War against Ukraine: this is the situation

Russian invasion - War against Ukraine: this is the situation

Russia attacked Ukraine again overnight with swarms of kamikaze drones. According to the Ukrainian air force, the Iranian-made Shahed drones flew in from the east and south. From the evening hours of Wednesday, there was an air alert in the east and center of Ukraine, depending on where the swarms of drones were headed.

In his video address, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the importance of drones of all kinds for Ukraine's warfare. "This is an obvious priority of the state and a very concrete way to save the lives of our soldiers," he said. The General Staff in Kiev reported unchanged fierce ground fighting on many sections of the front in eastern and southern Ukraine. Today is the 666th day of war; Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion since February 2022.

Ukraine needs drones of all kinds

Selenskyj said that he had spoken to the government and military in Kiev about what drones were in stock and what was needed on the front. "The logistics will be faster," said the president. Work is also underway to improve the effectiveness of drones.

The importance of drones of all sizes has increased greatly in the almost 22 months of the war. Both Ukrainian and Russian soldiers use small camera drones to observe every move of the enemy on the battlefield. Such aircraft can also drop small explosive charges over tanks or trenches. The Ukrainians use them to partially compensate for their lack of artillery ammunition. Russia has very effective technology for jamming the electronics of enemy drones.

Russia uses Shahed drones almost every night, which, like kamikaze planes, crash over their target with an explosive charge at the end of the flight. Ukraine is further developing its own drones and giving them greater range. So far, however, the damage they cause when attacking targets in Russia has been limited.

Kiev military admits territorial gains

The Ukrainian military confirms that the Russians have gained ground during their ground offensive in south-eastern Ukraine over the past two months. "Since October 10, when the enemy became more active, it has advanced by one and a half to two kilometers in some places," said Colonel Olexander Shtupun, army press spokesman in this section of the front. He added: "But that cost him a lot." The main focus of the attacks is the industrial city of Avdiivka, which is close to the Russian-controlled Donbass capital of Donetsk.

Shtupun admitted that the enemy was superior in terms of manpower. The high Russian deployment of soldiers and tanks in the region is confirmed by observers such as the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the USA, as are the high Russian losses. Their reports also confirm that the Russians are advancing, putting pressure on Ukraine in Avdiivka.

On Wednesday, the evening report of the Ukrainian General Staff listed 89 individual Russian ground attacks on 7 sections of the front. According to the report, there were again 31 battles near Avdiivka. However, 29 battles were also counted on the southern bank of the Dnipro near Krynki in the Kherson region. The Ukrainian army has been maintaining a bridgehead there for several weeks.

Kiev wants to draft Ukrainians from abroad

In Ukraine's search for additional soldiers, the new defense minister Rustem Umjerow also wants to call up men living abroad for military service next year. Ukrainians between the ages of 25 and 60 in Germany and other countries who are fit for military service should be asked to report to the armed forces' recruitment centers. This was announced by Umjerow in an interview with "Bild", Welt TV and "Politico".

The Ukrainian military would like to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 more soldiers. However, the financial and political framework conditions have not yet been clarified. President Zelenskyi has called the mobilization a "sensitive issue". Despite the ban, many Ukrainian men have gone abroad before a possible call-up.

EU gives 150 million euros for reconstruction

The European Union has transferred 150 million euros to Ukraine for reconstruction. According to the Ministry of Finance in Kiev, the funds are being provided as part of an agreement with the EU for the rapid restoration of infrastructure in Ukraine. According to Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko, the funds are for damage to the transport network, utilities, the social sector and residential buildings.

A second tranche of 100 million euros is expected in the first quarter of 2024. The money is to be used for economic stimulus measures and to support agricultural businesses.

This will be important today

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is holding a press conference in Budapest to mark the end of the year. Questions about Ukraine are also expected. Orban maintains close contacts with Moscow despite the war. He is the EU's staunchest opponent of Ukraine's accession. An EU summit last week was only able to reach a decision on accession talks with Kiev because Orban did not vote. His country is also blocking a large EU aid package worth 50 billion euros.