. It is, in short, a belief that dangers to the Russian state are external and ideological, instead of internal and structural.’ “
“According to Berman, Putin’s problem, compared with his predecessors, is a lack of language to describe the threat. The Tsars had their ‘mystical and Orthodox royalism’ while the Soviets had the principles of communism, ‘majestic and universal’ pointing the way to human progress for the entire world. By contrast Putinism lacks a philosophical doctrine, making ‘do with whatever ideas are floating about, grabbing one idea and another and tying them with a knot.’ Thus from communism he draws on anti-Nazism, but the neo-Nazi manifestations in Ukraine have been too miniscule for his purposes. He mainly goes back to more ancient traditions and the orthodox church. He wants this to be a holy war, one between the forces of light and darkness. As Bruno Tertrais has observed this leads back to 19th Century Nihilism, in which the violence is redemptive and purifying.”
The Beginning of the Last Paragraph – “Putin’s insecurity might start with anxiety about his personal future, but he has extended this into a vision for Russia that involves a permanent struggle with the West and its liberalism. There is little NATO can do about this vision except to ensure Russia’s defeat in Ukraine.”
Interview With a Ukrainian General – One of several in recent days. This interview states that Ukraine needs to guard against a Russian offensive starting from Brest, in Belarus not far from the Polish border, going south toward Lv’iv, with the objective of blocking the routes the West uses to supply weapons and other critical items to Ukraine. One question that comes to my mind is how flexible Article V really is.
If a Russian offensive described by the Ukrainian General materializes, I think there is a distinct likelihood of Poland and the Baltics hitting Russian columns from their territory. I don’t see Poland and the Baltics standing aside, and by doing so Russia fillet Ukraine via an offensive described in the interview that will be quite close their borders with Ukraine. How might this fit into Article V? This subject was already raised, in the aftermath of a missile landing in Polish territory during a Russian strike on Ukrainian infrastructure. I suspect that this time, in response to a possible Russian offensive south from Brest, that Poland and the Baltics will invoke Article V, and then it will be up to other NATO members to respond as they see fit, as per the language in Article V related in Lawrence Freedman’s Substack post.
News From the Battlefield
Maybe I’m wrong, but over the past several days I get the feeling that the West is finally getting fed up with watching the continuing Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, and that they’re, at a minimum, increasingly looking the other way as Ukraine hits targets inside Russia and temporarily occupied Crimea. At the most, the West may have decided to supply Ukraine with the longer-range weapons capable of hitting targets in Russian territory or, in the case of Patriots, targets flying over Russian territory.
In addition to the possible introduction of the Patriot missiles, capable of hitting Russian bombers launching missiles toward Ukraine while flying over Russian territory, during the past several days there were the following announcements:
· British Defense Minister, Ben Wallace, announcing that the UK is considering supplying Ukraine with a British-French air-launched cruise missile with a range of up to 300km.
· Ben Wallace also described a 600 million Euro fund, with the UK, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands (among others) as contributors, to buy weapons on the open market that can be transferred to Ukraine. He stated that weapons purchases may come from anywhere, including countries in Asia and Latin American that have so far not been supplying Ukraine.
· A substantial uptick in German deliveries, including another IRIS-T antiaircraft system and self-propelled howitzers.
· Possible green lighting by the US to allow Ukraine to use Harpoon anti-ship missiles, already supplied to Ukraine, to attack ships in the Black Sea Fleet, especially carriers of cruise missiles, with US or NATO aircraft supplying firing solutions. It is possible that Ukraine used Harpoons in its attack last summer on the Saky Airbase near Evpatoria, in temporarily occupied Crimea. Saky is located at sea level, making it possible to use an anti-ship missile such as the Harpoon.
“Reporting From Ukraine” – There seems to be some movement suggesting a possible Ukrainian breakthrough toward Svatove, in Luhansk Oblast. Taking Svatove would cut off a major Russian north-south supply route toward Kramina and points south.
12/18 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon December 17 to 12:00 noon December 18, 2022
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
INTERNATIONAL
December 18
11:25: Moldova has ceased to be dependent on gas from Russia.
· This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andriy Spinu.
10:15: The first Nobel Peace Prize was brought to Kyiv.
· The head of the Ukrainian "Center for Civil Liberties" Oleksandra Matviychuk said that she regarded this award as a recognition of the efforts of the entire Ukrainian people, who boldly opposed attempts to destroy the peaceful development of Europe.
10:03 CIA Director: Chinese President Xi Jinping is closely monitoring the course of the war in Ukraine because he has his own plans for Taiwan.
· "I think no foreign leader has paid as much attention to this war and Russia's poor military outcomes than Xi Jinping when he thinks of his own ambitions in Taiwan and elsewhere," Burns said.
08:13 China may attack Taiwan in the near future. This was stated in an interview with the American television company PBS by the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency William Burns.
08:12 ABC: Pope Francis says he has already written a resignation letter.
· It will be used if serious health problems make it impossible to fulfill his duties.
07:30: The UK has handed over to Ukraine a new batch of high-precision Brimstone 2 missiles, which are laser-guided, the country's defense ministry said.
07:10: North Korea launches a likely ballistic missile, the Japanese Coast Guard.
· Both missiles launched by North Korea were ballistic, Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Toshiro Ino said.
· Each of them flew about 500 km, and the maximum altitude of their flight reached 55 km.
December 17
23:30 Süddeutsche Zeitung - Olaf Scholz: Germany will not unilaterally transfer Western-style tanks to Ukraine
· "First, we support Ukraine to the best of our ability. Second, we prevent a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. And, thirdly, there will be no unilateral actions on the part of Germany. This is a criterion of our decisive but cautious policy - and it will act next year," Scholz said.
22:10 The New York Times: A detailed plan for the Russian movement to Kiev, provided by the Defense Intelligence Unit, has appeared-
· The document states that the first column was sent to Kyiv by fighters of the Russian units of riot police and SOBR.
18:52 Bloomberg: The European Union plans to help finance an electric cable that will connect Georgia and Azerbaijan with EU countries through the Black Sea.
· The total cost of the project was not disclosed. The plans for a power line, the first to directly connect the EU to the Caucasus region, are part of the bloc's efforts to diversify energy sources and curb price increases.
16:11: Moldova has suspended the license of 6 TV channels that spread misinformation about the war in Ukraine, the press service of the Moldovan government's emergency commission said.
· Licenses of the channels "Primul", "RTR Moldova", "Accent TV", "NTV Moldova", "TV6", "Orhei TV" were suspended to "protect the national information space and prevent the risk of disinformation".
13:00: Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu called on his Twitter to provide Ukraine with more weapons after a Russian missile strike.
· "The constant terror that Ukrainians have to experience and fight is surreal. Today, missiles and bombs flew on the Ukraine again. When will we say 'enough'?" the post reads.
12:30: Germany will help restore eight high-voltage substations in the south and west, the press service of NPC Ukrenergo reports.
· "The restored substations will be modern and modern: automated, will require a minimum of personnel, will meet the requirements of ENTSO-E."
13:40 Sky News - Operational Command South: The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing for a new possible invasion of Russian troops from the north in early 2023.
· "We are considering a possible offensive from Belarus at the end of February, perhaps later... We are preparing for this. We are investigating. We look at where they accumulate forces and means," Kovalchuk said.
NATIONAL
December 18
11:05 Ukrenergo: As of December 18, the process of restoring the operation of the power system is underway. Nuclear power plants reached their planned capacity.
· Electricity consumption increased compared to Saturday, which affected the deficit in the system.
· Emergency restoration work continues throughout Ukraine in high-voltage and distribution networks, and at power plants.
10:55 Luhansk RMA: Wounded Russians in Luhansk region cannot be treated due to lack of essentials
· "There are not enough essentials anymore. Therefore, additional wheelchairs and anti-decubitus mattresses are sought from residents. The doctors themselves in the occupied territories admit that they are not ready to receive such a large number of wounded,"
07:42 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06:00 on December 18:
· "The enemy is trying to improve the tactical position on Liman and focuses its efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka directions.
· During the past day, the enemy inflicted 5 missiles, and carried out 42 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems.
· The threat of air and missile strikes persists throughout Ukraine."
· "On December 16 this year, the fire damage by units of the Defense Forces of several areas of concentration of enemy manpower and military equipment, as well as two of its ammunition depots in the Zaporizhia region, was confirmed.
· The losses of personnel amounted to more than 150 wounded servicemen, 10 units of military equipment of various types were destroyed. Information on the liquidated invaders is being clarified."
· "The command of the occupying forces plans to impose a round-the-clock curfew in settlements in the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhia region.
· Thus, in the settlement of Chernihivka, these restrictions will be introduced from December 25, and in the city of Berdyansk - from December 30, 2022 to January 3, 2023."
· "Over the past day, Ukrainian units of missile forces and artillery have hit 8 areas of concentration of personnel, 2 control points and 4 ammunition depots of the Russian occupiers."
December 17
21:40 Operational Command East: The Armed Forces of Ukraine achieve two main goals with the help of Bakhmut's defense.
· "Here, two main goals are achieved by the Armed Forces of Ukraine - the enemy cannot enter the operational space, is not able to continue to conduct a strategic-offensive operation and it suffers daily huge losses," said the spokesman of the OK "Vostok".
20:12: Past members handed over the Bethlehem fire to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny.
19:57 The New York Times: Putin admitted that Ukrainians were stronger than he was told.
· In March, during a meeting with then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Vladimir Putin privately admitted that Ukrainians were stronger than he was told.
· "It's probably going to be a lot harder than we thought. But the war is on their territory, not on ours. We are a great country, and we have patience," Putin said.
19:38 representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense: Russia received a new batch of "Shahedov".
· Regarding Iranian-made ballistic missiles, Yusov noted that intelligence is aware of Russia's preliminary agreements with Iran and the extraordinary efforts that the agressor is making to obtain these missiles. But as of now, Russia has not yet received them.
19:21 Ministry of Infrastructure: Due to the delay in registration for inspection by Russia, almost 100 vessels are now in line in the Bosphorus Strait.
· "The queue continues to grow due to artificial restrictions on the part of the Russian Federation of registration for inspection. For example, out of 65 declared vessels, only 3 were registered by the aggressor party on the current day," the ministry reports.
18:23 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on December 17:
· "During the current day, the enemy launched 5 missile strikes. In particular, the civilian infrastructure of the cities of Druzhkivka and Kramatorsk of the Donetsk region came under fire.
· Two Onyx-type missiles launched from the temporarily occupied Crimea in the Odessa region were successfully destroyed by air defense forces."
· "In addition, the occupiers carried out more than 10 shellings from the MLRS on the positions of our troops in various directions and civilian infrastructure of Kherson.
· The threat of enemy air and missile strikes throughout Ukraine remains."
· "On December 15, in the areas of the settlements of Tokmak and Polohy, the enemy lost more than 100 people wounded and an ammunition depot. Information on the liquidated occupiers is being clarified."
· "Units of the missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine for the current day hit five areas of concentration of personnel, a control point and three ammunition depots of the invaders."
16:26: As of December 17, 49,219 criminal proceedings have been opened for crimes committed by the Russian military during a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Total Initiated Criminal Investigations because of the Russian Invasion49,219
Of Which: Violating customary rules of war37,699
Violating Ukraine’s territorial integrity 9,134
Collaboration with the enemy 2,198
Treason 103
Military Diversions 37
48 torture chambers uncovered
50 rape and pedophile charges
450 children killed
863 children wounded
331 children missing
13,613 children deported to Russia – 121 returned
14:50 Air Force spokesman: The Russians are conducting reconnaissance before each massive strike on Ukraine.
· "They study everything before hitting. From air and space reconnaissance to ground and intelligence. Even social networks and groups. They are looking at how best to pave the route before a new strike," an Air Force spokesman said.
· The Russians used "Shahed-136" on the eve of the massive strike on December 16 to scout the location of Ukrainian air defense.
· "It is clear that this is how they determine the location of air defense systems and then make adjustments for their already missile attacks," said Yurii Ignat, spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
14:35 Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Russia has put 9 warships on combat duty in the Black Sea, and another 2 control communications in the Azov Sea. Among them there are no carriers of missiles "Caliber".
13:21 British intelligence: Russia stopped launching Iranian-made kamikaze drones from Crimea, fearing the vulnerability of the peninsula.
· British intelligence noted that Russia, as a rule, launched Iranian Shahed drones from the territory of Crimea. However, during the latest attacks, "kamikaze" was launched from the Krasnodar Territory of Russia.
13:10: The Ukrainian defense forces do not fire and do not choose as entire residential areas, civilian infrastructure.
· This was stated on the air of the TV channel by a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov commenting on the shelling of the temporarily occupied city of Donetsk.
· "The Russian army, losing on the battlefield, uses dirty tools: terrorist attacks on infrastructure, provocations and operations under the conditionally Ukrainian flag against the civilian population of the temporarily occupied territories," Yusov said.
MORDOR (russia)
December 18
10:25: British intelligence on "entertainment brigades" in the Russian Federation.
· Intelligence recalls that last week the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the establishment of a "front of Entertainment brigades" to raise the morale of the military, which should involve opera singers, actors, circus performers.
· This happened after the failed campaign of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation aimed at encouraging Russians to send musical instruments to soldiers.
· "Entertainment teams" are unlikely to significantly reduce these anxieties.
· "Low morale almost certainly continues to be a big problem among a large proportion of Russian troops. But soldiers are primarily concerned about heavy losses, problems with leadership, payment, equipment, misunderstanding of the goals of the war, the review notes.
09:11 Institute for the Study of War: Near Bakhmut, a conflict is brewing between the "Wagnerians" and the militants of the "DPR" in the ranks of the Russian army.
· The leader of the militants, Denis Pushilin, claims their participation in attempts to attack the city, but Russian military corps and the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, criticize him and refute this information.
· Experts believe that further strengthening of the influence of PMC mercenaries in Donbas will lead to an even greater split within the occupying forces.
00:51 Social Networks: Trenches appeared on the beaches in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
December 17
23:49: Riot police from St. Petersburg arrived in the temporarily occupied Mariupol to strengthen patrols in the city in order to identify partisans.
22:28 Social Networks: An explosion is heard in the temporarily occupied Luhansk.
KHARKIV
December 18
09:31 Kharkiv RMA: In the village of Grakove in the Kharkiv region, a 32-year-old employee of the State Emergency Service was blown up by a mine, he was hospitalized in serious condition.
· "The occupiers in the Kharkiv region mined a huge number of territories, the demining process continues every day. Since September, pyrotechnicians have destroyed almost 47 thousand explosive objects," Sinegubov wrote.
LUHANSK
December 17
21:28 Luhansk RMA: In the Luhansk region, the Russians practically destroyed Popasna, Toshkivka, Novotoshkivske, Bilohorivka, Makiivka, where almost all the houses were shelled, and Severodonetsk was seriously destroyed. Novoselovskoye is not the last settlement completely destroyed by the Russians.
DONETSK
December 18
11:15 Donetsk RMA: In Donetsk sector, during the day it was loud on the outskirts of Kurakhove, and at night there were 2 shelling of Avdiivka. Information on the victims and the amount of destruction is being clarified.
· Yesterday morning, a shell hit a garden in Ivanopillya of the Kostiantynivska community — no one was injured.
· Again, numerous attacks on the Torsk and Zarechny Liman communities were without casualties.
08:39 Donetsk RMA: Over the past day, Russians killed 1 civilian in the Donetsk region — in Chasovoy Yar, 1 person in the region was wounded.
December 17
16:56: Two children who were held in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region and Russia were returned to Ukraine, the Ministry of Reintegration said.
17:54: According to Brady Africk satellite imagery, Russians continue to build fortifications around the temporarily occupied Ukrainian city of Tokmak.
14:22 Advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol: In the temporarily occupied Mariupol, local residents, after snow and rain with stormy wind, are eliminating the consequences of bad weather in their own homes.
12:20 Advisor to the Mayor of Mariupol : In the morning, a large number of military equipment is moving from Russia through the temporarily occupied Mariupol.
· Mostly fixed infantry fighting vehicles and trucks from the BC towards the Zaporizhia region (both directions - Berdyansk and Rozivka). An even larger amount of equipment was literally stuck in corks from Mariupol to crossing the border with Russia near Novoazovsk.
12:13: Mayor of Kramatorsk Oleksandr Honcharenko said that the city was left without electricity, water and heat supply
13:56 Suspilne: One of the wounded in a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih died in hospital.
· The death toll from yesterday's strike rose to 5 people.
ZAPORIZHIA
December 17
17:26 Mayor: In the temporarily occupied Melitopol, the Lenin monument was doused with red paint.
DNIPRO
December 18
08:26 Dnipro RMA: Russians fired heavy artillery at the Chervonohryhorivska, Nikopolska and Marganets communities five times a night.
· "A 59-year-old man was injured in Nikopol. Doctors provided assistance - he remained at home for treatment. Several private houses, outbuildings and a gymnasium have been mutilated in the city," Reznichenko wrote.
December 17
15:31: The National Police of Ukraine published a video of the rescue of a child from under the rubble of a house in Kryvyi Rih, where a Russian missile hit.
KHERSON
December 18
12:00 President's Office: Another blow was struck in the center of Kherson. 3 people were injured.
· They received shrapnel, 1 wounded in serious condition. Everyone is provided with medical care.
· Emergency services are working on site.
11:57 Social Networks: Another shelling is reported in Kherson.
11:41 Social Networks: Repeated explosions in Kherson are reported.
10:42 Kherson RMA: Russians shelled the territory of Kherson region 54 times. Peaceful settlements of the region suffered from attacks from artillery, MLRS, mortars, tanks and sniper fire.
· Last day, 3 people were killed by Russian shelling, 6 residents of the Kherson region were injured of varying severity.
10:10 Social Networks: Explosions are reported in Kherson.
03:51 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
December 17
15:16 Kherson RMA: The Russians targeted the Kherson Geriatric Center, where they provide assistance to the elderly. The building destroyed the gates, broken windows and doors, and damaged the roof and porch. No casualties.
14:30 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson.
12:39 Kherson RMA: The military asks residents of Kherson to voluntarily hand over weapons obtained during the manning of the Kherson territorial defense brigade.
· At the same time, it is clarified that it is not necessary to bring weapons and ammunition yourself. You just need to report where they are stored.
MYKOLAIV
December 17
20:42 Mykolaiv RMA: Posted a video of captured Russian equipment received by the Ukrainian military in March 2022.
ODESA
December 17
17:10 DTEK: Odesa will return to the blackout schedules from next week.
· "From next week, new schedules of stabilization outages will begin to operate in Odesa. They are designed taking into account the difficult situation in the power system that has developed as a result of the latest terrorist attacks," the message says.
KYIV
December 18
09:43 Kyiv RMA: Kyiv region may switch to planned blackouts on December 20
· It reports that there are currently emergency outages in the region. But, according to his estimates, as early as Tuesday, the region may return to the planned schedules.
09:21 DTEK: There are emergency blackouts in Kyiv today.
00:34: A Christmas tree was installed at the Central Railway Station of Kyiv, powered by cyclists from a bicycle connected to the tree.
00:02 Kyiv region police chief: Police in the Kyiv region, after a Russian missile attack on December 16, found eight places where downed missiles fell, and the search for debris continues.
· "8 places of downed enemy missiles have already been identified and inspected by the police of the Kyiv region, work on finding the wreckage continues. We thank our air defense systems for their effective work, and citizens for timely reporting to the police about the flight of missiles," he said.
December 17
22:25 Yasno CEO: Power outage schedules in Kyiv are not working yet. The situation remains complex and critical.
· "So far, the schedules are not working. Some districts of Kiev suffer more. Pechersk, part of the left bank and some others," he said.
18:10: With heat supply, 75% of the residents of the capital have already been supplyed, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
· "Thermal workers continue to work for the second day to stabilize the situation with heat supply in Kyiv."
17:40: Lights on the main Christmas tree have already been lit in Kyiv.
14:08 Kyiv RMA: Emergency power outages continue in the Kyiv region after yesterday's shelling. Currently, approximately 50% of the area is without light.
13:31: A symbolic Christmas tree of indestructibility has already been practically installed and is beginning to be decorated on Sofiyska Square, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko.
SUMY
December 17
22:59 Sumy RMA: Reported that during the day the Russians shelled the Znob-Novgorod, Seredno-Buda and Shalygin communities.
· The Russians fired grenade launchers, machine guns and small arms at the Shalygin community. In total, there were 13 arrivals from the AGS and another 8 machine gun bursts.
· The Mid-Buda community was shelled by Russian troops with mortars. There were 2 arrivals.
· Znob-Novgorod community: 5 enemy mines exploded on the border.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://euromaidanpress.com/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka