Bob Homans December 27

20221227

Ukraine – 12/27 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
December 27, 2022

Covert Operations Inside Russia

This article claims that the CIA is using operatives from a NATO ally to conduct operations inside Russia.   The identity of the NATO ally wasn’t revealed.

That Ukrainian special operations are being conducted inside Russia is no longer in doubt.   Just recently, 4 members of a Ukrainian special operations team operating around Briansk, not far from the border with Ukraine, were discovered by the Russian FSB.   They were all killed.    It has become increasingly difficult to explain away all the explosions and fires throughout Russia as accidents or, as Ukrainians are fond of saying, careless smoking.  

However, is hard to believe that the CIA is pulling all the strings for all these operations, as the article implies.   I have heard, from a source I consider reliable, that Ukrainians have been entering Russia for clandestine purposes since early 2014, soon after the end of the Revolution of Dignity.  I've mentioned this possibility in my previous emails.   If true, at the time I don't believe anyone, even the Ukrainian Gov't, controlled them.  It’s likely that times have changed. 

For the past 8+ years, since the end of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukrainians whom I have been told are operating inside Russia have been attempting to create unrest among ethnic minorities throughout Russia, encouraging draft resistance, resisting Russian efforts to suppress use of their languages, books, etc.   They may have since started engaging in sabotage, especially since the start of the latest Russian invasion.   In fact, I'd be surprised if they haven't.   Because of their local knowledge they may also be assisting agents coming in from outside to conduct sabotage, those described in this article.

A major target of the Ukrainians has been the ethnic Finns, living along Russia's border with Finland in the Russian Oblast of Karelia, but there are other areas of interest as well.  Karelia, lying along the Finnish border near St. Petersburg, is in a very strategic location within the Russian Federation.    The Karelian language, a relative of the Finnish Language, is considered by UNESCO as an “endangered language.”

If the reports are true, that Ukrainians have been infiltrating Russia since 2014 there are a couple points to remember.  First, they started infiltrating during the period between February and June 2014, when Ukraine had only an interim government.  I doubt the Ukrainians going into Russia were asking for permission from the interim Government.   Maybe they became more integrated with the Ukrainian security services sometime after the inauguration of Petro Poroshenko in early June 2014, and after the SBU was purged of FSB agents within their ranks.

Second, it was a long time before the U.S. and Ukraine were cooperating in intelligence sharing.   As long as this was the case, I doubt that the U.S., or the intelligence service of any other NATO country, was cooperating with Ukrainians operating inside Russia.  

At the end of the Revolution of Dignity the U.S. believed, with good reason, that Ukraine's intelligence services, especially the SBU, had Russian FSB agents in every SBU department.  I have read accounts that at the time Yanukovich fled Kyiv on February 23, 2014, that the Head of the SBU was a Russian citizen.   As long as this situation continued, the U.S. no doubt believed that any intelligence sharing with Ukraine would compromise American sources & methods to the Russians.   In 2014 and 2015, this lack of cooperation hurt Ukraine, in their effort to fight back against Russian assaults, both at Ilovaisk in Sept. 2014 and at Debaltseve in Feb. 2015.   In both cases Ukraine was without any ability to receive real-time intelligence about Russian movements.   Ukraine's defeat at Debaltseve led straight to Minsk II.  

I assume that today the situation is very different.   It is likely that Ukrainians, with over 8 years of experience operating inside Russia, are cooperating with the agents described in this article.

News From the Battlefield

If it hasn’t been previously, the “battlefield” now includes the Russian Federation.   Both “Reporting From Ukraine” and the Latest Denys focus on the drone attack on the Engels Airbase located near Saratov, Russia.   Engels is where some of the Russian bombers, those used to launch missile strikes against Ukraine, are based.    Damage assessments have varied, from Russia’s report of the drones being shot down and 3 Russian servicemen killed, to the destruction of the airfield’s control tower, several Tu-95 bombers and 43 servicemen killed, including personnel inside the control tower.

This is the 2nd attack against Engels Airbase, the first having taken place 3 weeks ago and likely foiled a major missile strike against Ukrainian infrastructure.   However, it appears that this most recent attack has received much more attention from the Western media.  Their reaction reminds me a bit of that famous comment by Captain Louis Renault in the movie Casablanca, where he famously says, “I am shocked, SHOCKED to find that gambling is going on in here.”

These recent successes lead to the question, what is the U.S. waiting for, by withholding deliveries of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine?   Ukraine is likely already hitting targets inside Russia, and Russia ultimately blames the U.S., so why not give Ukraine the weapons it needs to hit targets more efficiently inside Russia?  

Outside of not wanting to “provoke” Russia, there could be two reasons for the U.S. withholding ATACMS deliveries.  First, targets such as Engels may be outside the range of ATACMS, and Ukraine already has the means to hit Engels and similar bases inside Russia.  Second, Ukraine is already developing its own capabilities that will be outside of any U.S. restrictions.   One example is the Neptune anti-ship missile that apparently sank “Moskva,” flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.  It is likely that the next target will be those remaining ships in the Russian Black Sea Fleet that carry cruise missiles of the type that have been used against Ukraine.

12/27 Sitrep (my comment in bold face)

Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon December 26 to 12:00 noon December 27, 2022

Abbreviations:

RMA = Regional Military Administration             SBU = Security Service of Ukraine

Rashist = Russian Fascist

INTERNATIONAL

December 27

10:40 ABC News: UN Secretary-General Guterres is ready to mediate between Ukraine and Russia only if all parties want it, the UN said in response to the words of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about the peace summit in February, the platform for which could be the UN.

10:00: Olaf Scholz criticized in the Bundestag for lack of a strategy to help Ukraine

·        This was stated in an interview by the chairman of the Bundestag Committee on Defense Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman, referring to the low rate of transfer of weapons to Ukraine. According to her, the supply of weapons should be planned in advance, and not respond to the calls of Kyiv after the fact.

08:25: The German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development has allocated EUR 35 million to UNICEF Ukraine for the educational and sanitary needs of children in the western and central regions of Ukraine.

08:00 Finnair: Finnish airline offers Ukrainians a 95% discount on tickets to Helsinki. Ukrainians will be able to leave at a discount from Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, and Prague, but no later than February 28, 2023.

07:31 The country's Defense Minister: The Serbian army has been put on high alert.

·        N1 TV channel reported that Serbia had deployed 155 mm self-propelled howitzers and a contingent of military police 2 km from the Yarine checkpoint.

·        "The Serbian army is always ready to enter Kosovo and Metohija if it comes to an armed attack on the Serbs in the north of the region," First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dačić made such a statement.

December 26

23:14 Reuters: China will lift quarantine for those entering the country from January 8.

·        After the quarantine is completely lifted when entering China, it will still be necessary to present a coronavirus test taken within the last 48 hours.

22:40: Assistance from the world to Ukraine.

·        Germany has allocated €35 million in assistance to children in Ukraine.

·        13.6 million Ukrainians received humanitarian aid from international organizations, mainly food and basic necessities.

·        The United Arab Emirates will transfer more than 2500 household generators with a capacity of 3.5 to 8 kilowatts for the civilian population of Ukraine, - Energoatom.

22:29: The Lithuanian Sejm has sent an invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to come to Vilnius in January for the Freedom Prize, but the speaker of parliament admits that he does not believe in the arrival of the laureate.

·        "We have already sent an official invitation, and on January 13 we will see what the decision will be," Victoria Chmilite-Nielsen told BNS.

21:06 AP Foreign Minister: Ukraine wants to hold a "peace formula summit" at the UN site at the end of February, and Guterres may mediate.

20:50 Foreign Minister: Kazakhstan will not join sanctions against Russia, but it will not help it circumvent the existing regime of restrictions.

·        The U.S. government has developed a special plan to accelerate the preparation of the Ukrainian military to work on Patriot systems, says Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

·        According to him, the Patriot battery will enter combat duty in Ukraine in less than six months.

20:30 Reuters: Czech President Zeman called Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine the biggest problem of the outgoing year.

·        Another important problem this year, he called the energy crisis, which was facilitated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

·        According to Milos Zeman, inflation was the third biggest problem this year.

19:40 The New York Times: Operator Nord Stream AG has begun estimating the cost of repairing the undermined gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system.

·        The estimated cost of the work is at least $500 million.

19:28: Turkish President Erdogan says Turkey has discovered a new gas field in the Black Sea with a volume of about 58 billion cubic meters of gas.

18:57: "I choose to spend Christmas Eve outside in a tent. My friends in Ukraine were unable to choose," said U.S. Air Force veteran Mark J. Kelly.

·        For 17 days, a retired soldier decided to spend the night on the street to remind of the war in Ukraine and collect financial and humanitarian assistance. He spends nights in a tent in Fargo, North Dakota. At night, the temperature there reaches -20-30 °C.

17:44 South Korean media: South Korea's air defense forces fired more than 100 shots but failed to shoot down any of North Korea's five drones.

·        It is noted that the drones crossed the armistice line between the two countries, most likely for reconnaissance purposes.

15:58: Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

·        "I wished an effective presidency of the G20. It was on this platform that I announced the formula for peace, and now I look forward to India's participation in its implementation. He thanked for the humanitarian assistance and support at the UN," the president wrote.

15:47 From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Ukraine initiates the deprivation of Russia's status in the Security Council and expulsion from the UN.

·        "The Russian Federation has never gone through a lawful procedure for acquiring membership and takes the place of the USSR in the UN Security Council illegally. From a legal and political point of view, there can be only one conclusion: Russia is a usurper of the Soviet Union's place in the UN Security Council," the document states.

12:20 Deputy Director General of the Directorate-General of the European Commission: The European Commission has transferred EUR 66 million to the budget of Ukraine for the reconstruction of schools destroyed and damaged by Russians.

NATIONAL

December 27

11:30 Ukrenergo: The capacity deficit in the system has decreased slightly due to an increase in the production of power plants.

·        Consumption limits have been brought to all regions, exceeding which leads to the need to use emergency outages to balance the power system.

11:10 Head of the SBU CyberSecurity Department: Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, SBU cyber specialists have exposed more than 1200 agitators who spread fakes and Russian narratives on the Internet.

·        He added that currently Russian information sabotage no longer poses such a threat as before.

09:39 Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine: The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have been tasked with reaching the administrative border of the Donetsk region by the end of 2022.

·        "Currently, the eastern outpost of Ukraine, where the fiercest battles are taking place, is Bakhmut. The enemy had some success in this direction, but the Defense Forces managed to push the enemy out of the city. The occupying forces are now trying to surround Bakhmut," she said.

10:59 British intelligence: Russia has deployed part of the tank army to Belarus.

·        According to British intelligence, part of the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army was probably among the Russian forces that had recently been deployed to Belarus.

·        This unit most likely conducted training before deployment and hardly has the support units needed to put it on alert.

09:20 Institute for the Study of War: The explosions at the airfield in Engels on December 26 caused a wave of concern among the Russian pro-war community.

·        Analysts noted that the version of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation that the air defense system shot down Ukrainian UAV, which was approaching the air base at low altitude, as a result of which 3 soldiers were killed, was criticized by milbloggers.

·        Putin is probably concerned about the lack of support for his war in Ukraine among the elites and possibly setting information conditions for the nationalization of their property.

08:15: As of this morning, emergency power outages have been introduced in Kyiv, DTEK reports.

·        In Odessa, the Dnieper there are stabilization schedules.

07:13: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: On December 25, Ukrainian soldiers struck the concentration of manpower of Russian troops near Novobilozerka, Vasilyevsky district, Zaporizhia region.

·        Enemy losses amounted to 100 servicemen dead and wounded. Among them are 15 employees of the FSB of the Russian Federation.

·        During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces struck the area of concentration of Russian troops.

·        At the same time, units of the missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit 4 control points and 6 areas of concentration of Russian manpower.

06:03 espreso: Since the beginning of the year, the SBU has neutralized more than 4.5 thousand cyberattacks on Ukraine.

·        With the beginning of full-scale aggression, the work has become much more. If in 2020 almost 800 cyberattacks were recorded, in 2021 – 1400, then this year – their number has increased more than 3 times. In the area of special attention of the enemy is energy, logistics, military facilities, as well as databases of authorities and information resources. 07:05: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the past day, the enemy launched 2 missile strikes and carried out 44 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems.

December 26

23:59 Energy Minister: A new massive Russian strike is possible before the New Year.

·        "The situation in the energy sector of Ukraine after the previous massive missile strike on December 16 remains very difficult. There is a feeling that they have not given up on shelling our energy system further. They are tied to dates, and the New Year is one of such dates," Halushchenko said.

23:44 Head of the Cybersecurity Department of the Security Service of Ukraine: Every day Russia launches more than 10 cyberattacks on Ukraine.

·        He noted that in the zone of special attention of the enemy there is energy, logistics, communications, military facilities, as well as registers and databases of authorities.

22:44 Head of the Ministry of Defense: The first batches of women's military uniforms have already arrived in several brigades. They will be tested and sent to manufacturers for revision.

·        He also said that from January, the Ministry plans to gradually introduce for military personnel a separate type of boots with high berets and body armor, taking into account the characteristics of the figure of women, as well as begin work on ensuring the shape of pregnant women.

18:05 Operational information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

·        During the day, the enemy carried out 19 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems. The threat of enemy air and missile strikes remains throughout Ukraine.

·        The occupiers continue to focus their efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut and Liman directions, on the Kupyansk, Avdiivka and Zaporizhia directions - they are trying to improve the tactical situation. In the Novopavlovsk and Kherson directions, the enemy is defending itself.

·        On December 24, the Defense Forces struck an area of concentration of enemy manpower near Polovinkino, Starobilsk district, Luhansk region. The losses of the occupiers amounted to 150 servicemen dead and wounded.

·        On December 25, in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region, the invaders lost up to 50 servicemen liquidated and up to 100 wounded. Also destroyed about 5 units of military equipment of various types

·        The enemy continues to use the network of civilian health care facilities in the temporarily occupied territory to treat wounded Russian servicemen and mercenaries of private military companies

·        Thus, in the village of Bilovodsk, Luhansk region, up to 300 wounded representatives of the Wagner PMC are being treated. In Pervomaisk, up to 300 occupants who were injured in the area of the city of Bakhmut are being treated.

·        In the village of Tokmak, Zaporozhye region, Russian invaders intensified administrative and police measures. Servicemen, together with local collaborators, check personal laptops, phones, and search apartments, - General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

·        During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck the area of concentration of the enemy, and our units of rocket troops and artillery hit 4 control points and 6 areas of concentration of enemy manpower, - the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

17:20 President's Office: In Ukraine, one of the main tasks is to impose sanctions against Rosatom.

·        "Russia continues to blackmail the world with nuclear weapons, and Rosatom hopes to increase export revenues. Their portfolio of overseas orders is $200 billion

·        The Head of the Office stressed that the government will work systematically to ensure that sanctions against Rosatom are implemented.

17:13: The SBU exposed a new channel for evading people abroad: an organization headed by a deputy of the Chernihiv City Council is involved in the scheme.

·        As a result of investigative and operational actions in the Chernihiv region, three organizers of illegal traffic were exposed. The cost of such a "service" ranged from 5 thousand rubles. USD. To implement the scheme, local merchants formalized evaders to the ranks of one of the local charities.

16:40 Ministry of Youth and Sports: As a result of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 40% of young people have suffered.

·        "More than 2 million young people have become internally displaced and about 2 million more have left the country."

16:39: Ukrenergo denied information about the alleged cancellation of emergency power outages.

·        "This is an attempt to perturb society with false information. Ukraine will be able to refuse emergency shutdowns only after the complete cessation of enemy attacks on the power system," Ukrenergo stressed.

15:05 Spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Ukrainian air defense has already destroyed 70 Iranian kamikaze drones that were in the second batch of military assistance to Russia.

·        In the second batch, the Russians conducted four waves of attacks (last week and the week before last). Russia still has drones and will intensify attacks.

14:54 Ukrainian Navy: Russia has reduced the number of missile carriers in the Black Sea.

·        In total, there are up to 10 enemy ships in the Black Sea, of which three are carriers of Kalibr cruise missiles. Their total volley is 16 missiles.

14:44 Ministry of Reintegration: Within 7 days after moving to the new place of actual residence, conscripted men must be registered in the military.

·        The department claims that you do not have to be served with a summons.

14:35 press service of the Ministry of Economy: The National Security and Defense Council will consider sanctions against security forces and representatives of the IT sector of Russia.

·        The interdepartmental working group recommended imposing sanctions against 1300 Russian security forces, including the FSB, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the National Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the judiciary.

13:22 Minister of Digital Transformation: Ukraine will defeat Russia in the war of technology.

·        Fedorov noted that the Russians had been preparing for a full-fledged war for 20 years.

·        "We have made a technological leap in 10 months. And we have a clear understanding that all innovations are ahead. All this became possible thanks to the heroism of the army," Fedorov said.

12:41: Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, 303 employees of Ukrzaliznytsia have been killed, the company said.

·        Ukrainians are called upon to help the families of railway workers who have lost their relatives or to support the wounded during their work.

12:31 NBU: Ukraine has established a banking network that will work even under blackout conditions.

·        The list of services that can be obtained there:

o   cash withdrawal (at ATMs or at the cash desk);

o   payments, transfer of funds (at the cash desk or self-service terminals);

o   currency exchange (in the presence of cash currency on hand);

o   consultations of managers on financial issues.

12:25 espreso - General Malomuzh: We can get not only to Engels, but also to Moscow.

·        "Today, our defense-industrial complex has already installed lines for the production of long-range missile systems that hit up to 1000 km, and the most important thing is UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles – ed.), which really fly today for 600 km, and for 800 km, and for 1,200 km. We can get not only to Engels, but also to Moscow and beyond. Therefore, the defense industry of Ukraine continues to increase this resource," the General of the Army of Ukraine emphasized.

MORDOR (russia)

December 27

00:49: Russian fighters Vadim Nemkov and Fedor Omelyanenko received visas to the United States to participate in the Bellator 290 tournament, which will be held in February 2023 in Inglewood, California. (USA).

·        If Valeriy Gergiev, Russia’s famous maestro and signer of an open letter to Pres. Putin supporting Russia’s invasion of Crimea, cannot perform at venues in the West, neither should these guys.

00:14: Former head of the Security Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Yakymenko is currently in the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region and works for the Russians.

·        The information was confirmed by an entry in the Russian Unified State Register of Legal Entities.

·        Currently, he holds the position of head of the State Security Service of the Kherson region.

December 26

20:26 Defence Intelligence of Ukraine: The Russians have appointed a new commander of the western military district, reports.

·        Colonel-General Kuzovlev Sergey was removed from the post of commander of the troops of the western military district, who managed to stay in this position only for about a month.

·        Instead, the Western Military District of the Russian Armed Forces was headed by Lieutenant-General Nikiforov Yevgeny. He became the fourth commander of the western VO from the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

19:56 russian Media: From January 1, 2023, Ukraine will increase tariffs for the transportation of oil through the Druzhba main oil pipeline through its territory by 18.3%.

·        The tariff for pumping the Ukrainian section of the pipeline in the direction of Slovakia and Hungary will be increased by 2.1 euros – up to 13.6 euros per ton.

19:50 espreso: Military expert Mykhailo Samus:

·        I am convinced that the increase in the number of troops for Russia will NOT change anything. Since the strategic initiative is in the hands of Ukraine. And, if we continue to receive high-precision and modern weapons, no matter how many Russians mobilize people, the situation will not change for them. We will continue to gradually destroy their warehouses, headquarters, and deployments.

19:14: In Russia's Engels, where the airfield that was attacked this morning is located, an air alarm sounds.

19:06: Russia is preparing for a massive new attack on the territory of Ukraine, said Natalia Gumeniuk, head of the joint coordination center of the Defense Forces of the South.

·        "Most likely, they will try to spoil our holidays. We must be aware and understand that the attack will be aimed at critical infrastructure, energy in particular."

18:45 Defense Express: " It will be more difficult for Russia to shell Ukraine": Ryabykh military expert on "cotton" at the Engels airfield.

·        "If we summarize what we have in the last weeks of December, we can already state that Ukraine has the capabilities to hit military facilities deep on the territory of the Russian Federation. Now we can talk about the range of 700 km. However, if we take into account the territories from which the launches are made and which are not reached by the enemy, it can be argued that it is 1000 km."

·        The expert stressed that the Russians would be forced to redeploy their strategic bombers from the Engels airfield.

14:24 Russian Media: In Novosibirsk of the Russian Federation, a warehouse with an area of almost 2 thousand square meters is burning.

·        "At first, explosions were heard, after which smoke rose and flames broke out," the report said.

14:19 Social Networks: Explosions are also heard in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation.

14:17 Social Networks: At least four military helicopters flew over the streets of Moscow.

13:56 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.

13:52: Russia puts Bellingcat investigator Hristo Grozev on the federal wanted list.

·        The card in the database of the department states that Bulgarian citizen Grozev is wanted "under the article of the Criminal Code." What exactly he is accused of is not specified.

13:40 espreso - British Ministry of Defense: The Russians will not be able to achieve the desired effect of the defensive positions equipped in the occupied territories, as they do not have enough surveillance equipment.

13:12 Russian Media: Kadyrov's representative Hassan Ibrahimov and four other Chechen security forces were detained in the temporarily occupied Simferopol.

·        They are suspected of having beaten a guy in a restaurant who stood up for his girlfriend. Security forces clung to the girl, after which they physically resisted during the detention.

KHARKIV

December 27

09:50 Kharkiv RMA: Kharkiv RMA, adjacent to the border with Russia and the contact line, continue to suffer from Russian shelling

·        Kupyansk district suffers the most. Also, the settlements of Kharkiv and Chuhuiv districts were under fire last day.

·        As a result of Russian shelling in the villages of Dvorechnaya and Kupyansk-Knotovoy in the Kupyansk district, residential buildings were damaged and fires occurred. No one was injured.

00:30 Kharkiv RMA: The building of the Kharkiv regional administration destroyed by a Russian missile strike was mothballed, its fate will be decided later.

·        "We have carried out a number of conservation measures to ensure that further destruction does not occur, given the possible precipitation and the fact that there is no roof or windows. Then we will do the examination, we will do the project," he added.

December 26

19:12: The head of the Kharkiv RMA Oleg Sinegubov confirmed the explosions in the city.

19:09 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson and Kharkiv.

LUHANSK

December 27

10:12 Luhansk RMA: Heavy fighting continues near Kreminna. The occupying forces are pulling a huge amount of reserves and equipment there. Militants are dying hundreds there.

·        In case of loss of Krmenna, the entire line of defense of the Russians in the Luhansk region will be violated. Success in this sector of the front is on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

December 25

16:08 Luhansk RMA: Fighting is already taking place near Kreminna.

·        "In the Svativ and Kremin directions, the advantage is on the side of the Defense Forces of Ukraine - we are gradually moving forward. The local military command of the Russian Federation has already been moved to Rubizhne," Gaidai said.

DONETSK

December 27

10:29 Donestk RMA: At night, the Ostrivske Kurakhivska community was under fire. In the morning, Russians shelled Avdiivka from Grad rockets — without casualties

·        1 person was wounded in the Ivanovo Bakhmut community.

·        Shelling was recorded in Bakhmut, in Chasovoy Yar, on the outskirts of the Severska community, and there were also arrivals in the Torsk and Zarechny Liman communities. No casualties.

December 25

22:06 Bakhmut district police department: About 10 thousand civilians remain in Bakhmut. The situation is very difficult.

·        "About 10 thousand people remain in the city, there are adults, there are elderly people, unfortunately - there are children. The situation is extremely difficult, difficult. Shelling does not subside, houses are burning. Infrastructure continues to collapse, enemy troops beat with everything they can - artillery, mortars, airstrikes. Every day we see significant destruction."

16:27 Donetsk RMA: The infrastructure of Bakhmut and other frontline settlements has been destroyed by 60%.

·        "The whole world has already observed those photos in what terrible condition the historical buildings of Bakhmut, which have historical value, are now located. Houses of cultural institutions in which they are now. In general, this applies to all frontline settlements, large and small," Kyrylenko said.

16:18: "As of December 26, Bakhmut is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there are no Russians here," the Ukrainian military said.

ZAPORIZHIA

December 27

07:55 Center for National Resistance: Russians are preparing for the "evacuation" of residents of Enerhodar.

·        Buses that will take people to the city of Dzhankoy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea are being prepared at ZNPP.

·        "Thus, the Russians are trying to "kill two birds with one stone": to create a picture of the citizens of Ukraine as allegedly fleeing from the "Kiev regime" and change the ethnic composition in the occupied territories," the message says.

00:36 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Tokmak, Zaporizhia region,

December 25

23:57 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Zaporizhia region.

21:45 Zaporizhia RMA: The most energy-intensive enterprises stopped in Zaporizhia.

·        Some industrial enterprises have limited production volumes, and some have stopped altogether, but the region continues to produce products.

·        He also noted that over the past week, almost 150 facilities in the region have been destroyed, including energy infrastructure facilities. 9:34: The Russians struck 23 strikes against the Mid-Bud, Esman, and Belopole communities during the day, said Dmitry Zhivitsky, head of the Sumy OVA.

·        In all cases, without casualties or destruction.

18:41 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Tokmak, Zaporizhia region.

DNIPRO

December 27

07:45 Dnipro RMA: This night, Russian troops hit the Nikopol region five times with Grad rockets and heavy artillery.

·        40 Russian shells arrived in three communities - Nikopol, Krasnogrigorovsk and Marganetsk.

December 25

15:38 Schemes: The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) conducts searches in Dnipropetrovsk OVA, particularly in the office of head Valentyn Reznichenko.

·        Investigative actions take place within the framework of a criminal case related to the "Great Construction"

·        Also, the searches, according to "Schemes", were carried out at the contractors of the DOVA – in the premises of the company "Budinvestengineering", at manufacturing enterprises and at related persons of the company.

15:15 Kryvi Rih RMA: The death toll from a Russian missile strike on a residential building in Kryvyi Rih on December 16 has risen to 5 people.

·        Today, a 51-year-old man died in hospital from injuries sustained in a rocket explosion.

KHERSON

December 27

10:11 Social Networks: Repeated explosions are reported in Kherson.

09:07 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kherson, subscribers report.

08:44 Kherson RMA: Russian troops shelled the territory of the Kherson region 40 times. They were beaten with artillery, MLRS, mortars and tanks.

·        The city of Kherson was attacked 11 times by the Russian Federation. They aimed at the factory, private and apartment buildings. Last day, one person was injured in Russian shelling.

December 26

21:37 Social Networks: Explosions are reported in Kherson.

21:25 Social Networks: espreso In Beryslav, Kherson region, explosions are reported.

18:47 Head of the press center of the Tavria Defense Forces: In the area of Kherson, Russian DRGs are trying to cross to the right bank of the Dnieper. But, they are quickly destroyed.

·        Ukrainian intelligence detects such hostile groups. At this, the Armed Forces of Ukraine use artillery to prevent the Russians from deploying and gaining a foothold on the right bank. The Ukrainian military is also strengthening its positions and installing minefields along the entire bank of the Dnieper.

18:08 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region.

15:25 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the temporarily occupied Chaplynka and Oleshky, Kherson region.

13:32 Kherson RMA: Withcalls for residents of the region to evacuate to safer regions.

·        "Due to the constant attacks of the Rashists, it is almost impossible to provide sustainable heat and water supply there. Every day we take people by free buses from Kherson to Odessa through Nikolaev," Yanushevich wrote.

·        Evacuation instructions and all necessary contacts are published on the page of the head of the Kherson OVA in Telegram.

KYIV

December 27

10:19 Kyiv RMA: Trainings for sappers are being held in Vyshgorod district today, December 27.

·        Therefore, in some communities of the region it is possible to hear the sounds of explosions.

December 26

22:59 Director of YASNO: Electricians managed to redistribute electricity, so all districts of Kyiv have periodic electricity service. But emergency shutdowns and repairs will continue.

·        According to him, temporary bypass schemes have been applied in the capital, which have significantly reduced this deficit over the weekend. But these are temporary schemes that do not allow for the time being to return to stabilization schedules.

15:28 SBU spokesperson: SBU detained a resident of Hlibivka village who helped Russians kidnap ATO participants during the occupation of part of Kyiv region.

·        The attacker "leaked" to the aggressor the addresses of local residents, who could potentially be part of the resistance movement. After that, the victims were tortured and forcibly taken to the Russian Federation.

·        Currently, investigators of the Security Service have informed the defendant of suspicion of treason.

SUMY

December 26

14:06 Defense Minister: In Bilopillya, Sumy region, Russians shelled a civilian hospital and killed a child.

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

www.ubn.news