Bekanntgabe von vier Vorfällen nahe der Krim-Brücke – vorübergehende Sperrung
Es wird aktuell berichtet, dass nahe der Krim-Brücke in der ukrainischen Stadt Kertsch vier Explosionen stattgefunden haben. Mehrere Telegramkanäle aus Russland berichten darüber. Das Telegram-Kanal „Krymskij Weter“. hat erwähnt, dass sich vier Explosionen ereignet haben.
Der Verkehr auf der Krim-Brücke wurde für etwas mehr als eine Stunde unterbrochen, ist mittlerweile jedoch wieder aufgenommen worden, so ein Bericht auf dem von russischen Behörden betriebenen Telegram-Kanal zur Verkehrslage an der Krim-Brücke. Die genaue Ursache für die gemeldeten Explosionen ist derzeit nicht bekannt.
EU überweist vorläufig letzten Milliardenkredit an Ukraine
14.43 Uhr: Die EU hat angekündigt, einen weiteren Hilfskredit an die Ukraine zu überweisen. Kommissionspräsident Ursula von der Leyen teilte mit, dass es sich um die letzten 1,5 Milliarden Euro aus einem insgesamt 18 Milliarden Euro umfassenden Hilfsprogramm für 2023 handelt. Dieses Programm wurde im Dezember des vergangenen Jahres von den EU-Mitgliedstaaten vereinbart.
Es ist unklar, wie es mit den Finanzhilfen für das von Russland angegriffene Land im kommenden Jahr weitergeht. Eigentlich sollte beim EU-Gipfel Ende der vergangenen Woche ein neues Hilfsprogramm über 50 Milliarden Euro für die kommenden vier Jahre vereinbart werden. Diese Vereinbarung wurde jedoch durch ein Veto des ungarischen Ministerpräsidenten Viktor Orban verhindert, welcher die Pläne zuvor mehrfach kritisiert hatte. In diesem Zusammenhang wies er darauf hin, dass die EU seiner Ansicht nach zu Unrecht Gelder aus dem Gemeinschaftshaushalt seines Landes eingefroren hat.
Falls in den nächsten Wochen keine Lösung mit Ungarn gefunden wird, planen die anderen EU-Staaten, im 26er-Kreis zu handeln. Ein EU-Sondergipfel für das weitere Vorgehen ist für den 1. Februar angekündigt. Von der Leyen mahnte am Donnerstag, dass eine Vereinbarung gefunden werden müsse, um der Ukraine weiterhin die benötigte Unterstützung zukommen zu lassen.
Mit den Finanzhilfen soll es dem ukrainischen Staat ermöglicht werden, weiterhin Gehälter und Renten zu zahlen. Des Weiteren soll der Betrieb von Krankenhäusern, Schulen und Unterkünften für umgesiedelte Menschen gewährleistet werden. Zudem kann das Geld auch zur Wiederherstellung der durch den russischen Angriffskrieg zerstörten Infrastruktur genutzt werden. Hierzu gehören beispielsweise Stromleitungen, Wassersysteme sowie Straßen und Brücken.
Die bisherigen Kredite sind trotz des andauernden Krieges an 20 Reformzusagen und Berichtspflichten gebunden. Es geht beispielsweise um Rechtsstaatlichkeit und den Kampf gegen Korruption. Die Ukraine hat bis zu 35 Jahre Zeit, um das Geld ab 2033 zurückzuzahlen. Die Zinskosten werden von den EU-Mitgliedstaaten übernommen.
Ukraine berichtet von einer Angriffswelle mit 35 Schahed-Kampfdrohnen
08.50 Uhr: Die Ukraine gab an, in der Nacht auf Donnerstag erneut von Dutzenden russischen Drohnen angegriffen worden zu sein. Russland habe das ukrainische Staatsgebiet „in mehreren Wellen“ mit insgesamt 35 Schahed-Kampfdrohnen iranischer Herkunft attackiert, erklärte die ukrainische Luftwaffe am Donnerstag im Online-Dienst Telegram. 34 der Drohnen seien abgeschossen worden. Angaben zu Opfern oder Schäden wurden von der Luftwaffe nicht gemacht.
Russland habe die Drohnen an drei verschiedenen Orten nahe der Grenze zur Ukraine gestartet, erklärte die
Ukrainian air force continues operations in Chauda on the occupied Crimean peninsula, in Primorsko-Achtarsk on the Sea of Azov, and in the border city of Kursk.
Russia relentlessly bombards Ukraine with drone and missile strikes almost every night. Kiev accuses Moscow of perpetrating terrorism against the civilian population and attempting to destroy the energy infrastructure, similar to the situation last winter when millions of Ukrainians were left without power and heating in freezing temperatures.
Since last year, with the help of its Western allies, Ukraine has bolstered its air defense, enabling it to intercept most of the drones and missiles from Russia.
< h2 >Ukraine Looks to Bring Back Foreign Residents into Army< /h2 >
< p >< strong >Thursday, December 21, 00:13 AM: < /strong >In the quest for additional soldiers, Ukraine’s new Minister of Defense, Rustem Umjerow, plans to call upon men residing abroad to join the military service next year. Ukrainian men of military age, ranging from 25 to 60 years old, living in Germany and other countries, are to be urged to report to the armed forces’ recruitment centers. Umjerow announced this in an interview with “Bild,” Welt TV, and Politico.
Although the Minister mentioned it as an invitation, he made it clear that there would be sanctions if someone does not comply with the call. “We are still discussing what should happen if they do not come voluntarily,” he said.
The Ukrainian military aims to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 additional soldiers to repel the Russian invasion. However, the financial and political framework has not been clarified yet. President Volodymyr Selenskyj has referred to the mobilization as a “sensitive issue.”
< h2 >Intelligence: Outbreak of Rat-Bite Fever among Russian Soldiers< /h2 >
< p >< strong >7:35 PM: < /strong >The Ukrainian Intelligence Service DIU reports an outbreak of rat-bite fever among Russian troops around the city of Kupjansk. The disease usually occurs after bites from rats and is accompanied by high fever, nausea, and rashes. The troops are complaining about the lack of medical care, but the Russian authorities have ignored the symptoms, according to the DIU.
Kupjansk was liberated during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in September 2022 and is a crucial logistics hub. Currently, Russia is intensifying its efforts to attack the city and has recently deployed reserves as reinforcements to the front there.
< h2 >NRW Sends Aid to Partner Region inUkraine< /strong>< /h2 >
< p >< strong >Wednesday, December 20, 5:00 PM:< /strong > In collaboration with the Blau-Gelbes Kreuz association, North Rhine-Westphalia sent additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday. According to the State Chancellery, this included 119 power generators and 35 electric hospital beds for the NRW partner region of Dnipropetrowsk, where the electricity, water, and heating supply in the areas near the front line are unstable due to artillery shelling.
“Russia is banking on Ukraine and the West getting tired in the long run,” said State Chancellery Chief Nathanael Liminski (CDU) in Cologne before the aid was sent to Ukraine. “For us in Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia, this can only mean that we support Ukraine more emphatically – consistently, continuously, and concretely.”
Overall, the state of NRW provided 262,000 euros this year for aid deliveries, including funds for 3,000 laptops for digital school education. Liminski announced that they would continue working with Blau-Gelbes Kreuz in the coming year.
< h2 >Selenskyj Rejects NATO Membership without Russian-Occupied Territories< /h2 >
< p >< strong >8:33 PM: < /strong >Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj opposes the idea of Ukraine joining NATO without theThe areas under Russian occupation
break. Ukraine will not agree to a divided accession, he said on Tuesday in Kiev. Before journalists, he said, “We have not received such a proposal from any of our partners. I also find it difficult to imagine what that would look like.” The strongest security guarantee for Ukraine is its accession as a whole country.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former NATO secretary-general, has suggested that Ukraine could be admitted to the Western military alliance even if it does not control its entire territory. This would deter Russia from attacking Ukrainian territory within NATO; Ukraine could focus on front-line fighting away from its heartland, he argued.
At his press conference, the Ukrainian president also thanked Germany for its assistance. “Germany, with Chancellor Scholz, is the second-largest supporter of Ukraine – financially and militarily,” Selenskyj said. The extent to which Scholz’s commitment to help Ukraine for as long as necessary will be seen. “We look at actions, not words,” said Selenskyj. “Today he is helping a lot.” Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for nearly 22 months.
Russia allegedly using tear gas in Ukraine now
7:16 PM: According to Ukrainian soldiers, there have been recent Russian attacks using tear gas, with nine gas attacks counted in the Robotyne area alone. Drones are said to drop tear gas directly over the Ukrainian trenches, the soldiers told US broadcaster CNN.
Selenskyj sees mobilization as a sensitive issue for Ukraine
5:46 PM: For Ukraine, the mobilization of new soldiers is, according to President Volodymyr Selenskyj, an expensive and politically sensitive issue. “The issue of mobilization is a very sensitive one,” Selenskyj said at a year-end press conference in Kiev on Tuesday. The army has sought 450,000 new soldiers. An additional mobilization of this magnitude would require about 500 billion Hryvnia (12.2 billion euros). It is also important for him to determine who among the soldiers currently fighting is entitled to rest and home leave. A complex plan for this rotation is being worked out.
In 2023, Russia has not achieved any of its war goals in Ukraine, Selenskyj said. Moscow has not been able to completely conquer Ukrainian territory in Donetsk. Instead, Ukraine has largely regained control of the western Black Sea. Ukraine has been resisting a large-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in Moscow that the initiative is currently with his troops.
mmo, al, ja, til, pip, shu, ter, daz, fil, sca, wop, lro, juw/with agency material
