WAR UPDATE 12/26/24
▶️Day 1037 of a 3-day war, that’s been going on for centuries. Kyiv still stands and Russia is still a terrorist state.
▶️ 780,860 (+1540) terrorist dirt bags eliminated.
▶️140,000 documented Russian War Crimes Committed.
▶️Number of days since Russia has committed a War Crime. = 0
▶️Number of days since Russia has lied. = 0
Reported by Christine Stuermer
🔥A car drove into an enlistment office building in the Russian town of Gus-Khrustalny in Vladimir Oblast on the evening of 25 December. The driver rammed the gates and then set the car on fire. Source: Gus-Khrustalny Mayor Aleksey Sokolov; Radio Liberty; Mediazone. Sokolov described the driver as “another victim of Ukrainian scammers”. He said the man had been detained and was giving testimony. Sokolov urged the residents of Gus-Khrustalny to be “very cautious” about calls or messages “demanding that they follow instructions from the caller to carry out illegal actions”.
The Investigative Committee of Vladimir Oblast has initiated a criminal case under the article on deliberate damage to another person’s property by arson. According to Mediazone’s estimates, Russian citizens have attacked banks, police cars and other targets no fewer than 50 times under the influence of “telephone scammers” between 13–24 December. Most of the attacks occurred on 20 and 21 December. At least six individuals detained for arson have been charged with terrorism, while 11 others face charges of deliberate property damage. Mediazone notes that this is the largest wave of such attacks influenced by scammers. The previous major wave occurred between 29 July and 3 August 2023, during which 37 arsons were carried out.
💥The Centre for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has confirmed that the 25 December strike on the command post of the Russian 810th Marine Brigade in Lgov, Kursk Oblast, likely killed the brigade’s deputy commander and 17 other soldiers. Source: Centre for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Quote: “According to the updated reports, the building that housed the command post of the 810th Marine Brigade was partially destroyed. The strike likely killed the deputy commander of the brigade and 17 other servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, most of whom are staff officers.” The Ukrainian defence forces struck the command post of the 810th Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces in the town of Lgov, Kursk Oblast, on the night of 24-25 December. The Ukrainian defenders stated that combat efforts to strike crucial military targets of the Russian forces will continue.
💥Ukraine’s Air Force has carried out a precise strike on a factory producing ballistic missile fuel in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, in Russiaʼs Rostov Oblast. Source: Centre for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram
The military reported that the factory targeted was used by the Russians for producing solid propellant for the ballistic missiles which they use to strike critical and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
On 22 December, Security Service of Ukraine drones attacked the Kadamovsky training ground in Novocherkassk, in Russia’s Rostov Oblast. Overnight on 25-26 December, Vyacheslav Gladkov, Governor of Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, reported a drone attack on the oblast which had left six settlements without power.
RussianWarCrimes 👇
🤬Two people have been killed and two others have been wounded as a result of a Russian FPV drone strike on a multi-storey building in the city of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast.
Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor’s Office on Telegram. Quote: “On 26 December 2024, the occupation forces attacked the city of Chasiv Yar using an FPV drone. A residential building was hit.”
As a result of the attack, two men, 60 and 64, were killed.
Two residents, 27 and 55, were also injured. They were diagnosed with injuries to their limbs. One of them was taken to hospital.
🤬Russian troops conducted a large-scale attack on the border areas of Sumy Oblast on 26 December, killing a man. Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor’s Office. Quote: “The investigation indicates that on 26 December 2024, during the day, using methods of warfare prohibited by international law, the occupiers from the territory of the Russian Federation attacked the border hromadas of Sumy Oblast using a variety of weapons. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.] As the result of the attack on the village of Uhroidy of the Krasnopil hromada of the Sumy district at about 17:00, a house with a 59-year-old man inside caught fire. The house was destroyed and its owner was killed.”
🤬An Azerbaijan Airlines plane flying from Baku to Grozny that crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan was shot down by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system. Source: Reuters, citing its sources. Quote: “One of the Azerbaijani sources familiar with Azerbaijan’s investigation into the crash told Reuters that preliminary results showed the plane was struck by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system. Its communications were paralysed by electronic warfare systems on the approach into Grozny.”
One of the sources indicates that no one claims that this was done intentionally. “However, taking into account the established facts, Baku expects the Russian side to confess to the shooting down of the Azerbaijani aircraft,” the source said. Three other sources confirmed that the Azerbaijani investigation had reached the same preliminary conclusion. The Russian Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters reports that flight J2-8243 crashed in a firestorm after it veered off course from the southern region of Russia, where Moscow has repeatedly used air defence systems against Ukrainian drones.
🤬Russian troops attacked Zolochiv in Kharkiv Oblast on 26 December, killing a man and injuring a woman. Source: Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration
Quote: “The occupiers attacked Zolochiv. A guided aerial bomb hit a house. One civilian was killed. Another local resident was injured. Law enforcement officers are working at the scene and recording the crimes of the Russian army.”
🤬Russian forces struck the Nikopol central market in Ukraine on Thursday, 26 December. Six civilians are currently known to have been injured in the attack. Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Telegram; Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Telegram. Russian forces carried out an attack on the central market in the city of Nikopol, Ukraine, on 26 December. Six people – four women and two men – were injured in the attack. They were given medical assistance and hospitalised. A number of stalls and shops were significantly damaged. Serhii Lysak, head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, stated that the hospitalised women aged 39, 63, and 64 are in severe condition Other victims of the attack are in a state of moderate severity.
✅️President Zelenskyy, in his evening address on 26 December, praised the brigades participating in the Kursk operation and the soldiers carrying out long-range strikes on Russian territory. Source: Zelenskyy’s address. Quote: “I thank our 95th, 80th and 82nd Separate Air Assault Brigades for their resilience and bravery in battles over these weeks. Also, the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade – well done, guys! My gratitude as well to the 225th and 425th Separate Assault Battalions – thank you! I would also like to highlight all our warriors who are carrying out long-range strikes on Russian territory. We are seeing the right and necessary results in destroying the military infrastructure of the enemy – and only military targets. Ukraine is defending itself from aggression, and our strikes are exclusively directed at military targets. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, Defence Intelligence, the Foreign Intelligence Service – I am grateful to all involved structures for their precision.”
Zelenskyy received reports from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defence Minister Rustem Umierov. Quote: “It is very important that the United States is now increasing deliveries. This is necessary to stabilise the situation. I am grateful to our partners. The pace of deliveries must be such that it disrupts the pace of Russian assaults. We need greater strength of weapons. And strong positions for diplomacy. And every unit, every brigade contributing to this, brings us closer to the possibility of a normal peace.”
✅️Reporting and Analysis from the Institute for the Study of War. (ISW)
▪️No report at the time of publication.
✅Report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
▶️ No report at the time of publication.
🌎International Support:
✅️The Ukrainian state budget has received about US$1.7 billion from the government of Japan for World Bank projects.
Source: Ukraine’s Finance Ministry. Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal stated that the funds will be allocated to projects in the social, healthcare, and education sectors, as well as for the restoration and support of businesses. These funds were received between November and December through the following programmes:
US$602 million loan under the Investing in Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, and Efficiency (INSPIRE) project.
US$400 million loan in December 2024 under the Supporting Reconstruction through Smart Fiscal Governance (SURGE) project.
US$250 million loan between November and December 2024 under the Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprise (RISE) project.
US$220 million in December 2024 under the Transforming Healthcare through Reform and Investments in Efficiency (THRIVE) project.
US$200 million between November and December 2024 under the Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need (LEARN) project.
✅️Following Russia’s large-scale attack on Ukraine on Christmas Day, US President Joe Biden has said that he has directed the Pentagon to boost the supply of weapons to Ukraine. He said that hundreds of air defence missiles have already been provided in recent months, with more on the way. Source: statement by President Biden on the White House website. Quote: “In the early hours of Christmas, Russia launched waves of missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and critical energy infrastructure.
The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardise the safety of its grid.” Biden stressed that “the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety” and said that the United States and the international community must continue supporting Ukraine until it triumphs over Russian aggression. Quote: “In recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defence missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defence to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in its defence against Russian forces.”
✅️More than 30 cars for Ukrainian soldiers will set out in a convoy from Kaunas, Lithuania, on 26 December. Source: Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT, citing a statement by the Friends of Ukraine Foundation, as reported by European Pravda. The Friends of Ukraine Foundation, which organised the action, said that this is the eleventh such convoy. Volunteers will drive cars to Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Sumy oblasts to personally deliver them, along with stoves, warm clothes, trench candles, dry rations and other necessities to Ukrainian soldiers. Meanwhile, later today, a march for Ukraine will be held in Kulautuva. All money from the march will be donated to Ukrainians in need. “We are only able to celebrate Christmas here in Lithuania in peace because Ukraine is still fighting. The least that we can do in this situation is devote one of the three days [of Christmas celebrations] to supporting Ukrainians fighting for freedom. To help not just with money, but with morale,” said Nerijus Budrys, the march’s organiser.
✅️Alle Dorhout, Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine, stated that the Netherlands has already given Ukraine €3.8 billion and plans to donate another €6 billion. Source: Alle Dorhout in an interview with Ukrinform, as reported by European Pravda. Dorhout remarked that the Netherlands has supported Ukraine in a variety of ways over the last three years, including moral, humanitarian, economic, and military support, as well as assistance with rebuilding efforts. Quote: “We have already given €3.8 billion and another €6 billion is in the works. Overall, the Netherlands have provided more than €10 billion military aid, including nearly €4 billion that Ukraine has already received,” he explained.
Dorhout added that helping Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was one of the Netherlands’ priorities. “We have already done a lot to support your country, and we are always looking for new opportunities. My colleagues are always talking to the Ukrainian side to understand how else we can help Ukraine survive this winter,” Dorhout said. He stressed that fighting Russian aggression is “not only in Ukraine’s interest, but in the interest of Europe,” because it is about ensuring security, prosperity, and protection of values. In light of this, Dorhout commented on the importance of Ukraine joining the EU, because the European Union Association Agreement includes security provisions. “When the war ends, the EU will absolutely have a long-term relationship with Ukraine, and I think that everything the EU and its member states are currently doing in terms of military aid for Ukraine will shift somewhat towards economic aid, rebuilding efforts, and the like,” he added.
🤡💩Russian ruler Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, 26 December, answering a question about the prospects for ending the war in Ukraine in 2025, that he was “striving” to end it but was still going to achieve his “goals”. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti; Interfax Russian Service. Quote from Putin: “Our people say, ‘I would like it to be as you are saying’. We also want to end the conflict [war – ed.] in Ukraine.” After this statement, Putin spoke again about how he wants to achieve his “goals” in the war next year. “Of course, we proceed from the fact that we will solve all the tasks of the special military operation [this is what Putin calls the military aggression against Ukraine – ed.]. This is the number one task in general. We will achieve success on the contact line,” he added. According to Putin, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who travelled to Moscow to meet Putin on 22 December, allegedly offered to “provide a platform for his country” for the talks.
🤥Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that France has repeatedly appealed to Russia through closed channels, proposing that they establish a dialogue on the Russian-Ukrainian war without Ukraine’s participation. Source: Sergei Lavrov in an interview with Russian and foreign media, as reported by European Pravda citing Russian newspaper Kommersant. Lavrov claims that Moscow has not refused to engage in talks and was “ready to listen” to Paris’ proposals. However, the minister added that “France is the main initiator of sending so-called peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.”
Quote from Lavrov: “Our French colleagues have expressed a willingness to take a proactive role in a variety of issues, which we appreciate, but I am uncertain what the outcome of such initiatives will be or how sincere the desire to play a good role is.
Several times, we have received requests from our French colleagues via closed channels: Let us help and establish a dialogue on the Ukrainian issue. Without Ukraine’s participation, by the way, just a dialogue on the Ukrainian issue, seemingly violating the principle that the West keeps reiterating: ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’.” More details: The Russian Foreign Minister said that at the same time, France is training the Ukrainian military on its territory and is in favour of sending a European contingent to Ukraine.
