Tuesday, December 5

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Municipal workers are seen installing a Christmas tree on Sophia Square in central Kyiv. Unlike previous years when Ukraine celebrated Christmas on January 7 along with other post-Soviet countries, this year it will align with Europe and mark Christmas on December, 25. (Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

President’s Office: Discussions on future EU security guarantees for Ukraine have started. Negotiations on future EU security commitments for Ukraine have begun on the instruction of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the President’s Office announced on Dec. 4.

Zelensky to address US senators amid push to secure aid package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that President Volodymyr Zelensky will address U.S. senators by video on Dec. 5 as efforts intensify to secure a $105 billion aid package.

Umerov meets Stoltenberg in Brussels. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, NATO announced on Dec. 4.

SBU: Russian ammunition, equipment depots in occupied Luhansk Oblast destroyed by drone strikes. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) shared a video of the operation, saying that intelligence about the locations of the depots had been gathered, which resulted in the nighttime strikes that destroyed an unknown amount of equipment and ammunition.

Infrastructure Minister: 7 million metric tons of cargo transported through Black Sea humanitarian corridor. Since the Black Sea humanitarian corridor opened in August, 200 ships have passed through it, carrying 7 million metric tons of cargo from Ukrainian ports, including almost 5 million tons of Ukrainian agricultural products, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Dec. 4.

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Air Force: Ukraine downs 10 of 17 attack drones launched overnight. The drones were reportedly launched from Russia’s Kursk Oblast and from Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai. Russian forces also attacked with six S-300 missiles, targeting civilian targets in Donetsk and Kherson oblasts, the Air Force said.

Guardian: UK nuclear site hacked by Russian, Chinese groups. Russian and Chinese-linked cyber groups have hacked a major nuclear waste site in the U.K., a year-long investigation by the Guardian revealed on Dec. 4.

Navy: Sea mine that washed ashore in Odesa Oblast disabled. The navy said that “the coasts and coastal waters of the Black Sea remain a fairly dangerous zone due to the threat of mines, in particular, during stormy weather.”

Media: Russia planned interference campaigns to disrupt NATO accession of Finland, Sweden. In particular, Russia tried to inflame tensions that erupted after a series of public Quran burnings in Sweden, which resulted in protests breaking out around the Muslim world.

SBU detains man suspected of trying to sell aircraft components to Russian military. A Ukrainian entrepreneur has been detained on suspicion of attempting to sell stolen aircraft components to Russia, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Dec. 4.

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‘I’m afraid we’ll never find them:’ Russia holds thousands of Ukrainian civilians hostage

Along with war crimes, such as torture, rape, and executions, Russia has also taken civilian hostages in the areas it has occupied, at times transferring them to prisons both in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and Russia for reasons unknown. 

Photo: LightRocket via Getty Images

Ukrainian retailers face big losses, disruptions due to Polish border blockade

Around 2,500 trucks are stuck at the border with Poland waiting to cross because of the protests, which started on Nov. 6 when Polish truckers began blocking Ukrainian haulers carrying commercial goods.

Photo: Robert Nemeti/Anadolu via Getty Images

Ukraine war latest: SBU reports destroying Russian ammunition depot in occupied Luhansk Oblast

Ukraine’s Security Service reported destroying a Russian ammunition depot and armored vehicles near the occupied city of Svatove in Luhansk Oblast, the SBU said on Dec. 4.

Screenshot: SBU/Facebook

Human cost of war

Voronezh governor confirms death of Russian general in Ukraine. Russian General Vladimir Zavadsky was killed in Ukraine on Nov. 28, Voronezh Oblast Governor Aleksandr Gusev confirmed on Dec. 4. Russia rarely comments on the reported deaths of its high-ranking commanders.

Death toll of Russian missile strike on Novohrodivka rises to 3. The death toll of a Russian missile strike on Novohrodivka in Donetsk Oblast overnight on Nov. 29-30 has risen to three after the body of a child was found in the rubble, acting Governor Ihor Moroz reported on Dec. 4.

International response

Rheinmetall wins over $150 million contract to produce shells for Ukraine. The order involves tens of thousands of 155mm NATO standard shells and is expected to be delivered in 2025. It will be produced by Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, a Spanish subsidiary.

Lithuania provides 1 million euros to Ukraine Solidarity Fund for reconstruction. The fund was created in 2022 with 1 million euros ($1.08 million) in seed money from Ireland, and it has since received 2 million euros ($2.2 million) from Germany and 700,000 Czech Koruna ($31,000) from the Czech Republic.

Sullivan: ‘We need to see Congress step up in bipartisan way’ to support Biden’s Ukraine aid proposal. The U.S. Congress should support President Joe Biden’s aid request to Ukraine as soon as possible in order to prevent Russian advances, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a press briefing on Dec. 4.

Polish official: Russia could attack NATO within 3 years. Poland’s national security agency estimates that Russia could attack NATO in less than 36 months, the head of the country’s National Security Bureau said in an interview with Polish media outlet Nasz Dziennik.

In other news

DTEK wants to build largest wind farm in Eastern Europe in partnership with Danish company. The Tylihulska Wind Power Plant project, which will involve an investment of more than 650 million euros ($702 million), is a joint venture that includes DTEK, the Ukrainian and Danish governments, and Western banks.

State Emergency Service: 2 gas service workers killed by cave-in during repair work in Kharkiv. The two workers, men aged 42 and 48, were buried under loose earth while working on a pipeline under a Kharkiv street. More than 30 rescue workers were quickly summoned, but the two men were already dead.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Lili Bivings, Martin Fornusek, Elsa Court, Teah Pelechaty, Nate Ostiller, Dmytro Basmat, Sonya Bandouil, and Olena Goncharova.

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