Ukraine Invasion: Part 36

[MagicFox]

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 Thanks as usual to all contributors and lurkers

And Todays:

Day 302, December 22nd. Summary of #Arestovych and #Feygin daily broadcast
Posted on 23 December

🔥Battlefield overview
Official Ukrainian sources and General Staff do not comment on the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive to avoid compromising the military efforts.

🔥South:

🔥Kherson
Russia keeps shelling residential areas of the Kherson region and terrorising civilians. Ukrainian artillery and, sometimes, aviation is targeting the Russian military forces on the East bank of the Dnipro River.

🔥Zaporizhzhia
Russia is attempting to form a defensive line between Vasylivka & Tokmak and performing rotation of units in this direction.
The total number of Russian troops in the South is 50k, which is insufficient for such a big frontline. The realization of this

🔥Vuhledar
No significant movements of the front lines but heavy clashes are ongoing between the Ukrainian and Russian troops.

🔥East:

🔥Mariinka
Russian attacks failed and the advance in Mariinka was stopped, with Russian troops experiencing difficulties.

🔥Bahmut
Heavy clashes continue. Ukrainian counteroffensive operation removed Russian troops & Wagner forces from the Bakhmut suburbs. Russian sources confirm this information with Girkin stating that “the Russian forces were expelled [from the suburbs of Bahmut] to the wastelands and garbage dumps”.

🔥Soledar
Heavy clashes continue between the Ukrainian defenders and invading Russian troops.

🔥Svatove-Kreminna
Russian sources report some success of the Ukrainian Army near Kreminna, North of Svatove.

🔥Russian missile attack on Ukraine
Russia continues missile attacks on the Zaporizhzhja, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipro and Kryvij Rih. From tomorrow, there is a risk of another Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian critical infrastructure and civilian population.

🔥Sabotage in Russia & Legion “Free Russia”
Legion “Free Russia” reports several sabotage and service interruptions on the Trans-Siberian training. The increase in railway sabotage is a steady tendency and may reflect growing Russian popular discontent with the mobilization.

🔥Rogozin & betrayal in the Russian ranks
A meeting (party) on the occupied territory of the ex-head of Roskosmos and several top Russian warlords & terrorists from the so-called “DPR” were hit by Ukrainian artillery. Rogosin was wounded (reportedly in the coccyx) and is hysterical about the betrayal from his peers who probably tipped off the Ukrainians on the exact location and time of the Rogozin party. This is similar to what happened in March when the Russian military was sharing the location of Kadyrov forces due to rivalry & lack of comradery in the Russian ranks.

🔥Putin’s pathetic rhetoric
In response to Zelensky’s address to the US Congress, Putin made a series of ridiculous statements, such as claiming “meeting with the Russian military every day”, “being misled by the West ” and “West always wanting to destroy Russia ”.
In reality, the West helped the USSR with industrialization in the 1930s, with the lend-lease during WWII and with numerous financial/food aid and technological handouts and economic cooperation in the last 30 years.
At the same time, more countries joined NATO, reinforcement of Western security, rearming of the Ukrainian army, sanctions against Russia, the failing Russian economy and 100k KIA Russian soldiers are all the achievements of Putin’s regime.

🔥Iran denies supplying weapons to Russia
Iran denies supplying drones to Russia and threatens Ukraine with consequences if Iran runs out of its “strategical patience”. While the use of Iranian drones by Russia is undeniable and still ongoing, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is still trying to understand what Iran meant with “strategical patience”.

🔥Russia is losing Greece
Russia is threatening Greece which wants to transfer S300 to Ukraine. For decades, Russia tried to sway Greece by building political corruption, pretending to create religious ties with the Greek Orthodox Church and sending “ex-KGB” officers to “retire in Northern Greece.
Nevertheless, Greece is reaffirming itself as part of the West and NATO. At the same time, the Greek Orthodox Church still has several problems with Moscow’s Patriarchate and does not approve of the Russian Church’s role in the Russian regime and invasion of Ukraine.

🔥Armenia, Azerbaijan & Nagornyj Karabakh
Pashinyan is fed up with Russian failure to protect Armenian interests. Armenian economic prospects, military security and future are hurt by its patron-client relationship with Russia. Indeed, Russia has repeatedly sacrificed Armenian interests in the name of economic gain for the Russian regime. The separation

🔥Slow murder of Saakashvili
Georgian pro-West ex-president Mikhail Saakashvili (who later received Ukrainian citizenship) is kept in inhumane conditions in the prison and now has been transferred to a hospital setting. His condition, both physical and mental, is rapidly deteriorating. Yet, the Georgian pro-Russian government refuses to give him proper treatment (probably following Kremlin’s instructions), slowly murdering him.
Ironically, the murder of Saakashvili will have deep political and social repercussions for Georgia domestically (where the absolute majority of the younger generation is pro-Western) and internationally.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · Today 09:13
ISW Key Takeaways

White House says Biden is ready to meet with Putin if Russia shows serious willingness to negotiate

^Zelensky's team intends to present a peace plan to end the war. They want to present it in February 2023, writes The Wall Street Journal
The publication notes that, according to military analysts, Europe's inability to supply Kyiv with a significant amount of weapons has limited Ukraine's ability to strike back at Russia.^

How exact is this? How can they know what position they’ll be in in Feb 2023, a month or so away?

🇷🇺 is planning what to do with their new 200k solders. During last 3 months, 🇷🇺 has lost 60k at Bakhmut and Soledar, not capturing anything. Even if they capture Bakhmut, there are 5 more large cities just in Donetsk district.

60,000?! sixty thousand in this one area?

I really find that hard to believe tbh. If it's true - wow

What I find interesting from the latest briefings is the change in emphasis. When I case my mind back to February, the concern was about Ukraine's survival as a country and if they could resist Russia. Now, the focus is on Russia staying intact beyond 2023. It's on hell of a turnaround in ten months.*

*Usual caveats that anything can happen, fog of war, etc.

I was watching the BBC’s reflection on the year about Ukraine and it really struck me for the first time just the difference between now and Feb/march. Wherever I thought we’d be at this point it certainly wasn’t where we are. The Ukrainians have shown themselves to be true heroes.

I remember in late Feb and March waking every morning and anxiously turning on the news to see if Zelenskyy had survived the night. (I calmed down only once it became clear Kyiv was safe.)
This week he was in Washington addressing congress. I didn't see that coming!

Feels like we have come a long way doesn’t it?

Things have really changed since then, it was all so terrifying thinking Ukraine would be overrun quickly and then Russia perhaps moving on to its next victim. Amazing to think how the Ukrainians proved these fears wrong, when I think the Finns did well in the Winter War, well they were nothing compared to the Ukrainians!

Did the Finns have the amount of external help the Ukrainians have had? Their war was one of the most astonishing in history from the bit I know

Well no, no one wanted to help, apart from some volunteers, mostly Swedes though I believe there were some Brits too. But the terrain was really on their side. I think I'll light a candle in the graveyard tomorrow for my great-uncles that died then, and for all the Ukrainians that have died fighting this year.

@DesdamonasHandkerchief appreciate the daily broadcasts

ATACMS:
Arestovych is skeptical, if 🇺🇸U.S. has decided, if they want fast defeat of 🇷🇺, and ATACMS won’t be provided before that. It’s not that 🇺🇸U.S. is cruel and wants deaths of 🇺🇦 Ukrainians, but they don’t have plans for post-Putin 🇷🇺, or world after collapse of 🇷🇺. 🇺🇸 U.S. will never let situation develop unpredictably.
Fast collapse of 🇷🇺 could lead to world much worse for everyone, including 🇺🇦 Ukraine. For example Prigozhin could get to power, 20 of Kadyrov-like warlords getting nuclear weapons uncontrollably.
However previously impossible things are happening. Patriots were out of the question before, now they are being supplied. As Churchill said “Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else”. The same will happen with ATACMS, 🇺🇦 Ukraine will at some point get M1A1 Abrams, F16, F/A-18 Hornet and so on, but of course we wish for much sooner.

Who would have thought Putin is better the devil you know. It is true that Wagner or Kadyrov getting hold of nukes does not bear thinking. That said, I wish for ATACMS etc much sooner too.

@MissConductUS wishing you a swift recovery.

Thank you all for the daily updates. I’m still catching up daily. @MissConductUS wishing you a speedy recovery
@ReleaseTheDucksOfWar it’s been a while since you posted photos of your ducklings, how are they getting on?

It’s difficult for me to follow the continuous reports of fighting around Bakhmut. This is another area where I spent a lot of my childhood, in a small village called Pokrovs’ke ( to the east of Bakhmut and thus under ru occupation at present)… I don’t remember much of Bakhmut itself, we used to travel through there and change coach from Donetsk city to Pokrovs’ke to visit my maternal great grand parents. This is another place (as well as the village of Olenivka which was my other childhood paradise and is now a place where Azov fighters have been imprisoned) where I learned Ukrainian language as a small child. I am finding it difficult to comprehend who there ru “liberators” are liberating and what from

on the way back home, we used to stop by a bakery and buy some freshly baked bagels in Bakhmut. I’m sure my childhood memories are rose tinted but these bagels were the most delicious I had ever tasted. They were still warm when we would buy them.

also I don’t know if it’s been mentioned here, Bakhmut is a major area of natural salt. Not sea salt, the type you get from a quarry. Every household used to have a big box of Artemovska (Soviet name for Bakhmut) salt.

I think your updates like these are lovely, they add such a sense of humanity to all the talk of war.

Mb76· Today 07:07
also I don’t know if it’s been mentioned here, Bakhmut is a major area of natural salt. Not sea salt, the type you get from a quarry. Every household used to have a big box of Artemovska (Soviet name for Bakhmut) salt.

That sparks up an idea of Bahkmut so much more clearly than just hearing the name in the news, Mb76. How special
that is. This salt you are writing about must be “The salt of the earth.”

Three Degrees of Kevin Bacon

My inconsequential Dmitry Rogozin story.

Rogozin has been injured at a hotel in Donetsk that was struck by Ukrainian forces when they were tipped off he was there. Some reports suggest his injury, requiring hospitalisation, has been 'unfortunate'. He seems to be alive though, more's the pity.

He's a player in the Russian political firmament, but his light does not shine as brightly as it did a decade or so ago.

Back when he was Russian Ambassador to NATO he was known for enjoying the 'good life'. As well as indulging himself in Brussels social circles, he was known to put on his leathers and head out into the countryside on his motorbike with a chum or two on little tours, posting images on whatever were the en vogue social media platforms back then. One image I remember, but can't find online, was of a visit he made to the graves of Russian soldiers from the Napoleonic era in the Belgian or French countryside. [Paris surrendered to Tsar Alexander on March 31st 1814 and Napoleon was deposed for the first time the following week.]

Back in 2010 or so I occasionally had reports from a friend about Rogozin. Her cousin, 24 or so, was working in Brussels on post accession (to the EU) issues of Romania and Bulgaria. Rogozin took a shine to her, as he seems to have done to many Eastern Europeans in Brussels at the time. So that's my three degrees.

The unfortunate aspects of his injuries from the Ukrainian strike? Possibly shrapnel in the spine, possibly blasted buttocks, and maybe something even more problematic and distressing for a man.

Thank you all for all of the good wishes. I'm feeling better this morning. My doctor put me on a covid antiviral medication called Molnupiravir as soon as I tested positive, and it's made a massive difference. We will skip church services tonight and visiting family tomorrow to avoid exposing others. I hope you all have a blessed holiday, and remember what the angel said to Mary - be not afraid.

I don't have any Ukraine-related news to add, but I thought I would share this recent editorial from the WSJ, which as I'm sure you know, is the leading newspaper of the right here and hugely influential. It calls out the skeptics on aid for Ukraine and makes the point that they are a tiny minority for excellent reasons, including the fact that most of them money goes back into the US economy as American defense firms expand production.

Republicans Lose the Plot on the Ukraine - Russia War The benefits of helping Kyiv defeat Putin far outweigh the costs.

By The Editorial Board
Updated Dec. 22, 2022 6:48 pm ET

American support for Ukraine is “not charity,” Volodymyr Zelensky told Congress Wednesday night, and to put the return-on-investment plainly: U.S. aid is helping to degrade an enemy military without the death of a single American in uniform. The question is what some Republicans are thinking as they spent Thursday portraying Ukraine’s President as a grifter.

GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has said he doesn’t support “a blank check” for Ukraine, as if anyone does, and concerns over how the money is spent are now a central GOP objection. Sen. Josh Hawley skipped Mr. Zelensky’s speech and told reporters he didn’t go “because I didn’t want to be part of the photo-op asking for more money from the United States government when they haven’t given us a single piece of accounting on anything they spent.”

Congress’s spending bill includes about $45 billion in security and economic assistance for Ukraine, and that could put the total north of $100 billion. But plenty of the cash is flowing to core American priorities: almost $12 billion in the latest round is for replenishing U.S. weapons stocks, and nearly $7 billion for U.S. troops in Europe.

It’s important to be “good stewards of taxpayer money,” as Ohio Sen. Rob Portman put it this week, noting the World Bank provides reports and audits. The Pentagon inspector general told Congress in June the office is “fully engaged in ensuring comprehensive oversight of funds appropriated for assistance to the government of Ukraine.” The State Department IG in September announced an audit of humanitarian assistance. The spending bill requires “end-use” reporting on U.S. military equipment. Congress can add to the list.

But war is destructive and some waste is inevitable, as the Pentagon regularly proves. One concern has been keeping the best U.S. weapons out of Russian hands, and the Ukrainians have so far been judicious users of the equipment. The humanitarian and economic assistance will certainly feature some lost or misused money, as all U.S. aid programs do.

Yet these costs are dwarfed by the benefits. Economist Timothy Ash wrote in November that Ukraine aid is “an incredibly cost-effective investment,” burning up Russia’s military power for a single-digit share of the Pentagon’s annual budget, though Moscow is one of America’s most formidable adversaries.
Wars are also, in Mr. Ash’s words, “shop windows for defense manufacturers.” Any country browsing a Russian tank or air-defense catalogue is having second thoughts and will want to buy American.

Many of the same Republicans sneering at Mr. Zelensky will claim the U.S. needs to abandon Ukraine to focus on China. But Beijing and Moscow are working together to undermine the West. The best step the U.S. could take to deter another assault like Mr. Putin’s is delivering to Ukraine more of the best long-range weapons, aircraft, missiles, tanks and other tools it needs to defeat the invasion.

ISW Key Takeaways
www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine-conflict-updates

ISW assesses that the Kremlin has been setting conditions for a new most dangerous course of action (MDCOA)—a renewed offensive from Belarus possibly aimed at Kyiv—since at least October 2022. The Kremlin may be conducting an information operation or may actually be preparing for this MDCOA, which ISW continues to assess to be unlikely but possible.

Prominent Russian pro-war milbloggers are amplifying the possibility of the MDCOA over the winter-spring period.

The Russian military continues to trip indicators for the MCDOA, reinforcing an information operation designed to establish the plausibility of the MDCOA or preparations to execute it.

The Russian military has more clearly been setting conditions for an offensive in northwestern Luhansk Oblast.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly preparing to present a peace plan in February 2023, which could be timed to exploit a failed Russian winter offensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s renewed public appearances likely indicate that he has become more concerned about his popularity and image in Russia.

Russian forces conducted at least two reconnaissance-in-force operations in northern and northeastern Ukraine on December 22-23.

Ukrainian forces likely made tactical gains east and south of Bakhmut City over the past 72 hours.

Russian forces are continuing to establish defensive positions in left-bank Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts and are conducting defensive operations in southern Ukraine.

The Kremlin is intensifying its censorship efforts to silence concerns over an expansion of the Russian Armed Forces and a second mobilization wave.

Ukrainian partisans continued to target Russian officials in occupied territories.

+++

Kyiv Indep Telegram

⚡️European Commission expects Ukraine to follow Venice Commission recommendations (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/suspilne-european-commission-expects-ukraine-to-take-into-account-venice-commission-recommendations-on-constitutional-court-bill) on Constitutional Court bill.

⚡️Estonia to send Ukraine new military aid
(kyivindependent.com/news-feed/estonia-to-send-ukraine-new-military-aid-package)package.
The Estonian government has decided to provide Ukraine with an additional military aid package, according to the country's Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.
"The package mostly concerns personal equipment because this is what the Ukrainians specifically asked us for," said Pevkur.

⚡️Stoltenberg: Putin doesn’t want peace (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/stoltenberg-putin-doesnt-want-peace-but-pause-for-regrouping), but pause for regrouping.

⚡️Netherlands to provide (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/netherlands-to-provide-ukraine-with-2-5-billion-euros-in-aid-in-2023) Ukraine with 2.5 billion euros in aid in 2023.
“As long as Russia continues its war against Ukraine, the Netherlands will provide assistance to Ukraine,” said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. [good. We're pissartists about Roumania and the Schengen vote, and total pissartists about energy bills, but at least there's a lot of support for Ukraine!]

⚡️European Commission sends (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/european-commission-sends-66-million-euros-for-ukrainian-schools-restoration) 66 million euros for Ukrainian schools’ restoration.
Ukraine expects 34 million euros more. Russia’s all-out war has destroyed or damaged more than 2,800 educational institutions in Ukraine, according to Education Minister Serhii Shkarlet

Belarus Weekly: Russia transfers more military equipment to Belarus, deploys closer to Ukrainian border (kyivindependent.com/regional/belarus-weekly-russia-transfers-more-military-equipment-to-belarus-deploys-closer-to-ukrainian-border)

⚡️Mayor: Additional emergency hubs set up (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/mayor-additional-emergency-hubs-set-up-in-kyiv-amid-power-outages) in Kyiv amid power outages.

⚡️Prosecutors uncover (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/prosecutors-uncover-54-russian-torture-chambers-investigate-over-5-000-cases-of-alleged-torture) 54 Russian torture chambers, investigate over 5,000 cases of alleged torture.

⚡️Ukraine will open (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ukraine-will-open-embassies-in-10-african-countries) embassies in 10 African countries.

⚡️Governor: Electricity deficit (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/governor-electricity-deficit-in-kyiv-oblast-still-at-50) in Kyiv Oblast still at 50%.

⚡️Putin tells (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/putin-tells-russian-defense-industry-to-ramp-up-production-for-war-in-ukraine) Russian defense industry to ramp up production for war in Ukraine.
"It's also important to perfect and significantly improve the technical characteristics of weapons and equipment for our fighters based on the combat experience we have gained," Putin said at a meeting of defense industry leaders in the Russian city of Tula on Dec. 23.

⚡️General Staff: Russia moves (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/general-staff-russia-moves-more-personnel-equipment-to-front-line-in-ukraine) more personnel, equipment to front line in Ukraine.

⚡️Moscow Times: Kremlin censors (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/moscow-times-kremlin-censors-talk-of-mobilization-in-russian-state-controlled-media) talk of mobilization in Russian state-controlled media.
Russian state-controlled media outlets have reportedly been prohibited from publishing any information about the mobilization in the country, even if the statements originate from Russia’s parliament, the Moscow Times reported, citing unnamed officials.

⚡️IAEA continues work on preventing nuclear accident (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/governor-russian-forces-shell-sumy-oblast-with-artillery) at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant.
Diplomatic talks continue to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with the aim to agree and implement the much-needed measure soon, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said in a Dec. 23 statement.

At least 8 killed (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/governor-at-least-5-killed-35-injured-in-russian-attack-on-central-kherson), 35 injured in Russian attack on central Kherson.

⚡️NYT: Ukraine’s intelligence chief says Russia has received (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/nyt-ukraines-intelligence-chief-says-russia-receives-1-700-kamikaze-drones-from-iran) 1,700 kamikaze drones from Iran.

⚡️Court sentences (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/court-sentences-4-russian-soldiers-to-11-years-jail-for-torturing-ukrainian-veterans) 4 Russian soldiers to 11 years' jail for torturing Ukrainian veterans.

+++

Live: Ukraine Telegram

🇺🇸🇬🇧 The United States and the United Kingdom have officially accused North Korea of supplying ammunition and "infantry missiles" to mercenaries of the Russian "Wagner PMC". The media wrote the day before that the first delivery was last month.
🇰🇵 Official Pyongyang denies the accusations.

‼️UEFA organizes an international tournament in Russia
UEFA and the Russian Football Union have agreed to hold an international tournament among U-16 teams in Volgograd
These competitions are included in the program of UEFA development tournaments for boys and girls under the age of 16
There is no easing of sanctions for adult football yet

Putin's announcement to expand the Russian army by around 30% to 1.5 million shows intentions to prepare for long-term strategic challenges - British intelligence

❗️The Security Service of Ukraine put on the international wanted list a Russian woman who urged her husband-occupier to rape Ukrainian women.

German railway carrier Deutsche Bahn has handed over 63 generators to JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia" and is preparing another 325. [the intention to send these was mentioned a few days ago]

Zelensky announced the main tasks for diplomats for the next year
🔺 Start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU
🔺 Preparing for the planned NATO summit and ensuring concrete results of this summit for Ukraine
🔺 Work on updated defense and security needs

Ambassador of Ukraine in Türkiye Vasyl Bondar told about the conditions of stay of the released commanders of the units from Mariupol. According to him, they are limited only in movement and communication with the outside world.
Bondar stressed that the dismissed commanders are provided with medicines, food and sports equipment. Their condition has improved. But they are restricted in movement and communication.
According to the Ambassador, this is due to security issues and is necessary for further exchanges.

🇱🇻Latvia this year prevented more than 3000 attempts to circumvent EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, - Customs Department of the State Revenue Service of Latvia.

🇨🇳Chinese Ambassador to the European Union Fu Kong said that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has put China "in a very difficult situation". He stressed that the Chinese authorities do not want to "choose between friends" - Ukraine and Russia

UNITED24 Media

Iran intends to increase the supply of advanced weapons to Russia, as well as expand the uranium enrichment project, — Israeli intelligence director Mossad David Barnea
“We warn of Iran’s further intentions, which the Iranian authorities are trying to keep secret, to deepen and increase the supply of modern weapons to Russia, expand the uranium enrichment project and intensify attacks on Israel-friendly Muslim countries in the region,” Barnea said.

⚡️The European Commission freezes the payment of 22 billion euros to Hungary from European funds until a number of conditions are met
The main reason is the policy of Budapest, which runs counter to EU norms. Among them: the independence of the judiciary, academic freedoms, LGBT rights and the asylum system for refugees.
Earlier, European structures have already frozen €6 billion for Hungarians due to the lack of independence of the judiciary and the lack of fight against corruption.

❗️It is necessary to develop a mechanism for "suspension" of Russia's membership in the UN Security Council, — the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, in an interview with RTVi

A deputy from St. Petersburg asked the prosecutor's office to open a criminal case against Putin after he called the "special operation" a "war" [if that's true, he's got the life expectancy of a fly]

Canada threatened North Korea over the supply of weapons to PMC Wagner

President Joe Biden signs the $858 billion 2023 defense budget, — White House

Ukraine should receive long-range missiles to hit targets on the territory of the Russian Federation, — ex-commander of NATO forces in Europe Philip Breedlove

Finland has allocated 5 million euros to the program to restore the Ukrainian energy system and implement a green transition to cleaner energy sources, the Finnish government said in a statement
The funds will be used to reconstruct critical infrastructure facilities, housing and medical care.

The Bulgarian Defense Ministry has launched an operation to deliver weapons to Ukraine — Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Emil Eftimov...The list of weapons provided is classified.

The European Union is working on a legal basis for the confiscation of Russian assets frozen under sanctions and their direction for the restoration of Ukraine, — the head of the European Council, Charles Michel

Over the past day, exchange prices for gas in Europe fell by 11% — for the first time since June 13, they fell below $900 per thousand cubic meters.

⚠️ Russia has launched 540 of 1700 Iranian Shahed drones in Ukraine

Occupants in the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia threaten with local executions and are waiting for the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the coming days
They told the inhabitants of Pology and nearby settlements:
“Civilians are prohibited from leaving their homes on the 25th. Those who leave will be punished up to and including execution.”
Between themselves, the Russians call December 25 the day of the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along the front line from Vasylivka to Vyhledar. But it is possible that they are simply trying to intimidate local residents because well-aimed attacks on enemy bases have become more frequent in this area.

Putin has a sinister spring war strategy in Ukraine: Ukraine cannot win the war on the defensive — retired US Army General Barry McCaffrey
He added that Ukraine needs to be provided with a tool that will allow the country to break out of this situation, such as long-range surface-to-surface missiles and M1 tanks.
Ukraine is in a situation where it has put the Russian army under check, not checkmate.

Good to hear from you @Mb76 !

The Wuckies are gigantic now and still growing. They eat me out of house and home! They're shedding that much duckling-down that it looks like it's been snowing.

Omg the ducks look so grown up!!

Hope you are feeling better soon @MissConductUS

They have Teenage Boy Odour :(

Ewww

Happy Christmas to all (including ducks), wherever you may be.

Yeh Happy Christmas everyone for tomorrow. My prayers will be with those spending it in darkness and cold 💙💛