12/13/22 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

12/12-12/13/23 Update, day 657-658 of Russian invasion.


Belarus/Western Border:

Local authorities on the Polish border revoked permission for Polish truck drivers to hold a new protest along the UA border until March. This comes after the same local authorities dispersed the previous protest which had lasted from early November.

Currently, there remains about 2600 trucks waiting at the UA/Polish border. Blockages continue at the slovakian border with 560 trucks at standstill.

Despite the Hungarian communities in W Ukraine reaching out and urging Hungarian PM Viktor Orban to support Ukraine's accession to the EU, Orban continues to stonewall the process.

The new Polish PM stated Poland will demand total mobilization of the West to aid Ukraine.


Kyiv/ West Ukraine:

Following two successive nights of ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, there have been at least 51 people injured by debris, reportedly after all 10 ballistic missiles were intercepted. They're believed to be an S-300/400 or Iskander launches. With the attacks occurring prior to any alert, it has caused some concern among Kyiv residents after months of relative safety.

There was temporary water interruptions in NE Kyiv following the attack, resolved approximately 4 hours later.

Following a targeting phishing cyberattack on Tuesday, the predominant UA cellular provider Kyivstar was taken offline. While other UA cellular networks have all broadly enabled cross-network roaming for free since the invasion began, this has still caused issues with communication and internet connections. The UA government suspended Kyivstar roaming due to overload of other networks, and is requesting citizens make use of Wifi and other avenues.

Due to the fact so many payments are done electronically with reference to cellular plans, this has caused a number of issues beyond lack of communication.

As of this evening, there is some restoration of Kyivstar service in central and western ukraine.

Pensions are discussed in being extended automatically for IDP's who are incapable of work, disabled, or orphans.

The UA Economic ministry proposed deregulating 222/298 (74%) of "outdated regulations and instruments", with an emphasis on medical industries and improving digitalization.


Sumy/Chernihiv/Kharkiv city:

5500 people lost power in south Kharkiv oblast due to freezing of electrical infrastructure.

A 60 year old man in Kharkiv was sentenced to 15 years in jail for passing along information on UA pilots and soldiers to the FSB.

3 RU citizens were injured in Belgorod when they drove into a mine. RU has maintained it will keep the airport in Kursk closed for the duration of the war.


Kupyansk/Kreminna/Svatove

UA forces have reportedly repelled 14 assaults in the Kupyansk region. Per local commanders, while RU continues attempts to assault and seize Synkivka, they have had no success for months. Overall, RU operations tempo here has reduced in recent days.

RU continues to shell the city, and attempt strikes further along the main highway E of Oskil river. RU forces made limited gains near Ivanivka as they continue attempts to push to the main highway.

Discussions are underway regarding further mandatory evacuation of children from Kupyansk and the surrounding area. Currently, about 1000 children live in the region of which 300 reside in the city itself.

RU troops continue efforts to push out from the stagnant lines around Kreminna, with no noted gains.


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

RU forces continue efforts to push N from Soledar, near Vesele. There has been a resurgence in RU efforts here, as they test UA positions along the Donetsk/Luhansk oblast border which have remained stable for almost a year.

RU forces have continued efforts to push W from Bakhmut via Kromove towards Chasiv yar, the last vestiges of civilization before Bakhmut. They have recently pushed further from the SW side of Bakhmut, which may also be an attempt to dislodge the UA defenders in Kliischivka, where RU assaults have been very costly with minimal success.


Avdiivka:

RU forces continue efforts to push around NW Avdiivka, now attempting to circumvent Stepove following fierce UA resistance. RU forces also continue efforts to approach further from the E, as their prior direct attempts towards the Avdiivka coke plant have been unsuccessful.

To the SE of Avdiivka, RU forces have had some success pushing up the roadway into the suburbs.

Per the UA commander in the Avdiivka region, there were 80 engagements between Avdiivka and Marinka, while RU lost 13 tanks, 12 APCs, and 400 soldiers over the last 24 hours.

Per US intel, over 13,000 RU soldiers have become casualties along with 220 armored vehicles since october in the Avdiivka offensive.


Donetsk/Luhansk occupied regions:

RU forces continue to push W out of Marinka, raising a flag on the western city outskirts.

UA forces managed to raise a flag over an industrial heap NW of Horlivka, as RU forces claim that the weather is impeding their drone activity.


Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

Footage appears to show RU soldiers using UA POW's as literal human shields during an assault near Robotyne.

RY forces have seized more territory to the W of Robotyne, aided with drone strikes and MLRS.

Due to interference with the Kyivstar system used to switch on street lighting in Dnipro, a number of streetlights failed to turn on and had to be set manually. While medical registration is currently impeded at hospitals, medical facilities themselves continue to function.

RU launched 88 strikes on 21 populated areas, with 17 drone attacks. There were no reported civilian casualties.

RU continues to shell Nikopol from the Zaporizhia NPP across the river.


Kherson:

Per UA Operational Command south, there are difficulties in Dnipro river operations, as RU air power and thick fog limit movement.

RU continues to shell Kherson region, firing some 600 shells across the river and 40 into Kherson city proper. Authorities have stated RU is deliberately targeting large groups of people and humanitarian aid.

It is expected that there will be worsening weather in the Kherson region, with high gusts and fog.

UA forces appear to further contesting the W side of Krynky, as more UA artillery missions are noted. RU glide bomb attacks continue heavily in this region.


Odessa/Black Sea/Crimea:

RU launched Shahed drones towards Odesa overnight, targeting the southern portion of the city. One man was seriously injured, as 9 drones were shot down damaging civil and port infrastructure.

RU is apparently using its naval forces as air defense in Sevastopol bay, rather then deploying them into the black sea.

RU has apparently taken to launching Shahed-136 drones from a new site south of Sevastopol, bringing the total known launch sites to 5 around Ukraine.

The Odesa military region commander stated that currently their is no shortage of basic equipment for soldiers, despite the constant fundraisers and requests for crowdfunding. He placed blame on "soldiers wanting more expensive/nonstandard equipment"

Russia:

Deputies of the Novograd region adopted a law stating that "inducing abortions" will be punishable as a crime. This comes on the heels of overall proposals to limit reproductive rights of woman across Russia, leading to the suspension of abortion services in Kaliningrad, Kursk, Cheylablinsk, Lipetsk, Tatarstan, and occupied Crimea. This has not gone without some concern by RU citizens, who are petitioning a proposed federal ban on private clinic abortions across Russia.

Per The US intel community, RU is seeking to weaken western support to Ukraine via assaults in Eastern Ukraine, so as to suggest the war is unwinnable for UA regardless of aid. Per the same report, RU has lost approximately 315,000 soldiers out of its original 360k, 2200/3500 tanks, 4400/13,600 APC, and 1/4 of its overall military stockpiles. This is being offset with recruiting efforts and mobilization of industries.

UA allegedly managed to hack and paralyze the RU tax system on the backend, and states RU is currently attempting to restore the system unsuccessfully.

Following 3 Uzbek migrant children extinguishing the St. Petersburg eternal flame with snowballs, they are being held in detention and their parents are threatened with deportation.


General:

Over the last 24 hours UA forces conducted 3 air strikes, and RU forces conducted 10 air strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:

850x soldiers (Total 339,850)
15x APC
18x Tank
0x Air defense
3x Artillery (0xMLRS)
12x vehicles
10x UAV


Overseas:

The EU unfroze 10 Billion euros for Hungary ahead of the EU summit, as Hungary has previously threatened to veto EU plans to supply 50 Billion Euros over the next 4 years to Ukraine, as well as opening membership talks with UA. The discussions, due to take place on the 14th-15th, will likely be significant regardless of the result. Other issues to be discussed include offering membership negotiations to Moldova.

The leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden made a joint statement following the results of the second Ukraine-Northern Europe summit where Zelensky arrived today, promising further assistance to Ukraine. Denmark is expected to approve a 1 Billion euro package of military aid tomorrow. Norway will transfer additional NASAMS air defense systems as well as part of $1.8 Billion USD package over the next 5 years.

Germany hosted a meeting with 22 countries on a coalition for strengthening UA air defense.

US negotiations continue on passage of a defense spending bill allocating resources to Ukraine, as the US announced an additional $200 million in support. Congress will not go on recess for another week, until December 21st. President Biden is stated to be amenable to concessions with republican lawmakers to ensure passage of the bill.

In a joint US-UA briefing in DC, Zelensky stated the UA military goals for 2024 are to deprive RU of air superiority and disrupt RU offensive ops, primarily by targeting logistics.