Because the conflict enters its 673rd day, these are the principle developments.
Right here is the scenario on Thursday, December 28, 2023.
Preventing
- Two individuals have been killed and 4 others injured within the southern Odesa area after Russian forces despatched dozens of assault drones over Ukraine in a nighttime air raid.
- The Ukraine air drive stated it shot down 32 of the 46 Iranian-made drones that Russia had launched with the others principally hitting close to the entrance line, primarily within the southern Kherson area. Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin stated the assault on the Kherson area and its capital hit residential areas and a mall in addition to hanging the ability grid, leaving about 70 p.c of households in Kherson metropolis with out electrical energy.
- The Institute for the Examine of Conflict stated that Russia’s claimed seize this week of Maryinka in jap Ukraine wouldn’t present it with a springboard for main battlefield positive factors. However it famous that “localised Russian offensive operations are nonetheless inserting stress on Ukrainian forces in lots of locations alongside the entrance in jap Ukraine”.
- Ukraine opened a conflict crimes investigation into the alleged execution by Russian forces of three Ukrainian prisoners of conflict earlier this month close to the village of Robotyne within the southeastern Zaporizhia area, the final prosecutor’s workplace stated.
Politics and diplomacy
- India’s Overseas Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stated relations between the international locations have been progressing even amid turbulent instances. Jaishankar, who’s on a five-day go to to Moscow, additionally met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who stated they mentioned “the prospects for military-technical cooperation, together with the joint manufacturing of contemporary sorts of weapons”.
- Russia condemned sanctions imposed by america in opposition to the Arctic LNG 2 challenge as an “unacceptable” transfer that may undermine world power safety. The sanctions are a part of an try to restrict Moscow’s monetary capability to proceed its conflict in Ukraine.
- Russia charged six Danes for becoming a member of the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “overseas mercenaries” on Ukraine’s facet, the Russian embassy in Denmark stated in a press release. The six face as many as 15 years in jail if they’re discovered responsible. The embassy stated 20 Danes had been recognized as mercenaries and a few had been killed.
Weapons
- The US introduced a $250m navy assist bundle for Ukraine that officers say could possibly be the final until a $61b funding invoice at the moment held up by Republicans in Congress is handed. The most recent assist consists of air defence munitions, further ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket methods, artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions and greater than 15 million rounds of ammunition.
- Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine’s minister of strategic industries, advised a briefing that the defence sector would improve manufacturing of weapons and navy tools considerably subsequent yr and that output was 3 times greater in 2023 than within the earlier yr. Kamyshin stated Ukraine was now producing six Bohdana self-propelled artillery models monthly. Bohdanas are the one Ukrainian-made self-propelled gun utilizing NATO-standard 155mm rounds as an alternative of the 152mm rounds utilized by artillery primarily based on Soviet expertise.
- Russia warned Japan that its plan to offer Patriot air defence methods to Ukraine would have “grave penalties” for Russia-Japan ties.
- Sergei Chemezov, the top of the Rostec state defence firm, stated Russia would quickly deploy its latest howitzers in opposition to Ukrainian forces. Chemezov advised the RIA information company that testing of the brand new Coalition-SV self-propelled artillery models had been accomplished and mass manufacturing was below approach.