After Ukrainian drones were sent to buildings in Kazan, central Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened kyiv with major reprisals and promised even more “destruction”. Russian forces have claimed the capture of two villages in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian human rights commissioner accused Russian soldiers of killing five Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered. Here is what to remember from the war in Ukraine this Sunday, December 22, 2024.
Russia claims capture of two Ukrainian villages
Russian troops have captured two new villages in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry announced in its daily statement. Russian troops have ” released “ the villages of Lozova, in Kharkiv oblast, and Krasnoye, near the industrial town of Kurakhove, in Donetsk oblast, which Moscow's forces control almost entirely, according to the ministry. In addition, Russian troops claim to have captured more than 190 Ukrainian towns this year.
Russia has accelerated its advance into eastern Ukraine in recent months, seeking to gain as much territory as possible before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes power in January. He promised to quickly end this conflict, without ever really explaining how he intends to proceed. The vagueness surrounding this plan is enough to give Ukraine a cold sweat, which, given its current military difficulties, fears being forced into an unfavorable agreement.
Vladimir Putin promises even more “destruction”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday promised even more “destruction” to Ukraine after a drone attack the day before, which Moscow attributes to kyiv, against buildings in Kazan, a city in central Russia very far from the front.
“Anyone who attempts to destroy anything in our country, no matter how small, will face much greater destruction in their own country and will regret what they tried to do to our country.”he said during an official ceremony while commenting on Saturday's strike about 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
This targeted residential buildings in Kazan, without causing any casualties, according to local authorities. Impressive footage, which circulated on Russian social media, showed drones crashing into tall glass buildings in a fireball. Ukraine has not commented on this operation, nor on the Russian accusations.
At the same time, the Russian president received Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin, one of the few European leaders with whom he has remained close, according to images from Russian television. “Putin is currently meeting in the Kremlin with Slovak Prime Minister Fico”wrote on his Telegram channel a Russian television journalist and close to the Kremlin, Pavel Zaroubin, who broadcast a short video showing the two leaders.
Ukraine accuses Russia of shooting dead soldiers who had surrendered
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Loubinets on Sunday accused Russian soldiers of shooting and killing five surrendered Ukrainian soldiers. “Russian war criminals who kill Ukrainian prisoners of war must be brought before an international court and face the harshest punishments under the law”he wrote on Telegram. He added that he would inform the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Dmytro Loubinets cited as evidence a video released by a Ukrainian brigade and presented as showing Russian soldiers shooting and killing captured Ukrainian soldiers. Its authenticity and the location where it was filmed could not be verified by theAFP.
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