Thursday, December 14

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A vehicle lies overturned after a missile explosion on the playground of a kindergarten in Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi district on Dec. 13, 2023. Russia launched ballistic missiles at Kyiv for the second night in a row, injuring 53 people, including eight children. (Andriy Zhyhaylo/Obozrevatel/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Zelensky: ‘There will be a response’ to Russian overnight attacks on Kyiv. “Russia has proven once again that it is a heinous country that fires missiles at night, trying to hit residential areas, kindergartens, and energy facilities during the winter,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Kyivstar CEO: Hackers used compromised employee account to carry out attack. Russian hackers broke through Kyivstar’s cyber security through the compromised account of one of the company’s employees, Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov said on air on Dec. 13.

Zelensky meets King Harald of Norway. President Volodymyr Zelensky met King Harald V of Norway and other senior members of the Norwegian royal family during his visit to Oslo, Zelensky posted on X on Dec. 13.

First responders in Odesa work in aftermath of airstrikes. First responders in Odesa on Dec. 14 are cleaning up the aftermath of Russian airstrikes which left 11 people injured and damaged multiple buildings, says the State Emergency Service.

Zelensky ‘still waiting for answer’ from Orban on why Ukraine should not join EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban did not give President Volodymyr Zelensky an answer when asked why Budapest wants to block Ukraine’s entry into the EU, Zelensky said at the Nordic-Ukraine Summit in Oslo on Dec. 13.

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Media: Polish border crossing unblocked, transit resumes. With the blockage cleared, trucks may resume transit through the border “without any difficulties,” Polish police said. Local Polish authorities added that there is still a long line, and it may take as long as 32 hours to cross the border.

Zelensky says Ukraine has fulfilled EU membership obligations. Ukraine has fulfilled membership obligations set by the European Commission, President Zelensky told Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a phone call on Dec. 13, the presidential office revealed.

Russian Interior Ministry puts Budanov on wanted list. While the ministry’s database says that Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov is wanted under Russia’s criminal code, it does not specifiy under which article he is being investigated.

RFE/RL: Spouse of controversial Ukrainian lawmaker has $2 million apartment in Moscow. The wife of notorious pro-Russian lawmaker Yurii Boiko owns an apartment in the city center of Moscow worth more than 190 million rubles ($2.1 million), RFE/RL’s Schemes project reported on Dec. 13.

South Korea sees signs North Korea is sending workers to Russia. The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that North Korea is allegedly sending workers to Russia, the Yonhap news agency reported on Dec. 12

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Ukraine war latest: Russia unleashes yet another air attack, killing 1, injuring 63 across Ukraine

Russia targeted Kyiv with a large-scale missile attack in the early hours of Dec. 13. While air defenses downed all 10 missiles, falling debris damaged multiple buildings in the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Photo: Alexander Khrebet/The Kyiv Independent

EU unblocks 10 billion euros for Hungary, but Orban’s support for Ukraine still unclear

The EU Commission unlocked 10.2 billion euros ($11 billion) in frozen funds to Hungary ahead of the EU’s final summit on Dec. 14-15 where the bloc will decide  whether to open negotiations with Kyiv on EU accession.

Photo: Fernando Gens/picture alliance via Getty Images

Celebrating the Ukrainian way: The 12 dishes of Christmas

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has impacted every aspect of life for Ukrainians, even the date they celebrate Christmas. What hasn’t changed is the tradition of serving 12 dishes on Christmas Eve, known as Svyata Vecherya or the Holy Supper.

Photo: Getty Images

Human cost of war

Man injured in Odesa drone attack dies in hospital. A person injured in a Russian attack on Odesa on the evening of Dec. 12 died in the hospital, Governor Oleh Kiper said on Dec. 13. The 42-year-old man died from a heart attack after being injured in the drone attack.

General Staff: Russia has lost 341,500 troops in Ukraine. This number includes 850 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

Honoring Ukrainian soldiers killed by Russia’s war

International response

Congress gridlocked one day before holiday break without Ukraine deal. U.S. congressmembers are scheduled to leave Washington, D.C. on Dec. 14 for a three-week holiday break, with no deal in sight.

Von der Leyen praises Ukraine’s recent reforms on path toward EU. “Our enlargement report from last month showed clear progress on all steps that we had identified,” von der Leyen said in the European Parliament ahead of the Dec. 14-15 EU summit.

Fico confirms Slovakia not in opposition to Ukraine’s EU accession talks. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed his foreign minister’s statement that Bratislava would not oppose the launch of Ukraine’s accession talks during the upcoming EU summit, the Slovak news outlet Pravda reported on Dec. 13.

Media: Austria posing obstacle to EU’s 12th Russian sanctions package. Austria currently has reservations about the 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia, preventing the package from being officially approved, EU officials reportedly told the Austrian Press Agency on Dec. 13.

Norway unveils aid for Ukraine, including air defense, humanitarian support. Norway unveiled on Dec. 13 new aid for Ukraine as part of the previously announced multi-year support plan, including air defenses, humanitarian assistance, and increased munition production.

Scholz: Germany’s 2nd Patriot to be deployed in Ukraine by this year’s end. An additional Patriot air defense system pledged by Berlin several months ago will be deployed in Ukraine and operational by the end of 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Dec. 13, RBC Ukraine reported.

Danish PM: Denmark prepares new Ukraine aid package worth $1 billion. The announcement came during a joint press briefing of Nordic leaders and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo. Zelensky has been touring partner countries to reinvigorate support for Kyiv.

NATO budget jumps 12% in 2024. NATO on Dec. 13 announced its 2024 military budget will increase by 12% to 2.03 billion euros and its civil budget by 18.2% to 438.1 million euros.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Nate Ostiller, Lili Bivings, Martin Fornusek,  Elsa Court, Toma Istomina, Anastasiia Malenko, Lance Luo, and Abbey Fenbert.

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