Ukraine-Update: Events overnight
Storm wreaks havoc over Crimea and washes away Russian positions
Anton Gerashenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian Minister of the Interior, stated on the social platform “X” that the Ukrainian expects that the storm on the Crimean Peninsula caused some damage to the Russian defensive lines.
“A storm has washed away trenches on the occupied Crimea that the Russian army had dug on the beaches. According to reports from the Crimea, the water in Yevpatoria washed away the defense line on the coast, technical buildings, and firing positions,” said Gerashenko.
Selenskyj highlights tough winter for soldiers
With the sudden onset of winter in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Selenskyj pointed out the particularly difficult situation of the soldiers at the front to the population. Meanwhile, the General Staff in Kyiv reported new heavy fighting, especially in the east of the country. At the same time, the generals reported high losses for the Russian attackers.
Instead of the usual reports on the situation at the fronts, the snowstorm in the south and east of the country forced the Ukrainian head of state to address the unusual topic of weather in his evening video address. “Now, when it’s so difficult, when the conditions are so tough, we should all be especially grateful to those who are maintaining the defense of our country,” Selenskyj said on Sunday evening. He particularly mentioned the soldiers “in the positions, on duty, and in mobile fire teams.” They are all on duty even under winter conditions to “protect Ukraine, the life of our state, and our independence.”
A heavy snowstorm initially hit the entire Black Sea coast of Ukraine on Sunday, causing significant problems in many areas. In addition to power outages in some regions, the road traffic also collapsed, while central parts of the country initially struggled with cold and sleet. The snowstorm also paralyzed traffic and public life on the Crimea, which is occupied and illegally annexed by Russia.
Last winter, Russian military forces had attempted to put pressure on the Ukrainian population with air strikes against the country’s energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian government expects a similar scenario this winter.
Kyiv: High losses for Russia in the past week
According to Ukrainian accounts, the Russian armed forces suffered heavy losses in various combat zones in Ukraine last week. “6260 occupiers and 672 units of weapons and military equipment were destroyed,” the Unian news agency quoted Deputy Defense Minister Olexandr Pavlyuk as saying on Sunday. The destroyed weapon systems reportedly included 78 tanks, 113 infantry fighting vehicles, and 130 artillery systems. These figures could not be independently verified.
In the daily updated list of Russian losses in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, the Ukrainian General Staff listed 324,830 soldiers on Sunday who were either killed or wounded. The number of destroyed Russian military tanks was given as 5513. The Ukrainian armed forces also claim to have shot down 5900 drones during the defense against Russian air strikes. These figures cannot be verified.
Neither Kyiv nor Moscow publish the actual losses of their armed forces. US experts estimated the Russian losses last summerauf etwa 120.000 Todesopfer und 180.000 Verletzte; auf der ukrainischen Seite sollen etwa 70.000 Soldaten getötet und ungefähr 120.000 verwundet worden sein.
Intensive Auseinandersetzungen im östlichen und südlichen Gebiet der Ukraine
Am Sonntag informierte die ukrainische militärische Führung über eine Reihe von russischen Angriffen, hauptsächlich im Osten des Landes. Es wurden fünf russische Angriffe rund um Awdijiwka abgewehrt. Es wurden auch starke russische Artillerieangriffe aus der Region Cherson im Süden der Ukraine gemeldet. Die Berichte konnten nicht unabhängig überprüft werden.
Am Sonntag warnte das ukrainische Militär angesichts der laufenden russischen Offensive im Osten des Landes vor der Gefahr einer neuen Einnahme der Industriestadt Kupjansk im Gebiet Charkiw. Der Sprecher der ukrainischen Heerestruppen, Wolodymyr Fitjo, sagte: “Die russischen Besatzer haben die Absicht nicht aufgegeben, die Stadt Kupjansk anzugreifen, sie wollen sie wieder besetzen.”
Was am Montag von Bedeutung sein wird
Es sind neue Auseinandersetzungen im Osten der Ukraine rund um Awdijiwka sowie im Süden des Landes um die ukrainischen Brückenköpfe am Dnipro bei Cherson zu erwarten.
