War against Ukraine: this is the situation

Russian invasion - War against Ukraine: this is the situation

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi wants Ukrainian diplomats to not only organize weapons for their home country in the coming year, but also win hearts. In addition to weapons, the diplomats should also find partners for the expansion of the Ukrainian arms industry in 2024, the presidential chancellery in Kiev reported from Zelensky's meeting with his top diplomats.

Ukraine 's diplomatic representatives should also push ahead with the country's closer ties to the EU and NATO. Above all, the key to further rapprochement with the North Atlantic defense alliance "should not be sought in higher political offices", said the President. "We have to convince societies - just as we managed to rally around Ukraine right at the beginning of the war," said Selensky. "We have to win over people's hearts."

"We need more weapons, because no one will surrender," Selensky presented the diplomats with one of their tasks for 2024. The arms industry also needs support. "Any of you who can help Ukraine to increase the production of weapons, shells, equipment, air defense in Ukraine should do so," he emphasized.

Ukraine and Poland want to deepen cooperation

The first meeting between Zelenskyi and the new Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who had made his first trip abroad to Kiev, was also about weapons and arms factories. In addition to the possible purchase of further weapons from Poland, the two also discussed closer cooperation between their countries. "We discussed very serious possibilities for further joint work - work that will strengthen both our nations," said Selenskyj in his video address about his talks with Sikorski. "This applies above all to joint arms production."

Even before the change of government in Warsaw, Poland was considered one of Ukraine's strongest supporters. Among other things, Poland has already supplied its neighbors with tanks and combat aircraft, which the Ukrainian armed forces urgently need in their defensive battle against the Russian army.

Drones in all directions

Drone attacks by both sides dominated the war on Friday. While Ukrainian combat drones flew to targets inside Russia during the course of the day, the Russian military covered the skies over Ukraine with several waves of so-called kamikaze drones in the evening. After warning the population to take shelter, the air defenses over the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa went into action in the evening. An air alert was also issued in other parts of Ukraine. There was initially no information about any damage or casualties from these attacks.

Heavy fighting in the south and east

Russian troops continued their attacks against positions of the Ukrainian armed forces in the east and south of the country. According to the General Staff in Kiev, 17 Russian attacks were carried out against the Ukrainian bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro near Kherson in the south of the country during the course of the day.

In the east, the town of Avdiivka, which has been heavily contested for weeks, was once again at the center of fierce fighting. "The Avdiivka meat grinder is working at full capacity", wrote the regional Ukrainian military administrator Vitali Barabash on Telegram about the bloody fighting around the town. It is true that the Russian units suffered heavy losses. But: "Unfortunately, the constant enemy attacks are costing the lives and health of our people every day."

Letters and gifts for prisoners of war

A few days before the end of the year, relatives of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war exchanged mail and gifts for their loved ones for the first time. Russia's Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova, told the state agency Tass about this humanitarian action, which had been agreed with Kiev. Mail and parcels were handed over at the Russian-Ukrainian border and are now to be forwarded to the respective prisoners of war.

Romania: Danube arm navigable for goods at night

To improve the transit of Ukrainian goods to the rest of the world, the Sulina arm of the Romanian Danube delta is now navigable at night as well as during the day. The technical conditions have been created, the river administration of the Lower Danube in Galati in eastern Romania told the German press agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Friday. Illuminated buoys have been placed in the water and on the banks. An additional 18 pilots and a modern, digital navigation system have also been provided. Work on further dredging is underway.

Due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the transportation of Ukrainian wheat, which is needed worldwide, is being hindered via Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Romania's Danube Delta is part of an alternative route that resembles a bottleneck.

What is important today

Heavy fighting is expected to continue on the various fronts in Ukraine.