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Ukraine Invasion: Part 59

1000 replies

MagicFox · 17/10/2025 22:11

Well, it’s thread 59.

Thanks to all regular contributors, especially those doing the daily hard work. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

Agreed thread guidance:

A. The agreed purpose of the thread is for the sharing of information and commentary on current events

B. If you post a link please tell us where it leads/give a precis of the content

C. Discussion and debate is welcome, but please keep it respectful

D. Please keep on topic

OP posts:
Thread gallery
441
dibly · 10/12/2025 14:57

@1dayatatime why don’t you use your goady efforts more wisely in lobbying your own administration, like we all have. You seem to have enough time on your hands, almost like goading online is your full time job.

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 15:17

Attempting so strenuously to shut down discussion of the Trump administration's actions, days after that administration has published a document with major and lasting impacts on the UK far beyond anything to do with Ukraine, ends up sounding like "Look over there!"

As I have both Britain's security and Ukraine's security in my focus, I will continue to discuss the actions of the US whenever I feel they're relevant. Which is often.

Sorry if you don't like that. <shrug>

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 15:26

In fact I got faint déjà vu typing that.

Can't be bothered to check back, but perhaps some previous poster has done something similar – exactly at a moment of a major action by the US, started yelling "Stop talking about the US"?

It's one thing to say don't allow our discussion to become always and only about the US (fair enough).

It's quite another to try to kill discussion of it completely, especially at the US's significant moments.

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 15:28

Anyway.

I am very slowly writing a response to the article someone posted above about the new US National Security Strategy. Sorry that I'm so slow and not a fluent writer.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 10/12/2025 15:30

1dayatatime · 09/12/2025 22:56

Err - because their defence spending went from 1.29% in 2021 to 2.4% today.

My assumption is that their defence spending has recently increased because they now realise that Russia is a threat.

Of course you maybe correct that their defence spending has increased in recent years purely because of a uniform fetish and had absolutely nothing to do with feeling threatened by Russia. But I doubt it.

I asked because every single Finn I have known over the past twenty years has been well aware that Russia is a large and ever-present threat to their country and has been ever since it was the USSR (and before that when it was Russia), so the idea that they have only just noticed interested me. Mention Karjala and see what response you get....

And your reply is deliberately offensive, which tells me a great deal about you, though very little about whether you actually know anyone in Finland or have asked anyone there what they feel about the threat of Russia.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 10/12/2025 16:26

That poster reminds me very much of the mansplaining dork.

Suggest we report, refute his more ridiculous assertations and beyond that refuse to engage.

No point feeding a bad faith poster.

DdraigGoch · 10/12/2025 17:10

A bill has been introduced that would withdraw the country from the Alliance and redirect billions of dollars toward domestic defense, Republican congressman Thomas Massie announced

Let me guess, "domestic defense" involves yet more thugs kidnapping innocent people from their beds of blue cities...

I assume that this isn't serious and is the equivalent of a backbencher proposing some loopy Private Member's Bill that has no chance of going anywhere.

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 17:31

1dayatatime · 10/12/2025 14:51

Hmmm my focus is on dealing with the current hard reality and how to best preserve Ukrainian territorial integrity and save Ukrainian lives.

Those that are more focused on whining about how horrible Trump is rather than the best way of dealing with current reality of the war and the current suffering of Ukrainians (which is Europe being the sole provider of military aid) are not helping Ukraine.

Sorry but a group of people on a forum, talking about x y or z isn't going to help Ukraine or save lives.

The only person who can do that is DJT and perhaps, pressure applied to US interests in Europe, may make him see sense.
The EU is one of the worlds richest trading blocs, the US has bases here & not just for Europes defence, have we lost all influence on Trump and those around him???
Imho the best thing Europe could is stand up to him, sucking up, as we have done, he just sees as weakness and treats us all with contempt.

Europe of course should up spend but atm what would, say, the UK spend that extra 60bn on?
We don't have the capacity, the manpower, the airfields, the ports, the bases nor access to the hardware.
Who exactly would man 10 new frigates or 100 new MBT's or operate 5000 more drones?
Where would we get the ammunition for all of this? where are the factories, raw materials and workers to produce munitions?

It takes time to rearm, when the total number of personnel is so low and the industrial base isn't there.

I worked at Devonport for many years, large areas sold off for housing, restaurants , even a waste plant.

Talk now is ex army bases to be used to house migrants...not to house troops

1dayatatime · 10/12/2025 17:42

dibly · 10/12/2025 14:57

@1dayatatime why don’t you use your goady efforts more wisely in lobbying your own administration, like we all have. You seem to have enough time on your hands, almost like goading online is your full time job.

I do.

I have written to my local MP requesting that the UK steps up its support for Ukraine in the form of real military aid. However as my local MP is a LibDem all I got back was some warm words in support of Ukraine's independence and how much has already been provided but no commitment to increased military aid.

My intention is not to goad but to point out the harsh reality of the situation and what needs to be done by Europe to help Ukraine.

Meanwhile Ukraine suffers.

1dayatatime · 10/12/2025 17:51

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 17:31

Sorry but a group of people on a forum, talking about x y or z isn't going to help Ukraine or save lives.

The only person who can do that is DJT and perhaps, pressure applied to US interests in Europe, may make him see sense.
The EU is one of the worlds richest trading blocs, the US has bases here & not just for Europes defence, have we lost all influence on Trump and those around him???
Imho the best thing Europe could is stand up to him, sucking up, as we have done, he just sees as weakness and treats us all with contempt.

Europe of course should up spend but atm what would, say, the UK spend that extra 60bn on?
We don't have the capacity, the manpower, the airfields, the ports, the bases nor access to the hardware.
Who exactly would man 10 new frigates or 100 new MBT's or operate 5000 more drones?
Where would we get the ammunition for all of this? where are the factories, raw materials and workers to produce munitions?

It takes time to rearm, when the total number of personnel is so low and the industrial base isn't there.

I worked at Devonport for many years, large areas sold off for housing, restaurants , even a waste plant.

Talk now is ex army bases to be used to house migrants...not to house troops

Edited

In practical terms the UK could spend the money on:
Buying 155mm ammunition from the US and Turkey
Buying and refurbishing a bunch of F16s and helicopters currently sitting in the US boneyard
Buying civilian drones for Ukrainians to modify
Donating our APC's that are being decommissioned for the new (but crap) Ajax vehicles.
Not buying Russian LNG and lobbying other European countries not to.

You see there is still a lot the UK and Europe can do to help Ukraine.

I do hope that by labelling me as a "bad faith actor " for bluntly describing the current situation and the failings of Europe that @ReleaseTheDucksOfWaris not questioning my support for Ukraine.

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 18:05

1dayatatime · 10/12/2025 17:51

In practical terms the UK could spend the money on:
Buying 155mm ammunition from the US and Turkey
Buying and refurbishing a bunch of F16s and helicopters currently sitting in the US boneyard
Buying civilian drones for Ukrainians to modify
Donating our APC's that are being decommissioned for the new (but crap) Ajax vehicles.
Not buying Russian LNG and lobbying other European countries not to.

You see there is still a lot the UK and Europe can do to help Ukraine.

I do hope that by labelling me as a "bad faith actor " for bluntly describing the current situation and the failings of Europe that @ReleaseTheDucksOfWaris not questioning my support for Ukraine.

None of that is boosting our military capacity.

Would the US sell us F16's ? has Ukraine the pilots? or 155mm munitions? no they wouldn't they are limiting such sales.

Turkey is already ramping up production of 155 ammo, with collaboration with Germany (and the USA taking large amounts that could have been given to Ukraine)

UK has given Ukraine 85000 drones in the last 6 months.

Ukraine needs longer range missile systems, which the US has forbidden.

We don't have the capacity to produce more and more Storm shadows, not yet anyway.

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 18:08

I agree with you about the time needed to ramp up from the positions we are now, having spent years working within the alliance and basing plans on being within the alliance.

However it's pointless to talk in terms of Trump "seeing sense". The current US administration has told us where it is, who it is, what it wants to use us for and what it wants to do to us.

The tectonic plates have shifted and we need to understand the new world order and react as quickly and as realistically as we can.

I should stress that does NOT mean swallowing any old narrative being peddled about what the new world order is.

That's because part of what is going on is that this US administration would like us to remain misty-eyed about the alliance and to wallow in the delusion that there is still a partnership. This US administration would like us to act as though we are loyal to them so they can benefit from us serving their wants and needs and particularly the wants of this specific administration.

The flow the other way is they have stated they plan to undermine European countries' sovereignty and make us effectively tributary states.

Think of it as the stage where the husband has checked out of the marriage but is stringing the wife along – because it's convenient to keep her onside and have her continue to facilitate his life while he's shagging his girlfriend. He'll be outraged if the wife ceases to provide the services he never acknowledged in the first place – and lose his shit entirely if she too starts dating someone else.

This new US National Security Strategy hasn't been written by Trump, but it is a good match for Trump's lifelong technique of demanding personal loyalty from everyone he comes into contact with and treating refusal as a personal betrayal (see James Comey); but then in the other direction, "Never met the guy, don't know who he is."

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 18:21

A lot of that National Security Strategy is also using the Teaming techniques we've seen deployed to run trans issues so far and so fast. (Other egs are available.)

Essentially, I tell people they belong to Team A – that I decide the parameters and membership of.

Then I tell them that members of the Team A do and believe X (that many of them actually don't).

I tell them that anyone who doesn't believe these things, by default belongs to Team B – that I have also chosen the beliefs and behaviours of.

Endless manipulation to be had, for as long as I can keep people trapped within my universe where Team A vs Team B is the only game in town.

Of course as soon as people realise it's a false dichotomy, they escape my universe. But I can probably get a lot of mileage out of the game before enough people escape.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

False dilemma - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma

notimagain · 10/12/2025 18:28

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 18:05

None of that is boosting our military capacity.

Would the US sell us F16's ? has Ukraine the pilots? or 155mm munitions? no they wouldn't they are limiting such sales.

Turkey is already ramping up production of 155 ammo, with collaboration with Germany (and the USA taking large amounts that could have been given to Ukraine)

UK has given Ukraine 85000 drones in the last 6 months.

Ukraine needs longer range missile systems, which the US has forbidden.

We don't have the capacity to produce more and more Storm shadows, not yet anyway.

Edited

Agree with a lot of that...

Frankly F-16s and Artillery rounds of whatever calibre would certainly help hold the line but they aren't going turn this around for Ukraine.....Putin doesn't really care about troop loses, he can just whistle up more bods from the regions...

What would start to hurt him would be taking the war to Moscow and St Pete's.....and there's no way Trump is selling that capability or allowing it to be sold on.

Southernecho · 10/12/2025 18:40

He is something i saw recently...

HL Mencken in the Baltimore Sun (26 July 1920): “As democracy is perfected, the office [of president] represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move towards a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

PerkingFaintly · 10/12/2025 19:10

I should also make very clear that my comments above are about the current US administration.

I understand extremely well that this administration's behaviour is not representative of vast swathes of US citizens.

notimagain · 10/12/2025 20:36

Good article, and absolutely no surprise that both the former and current Def Sec couldn't resist playing party politics.

Wallace had one job....and as far as the current Def Sec goes the forces need people and kit, fast, generating jobs in communities wherever are a secondary consideration.

Southernecho · 11/12/2025 09:54

notimagain · 10/12/2025 20:36

Good article, and absolutely no surprise that both the former and current Def Sec couldn't resist playing party politics.

Wallace had one job....and as far as the current Def Sec goes the forces need people and kit, fast, generating jobs in communities wherever are a secondary consideration.

TBF Wallace and the Tories, went into the last GE promising further cuts, its a bit rich of him now to criticise the current Govt, who at least are increasing defence, albeit at a glacial pace.

The time to have ramped up spend was in 2022 at the very latest.

I ve never had anytime for Wallace, his Charge of the Light Brigade comments did it for me, he sounds like a blustering idiot, again TBF, could be applied to many in the current Govt too.

blueshoes · 11/12/2025 10:34

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-10-2025/

Key Takeaways

  1. The Kremlin is setting information conditions to reject any meaningful security guarantees for Ukraine by threatening Europe.
  2. The Kremlin preemptively rejected the legitimacy of any future Ukrainian government that it does not directly control in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent statements that he is ready to hold elections before the end of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
  3. The Kremlin once again rejected the Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes and signaled Russia’s commitment to destroying the Ukrainian power grid in the winter months.
  4. Available open-source information indicates that Russian forces have not yet seized Pokrovsk, but the situation in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad area remains difficult. ISW continues to assess that Russian forces will very likely seize Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, but will take more time and suffer more casualties to do so.
  5. Ukrainian forces struck a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Black Sea region with unmanned surface vehicles (USV) on December 10.
  6. Russia may be setting conditions to threaten Odesa Oblast from Russian-occupied Transnistria in an effort to fix Ukrainian forces in southwestern Ukraine.
  7. Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk. Russian forces recently advanced in northern Kharkiv Oblast and the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area and near Oleksandrivka.
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 11/12/2025 11:07

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️US House approves defense bill (kyivindependent.com/us-house-approves-defense-bill-granting-ukraine-400-million-a-year-in-military-aid-through-2027/) granting Ukraine $400 million a year in military aid through 2027.
The bill upholds many of U.S. President Donald Trump's national security policies but places limits on his ability to reduce American troops in Europe and withhold support to Kyiv.

⚡️ Ukraine war latest live (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-live-2025-12-10/): Troops in Myrnohrad rely on perilous ‘gray zone’ corridor for logistics.

⚡️ Ukraine, US hold first reconstruction talks (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-us-hold-first-reconstruction-talks-as-recovery-tied-to-peace-deal/) as economic recovery tied to peace deal.
"We discussed key elements for recovery, various mechanisms, and visions for reconstruction," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️US needs 'answers' (kyivindependent.com/us-needs-answers-before-next-meeting-with-zelensky-trump-says/) before next meeting with Zelensky, Trump says.
Trump did not discuss specific conditions of the peace deal but said Zelensky needs to be "realistic" and asked when Ukraine would hold presidential elections.

⚡️Police expose criminal network (kyivindependent.com/police-expose-criminal-network-that-trafficked-orphans-abroad-exploited-draft-exemptions/) that trafficked orphans abroad, exploited draft exemptions.
Thirteen children were illegally sent abroad and placed with foreign families for adoption, while law enforcemented intercepted the transfer of another 12.

⚡️Update: At least 30 drones (kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-target-moscow-in-overnight-attack-mayor-claims/) shot down in mass attack against Moscow, mayor says.
Russian air defense units have shot down at least 30 Ukrainian drones bound for Moscow, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said. The region's airports have suspended operations.

⚡️Explosions near Veliky Novgorod chemical plant as Russia reports mass drone attack (kyivindependent.com/locals-report-explosions-fires-near-chemical-plant-in-russias-veliky-novgorod/).
A drone attack caused a large fire at a chemical plant in the Russian city of Veliky Novgorod overnight on Dec. 11, according to regional authorities and several monitoring Telegram channels.
The strike comes amid what Russia called a major drone attack by Ukraine during which at least 287 drones were downed over a number of regions.

⚡️ Russian oil rig in Caspian Sea halts production (kyivindependent.com/ukraines-sbu-says-drones-hit-russian-oil-production-infrastructure-in-caspian-sea-for-the-first-time/) after Ukrainian drone strike, SBU source says.
At least four hits were recorded on the offshore platform, according to the SBU source.

⚡️ Starmer names British soldier killed during weapons test (kyivindependent.com/starmer-names-uk-soldier-killed-during-weapons-test-in-ukraine/) in Ukraine.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Hooley died after a "tragic accident" away from the frontline.

⚡️Ukrainian naval drone strike reportedly cripples Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker (kyivindependent.com/ukraines-sbu-conducts-new-sea-baby-drone-strike-on-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-in-black-sea-source-says/) in Black Sea, SBU source says
Ukraine’s Security Service used Sea Baby naval drones to strike an oil tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea on Dec. 10, critically damaging ship as it sailed through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, a source in the agency told the Kyiv Independent.

July arrests of two detectives launched a crackdown on anti-corruption institutions. Both are now released (kyivindependent.com/july-arrests-of-two-detectives-launched-a-crackdown-on-anti-corruption-institutions-both-are-now-released/)
Back in July, Ukraine's Security Service arrested two detectives with the country's independent anti-corruption bureau, effectively launching a government-sponsored attack on anti-graft institutions

‪Ragnar Bjartur Gudmundsson 🇺🇦‬ ‪@ragnarbjartur.bsky.social‬
· 2h
⚡️ WAR IN UKRAINE & RUSSIA — DEC 11, 2025
■ Engagements up, and casualties at their highest level since April 18
■ Considerable equipment losses, including both APVs and unarmored vehicles; relatively few drones
■ Overnight attack data not released at the time of writing
■ Russian MLRS strikes above average, no Ukrainian strikes reported; the 30-day 🇷🇺/🇺🇦 strike ratio is up from the previous day

Ukraine Invasion: Part 59
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 11/12/2025 11:16

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

The British Prime Minister, German Chancellor, and French President spoke by phone with Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss ways to achieve peace in Ukraine.

❗️Today's schedule includes a discussion with the American side on a document that will outline Ukraine’s post-war recovery and economic development, President Zelenskyy said.
"In parallel, we are finalizing the 20 points of a fundamental document that could define the parameters for ending the war. We expect to hand it over to the United States in the near future," the president noted.
Zelenskyy also announced a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" on Thursday, December 11.
"This week there may be news for all of us and for ending the bloodshed," he added.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has arrived in Ukraine, the European Commission reports.
In Lviv, Kos will meet with civil society representatives to discuss reforms and Ukraine’s EU accession process. She will then hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka.

🇨🇿🇺🇦 The President of the Czech Republic called on the country’s new government not to stop supporting Ukraine.
etr Pavel said that even from a pragmatic point of view, “it makes no sense to stop supporting Ukraine now.”

Russia will respond to the “expropriation” of frozen assets or the deployment of European troops “on” Ukrainian territory, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said.
Other statements from Lavrov’s recent speech:
▫️ Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe.
▫️ The US proposals delivered by Whitkoff emphasize the need to protect the rights of ethnic minorities and religious freedoms in Ukraine.
▫️ The only Western leader concerned with human rights is Donald Trump.
▫️ Trump is the only Western leader who has begun to understand the “root causes” of the situation in Ukraine.

🤬 Russia has legalized the mass expropriation of housing in the occupied territories.
The Center for Countering Disinformation reports that a new law allows occupation authorities to declare housing “no man’s land” and hand it over to new users. This mechanism will work until 2030.
The document contains no clear criteria. It puts at risk both those who fled the war and those who remain in their homes.
Apartments and houses will be transferred to Russian military personnel, security forces, and officials brought into the region.

The head of the Belgian depository Euroclear, Valerie Urbain, told Corriere della Sera that using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine could be illegal and effectively amount to seizure.
According to her, such a step would undermine trust in Europe and raise borrowing costs for all EU countries. She warned that confidence in European markets — and interest in European assets — would decline. Urbain said she had sent a letter outlining these concerns to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever also stated that Belgium may take “legal measures” if the EU proceeds with seizing Russian assets held in Euroclear. He stressed that any decision must protect Belgium’s financial security and minimize risks for the state.
Talks with the European Commission continue, as Belgium seeks to ensure that any proposal meets what De Wever called “rational, reasonable and justified” conditions.

🇫🇷 France has delivered 40 Colossus firefighting robots to Ukrainian rescue teams—the same model that proved its effectiveness during the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris.

The UN General Assembly has approved a resolution on the Chornobyl disaster.
Ninety-seven countries supported the document. It updates the English spelling of “Chornobyl” to match the Ukrainian transliteration used in UN materials, including in the name of the International Remembrance Day on April 26.
The resolution outlines the long-term consequences of the accident and stresses the need to support affected regions.

Oil giant Shell has terminated its latest partnership agreement with Rosneft, Bloomberg reports.
The deal concerned the companies’ joint stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which transports Kazakh oil to the Black Sea. Shell intends to keep its share in the CPC but no longer wants to hold it jointly with the sanctioned Russian oil company.
Earlier this week, Putin allowed Rosneft and Shell to conduct transactions with their joint venture, without explaining the reason.
According to Shell’s website, the company’s total stake in the CPC is 7.4%. This includes 3.75% through the joint venture with Rosneft, 1.75% directly, and 2% through its subsidiary BG Overseas Holding. Shell does not plan to leave the CPC entirely, sources told Bloomberg. Other shareholders include Rosneft and Lukoil, which is also under US blocking sanctions.
CPC transports Kazakh oil through Russia to the Black Sea. Earlier, Shell exited the Salim Petroleum Development project in Western Siberia and withdrew from Sakhalin-2 in 2022. Its losses from leaving Russian assets were estimated at $5 billion.

The “Gentleman’s Kit” of Torture: Firsthand Accounts Reveal Russia’s Brutal POW Abuse System (united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/the-gentlemans-kit-of-torture-firsthand-accounts-reveal-russias-brutal-pow-abuse-system-14165)
Suffocation with plastic bags, breaking fingers, electric shocks to the genitals, and forced self-mutilations of pro-Ukrainian tattoos are only a small part of what Russia imposes on Ukrainian POWs and captured civilians. The Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre released a report uncovering these systematic atrocities.

The Special Security Service's (SBU’s) Web special operation was the most daring in modern warfare — but it nearly collapsed, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Ukrainian intelligence ultimately destroyed 41 Russian strategic aircraft, launching 117 Kyiv-controlled drones from trucks. The damage to Russia exceeded $7 billion.
However, the mission almost failed at the start. A Russian truck driver accidentally removed the roof of his cab, exposing a hidden cargo — drones. He called Artem Timofeev, a Ukrainian longtime resident of Russia who coordinated the operation.
To save the mission, a quick cover story was invented: the cargo was allegedly “hunting cabins equipped with drones for tracking animals.” The driver sent back a photo with the roof in place, and the operation continued.

Ukraine Invasion: Part 59
ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 11/12/2025 11:23

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

Zelensky said new discussions with the US will take place (www.kyivpost.com/post/65981) as Kyiv and its allies continue refining a set of documents that could outline the terms for ending Russia’s full-scale war.

Russia is sharply escalating covert and military activity in Moldova’s Transnistria region (www.kyivpost.com/post/65973) — a Kremlin-driven push that Ukraine’s Intelligence says is designed to open a new front of pressure on Ukraine and destabilize Moldova ahead of critical political moments.

A mass drone barrage shut down Moscow airports for seven hours, (www.kyivpost.com/post/66006) and nearly 300 UAVs were shot down across Russia.

Newly leaked documents from a Russian aerospace components manufacturer offer a rare glimpse into Moscow’s ongoing battle to evade international sanctions — revealing that, despite years of restrictions, (www.kyivpost.com/post/65959) Russia still depends on foreign precision machinery to build its next-generation military aircraft.

America ‘cannot defend itself alone’ – Former NATO Commander Philip Breedlove tells Kyiv (https://www.kyivpost.com/post/65998) Post that abandoning allies would leave both Europe and the United States vulnerable to emerging threats.

US Senate panel sounds alarm: (www.kyivpost.com/post/65996) Ukraine’s loss could drive nations to go nuclear.
Lawmakers cite Kyiv’s broken security pledges as evidence that non-nuclear states may rethink their survival plans.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s plane was forced to divert from Moscow (www.kyivpost.com/post/66026) after the city’s airspace was closed amid a massive overnight drone attack.

Ukrainian police said a former defense ministry official and two trade firm employees illegally sold six decommissioned Navy ships as scrap, causing more than $21,000 in state losses. (https://www.kyivpost.com/post/65970)

Kyiv Post spent a day inside one of Ukraine’s most unusual military units — a special operations group made up of early-released volunteer soldiers who chose the battlefield over their past.
Here’s what we saw.

The siege of Mariupol became the battle that broke Putin’s early war strategy. Outnumbered Ukrainian defenders held for 86 days, crippling Russia’s elite units and buying Ukraine vital time to mobilize.
In The Siege of Mariupol, historian Christopher Lawrence and Kyiv Post correspondent Stefan Korshak reveal how a small force turned a port city into Moscow’s worst-case scenario.
Watch more: www.kyivpost.com/videos/65417

Ex-Defense Official Caught Selling Decommissioned Navy Ships in $21,000 Scrap Scheme

Ukrainian police said a former defense ministry official and two trade firm employees illegally sold six decommissioned Navy ships as scrap, causing more than $21,000 in state losses.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/65970)

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 11/12/2025 11:29

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

Ukraine has sent the United States its response to the latest draft peace plan, Axios reports, citing sources.
It includes comments and amendments, including on territorial issues and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This came after several days of consultations with European partners — the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

🇧🇪Belgium could find itself isolated in the EU, "like Hungary," if it does not support a reparations loan for Ukraine, Politico reports, citing sources.
According to diplomats, if Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever continues to block the plan, he will find himself in an "awkward and unusual position"—he will be "isolated and ignored" just like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Diplomats, ministers, and country leaders may lose their voice at the EU negotiating table, Belgium's opinion will not be taken into account, and phone calls from there will "not be answered."

🇮🇳India's largest refineries are once again buying Russian oil due to discounts and the absence of sanctions, Bloomberg writes, citing sources.
This refers to 4 out of 7 Indian companies. Thus, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have bought about ten batches of oil in recent days. Nayara Energy also continues imports, and Hindustan Petroleum is looking for suppliers for January.
At the same time, the giant Reliance, which was previously the largest buyer of Russian oil, is not even taking the oil it was supposed to receive under its contract with "Rosneft"—500,000 barrels per day.
Analysts predict that without Reliance, India will import approximately 1–1.2 million barrels of Russian oil per day. For comparison, in June, this was over 2 million barrels.
▪️US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the Russian refineries of Lukoil and Rosneft on October 23. They were supposed to take effect on November 23, but on November 15, the restrictions against Lukoil were postponed until December 13.
▪️In early December, the US postponed the imposition of sanctions against Russian Lukoil gas stations located outside the Russian Federation until April 29.

Bulgaria refused Lebanon's request to extradite a Russian man linked to the Beirut port explosion.
A Bulgarian court made this decision because it allegedly did not receive sufficient guarantees that the shipowner, Igor Grechushkin, would not face the death penalty.
Lebanese prosecutor Angel Kanev stated that he will appeal the decision. He says that the Lebanese Minister of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Prosecutor General provided official guarantees. [...]
▪️Grechushkin was detained this September in Bulgaria. His vessel was transporting the ammonium nitrate that exploded in the port of Beirut in August 2020. He was put on Interpol's wanted list that same year.
▪️The explosion in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, destroying part of the city and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless. Over 200 people were killed and nearly 6,000 were injured.

🇪🇸Spain has suspended the investigation into the murder of Russian pilot Maksym Kuzminov, who hijacked a Mi-8 helicopter for the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of Ukraine.
The Spanish court decided to temporarily close the case due to a lack of suspects.
The judge handling the murder investigation received a report from the Civil Guard stating that attempts to establish the identity of the person who shot Kuzminov were unsuccessful.
▪️In August 2023, pilot Maksym Kuzminov hijacked a Russian Mi-8AMTSh helicopter for the HUR. He flew it to Ukrainian territory.
▪️In February 2024, Kuzminov was found dead in the Spanish town of Villajoyosa. The NYT wrote that the killers left traces that could indicate Russia's involvement in the murder. According to police, Kuzminov was shot 6 times with a Makarov pistol, and his body was then run over by a car.

💔 A European Parliament interpreter could not hold back tears during the speech of 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv from Lviv.
The boy survived the missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, in which his mother was killed—it was the last time he saw her alive.
After the tragedy, Roman underwent 36 surgeries and long-term rehabilitation due to severe burns and injuries. Despite everything, he returned to studying, dancing, and music. https://t.me/liveukraine_media/36423

Live: Ukraine

💔 A European Parliament interpreter could not hold back tears during the speech of 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv from Lviv. The boy survived the missile strike on Vinnytsia on July 14, 2022, in which his mother was killed—it was the last time he saw her...

https://t.me/liveukraine_media/36423

DuncinToffee · 11/12/2025 17:34

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