In our weekly digest, you will learn about the latest news in Ukraine, key events, and international support for Ukraine provided by partners to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and defense capabilities. We will tell you about the events that are changing the world and affecting our future.
Boxer Oleksandr Usyk retains his world boxing title
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk defeated British boxer Tyson Fury for the second time and retained his world boxing title. The fight took place on the night of December 22 in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
At stake were the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Organization (WBO), and World Boxing Association (WBA) belts held by Usyk.
The fight lasted all 12 rounds, each lasting three minutes. Usyk demonstrated accurate punches, landing three: twice in the torso and then in the head. In the last minutes, Usyk launched a successful combined attack.
The fight ended with a unanimous decision of the judges, 116-112 in favor of Usyk.
AP Photo / Frank Augstein
Ukraine has established contact with the new Syrian government and is ready to restore diplomatic relations
Ukraine will restore diplomatic relations with Syria if the new government changes the decision of the Bashar al-Assad regime, which recognized the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi at a briefing, Ukrinform reports.
We will see how the new government will act. We understand that the previous Assad regime recognized the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, so diplomatic relations were severed. If this policy changes, diplomatic relations will be restored, – he said.
The spokesman added that contact with the new Syrian authorities has already been established at the ministerial level.
Russians shoot five Ukrainian prisoners of war
A video of Russians executing Ukrainian prisoners of war has appeared online. It was distributed by the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Major General Marko Bezruchko.
The video shows Russian soldiers shooting five Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, said he would report this fact to the UN and the ICRC.
Czech company secretly supplied Ukraine with equipment for reactors at a nuclear power plant
Škoda JS from the ČEZ group of the Czech city of Pilsen has supplied eight new drives for the reactors of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant to Ukraine.
This was reported by Novinky media.
Due to the constant Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of [Ukraine], we are reporting on the fulfillment of the order only now, as we have delivered the last cargo to its destination, – explained Karel Samec, a spokesman for the company.
We are talking about eight new drives for two VVER-440 reactors. In total, Škoda JS has shipped 76 drives to Rivne NPP, and the contract was signed before the full-scale war. Most of the equipment has been installed and is already in use, says Samets.
They ensure stable reactor power and allow it to be regulated, – the spokesman added.
Another company of the group, ÚJV Řež, manufactured and sent to Ukraine a special 173-meter cable weighing 13 tons. It is intended to strengthen the reactor containment building.
Ukraine is developing a new Trembita missile
Ukraine is developing a new Trembita missile. A more powerful version is also being worked on to reach Moscow. The Economist writes about this with reference to the Ukrainian military.
The standard version of Trembita has a speed of 400 km/h and a range of 200 km. Serial production of these missiles is planned to be launched after the final field tests, the publication writes, without specifying exact dates.
At the same time, a senior security official says that the country is at least a year away from producing missiles in the number, range, and capabilities that would seriously threaten Russia.
The cost of a single Trembita with a 20-30 kg warhead is $15,000 dollars; if it is only a decoy, it costs $3,000.
The cost could be a decisive factor in Ukrainian operations to deplete enemy air defenses, Sergei Biryukov, who leads a team of volunteer engineers, told the newspaper.
The Economist writes that the Trembita was developed in just a year and a half, which is considered a short time for designing new weapons.
Pope accepts invitation to visit Ukraine
Pope Francis has accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine, but the date of the visit is currently unknown.
This was stated by the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, in an interview with Radio Liberty.
He noted that the UGCC has assurances that the invitation to visit Ukraine has been accepted, but it is unknown when exactly this visit will take place. The Pope’s immediate plans, in particular in 2025, do not include a visit to Ukraine.
There is no time (for the visit – ed.) yet, but Pope Francis sometimes likes to make surprises. He can announce a visit literally a month before he decides to come to Ukraine. So we enter this new year with hope. With the hope that a just peace will prevail in Ukraine, – said the head of the Greek Catholic Church of the UGCC.
Ukraine receives $485 million from the US and the World Bank
The World Bank and the United States have provided Ukraine with $485 million as part of the PEACE in Ukraine project. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The head of government said that the United States provided $465 million of this amount through USAID, and another $20 million came from the World Bank.
The funds will be used to compensate for social and humanitarian expenditures of the state budget, – Shmyhal added.
On December 24, Ukraine also received $1 billion from the United States, secured by proceeds from frozen Russian assets.
