Ukraine ticker Ukraine attacks Russian Kursk region with missiles +++ Finland wants to inspect suspicious tanker

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its war against Ukraine in violation of international law. The front has hardly changed since fall 2022. No end in sight. The developments in the ticker.

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22:22

Ukraine attacks Russian Kursk region with missiles

According to the authorities, the small Russian town of Lgov in the border region of Kursk has been attacked with rockets by the Ukrainian army for the second time in just a few days. Military sources on the Russian side claimed that four of the five missiles from US Himar multiple rocket launchers had been intercepted. The regional administration also denied any damage. However, videos from the city showed fires and suggested that there had indeed been hits.

According to unofficial Ukrainian information, Lgov serves as a deployment area for Russian troops. The city had already been shelled on December 25. Lgov is located around 30 kilometers north of the bridgehead in the Kursk region, which is occupied by Ukrainian troops. In recent days, the city of Rylsk had also been similarly shelled with long-range rocket artillery in order to slow down the Russian counter-offensive.

21:07

Ukraine and Syria establish relations

Ukraine and Syria want to establish a "strategic partnership" after years of diplomatic ice age.

There will be relations on a political, economic and social level, said Asaad al-Shaybani, Syria's foreign minister in the new transitional government, after a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiha.

The Syrian de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa also took part in the meeting in the Syrian capital. He is the leader of the Islamist insurgents who overthrew the head of state Bashar al-Assad. Assad had close ties to Russia for many years, where he also found refuge weeks ago.

Sybiha assured Syria of support. Trucks with 500 tons of Ukrainian flour are due to arrive in Syria as early as Wednesday, he said.

In return, Kiev assumes that the new leadership under the leadership of the Islamists will abide by international law and reverse the recognition of the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories, which was carried out under Syria's ousted ruler al-Assad in violation of international law. He recalled that both Syria and Ukraine had suffered at the hands of Russia and Iran.

Diplomatic relations between Syria and Ukraine were severed in 2022. This was triggered, among other things, by Syria's recognition of the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states.

During Assad's rule, Russia was Syria's most important protecting power. Not least thanks to the Russian military operation, he and his supporters managed to control around two thirds of the country until he was overthrown. The Russian government recently distanced itself from the ousted Assad.

20:20

Finnish authority wants to inspect suspicious tanker

Following the damage to a power cable at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency wants to inspect the oil tanker "Eagle S", which has been linked to the incident.

This was reported by the Finnish news agency STT, citing the Traficom authority. The so-called port state control is concerned with whether international operating regulations are being complied with. In case of doubt, the ship can be detained until any deficiencies have been rectified. The inspection will be carried out as soon as the police investigation allows, according to the report.

According to the EU, the "Eagle S" is part of the Russian shadow fleet. This refers to tankers and other cargo ships that Russia uses to circumvent sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, for example for oil transportation.

The "Eagle S" is currently anchored east of Helsinki. On Christmas Day, the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged. The Finnish authorities suspect sabotage and detained the oil tanker, which was sailing under the Cook Islands flag.

The crew, who are now being questioned, are suspected of having caused the damage with an anchor. The police and coast guard in Finland have launched an investigation. Abrasion marks were discovered on the seabed. Over Christmas, disruptions to communication cables in the Baltic Sea also became known.

As the newspaper "Helsingin Sanomat" reported, the tanker's operating company has instructed a Finnish lawyer to apply for the ship's release in court.

18.05 hrs

Russia and Ukraine exchange 300 prisoners of war before the turn of the year

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 300 prisoners of war before the turn of the year. The exchange of prisoners took place under the mediation of the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Ministry of Defense explained on Monday. On December 30, 150 Russian soldiers were released "as a result of the negotiations". In return, 150 prisoners of war from Ukraine were handed over to the Ukrainian army.

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated that Ukraine had received 189 people back as part of the prisoner exchange, including soldiers, border guards and two civilians from the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol. "We are working to free everyone from Russian captivity. That is our goal. We are not forgetting anyone," explained Selenskyj.

According to Ukrainian sources on Monday, Moscow has released a total of 3956 people - soldiers and civilians - as part of negotiations with Kiev since the start of the conflict. The Ukrainian side also stated that the exchange took place under the mediation of the United Arab Emirates.

Russia's human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova published video footage on Telegram showing soldiers gathered in front of buses. "Soon our boys will embrace their relatives and friends and celebrate the New Year in their homeland," Moskalkova wrote about the video.

Selenskyj published photos of men in a coach holding Ukrainian flags. New Year's Eve is an important celebration in both countries.

17:52

Ukraine receives 15 billion dollars in G7 aid from the USA

Ukraine, which has been overrun by Russia with war, is to receive 15 billion US dollars (13.6 billion Swiss francs) from the USA as part of a large G7 aid package. This has been agreed between the World Bank as the administrator of the money and the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance, announced Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Kiev on Telegram. The sum is to be used for social and humanitarian purposes.

To Moscow's annoyance, the sum is secured by interest income on Russian state assets that are frozen in the West. The Group of Seven leading democratic industrialized countries (G7) and the EU want to provide Ukraine with a loan of 50 billion US dollars in this way. The USA's share amounts to a total of 20 billion US dollars.

5.21 p.m.

Baku: Russia wants to prosecute those suspected of being responsible for plane crash in Kazakhstan

Following the plane crash in Kazakhstan, Russia has promised to investigate those suspected of being responsible, according to the Azerbaijani public prosecutor's office. The head of the Russian investigative committee has announced that "intensive measures" will be taken "to identify the guilty parties and hold them criminally responsible", the Azerbaijani General Prosecutor's Office stated.

Moscow has also promised to carry out a "full, comprehensive and objective investigation" into the accident in addition to the investigation at the crash site in Kazakhstan, it added.

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 67 passengers was on its way from Azerbaijan's capital Baku to Grozny in Russia on Wednesday, but then flew towards Aktau in Kazakhstan, where it crashed. 38 people lost their lives.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev declared that the plane had been hit "accidentally" over Russian territory and that Moscow now wanted to conceal the cause. Earlier, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had apologized for the incident in a telephone call with Aliyev and admitted that air defence systems had been active at the time of the crash - but he did not say that the passenger plane had been hit by a Russian missile.

According to information from Moscow, Grozny, where the plane was supposed to have landed, was attacked by Ukrainian drones on the day of the accident. This is why the Russian air defense was active. According to the USA, there are indications "that this aircraft was shot down by Russian air defense systems".

16.48 hrs

Baltic Sea states want to thwart sabotage with ships

Following the failure of the Estlink 2 submarine cable, the Baltic and Nordic states want to strengthen the monitoring of ship movements in the Baltic Sea.

According to Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, the countries are working on an action plan to ensure the protection of the energy infrastructure. According to Lithuanian media reports following a government meeting in Vilnius, the aim is to monitor where ships are maneuvering and what risks this entails. Technical means are also to be used.

Lithuania itself will take additional monitoring measures following the damage to Estlink 2, as announced by Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas. The government in Vilnius had already decided at the beginning of December that the security authorities would provide greater protection for several objects that are important for the Baltic EU and NATO country's energy supply from 2025 onwards.

The Estlink 2 power line between Estonia and Finland was interrupted the previous week. The Finnish authorities suspect sabotage and detained the oil tanker "Eagle S", which flies the Cook Islands flag. Its anchor could have caused the damage to the cable. According to the EU, the ship belongs to the Russian shadow fleet. Over Christmas, disruptions to communication cables in the Baltic Sea were also reported.

Lithuania and other countries bordering the Baltic Sea are on heightened alert for possible acts of sabotage after several recent failures and disruptions to power cables, gas pipelines and telecommunications connections. Paluckas emphasized that offshore wind farms also require special attention and that damage to power cables could cost national economies "tens to hundreds of millions of euros" due to higher prices per kilowatt hour.

15:33

USA provides further billions and weapons for Ukraine

Outgoing US President Joe Biden is providing further aid for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, worth a total of almost 2.5 billion US dollars (around 2.27 billion Swiss francs). These are funds that have already been released by the US Congress.

The aid includes weapons and ammunition worth 1.25 billion US dollars for the Ukrainian military as well as a further 1.22 billion US dollars in security aid.

Biden announced that his government would make full use of the funds approved by Congress. "At my direction, the United States will continue to work tirelessly during my remaining time in office to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war," he said. It is about defending the freedom and independence of the Ukrainian people. Russia had invaded its neighboring country in February 2022. Biden stated that the aid package was intended to help Ukraine both immediately and in the longer term on the battlefield. The Department of Defense is already working on the delivery of projectiles, missiles and tanks to strengthen Ukraine's position this winter. According to the US State Department, this includes ammunition for the US artillery rocket launcher Himars and Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The USA is Ukraine's biggest supporter in its almost three-year defensive struggle. It is uncertain what course Biden's successor in office, Donald Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47th US president on January 20, will take.

Monday, 30.12.2024, 15.16 hrs

Putin congratulates Orban, Fico and Schröder on New Year's Day

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ignored Western heads of state when sending his New Year's greetings - with the exception of the heads of government of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico.

Germany's former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is the only former Western head of state on the list of recipients of congratulatory telegrams published by the Kremlin on its website. Although Fico is not on the list, Putin has also congratulated him, confirmed Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

According to Moscow, Hungary and Slovakia are characterized by their renunciation of a "Russophobic policy". Both countries are heavily dependent on Russian gas supplies. Both Orban and Fico visited Putin after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by the Kremlin leader. They criticize the EU's arms aid for the attacked Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia, but have largely supported them so far.

A verbal skirmish recently broke out between Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi over Kiev's refusal to extend the gas transit agreement with Russia, which expires at the end of the year. Fico threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine, while his defense minister Robert Kalinak called on Kiev to cede territories to Russia in order to achieve peace. Selenskyj, for his part, described Fico as a Kremlin stooge.

22:36

Slovakian government: Ukraine must give up territories

According to Slovakian Defense Minister Robert Macinak, Ukraine must give up part of its territory in order to achieve peace. This is the reality, Macinak told the television station TA3. It is in Slovakia's interest that the war in the country ends immediately and that there are negotiations and a ceasefire between the parties.

"Ukraine probably doesn't realize that it will never be between Germany and Switzerland, but will always have its longest border with Russia," the politician continued. Russia had broken all the rules and violated international law with its attack. There was therefore no doubt who the aggressor was. "But we must also see what happens in other regions and whether we apply the same standard to other disputes."

21:59

Military ombudsman to help Ukrainian soldiers

At the request of Ukrainian soldiers, the office of a military ombudsman will be created in the country as a direct point of contact for the troops. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address this evening. Someone is needed to protect the rights of soldiers, he said. Together with the Ministry of Defense, he should be able to really help the soldiers and their families.

Until now, Ukrainian soldiers have had no direct contact person, especially in legal matters, and have often had to take the often lengthy official channels from the trenches in the defensive battle against Russia's army.

According to Selensky, the first step will now be to issue a decree appointing a presidential representative for the protection of the rights of soldiers and family members. This will prepare the establishment of the ombudsman's office. "I have selected a candidate - a strong candidate," said Selenskyj - without giving a name.

7.15 p.m.

Head of travel agency for homosexuals found dead in Russian custody

The head of a travel agency for homosexuals has been found dead in his cell in Russia. An investigator informed Andrei Kotov's lawyer that his client had killed himself while in custody, the civil rights portal OWD-Info reported on Sunday. According to the portal, Kotov was the director of the travel agency "Men Travel" and was charged with "organizing extremist actions and participating in them".

The independent media portal Mediasona had previously reported that Kotov had denied the charges and said in court that he had been beaten and subjected to electric shocks by law enforcement officers, although he had offered no resistance.

Members of sexual minorities in Russia have been under legal and public pressure for more than ten years, especially since the Kremlin allowed troops to invade Ukraine in 2022. Russian head of state Vladimir Putin argues that the invasion is a proxy war with the West. The latter wants to destroy Russia and its "traditional family values" and is demanding rights for sexual minorities to this end.

16:22

Hundreds of drones and glide bombs against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken stock of the Russian attacks against his country over the past seven days. "In total, Russia has used more than 370 attack drones, around 280 guided glide bombs and 80 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week," Selenskyj wrote on Facebook. "Even on Christmas night, the terrorists carried out a massive airstrike."

The Russian attacks were primarily directed against objects in Ukraine's energy infrastructure. In addition, residential buildings were also attacked and damaged seemingly indiscriminately. Several people died in the course of these attacks.

According to the British Ministry of Defense, Russia has changed its tactics in its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. Russia has most likely decided to allow more time to pass between attacks since August 2024 in order to build up stocks, the British wrote on Platform X. Moscow is relying on less frequent, larger waves of attacks rather than more frequent, smaller attacks.

With these combined mass attacks, the Russian military is overloading the Ukrainian air defenses. In addition to the actual combat drones, Russia is also deploying so-called decoy drones, which are loaded with little or no explosives. This forces the Ukrainian air defense to waste valuable ammunition.

Sunday, 29.12.2024, 15.56 hrs

Ukrainian troops risk further losses in Kursk

Five months after the start of the Ukrainian surprise attack on the Russian region of Kursk, the risk of Kiev's defeat is growing ever greater. The fighting is so fierce that some Ukrainian commanders are no longer able to recover their dead. The soldiers are demoralized. They hardly have a chance to counterattack, frontline soldiers and commanders tell the AP news agency.

Since Russia was caught off guard by the Ukrainians' lightning advance, it has amassed more than 50,000 soldiers in the region, including thousands from its ally North Korea. Exact numbers are difficult to ascertain, but Moscow's counterattack has left thousands dead and wounded. The Ukrainians have lost more than 40 percent of the 984 square kilometers they captured in the Kursk region in August.

11.27 pm

Melnyk demands 80 billion in military aid for Ukraine from Germany

The former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andrij Melnyk, has called for a massive expansion of German arms supplies to Ukraine. "I expect the new German government to put military aid for Ukraine on a stable footing in the coalition agreement," Melnyk told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers (Saturday editions). "The future coalition should plan at least 80 billion euros for the next four years, i.e. 20 billion euros per year."

The sum would be "a profitable investment for Germany's security as well", continued Melnyk. Germany would also be sending a signal of strength to US President-elect Donald Trump, to the Europeans and, above all, to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Germany had made a "giant leap" compared to the beginning of the war and provided billions in aid. "Despite all the praise for the German government, the key question is: is this aid enough to stop the Russian advance and drive them out? Unfortunately, the answer is no," emphasized Melnyk in the newspaper interview.

The former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany said that the Europeans were particularly challenged in view of the possible discontinuation of US military aid under future President Trump. Melnyk called on the EU countries to launch a "major joint rearmament project" worth 680 billion euros per year.

The Ukrainian diplomat is pinning particular hopes for the increase in military aid on the Union's candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz. "Personally, I have faith in Friedrich Merz, whom I know well, to make this big move. The question is whether the coalition partner with whom he will govern will allow it." For Melnyk, the Greens with Robert Habeck would be an ideal partner.

Melnyk was Ukraine's ambassador in Berlin from 2015 to October 2022, after which he was replaced by the current ambassador Oleksii Makeiev. Melnyk was controversial due to his statements, which were often seen as provocative. He was initially appointed Deputy Foreign Minister in November 2022 and then moved to Brazil in June 2023.

22:02

Mass protests in Georgia again

Thousands of Georgians demonstrated again this evening in Tbilisi against what they see as the illegitimate government and for the release of imprisoned participants in earlier protest rallies. According to media reports, a human chain that stretched through the entire capital turned into a large crowd that gathered in front of the parliament building of the South Caucasus republic in the evening. The rally was initially peaceful. Protests were also reported from other cities.

The inauguration of the new President Mikhail Kavelashvili is scheduled for Sunday in Tbilisi. The pro-Western head of state Salome Zurabishvili, who took part in the rallies, wants to prevent this and has repeatedly emphasized that she will not relinquish her office. She does not recognize the election of 14 December and is calling for new elections with the support of mass protests. The head of state performs more representative tasks in the country, which also has a long border with Russia.

Zurabishvili called on her supporters to gather in front of the presidential palace on Sunday. "I am waiting for you in front of the Orbeliani Palace," she was quoted as saying by the NewsGeorgia agency. She will then decide with her supporters how to proceed over the next few days.

For weeks, thousands of people have been demonstrating daily for a return to the country's EU course and for a repeat of the parliamentary elections in October, when the national-conservative ruling party Georgian Dream was declared the winner. Georgian Dream had nominated Kavelashvili for the presidency. The 53-year-old has been a member of the Georgian parliament since 2016. Before that, he was a footballer for various clubs at home and abroad.

Georgian Dream had put the country's EU accession negotiations on hold until 2028, triggering protests from pro-Western Georgians. This led to violent riots, injuries and several hundred arrests. The police are accused of violence and torture.

19.53 hrs

Finnish police seize suspected tanker

Following the suspected sabotage of an underwater cable in the Baltic Sea, the Finnish police have seized the suspected tanker "Eagle S". The ship was escorted to the port of Kilpilahti for further investigations, the police said. The tanker had previously been lying in the sea off the Finnish coast.

Damage was discovered on the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day. The Finnish authorities suspect that the anchor of the oil tanker "Eagle S", which had set sail from St. Petersburg in Russia, had damaged the cable running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Finland therefore stopped the tanker and escorted it into Finnish waters.

The Finnish authorities are investigating on suspicion of "serious sabotage". Just a month ago, two important telecommunications cables were damaged within a few hours of each other in the Baltic Sea; in this case, a Chinese freighter came under suspicion.

Finnish investigators suspect that the suspected tanker "Eagle S" is part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, which Russia uses to circumvent the oil embargo imposed two years ago in the course of the war in Ukraine. For the shadow fleet, Russia uses tankers sailing under a foreign flag to export crude oil and oil products regardless of international sanctions.

7.24 pm

Gazprom will no longer supply gas to Moldova from January

The Russian energy company Gazprom has announced that it will stop supplying gas to Moldova at the turn of the year. "Gazprom will reduce natural gas supplies to Moldova to zero cubic meters per day from January 1, 2025 at 05:00 GMT (06:00 CET)," the company announced. The move was made in connection with Chisinau's refusal to pay its debts.

Gazprom accuses Chisinau of not complying with contracts. It therefore reserves the right to take further measures, including the termination of a gas supply contract with Moldova, the company explained.

Russia supplies gas to the Moldovan separatist region of Transnistria. The Cuciurgan power plant there produces electricity with Russian gas, which covers 70 percent of Moldova's needs. The Russian-speaking region of Transnistria seceded from Moldova after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In view of the expected loss of Russian gas supplies, the Moldovan parliament approved a 60-day state of emergency at the beginning of December. The government justified the state of emergency with "insufficient energy resources", which could have a "direct and immediate impact on the security of the state and its citizens".

Ukraine had previously announced that it would not extend the contract with Russia for the transportation of Russian natural gas through its pipeline network to Europe, which expires at the end of the year. Several Eastern European countries are therefore threatened with an end to Russian gas supplies.

18:43

Italy reports pro-Russian hacker attacks on infrastructure and government websites

Italian police say they are investigating suspected pro-Russian hacker attacks on the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Milan's airports. In addition to the ministry and the Milan-Linate and Malpensa airports, the transport systems of Sienna and Turin were also hacked, the police said.

According to Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, this is the third hacker attack on the Foreign Ministry in three days. "Today's attack is certainly of Russian origin," said Tajani. In his own words, the minister ordered the creation of a new department for cyber security and artificial intelligence within the ministry. In addition, security measures for Italian embassies would be tightened.

According to the police, the pro-Russian hacker group NoName057(16) claimed responsibility for the cyber attacks on the online service Telegram. The group repeatedly attacks authorities and strategically important facilities in NATO member states that support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia.

"We have been registering attacks of this kind on infrastructures and ministries for three days," said Post police chief Ivano Gabrielli to the Adnkronos news agency. Such attacks are carried out "cyclically" by groups that support the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

16:36

Baerbock: Damage to another undersea cable an "urgent wake-up call"

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed alarm at another suspected act of sabotage by Russia in the Baltic Sea and warned against the so-called Russian shadow fleet. "Ships are currently damaging important submarine cables in the Baltic Sea almost on a monthly basis," she told the Funke media group newspapers. "It is more than difficult to believe in coincidences. This is an urgent wake-up call for us all." Submarine cables are "the communication arteries that hold our world together".

Damage was discovered on the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day. The Finnish authorities suspect that the anchor of an oil tanker launched from St. Petersburg in Russia damaged the cable running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Finland stopped the suspected tanker "Eagle S" and escorted it into Finnish waters.

Finnish investigators suspect that "Eagle S" is part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, which Russia uses to circumvent the oil embargo imposed two years ago in the course of the war in Ukraine. For the shadow fleet, Russia uses tankers sailing under a foreign flag to export crude oil and oil products despite the international sanctions.

The Russian shadow fleet is "a major threat to our environment and our security", said Baerbock. As a result, more than 50 ships had been subject to European sanctions by mid-December. "Further EU sanctions against the shadow fleet must follow", Baerbock demanded.

European security is not only threatened by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, but also by "hybrid threats from malicious actors", the Foreign Minister stated. It was therefore necessary to protect critical infrastructure even more. "We need more investment in national protection," said Baerbock.

At the same time, cooperation within NATO and the EU will be expanded, the Minister continued. "We are currently discussing with our NATO partners how we can better protect the Baltic Sea from hybrid threats."

3.31 pm

Russia wants to continue flights to the ISS with the USA until 2027

Russian and US space travelers are to continue their cooperation in space in the coming years, despite the serious political tensions between their countries. In Moscow, the Russian space agency Roskosmos announced new joint flights to the International Space Station (ISS) until 2027.

Two flights with Russian Soyuz space capsules to the outpost of humanity and three with the US transporter Crew Dragon are planned during this period, reported the Interfax news agency in Moscow with reference to information from Roskosmos. An additional agreement with NASA on the joint flights will be signed next year.

This should ensure the reliability of the work on the ISS, Roskosmos added. In future, the cosmonauts are also to stay longer on the ISS, around 400 kilometers above the earth - instead of an average of six months, they will stay for seven to nine months.

Russia is also aiming to build its own space station in space, as the space agency announced on Telegram. After more than a quarter of a century in operation, the ISS is considered to be prone to breakdowns.

Despite its costly war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated economic sanctions, Russia plans to continue spending the equivalent of around three billion euros on space travel in 2025. As was once the case during the Cold War, cooperation between Russia and the USA in the space sector is one of the few areas in which contacts still exist.

Next year, Russia will be offering space tourists trips to the ISS for the first time since 2021. The stay is planned for ten days. In the Star City settlement near Moscow, wealthy customers undergo months of preparation alongside cosmonauts for the three-hour flight from the Baikonur spaceport to the ISS. In 2021, Russia brought two Japanese space tourists to the ISS.

14:07

Putin apologizes after plane crash

Following the crash of a passenger plane in Kazakhstan with 38 fatalities, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the incident. "Vladimir Putin apologized for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace," the Kremlin announced in Moscow after a telephone conversation between the two.

Update 3.24 p.m.: Putin also explained that Russian air defenses were deployed against Ukrainian drone attacks at the time. However, Putin did not say with such clarity that the air defense had hit the plane with a missile.

Putin "once again expressed his deep and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery", the Kremlin added. During the conversation, it was noted that the Azerbaijani passenger plane repeatedly attempted to land at Grozny airport. "At the same time, Grozny, Mosdok and Vladikavkaz were attacked by Ukrainian combat drones, with Russian air defenses repelling these attacks," the Kremlin said.

11.36 a.m.

Slovakian head of government ready to mediate

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has offered his country as a meeting place for possible talks on ending the war in Ukraine. "If anyone approaches us and is interested in organizing peace talks on the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in Slovakia, they can count on our hospitality," Fico said in a video message published on Facebook. He had discussed this proposal with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow and was delighted with his positive reaction.

Putin had already stated on Friday that Fico had offered his country as a platform during his visit to Moscow last Sunday and welcomed this initiative. The left-wing populist Fico has repeatedly attracted attention for his public criticism of the West's Ukraine policy. His trip to Putin has drawn fierce criticism from the EU and Ukraine.

Fico combined his offer to mediate in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine with a threat to Kiev. If Ukraine were to stop the flow of Russian gas to Slovakia on January 1 as planned, then "adequate countermeasures" would be taken, the head of government said. "If it is unavoidable, then we will stop the electricity supplies that Ukraine urgently needs when it has supply bottlenecks."

28.12.2024, 07.34 am

Russia repels dozens of Ukrainian drone attacks

Russian air defense fended off a wave of attacks by dozens of Ukrainian drones during the night, according to officials in Moscow. According to the state news agency Tass, a total of 56 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed. According to the report, 28 drones alone were destroyed in the Voronezh region bordering Ukraine, 11 in the neighboring Belgorod region and 17 in the Rostov region. According to the regional administration, two villagers in Belgorod were injured by shrapnel when a drone exploded. The information could not be independently verified.

In its defensive campaign against the Russian invaders, Ukraine repeatedly attacks targets on Russian territory - mainly with drones. The country has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for almost three years, although the destruction and casualties among the civilian population in Ukraine are far greater.

22:34

USA sanctions Russia-friendly Georgian billionaire Ivanishvili

The USA has imposed sanctions against the Russia-friendly billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili in Georgia, where pro-European demonstrators have been protesting against the government for weeks. The founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, who is considered a powerful mastermind in his country's politics, and his party are "undermining Georgia's democratic future to Russia's advantage", US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained the move on Friday.

The actions of the former head of government had "undermined democratic institutions, enabled human rights violations and impaired the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia", Blinken explained. He condemned the "violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, media representatives, human rights activists and opposition members" by the ruling party under Ivanishvili's influence. Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream were taking the country off course towards a "Euro-Atlantic future", Blinken lamented.

As Georgians are waiting for reported announcement of new sanctions from US, a march of musicians are going to Heroes Square. pic.twitter.com/Q7sVFzpX8f

— Mariam Nikuradze (@mari_nikuradze) December 27, 2024

21.44 hrs

US government to announce further aid package for Ukraine

According to government representatives, the USA will announce further military aid to Ukraine amounting to 1.25 billion dollars. The aid package is expected to be officially announced on Monday and will include a considerable amount of ammunition, including for the Nasams and Hawk air defense systems, government representatives said on Friday. In addition, 155 and 105 millimeter caliber Stinger missiles and artillery shells will be provided.

21.22 hrs

Zelensky calls on China to take action against North Korea

Due to the deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia's war against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls on China to exert influence on North Korea. "The Korean people should not lose their people in the fighting in Europe. And this can be influenced by Korea's neighbors, including China," said Selenskyj in his evening video message. "If China is serious about its declarations that the war should not be expanded, it must exert a corresponding influence on Pyongyang." Beijing is the isolated communist country's closest ally.

Moscow used the North Koreans above all in the attempted recapture of the Russian region of Kursk, said Selenskyj in Kiev. They suffered heavy losses there. "We can see that the Russian military and the North Korean superiors are not at all interested in the survival of these Koreans."

On the part of the attackers, everything was being done to prevent the North Koreans from being taken prisoner by the Ukrainians. Selensky claimed that they would rather be killed by their own people. This account cannot be verified.

Today, I held a Staff meeting. There was a report from Commander Syrskyi on the situation at the front. The Donetsk directions remain the toughest, with updates from Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions as well. There are details regarding the situation in the Kursk region:… pic.twitter.com/teZXivUaeZ

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 27, 2024

18:32

USA reports heavy losses among North Korean forces

According to the US government, North Korean forces are now deployed in large numbers on the front line near Kursk in the Ukraine war. It is assumed that the soldiers there are carrying out massive "infantry attacks against Ukrainian positions", explained the communications director of the National Security Council, John Kirby.

However, he emphasized that the tactic of "waves" of unprotected attacks on foot had proven to be ineffective. It had led to considerable losses among the North Korean armed forces. According to US estimates, more than 1,000 soldiers have been killed or wounded in the past week alone. There are also reports that North Korean soldiers prefer to take their own lives rather than surrender to the Ukrainian armed forces - "probably for fear of reprisals against their families in North Korea if they are captured", he added.

The White House: North Korea's losses in battles against Ukraine amount to about 1,000 soldiers

This was reported by John Kirby, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the U.S. National Security Council.

His estimate of 1,000 dead, as noted by Reuters, significantly… pic.twitter.com/acbPJaq0hp

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 27, 2024

17.23 hrs

After the crash: Airlines suspend flights to Russian cities

Following the crash of a passenger plane with 38 fatalities, Azerbaijan Airlines has suspended flights to other Russian cities. The destinations Sochi, Volgograd, Ufa, Samara and Mineralnye Vody will no longer be served for the time being, the airline announced on Friday. It referred to the preliminary results of an investigation into the Embraer 190 crash, which was caused by a "physical and technical malfunction". Potential risks to flight safety must be taken into account, it added. Immediately after Wednesday's crash, Azerbaijan Airlines had already suspended flights from Azerbaijan's capital Baku to Grozny and Makhachkala.

The Kazakh airline Qazaq Air also announced on Friday that it would not be offering flights from Astana to Ekaterinburg in Russia for a month. Just the day before, the Israeli airline El Al announced that it was suspending flights from Tel Aviv to Moscow, citing "developments in Russian airspace".

5.15 p.m.

After suspected sabotage: NATO increases military presence in the Baltic Sea

Following the suspected sabotage of another underwater cable in the Baltic Sea, NATO is increasing its military presence in the area. He spoke with Finland's President Alexander Stubb about the investigation following the damage to an underwater power cable between Finland and Estonia and expressed his "full solidarity and support", said Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on Friday in the online service X. "Nato will strengthen its military presence in the Baltic Sea," Rutte emphasized.

Spoke w/ @alexstubb about the ongoing Finnish-led investigation into possible sabotage of undersea cables. I expressed my full solidarity and support. #NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.

— Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) December 27, 2024

Damage was discovered on the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day. The Finnish authorities suspect that the anchor of an oil tanker launched from St. Petersburg in Russia damaged the cable running along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Finland stopped the suspected tanker "Eagle S" and escorted it into Finnish waters.

2.30 p.m.

Russian authorities comment on plane crash in Kazakhstan

According to Moscow, the passenger plane from Azerbaijan that crashed in Kazakhstan was unable to land at its destination in Grozny for safety reasons.

"The situation that day and during those hours in the Grozny airport area was very complicated," said the head of the Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya, Dmitry Yadrov. "Ukrainian combat drones were carrying out terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Grozny and Vladikavkaz regions at that time."

According to the report, no take-offs and landings were permitted in Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, due to the danger posed by the drones. According to Yadrov, all pilots had to leave the airspace during the alert period. It was the first time that an official Russian body had established a temporal connection between a drone alert and the crash. On the Russian side, Rosaviatsiya is leading the investigation.

4.20 a.m.

Report: North Korean soldier captured in Ukraine

According to reports, a North Korean soldier fighting on the side of the Russian attackers has been captured for the first time in the Ukraine war. According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, the secret service in Seoul has confirmed the capture of a wounded North Korean soldier. According to Ukrainian military sources, Ukrainian special forces had captured the man during operations in the Russian frontline region of Kursk. It was not stated when this happened.

North Korea sent around 10,000 North Korean soldiers to Russia to support Moscow in the fight against Ukraine. After brief training and being equipped with Russian weapons, the North Korean fighters were integrated into the Russian armed forces, which have been fighting near Kursk for some time. More than 3000 North Korean soldiers are said to have already been killed or wounded. This estimate, which cannot be independently verified, was recently given by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a meeting of the Ukrainian Armed Forces High Command.

Friday, December 27, 2024, 3:40 a.m.

Heavy attacks on the Ukrainian region of Sumy

According to the authorities, one civilian has been killed in heavy shelling and drone attacks from the Russian side on the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. "During the day, the Russians fired 169 times at the areas and settlements near the border in the Sumy region. 311 explosions were registered," the regional administration announced on its Telegram channel. The 59-year-old was killed on Thursday in the municipality of Krasnopillya, where a private house was reportedly on fire. According to the public prosecutor's office, the man was in the house.

According to the statement, other houses in another municipality in the region were damaged by the shelling.

There were also Russian drone attacks in other parts of Ukraine on Friday night, including in the capital region, as reported by the local military administration on Telegram. According to initial reports, no damage was recorded.

22:10

US media: Russian hit on passenger plane possible

According to a US government representative, initial indications suggest that a Russian air defense system may have hit the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan. This was reported by CNN and ABC News, among others, citing the official. However, the White House also referred to personnel in the region, as the investigation was still ongoing.

38 people died in the Embraer 190 crash on Wednesday, 29 survived, some of them seriously injured. The damage to the wreckage of the plane has triggered speculation that it may have been shot down - according to media reports, the government in Baku also suspects this.

21.33 hrs

Selenskyj: Successes in attacks on Russian rear area

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is seeing results from the increasing number of attacks by his armed forces on targets in Russia's rear. "We have the right, necessary results in destroying the enemy's military infrastructure," he said in his evening video message from Kiev.

The attacks with long-range weapons were not directed against civilian targets. "Ukraine is defending itself against aggression, and our attacks are directed exclusively against military targets," he said.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for almost three years and is therefore also trying to hit the enemy on its own territory. The Ukrainian army is inferior in terms of the firepower of rockets and cruise missiles. However, Ukraine is gradually expanding its longer-range weapons. Since the fall, Kiev has also been allowed to use Western weapons for attacks against Russian troop concentrations or ammunition depots.

Ukraine uses its own drones to strike oil refineries and factories even 1,000 kilometers away on Russian territory. Drone strikes on high-rise residential buildings in the Russian city of Kazan at the end of last week did not fit into this picture.

Selensky praised the fact that the USA has recently accelerated its military aid. "It is very important that the United States is now increasing its deliveries," he said. "The pace of deliveries should be such that it slows down Russian attacks."

In recent weeks, the outgoing US leadership under President Joe Biden has tried to spend as much of the approved money as possible on military aid. It is unclear what policy President-elect Donald Trump will pursue towards Ukraine.

21:18

Putin: Slovakia offers itself as a "platform" for negotiations with Ukraine

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Slovakia has proposed to serve as a "platform" for negotiations on peace in Ukraine. The Slovakian head of government Robert Fico has said that his country would be happy to serve as a "platform" in the event of peace negotiations, Putin told journalists.

He considers the solution to be "acceptable", said the Russian president: "We are not against it", he emphasized and praised Slovakia's "neutral position".

Fico is one of the few leaders in Europe who remain close to the Kremlin. Shortly before Christmas, he paid a visit to Putin in Russia. The other Western countries, on the other hand, have rallied behind Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Slovakian Foreign Ministry in Bratislava confirmed the offer to be available as a venue for part of possible Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in a statement obtained by dpa on Thursday evening. The Ukrainian government had already been declared willing to do so in October as part of a joint Slovakian-Ukrainian government meeting. The Slovakian government is permanently committed to a non-military solution and has repeatedly publicly declared its willingness to actively contribute to this.

A few weeks before Donald Trump returns to office as US President, the possibility of peace negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine is being discussed more and more frequently. The conflict was triggered by the Russian offensive in February 2022. During the election campaign, Trump announced that he would restore peace in Ukraine "within 24 hours" of taking office. The uncertainty about how he intends to achieve this has caused concern in Ukraine. Kiev fears that it could be forced into an agreement that is unfavorable for the country.

Fico, who has been back at the helm of EU and NATO member Slovakia since the fall of 2023, rejects military aid for Ukraine and advocates peace talks. He also accuses Kiev of jeopardizing his country's supply of Russian gas, on which it is heavily dependent.

Ukraine announced in the summer that it would not be renewing the contract with Russia for the transit of Russian gas through its pipeline network to Europe, which runs until the end of the year.

7.47 pm

Israeli airline suspends flights to Moscow

The Israeli airline El Al has suspended all flights between Tel Aviv and Moscow for this week. The reason is "developments in Russian airspace", the airline announced. It will reassess the situation next week and decide whether to resume flights.

An Azerbaijani plane had previouslycrashed in Kazakhstan. According to media reports, the government in Baku attributes the crash of the plane to fire from an anti-aircraft missile on approach to the Russian city of Grozny. Ukrainian drones were being fought in the air in several regions of the Russian North Caucasus around this time.

Photos of the tail section of the unfortunate plane show damage that resembles the impact holes of shrapnel from anti-aircraft weapons. Officially, the cause of the plane crash has not yet been determined.

19.22 hrs

Russia declares national emergency over Black Sea oil spill

Russia has declared a national state of emergency due to the oil spill in the Black Sea following a tanker accident. This would allow more government forces, technology and money to be deployed in the fight against the oil, said Civil Defense Minister Alexander Kurenkov in Moscow.

On December 15, two tankers crashed in stormy weather in the Kerch Strait between the Russian mainland and the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which is annexed by Moscow. One tanker broke up. Russian authorities estimate that around 3,000 tons of oil spilled into the sea.

According to the Russian state news agency Tass, Kurenkov said that 30,000 tons of oil-contaminated sand had since been collected from the mainland coast in the Krasnodar region. The coast is being monitored over a length of 220 kilometers. The minister spoke of 10,000 emergency personnel. However, there are complaints from the region that the authorities are acting too slowly.

According to environmentalists, the contaminated sand is often not being disposed of properly. There are reports that sacks filled with oil sand are not removed, burst open and end up back in the sea. The beach in the vacation resort of Anapa, which is popular for its fine sand, is also affected.

The Crimean peninsula was not initially affected due to the prevailing westerly winds. However, oil slicks have also been observed on the south coast there. The Black Sea coast as far as Sochi and the Crimea are important vacation areas for Russia with warm sea water.

18.45 hrs

EU: Suspected freighter belongs to Russia's shadow fleet

According to the EU, a freighter targeted by investigators following the disruption of a power cable in the Baltic Sea is linked to Russia. "The suspect vessel is part of Russia's shadow fleet, which threatens security and the environment while financing the Russian war budget," said a joint statement by the EU Commission and Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas.

The Russian shadow fleet includes ships that Russia uses unofficially to circumvent sanctions - for example in oil transportation. "We will propose further measures, including sanctions, to take action against this fleet", the statement continued.

Finnish investigators detained the oil tanker "Eagle S" after the EstLink2 power connection to Estonia was interrupted on Wednesday. The ship sails under the flag of the Cook Islands.

According to the investigators, the damage to the cable could have been caused by the ship's anchor. The EU suspects intent: the incident is the latest in a series of suspected attacks on critical infrastructure, it said. Any deliberate destruction of Europe's critical infrastructure is condemned in the strongest possible terms.

18.09 hrs

Ukrainian secret service: Heavy losses for North Korea in Kursk

According to the Ukrainian military intelligence service, North Korean soldiers have suffered heavy losses in attacks in the Russian region of Kursk. Ukrainian attacks near Novoyivanovka had inflicted heavy losses on North Korean units, the GUR intelligence service reported. Due to attacks on the front line, North Korean troops also had problems with supplies and suffered a shortage of drinking water.

According to Ukrainian sources, North Korea has sent 10,000 to 12,000 soldiers to Russia to help the country in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky announced this week that 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed and injured in battles in Kursk. Ukrainian troops had advanced into Kursk in August, forcing Russia to withdraw some of its soldiers from eastern Ukraine. Although the Russian military was able to recapture part of the territory in Kursk from the Ukrainians, it was not able to drive the Ukrainian troops out completely.

17:54

Flight operations in Moscow temporarily suspended

Russia's aviation authority has temporarily suspended air traffic at all four airports in the capital for safety reasons. No take-offs and landings were permitted for a short time at Moscow's Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports, according to the Rosaviatsiya authority.

The temporary restrictions also applied to the airport in the city of Kaluga, 190 kilometers southwest of Moscow. No specific reasons were given. After a short time, the all-clear was given again.

Restrictions are repeatedly imposed at various airports in Russia as a result of drone attacks from Ukraine. Due to the deployment of Russian air defense, take-offs and landings are sometimes not possible. However, no defensive measures were reported this time.

Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for almost three years with Western help. As part of its defensive campaign, it also repeatedly attacks targets in Russia.

5.05 pm

Lavrov: France has proposed a dialog on Ukraine bypassing Kiev

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has assured that France has made an effort to hold a "dialog on the Ukrainian issue" bypassing Kiev. "I won't go into details so as not to disappoint anyone, but our French colleagues have made several calls through confidential channels," Lavrov said at a media conference in Moscow.

"'Let's help, let's start a dialog on the Ukrainian issue,'" he said. "Without Ukraine, by the way," Lavrov added. The request was made contrary to the constant assurances of the West, which repeatedly emphasized: "'Not a word about Ukraine without Ukraine'". "We have not refused," said the Russian chief diplomat about the alleged French proposal. Russia was "ready to listen".

Lavrov gave no details as to when these alleged contacts took place or what exactly they were about. There was initially no reaction from France to Lavrov's statements.

Lavrov also criticized France's "ambiguous behaviour" in the Ukraine conflict. France and other European countries have raised the possibility of having European troops monitor compliance with a possible ceasefire between Kiev and Moscow.

Last week, Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Selensky called on the EU and the USA to unite in order to stop Russian head of state Vladimir Putin.

16.08 hrs

Power cable fault: Finland suspects oil tanker

After a power cable in the Baltic Sea malfunctioned, Finnish investigators suspect an oil tanker. The ship "Eagle S" has been detained, according to the police in Helsinki. On Wednesday, the EstLink2 power connection to Estonia was interrupted.

They had taken command of the ship, the Finnish authorities announced. According to a Finnish authority, there are also problems with several communication cables. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Estonia, this has no impact on consumers.

The ship is sailing under the flag of the Cook Islands. According to the Financial Times, the freighter is associated with the Russian shadow fleet - ships that Russia is said to be using unofficially to deliver its oil to other countries in order to circumvent sanctions.

"The assumption at the moment is that it is a ship that belongs to the shadow fleet," said a representative of Finnish customs. Finland's President Alexander Stubb announced on Platform X that he had been informed about the case by the police: The risks posed by ships from the Russian shadow fleet must be prevented.

According to the investigators, the damage to the cable could have been caused by the anchor. The repair will take several months, according to the Finnish operator Fingrid. The power supply in Finland is nevertheless stable, but the situation could deteriorate if there is less wind, for example.

Submarine cables are subject to frequent faults, often caused by accidents such as ship anchors. However, data and power cables are also part of the critical infrastructure and can therefore become the target of military operations.

14:55

Injured after Russian attack on market in Nikopol

At least eight people have been injured in a new Russian attack on the city of Nikopol in southern Ukraine, according to the authorities. This time the central market was hit. Three people are in a serious condition, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Serhiy Lysak, announced on Telegram.

A total of seven people were being treated in hospital. The premises of the market had been severely damaged.

The information could not initially be independently verified. Nikopol is repeatedly the target of Russian attacks. It is unclear which weapons were used.

12.35 p.m.

Suspects are said to have planned attacks on Russian military personnel

According to its own statements, the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB has foiled possible assassination attempts on high-ranking military officers. Four Russian citizens have been arrested who had been making preparations, the FSB announced. It was a suspected Ukrainian plot.

The masterminds behind the planned attacks had intended to kill one of the officers with a remotely detonated car bomb. Another military officer was to be eliminated by an explosive device hidden in an envelope. The FSB did not initially name the people who were allegedly targeted. The domestic intelligence service published a video of the arrests and interrogations of the suspects.

In mid-December, General Igor Kirillov was killed by a bomb detonated remotely in front of his Moscow apartment building. He was the head of the Russian defense forces against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The Ukrainian domestic intelligence service claimed responsibility for the crime.

11.02 a.m.

Kremlin warns against speculation about crashed plane

Following the crash of a passenger plane in Kazakhstan, Russia has warned against speculation that the plane with 67 people on board may have been shot down. "An investigation is currently underway, every aviation incident must be investigated by specialized aviation authorities," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency Tass. "It would be wrong to make a hypothesis before the conclusions of the investigation are available."

The crash of the plane on Wednesday near the Kazakh city of Aktau on the coast of the Caspian Sea killed 38 people. 29 people survived, some with serious injuries. Because unusual damage can be seen on the outer skin of the aircraft, there is speculation that the plane was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile. The Chairman of the Senate in Kazakhstan, Maulen Ashimbaev, rejected this as "hype" and an unsubstantiated claim.

In Ukraine, for example, but also in the Russian opposition camp abroad, there were accusations that the air defense had fired on the plane as part of a defensive battle against a Ukrainian drone attack. In fact, authorities in the North Caucasus reported Ukrainian drone attacks on Wednesday morning.

Thursday, December 26, 7:36 a.m.

Places in Russian Belgorod without electricity after drone attack

A power line has been damaged in a drone attack on the Russian region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine. The residents of several small villages are without electricity, announced the governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, on his Telegram channel late on Wednesday evening.

Belgorod / Bilhorod PR ❗
Loud tonight 🔊🛸💥 over the Chernyansky district. In Grayvoron, two drops from drone are reported. There are consequences. pic.twitter.com/I7Ltqt8Li6

— LX (@LXSummer1) December 25, 2024

The Ukrainian air force had attacked the district of Graiworon, which lies directly on the border, with drones. There was a temporary air alert in the entire Belgorod region.

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