503 fallen soldiers: Ukraine returns bodies of the dead
The bodies of 503 fallen Ukrainian soldiers have been returned to the government-controlled territory. This was reported by the Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
The bodies of 403 fallen soldiers were returned from the Donetsk sector, 12 from the Luhansk sector, 57 from the Zaporizhzhia sector and 31 from morgues in Russia.
1 killed and 13 wounded: Russia launches missile attack on Kyiv
On December 20, Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv. It is known that debris fell in several districts of the capital. This was reported by Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the Kyiv City Military Administration.
The missile attack killed one person and injured 13.
The Russian armed forces launched a combined missile attack on Kyiv. The enemy probably used Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from MiG-31K and Iskander/KN-23 ballistic missiles, – the KCMA said.
In the Holosiivskyi district, the missile attack damaged an office building, the road surface and a gas pipe, and set five cars on fire. At another address, the facade of an office building was damaged, the roof caught fire, and the 15th floor was destroyed.
A fire also broke out in a non-residential building in Solomyansky district.
177 Ukrainian prisoners of war executed by Russians
There are currently 177 confirmed cases of Russian military executing Ukrainian prisoners of war. This was reported by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets in an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda.
In 2024, the number of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war was almost twice as high as in the two previous years of the full-scale invasion. Of the 177 confirmed cases, 109 occurred in 2024.
According to Dmytro Lubinets, his office learns about most cases from videos from the Ukrainian special services. At the same time, there are cases when information comes directly from Ukrainian military units. The Russians also publish relevant videos on social media.
$1.2 billion: Biden administration prepares final aid package
The administration of US President Joe Biden plans to announce its final military aid package in the coming days – worth $1.2 billion, Reuters reports.
The new package will include interceptor missiles for air defense systems and artillery ammunition. Its exact content is still unknown.
16 children killed by mines and explosive remnants of war since the beginning of the war
Since the start of the full-scale war, 16 children have been killed and 88 others injured by mines and explosive remnants of war. This was reported following a meeting of the Working Group on Mine and Explosive Remnants of War Risk Education.
Since February 24, 2022, 1,087 people have been injured in accidents involving mines and explosive remnants of war. Of these, 275 were killed and 622 injured. Most of them were men. Twenty-seven women were killed and 59 others were injured.
The largest number of incidents was in 2023 – 401. In the first year of the great war, there were 204, and 149 cases were recorded this year.
Nearly 100 DPRK soldiers killed in Kursk region – South Korean intelligence
At least 100 North Korean soldiers were killed in the fighting in the Kursk region of Russia, and another thousand were wounded. This was stated by Lee Sung-kwon, a member of the South Korean parliamentary intelligence committee, after a closed briefing by the National Intelligence Service.
The Associated Press, citing a senior military official, wrote the day before that North Korea has already lost “several hundred” military personnel in the fighting against Ukraine. Lee Sung-kwon explained the discrepancy in the estimate of the number of killed soldiers by a rather conservative analysis of the South Korean National Intelligence Service.
It is believed that the losses of North Korean troops are caused by the lack of experience in warfare with drones and unfamiliarity with the open terrain where they are fighting. According to Lee, there are signs that the DPRK is preparing to deploy additional troops in Russia.
€4.1 billion: Ukraine has received funds under the Ukraine Facility program
Ukraine has received the second tranche of the Ukraine Facility program – €4.1 billion.
This was announced by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.
We are grateful to the European Union for its unwavering support of Ukraine, which is of great importance for strengthening the country’s economic stability and transformation on the path to full EU membership, – Shmyhal said.
It is known that the money will be used to support Ukraine’s macro-financial stability and the functioning of the state in the period 2024-2027.
100 thousand bodies in a mass grave in Syria are victims of the Assad regime
A mass grave containing the bodies of at least 100,000 people tortured by the government of fugitive President Bashar al-Assad has been found near Damascus, Reuters reports.
The head of the “Syrian Emergency Operations Group” Muaz Mustafa said that the site in al-Qutaifa, 40 kilometers from the capital, is one of five mass graves he has identified.
There are more such graves than the five that have already been found, Muaz Mustafa said. He claims that along with Syrians, there are allegedly victims from the United States, Great Britain, and other foreigners. So far, there is no confirmation of this information.
52 shadow fleet vessels and 84 individuals and organizations under sanctions: EU adopts 15th package of sanctions against Russia
The European Union has adopted the 15th package of sanctions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This is stated on the website of the EU Council.
The sanctions include 84 individuals and legal entities – 54 people and 30 organizations.
In particular, the sanctions include the military unit responsible for the shelling of the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv, top managers of leading companies in the Russian energy sector, people responsible for deporting children, propaganda and circumventing sanctions, and two high-ranking officials of the DPRK.
The European Union also targeted primarily Russian defense companies and shipping companies responsible for the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products by sea, which provide significant revenues to the Russian government.
In addition, 52 more shadow fleet vessels originating from third countries are now under sanctions. This brings the total number of sanctioned vessels to 79.
Oscar 2025: two films about the war in Ukraine are shortlisted
The Ukrainian documentary “The Porcelain War”, directed by Brendan Bellom and Slava Leontiev, has been shortlisted for an Oscar. The film was nominated in the Documentary Feature category.
And “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine”, directed by Betsy West and Earl Mack, was shortlisted in the Documentary Short Film category. The film was created in co-production between Ukraine and the United States.
The Oscar nominees will be announced on January 17, 2025.
The Ministry of Defense has allocated an additional UAH 1.89 billion for the purchase of drones
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has allocated an additional UAH 1.89 billion for the purchase of drones. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.
Thus, 55% of the amount was allocated for Mavic drones, including those with night vision, and another 18% for FPV kamikaze drones. These funds will also be used to purchase reconnaissance drones, bombers, and spare parts for them.
The Ministry of Defense notes that this will provide the military with additional drones through decentralized procurement. That is, the brigades will independently purchase what they need to perform combat missions, and the drones will be sent to the front immediately.
10th military aid package for Ukraine approved by Italian government
On December 16, the Italian government approved the allocation of the 10th military aid package to Ukraine amid its fight against Russian aggression, ANSA reports.
According to the source, the Italian military aid package for Ukraine will be presented by Defense Minister Guido Crozetto at the COPASIR parliamentary oversight body of the Italian intelligence service on December 18.
The list of weapons to be sent to Kyiv is confidential.
