21:27 Federal Foreign Office sharply criticizes Moscow after verdict against poet

The Federal Foreign Office has reacted with harsh criticism to the sentencing of two Russian poets to several years in prison for their participation in a public anti-war reading (see ticker entry from 16:04). "The Russian regime is allowing the judiciary to stifle freedom of expression", the ministry declared on X. A few hours earlier, a court in Moscow had sentenced the poets Artyom Kamardin and Igor Shtovba in Moscow for "incitement to hatred" and "public calls for activities against state security". Kamardin, 33, and Shtovba, ten years his junior, were arrested in September 2022 after taking part in a public reading in Moscow criticizing the offensive in Ukraine.

20:45 Selenskyj: Exports of 12 million tons via Black Sea corridor so far
Exports of twelve million tons have been transported via the temporary corridor in the Black Sea, which was established in August. In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that the corridor "brought particularly important results in December, and this can be felt at the level of our entire economy". Following Russia's withdrawal from the grain agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey, Ukraine established a so-called humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea. Cargo ships that have been stuck in Ukrainian ports since the start of the war in February 2022 have been able to leave via this corridor. Freighters also use it to call at Ukrainian ports to pick up cargo. There is a de facto blockade because Russia suspended the agreement that guaranteed the safe passage of such freighters carrying Ukrainian grain in July. This blockade is to be circumvented by the corridor.

19:50 Ukraine reports dead and injured in Russian attacks in the south
According to the Ukrainian authorities, at least three people have been killed and nine others injured in Russian attacks on several targets in the south of Ukraine. Two fishermen were killed in the shelling of the village of Bilenke in the Zaporizhzhya region, the Prosecutor General's Office announced on Telegram. Five other civilians suffered injuries of varying severity. According to the authorities, one villager was killed and four others were injured in another Russian attack on the village of Orikhiv. According to police reports, the Kharkiv region in north-eastern Ukraine was also the target of several Russian attacks. Following an attack on the town of Vovchansk near the border with Russia, a 60-year-old woman died of her serious injuries, police said. Three women aged between 58 and 76 were injured in an airstrike on the village of Glushkivka.

19:02 Naked party scandal in Russia: top celebrities get into trouble
After a scandal involving a party with lots of naked skin, internationally renowned music stars Filip Kirkorov and Dima Bilan have come under pressure in Moscow. Presenter Xeniya Sobchak, who ran against Valdimir Putin in the 2018 presidential election, was also present. The 42-year-old is the daughter of Anatoly Sobchak, the former mayor of St. Petersburg and political mentor of Vladimir Putin.

Among other things, the celebrities, including many supporters of Kremlin policy and the attack on Ukraine, are facing consequences after photos and videos of the raunchy party organized in a club were published. For days, state media have been reporting on the "decadent" party of rich show stars who danced half-naked, splashed and had fun at a time when Russian soldiers were giving their lives in the war against Ukraine. According to the media, Kirkorov, the "king of the Russian pop scene", is threatened with being stripped of the title of "People's Artist" by the Ministry of Culture. The party itself took place on December 20 at the invitation of blogger Nastya Ivleeva under the motto "Almost naked". Due to the growing public outrage, the Russian authorities got involved. An investigation was launched on suspicion of "LGBT propaganda". One rapper was sentenced to 15 days in prison because photos and a video showed him naked with only a sock around his penis.

Those involved in the party have since publicly apologized for their half-naked appearance - some of them in videos. But that is apparently not the end of the story. The club was closed. Several pop stars such as the singer Lolita Milyavskaya are complaining about a quasi-performance ban.

18:35 Selensky appoints new governor in the frontline region of Donetsk
The embattled eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk has a new governor. President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Vadym Filashkin by decree. Filashkin had already been deputy governor for the region since February 2019. His predecessor Pavlo Kyrylenko was appointed head of the Cartel Office in Kiev in September. More than half of the region on the border with Russia is occupied by Russian troops. In a further decree, Zelensky appoints Olexander Koval as the new governor for the western Ukrainian region of Rivne. Koval previously headed the administration of Rivne district.

17:38 German government: EU will support Ukraine even without Hungary
According to the German government, the EU will continue to support Ukraine "in any case" despite opposition from Hungary. This was emphasized by a spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. "For us as the German government, it is clear that the Ukraine Facility remains the best and most sustainable solution from our point of view," he added with regard to the plan to anchor 50 billion euros in financial aid in the upcoming EU budgets. Such a decision was not yet possible at the EU summit in December because Hungary refused to give its consent. A special summit is to be held in Brussels in January. "The EU will continue its support," said the spokesperson. Even without Hungary, the other 26 EU states would be able to act. He did not want to speculate on what this might look like.

According to media reports, a Plan B is being worked on, which could include an intergovernmental agreement between the 26 EU states without Hungary or guarantees from these states for renewed borrowing by the EU Commission. However, the spokesperson emphasized that the German government's priority remains an anchoring in the EU budget. This is only possible with a unanimous decision by the 27 EU countries.

16:47 Selenskyj calls for further US support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj thanks the USA for releasing the last military aid for his country for the time being. "I thank President Joe Biden, Congress and the American people," Selensky wrote on X. The aid package covers Ukraine's "most urgent needs", but his country is still dependent on US help in the war against Russia. Selensky explains that US aid is indispensable for Ukraine to defend itself against "terror and aggression". "In order to defend freedom and security in Ukraine, in Europe, but also in the United States, we must continue to react firmly and decisively to Russian aggression," the president warned.

16:04 Two poets sentenced to long prison terms in Russia
Two Russian poets have been sentenced to several years in prison for taking part in a public reading criticizing the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Artyom Kamardin, who recited a poem at the reading himself, has been sentenced to seven years in prison, according to the verdict announced in Moscow. Igor Shtovba, who took part in the protest event, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison. The two men were charged with "incitement to hatred" and "public calls for activities against state security". Supporters of the two poets shouted "Shame!" in the courtroom after the verdict was announced. Kamardin's father spoke of "absolute arbitrariness". Outside the court, police arrested several supporters of the defendants.

15:21 Berlin: Russia sanctions work despite high oil sales
Despite high Russian oil sales, the German government defends the Western sanctions policy against Russia as successful. "The sanctions are very diverse. They are also effective," says a spokesperson for the Ministry of Economics in Berlin. Looking only at the oil markets is not enough, especially as the aim was also to ensure security of supply on the global markets. Russia announced on Wednesday that it was now selling almost all of its oil to India and China. There has long been a debate about how successful the Western sanctions have been. Many sanctions have an indirect effect, emphasizes the spokesperson for the Ministry of Economics, who also points out that the EU has just adopted a twelfth package of punitive measures. They are trying to gradually prevent the circumvention of sanctions.

14:38 First corona, then war: Ukrainian schoolchildren suffer from lonely distance learning
First they had to learn from home because of corona, then attending school became too dangerous due to the war. Many Ukrainian children like Arina Herasymova were unable to build a circle of friends due to the forced offline lessons.

14:03 Lukashenko predicts Ukraine's collapse
Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko predicts that Ukraine will collapse if it does not surrender. During a visit to St. Petersburg, he was asked whether there was a chance that the Ukraine problem would be solved in the coming year, according to a report in Belarus. "I think there is a chance," Lukashenko said according to the report. "We will work more closely with them so that they understand that this is their only chance." There is already a lot of pressure. Zelensky is beginning to understand this, said Lukashenko. In fact, the Ukrainian president has shown no willingness to give in.

13:26 Liberal war opponent allowed to continue election campaign in Russia
The central election commission in Russia has allowed opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin to continue his campaign for a candidacy in the 2024 presidential election. He has received permission to open a donation account for his election campaign and to start collecting signatures, Nadezhdin announced on his Telegram channel. The 60-year-old was nominated by the Citizens' Initiative party. For final registration, however, the liberal anti-war activist must still collect 100,000 signatures of support within the next three weeks, which the electoral commission must recognize as genuine. In previous years, the commission had repeatedly screened out candidates who were not acceptable to the Kremlin for formal reasons when collecting signatures. However, Nadezhdin was optimistic. "We can do it," he said.

13:05 Russian airborne troops allegedly responsible for murders in Zaporizhia
According to investigators, members of the 76th airborne unit could be responsible for the murders of prisoners of war in the Zaporizhia oblast (see entry from 6:53 a.m.). The General Prosecutor's Office has concluded this from video footage of the crimes. "The division is already known for war crimes committed in Ukraine," said an official. The authority is said to have received the video footage on December 16.

12:27 Latvia supplies Ukraine with 32 diesel generators
Ukraine is to receive 32 diesel generators from Latvia. These are to be used in educational institutions, reports the website "Ukrainska Pravda". One of them will be used in a kindergarten with 200 places in Varva (Chernihiv oblast), according to the local director Daryna Halushka.

11:58 "High motivation of first days of war no longer given"
Military expert Ralph Thiele doubts that the Ukrainian army will be successful in recruiting men from abroad. This is because the lack of territorial gains and the uncertain support from the West are having a noticeable effect on fighting morale.

11:25 Attack on town near Russian border
The Russians attack the town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv oblast. According to the regional military administration, one person was killed and another injured. The city is close to the Russian border and had around 19,000 inhabitants before the Russian invasion in February 2022.

10:59 Putin should expect a five-year war
Putin is said to have told Chinese President Xi Jinping in March that he expects a five-year war in Ukraine. This was reported by the news website "Ukrainska Pravda", citing the portal "Nikkei Asia". The Russian president made the comments when Xi visited Moscow. Experts also expect a long war. Russia and China are not officially allied, but Beijing is pursuing a course of "benevolent neutrality" in favor of Moscow. Xi is openly pursuing the goal of "uniting" China with Taiwan. He is said to be planning an invasion in the coming years.

10:20 Russians name their number of regular soldiers for the first time
According to its own information, the Russian military has more than 640,000 temporary soldiers under contract. This is according to documents from the Ministry of Defense cited by the internet portal RBK. It is the first time since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine that the ministry in Moscow has named the exact number of regular soldiers in its own ranks. On December 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree to increase the number of soldiers in the Russian military by 170,000 to a total of 1.32 million. This was the second increase since the start of the war, after he had ordered an increase in the Russian armed forces to 1.15 million men in the summer of 2022. The Ministry of Defense explained that the increase in the army will be achieved by recruiting volunteers for temporary service.

09:54 Freighter in the Black Sea hits sea mine
According to Ukrainian reports, a freighter has hit a mine in the Black Sea. Two people were injured in the incident, according to the Ukrainian military. The ship was sailing under the flag of Panama to load grain in a Danube port. A fire broke out on the upper deck and the crew lost control of the ship's steering. Tugs were sent to help.

09:36 Russians are said to have lost 920 men in one day
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, 920 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded yesterday alone. According to a report in the Kyiv Independent, this brings the estimated total number of Russian losses to 356,670.

08:56 Satellite photos prove Ukrainian direct hit

The Ukrainian precision attack in Crimea has hit the Russian Black Sea Fleet harder than previously known. The attacked warship "Novocherkassk" was completely destroyed in the air strike on the night of December 26, as high-resolution satellite images show. The burnt-out wreckage of the landing ship in the port of Feodosiya is clearly visible in the images from the US provider Maxar. The Russian military had already acknowledged the attack, but had so far only spoken of "damage" to the ship.

08:19 Ukraine repels seven out of eight drone attacks
The Ukrainian air force says it has repelled seven out of eight Russian drone attacks during the night. The drones were shot down in three regions in the center and south of Ukraine, the air force announced on Telegram. It is initially unclear whether the drone that was not shot down reached its target. The night before, Russia had launched a much larger wave of attacks on Ukraine when, according to the Ukrainian air force, 32 out of 46 drones were shot down.

08:05 Ukraine restores power supply in Kherson
After Russian attacks the day before, the gas supply in Kherson has been restored. President Zelenskyi said that all state agencies were working to restore the energy supply. The day before, Russia had attacked Kherson and the railroad station in particular. According to Interior Minister Klymenko, 140 people were there. At least one person was killed.

07:38 Russian diplomat: Finland will be the first to suffer

According to Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov, Finland will be the first country to suffer from an escalation of tensions between Russia and NATO. "They lived quietly and in peace until they suddenly found themselves in this alliance between Russia and NATO. But since they are our neighbors, they will be the first to suffer if, God forbid, there is an escalation," Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna told the Ria news agency. Russia has threatened Finland this month over a new defense agreement granting the US wide-ranging access near Finland's border with Russia.

06:53 ISW: Drone images show killings of Ukrainian prisoners
The British think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports on murders of Ukrainian prisoners. According to the report, drone images show Russian soldiers shooting three Ukrainian men near Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhya oblast. The soldiers had previously been captured near Verkhove. According to the report, Ukrainian law enforcement authorities announced an investigation. The murder of prisoners of war is a war crime.

06:20 Nouripour: Could not compensate for loss of US aid
Green Party leader Omid Nouripour has pointed out the central role of the US in Western support for Ukraine. Germany and the EU could not compensate for the loss of American support, Nouripour told the German Press Agency in Berlin. "It is hardly possible to simply compensate for what the Americans have done so far, neither in terms of material nor money. But of course we Europeans will have to step up our aid for Ukraine in this case." The release of new US aid for Ukraine is currently being blocked by a dispute in the US parliament. According to the government in Washington, the previously approved aid for Ukraine will be used up by the end of the year.

05:18 Ukraine now counts 277 dead from landmines
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, 277 people in Ukraine have been killed by Russian landmines and other explosive devices. This was reported by the "Kyiv Independent" with reference to the state disaster control service. Among the dead were 14 children. 608 people, including 74 children, were injured by landmine explosions. Ukraine is now considered to be the most heavily mined country in the world. Currently, clearing the explosive devices is made more difficult by the snow cover.

01:22 Moldova's president: Putin will not stop if he is not stopped
The President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, warns against losing sight of the war in Ukraine: "You have to understand that Putin will not stop if he is not stopped," the pro-European politician tells an interview with the Romania-based media group Veridica. "And if he is not stopped, the cost for all of us will be much higher. It is Ukraine that is making the biggest sacrifice." It is in everyone's interest, "not just Ukraine and Moldova", that Ukraine continues to receive aid. Sandu has long denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and describes the Kremlin as the biggest threat to her country, which lies between Ukraine and EU member Romania. Russia accuses her of torpedoing good relations.

23:52 Putin invites India's head of government Modi to Russia
Russian President Putin has invited India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia next year. "We are waiting for him in Russia," Putin said at a meeting with India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, according to a Kremlin statement. According to the statement, the Indian leadership has already agreed in principle to the visit. India and Russia maintain good economic and political relations. The leadership in New Delhi is neutral towards the Russian war of aggression, does not support Western sanctions against Moscow and repeatedly promotes conflict resolution through dialog. Since the start of the war, India has increased imports of cheap oil from Russia.

22:17 USA provides Ukraine with last aid package for the time being
The US government is providing Ukraine with a further 250 million US dollars (around 225 million euros) in military aid - meaning that the US funds approved to date have now been largely exhausted. This is the last package this year, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Among other things, the aid mainly includes ammunition - including 15 million rounds for smaller weapons as well as ammunition for air defense or the US Himars multiple rocket launcher. How US support will continue in the future is completely open. The White House had already declared in mid-December that it only had funds for one further military aid package for Ukraine this year. The release of further funds is currently being blocked by a dispute in the US Parliament between Republicans and Democrats. It is unclear if, how and when both parties will agree on new funds next year.

21:36 Selenskyj: Ukraine can become one of the largest arms producers
According to President Volodymyr Selenskyj, Ukraine can become one of the largest arms producers in the world in the future. He is certain that the Ukrainian arms industry "can definitely become one of the top 10 most productive and strongest arms complexes in the world over time", said Zelensky in his evening video address. The industry is already contributing not only to strengthening Russia's own defense capabilities against the war of aggression, but also to economic growth and employment. Selensky praised the agreement with Western partners, above all the USA, on joint weapons production as "one of our greatest political achievements this year". This makes it possible to build modern military equipment. The production of Western types of weapons is to be further localized.

20:49 Ukraine: tripled its own arms production this year
According to Ukraine, it has significantly increased its production of military equipment in 2023 despite constant Russian airstrikes. "Overall, we have tripled our production this year," Olexander Kamyshin, Minister for Strategic Industries, told journalists in Kiev. Almost a third of the economic growth of 4.9 percent was generated by defense companies. A total of around 300,000 workers are currently employed in the 500 or so mostly private companies. According to the minister, Kiev has increased the production of mortar shells by a factor of 42, among other things. Production of artillery shells has almost tripled.

19:59 Putin challenger Duntsova wants to found her own party
In Russia, journalist Ekaterina Duntsova, who was excluded from the presidential election, announces the founding of her own party. "This will be the party of all those who stand up for peace, freedom and democracy," Duntsova declared on Telegram. The Russian Supreme Court had previously rejected Duntsova's appeal against her exclusion from next year's election. The peace activist was previously only politically active as a city councillor in the Russian province. Among other things, she had publicly spoken out against the Russian offensive in Ukraine. "We have to act to make our voice heard," Duntsova continues. She hopes that this will give Russians "the right to live without fear, to speak freely and to have confidence in the future".

You can read about all previous developments here.