ISW Key Takeaways
Russian forces will likely struggle to maintain the pace of their offensive operations in the Bakhmut area and may seek to initiate a tactical or operational pause.
Russian siloviki may be setting information conditions to justify the nationalization of oligarchs' resources to sponsor Russia’s war effort.
Ukrainian intelligence continues to suggest that the Russian military is not following proper command structures or procedures.
Russian forces continued to conduct limited counterattacks to regain lost positions along the Kreminna-Svatove line.
Russian forces continued to conduct offensive operations around Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
Russian SPETSNAZ are likely reconnoitering the Dnipro River delta to study Ukrainian defenses in right bank Kherson Oblast.
Russian forces struck a residential area of Kherson City with a Grad multiple launch rocket system, killing at least 10 and injuring 55.
The Russian Orthodox Church — a Kremlin-affiliated institution — asked the Kremlin for a mobilization exemption for its clergy, despite avidly supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Russian officials are planning to take children from Horlivka, Donetsk to Belarus, possibly as a scheme to deport Ukrainian children.
ISW introduced a new section in the update to track daily observed indicators and counter-indicators consistent with the current assessed most dangerous course of action – a Russian invasion of Ukraine from Belarus.
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Kyiv Independent Telegram
⚡️Media: French Defense Minister to visit (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/media-frances-defense-minister-to-visit-ukraine-on-dec-28) Ukraine on Dec. 28.
⚡️Border Guard Service: No signs (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/border-guard-service-no-signs-of-troops-military-equipment-movements-in-belarus-toward-ukraine) of troops, military equipment movements in Belarus toward Ukraine.
⚡️Pink Floyd raises (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/pink-floyd-raises-600-000-for-ukraine) $600,000 for Ukraine.
Rock band Pink Floyd announced it has raised over £450,000 ($542,000) for Ukraine with the song Hey Hey Rise Up. The song features vocals by Andriy Khlyvniuk, Ukrainian lead vocalist of Boombox, from his viral video singing a folk song in central Kyiv during first day of the full-scale invasion.
⚡️Germany delivers (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/germany-delivers-13-armored-recovery-vehicles-to-ukraine) 13 armored recovery vehicles to Ukraine.
⚡️EU countries deliver (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/eu-countries-deliver-more-than-1-000-power-generators-to-ukraine) more than 1,000 power generators to Ukraine.
⚡️3 emergency workers killed (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/3-emergency-workers-killed-demining-in-kherson-oblast) demining in Kherson Oblast.
⚡️General Staff: Ukraine's forces repel (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/general-staff-ukraines-forces-repel-russias-attacks-near-15-settlements-in-kharkiv-donetsk-luhansk-oblasts) Russia's attacks near 15 settlements in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk oblasts.
⚡️ Governor: Russia kills 16 civilians (kyivindependent.com/news-feed/governor-russia-kills-16-people-in-kherson-oblast-over-the-past-day) in Kherson Oblast over the past day.
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UNITED24 Media Telegram
According to the Turkish military department, the war will continue in 2023 and will not end easily
Turkey, which maintains friendly relations with both its Black Sea neighbors Russia and Ukraine, positioned itself as a neutral player and tried to conclude a truce, writes France24, but the ongoing war dashed Ankara's hopes
On the one hand, Turkey supplies combat drones to Ukraine, on the other hand, it is one of the few countries that still evade Western sanctions against Russia, the newspaper recalls.
It is reported about the death of one of the developers of the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R Volodymyr "Fresh" Yezhov, who defended Ukraine from the Russian invasion
From January 1, Japan will stop insuring marine vessels against damage in all Russian waters, — Nikkei
The United Arab Emirates will send 2,500 generators to Ukrainians, each of which will have a capacity of 3.5 to 8 kW, — WAM
King of Belgium dedicated part of his Christmas speech to Ukraine
In Russia, the general director of a company that produces carriers for Caliber cruise missiles has suddenly died
Alexander Buzakov, head of the Admiralty shipyards, was 67 years old.
During his leadership, the company produced and improved diesel submarines capable of carrying and launching Caliber.
The boats were used during the Russian campaign in Syria, as well as during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Iran and Russia are building a new transcontinental trade route, protected from any foreign interference — Bloomberg
The route stretches from the eastern outskirts of Europe to the Indian Ocean and has a length of 3000 km. Dozens of Russian and Iranian ships are already cruising along it.
Russia is planning to start wars in two countries in the Western Balkans to divert world attention from Ukraine, Alexander Levchenko, ambassador to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, said.
Live: Ukraine Telegram
"Christmas in captivity" - a performance in support of the captured soldiers of the "Azov" regiment was held on Sofia Square. A long table was arranged near the main Christmas tree of Kyiv, half of which was filled with food, and on the other half there were only empty metal plates
‼️The Russian army has deployed another Kalibr cruise missile carrier to the Black Sea - there are now four of them in the sea, the total salvo is 24 missiles.
Stole $25,000 from Russian drug dealers and gave it to Kyiv charity organization
Ukrainian cyber intelligence specialist Alex Holden lives in the United States, but he does not forget his own. He recently hacked the wallet of the Russian drug network Solaris and donated the money to a Kyiv-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to Ukrainians, Forbes reported.
A Russian propagandist tells that Russian army will not stop in Ukraine and they could take Berlin if necessary and even reach Washington [Im sure they genuinely believe in trolls, demons, zombies and the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse too]
Washington Post Telegram
Facing blackouts and Iranian-made drones, Ukrainian Jews urge Israel to help
(www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2022/12/18/ukraine-israel-iran-russia-weapons/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=telegram)KYIV, Ukraine — When Russia invaded Ukraine, the homeland of his parents and grandparents, David felt obligated to leave Israel and fight against President Vladimir Putin, the man he views as a modern Hitler.
After praying on a recent Shabbat in Kyiv’s oldest synagogue, David, 56, said he was proud to have spent most of the past nine months on the front lines, where he took fire from artillery and drones while fighting in Ukraine’s eastern offensive in Kharkiv.
But he fumed when asked about Israel, his home for more than two decades, and about its limited support for Ukraine — a stance that seems increasingly odd given the deepening alliance between Russia and Iran, whose leaders have repeatedly called for Israel’s destruction and are supporting Moscow’s war effort by supplying drones and missiles.
Ukrainians struggle to find and reclaim children taken by Russia (www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/24/ukraine-stolen-children-maria-lvova-belova/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=telegram)
Daria Herasymchuk, Ukraine’s top children’s rights official said last month that 10,764 Ukrainian children had been reported by relatives, family or friends to have been deported by Russia without their parents.
Putin declares ‘war’ – aloud – forsaking his special euphemistic operation
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Zelenskyy Telegram Speech
Merry Christmas to Western Rite Orthodox Christians!
Today and all future winter holidays we meet in difficult circumstances. Someone will see the first star in the sky over Bakhmut, Rubizhne, and Kreminna today. Someone will celebrate the holiday in other people's homes, but strange people's homes – homes of Ukrainians who gave shelter to Ukrainians. Someone will hear Shchedryk in another language - in Warsaw, Berlin, London, New York, Toronto and many other cities and countries. And someone will meet this Christmas in captivity, but let them remember that we are also coming for our people, we will return freedom to all Ukrainian men and women.
Wherever we are, we will be together today. We make a wish. One for all. And we will feel joy. One for all. And we will understand the truth. One for all.
We will celebrate our holidays! As always. We will smile and be happy. As always. The difference is one. We will not wait for a miracle. After all, we create it ourselves.
Christ is born! Let's praise Him!
[Wishing as much peace as is possible to the men and women on the front lines, and hold the people of Ukraine without water and heat in mind this Christmas.
And in all this the West has pulled together to support Ukraine and the goodness of human nature has poured out towards the people suffering, especially perhaps in Mariupol]