Monday, December 2

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of the Russian attacks against the Dniprovskyi district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on the evening of Nov. 30, 2024. (Governor Serhii Lysak / Telegram)

_‘It may not have been a major news event in Ukraine, but the Kyiv Independent turned three years old this month. For our birthday we launched a campaign to reach 1,000 new members. If you find our reporting useful and can afford to support the Kyiv Independent, please do so _following this link and get us closer to our goal of 1,000 new supporters. The contributions will go directly towards strengthening our journalism.’

‘Article 5 cannot apply to entire territory of Ukraine during wartime,’ Zelensky says on potential NATO invite. If Ukraine were to join NATO, the alliance’s Article 5 collective defense principle may not apply to Ukrainian territories facing active combat, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 1.

Russia launched nearly 350 missiles, over 2,500 attack drones at Ukraine in November. Russia launched a total of 347 missiles as well as over 2,500 Shahed-type attack drones at Ukraine in November, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a news conference on Dec. 1.

Over 2 million applications received on first day of new ‘eSupport’ financial aid program for citizens, Zelensky says. Ukraine’s new eSuccess program received over 2.1 million applications on its first day of operation, including nearly half a million for children, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 1.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Defense Ministry introduces military medical commissions reforms to be implemented by fall of 2025. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Health Ministry, presented a draft reform of military medical commissions to be implemented by November 2025, according to the statement published on Nov. 30.

Putin approves Russia’s budget with record spending on national defense. Spending on war and law enforcement agencies exceeds expenditures on education, healthcare, social policy, and the national economy combined.

Russia loses almost 46,000 troops, over $3 billion worth of military equipment in November, Defense Ministry says. In November, the Russian military lost 2,030 soldiers in one day, which is the highest rate of Russian losses in a day since Feb. 24, 2022.

Human cost of war

1 killed, 3 injured in Russia’s attack on Ternopil. A Russian drone attack on Ternopil, during the night of Dec. 2, caused a fire in a residential building and resulted in casualties, local officials reported.

Russian drone attack against shuttle bus in Kherson, kills 3, injures at least 8. The attack occurred at 8:15 a.m. local time in the Dniprovskyi district of the city. There were 15 people in the vehicle at the time of the strike.

Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 11, injure 51 over past day. Russia launched 78 drones against Ukraine overnight on Dec. 1 from the Russian cities of Kursk, Orel, and Bryansk, according to a report from Ukraine’s Air Force.

General Staff: Russia has lost 742,130 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 1,730 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.

International response

Zelensky meets with new president of European Council, top EU diplomat in Kyiv. Antonio Costa, the new President of the European Council, and top European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas arrived in Kyiv on a surprise visit.

US not considering returning nuclear weapons to Ukraine, Sullivan says. The United States is not considering returning to Ukraine the nuclear weapons the country previously agreed to give up under the Budapest Memorandum, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in an interview on Dec. 1.

EU delivered 1 million shells to Ukraine, fulfilling pledge, Kallas says; no estimate for 2025 yet. The European Union has delivered 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine, fulfilling the pledge it initially promised to deliver by the spring of 2024, the EU’s new top diplomat Kaja Kallas told the Kyiv Independent on the sidelines of her visit to Kyiv.

In other news

Russian oligarch Usmanov elected to head International Fencing Federation despite US, EU sanctions. Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov was elected president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) following a vote by the Congress in Tashkent on Nov. 30, Reuters reported, citing the businessman’s representative.

Zourabichvili says she’ll remain Georgian president until legitimate parliament elected. An illegitimate parliament will not be able to elect a new head of state, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said.

Kremlin dismisses commander of Russian forces in Syria amid ‘significant’ losses, Ukraine’s military intelligence says. Russian troops have suffered “significant” losses, some Russian units are surrounded, and “hundreds” of Russian soldiers are missing, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).

Russian, Syrian jets intensify bombing campaigns in rebel-held territory of Syria, Reuters reports. Russian and Syrian fighter jets have struck the rebel-held city of Idlib on Dec. 1 amid attempts to push back an insurgency that has taken over most of Aleppo, Reuters reported, citing Syrian army sources.

Media: 24-year-old Ukrainian man from Russian-occupied Melitopol accused of ‘criminal espionage’ by FSB, faces up to 20 years in prison. Leonid Popov, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia since 2017, was charged with espionage by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian independent outlet IStories reported on Nov. 29.

This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand’s visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Contact partnerships@kyivindependent.com for more details.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dmytro Basmat, Oleskiy Sorokin, Kateryna Hodunova, and Sonya Bandouil.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.