► Assassination of a Russian general: suspect charged and detained
The alleged perpetrator of the bomb attack that killed a senior Russian army officer in Moscow on Tuesday, which was claimed by Ukraine, was charged and detained on Thursday (December 19) after appearing in court .
This Uzbek national was charged with “terrorist act”, “possession of explosives” et “weapons manufacturing”reported the press service of the courts of the Russian capital on Telegram. He faces life imprisonment.
► Three dead in a strike near Koupiansk
A Russian strike killed three people in a Ukrainian village near the town of Kupiansk, located in the Kharkiv region in the northeast of the country, Ukrainian authorities said.
“The Russians took the lives of two women aged 67 and 65 and a 33-year-old man”declared on Telegram the governor of the region, Oleg Synegoubov.
► Russia promises a “response” after a Western missile strike
The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of carrying out a strike the day before against a Russian factory using Western missiles, promising that it would not remain “not unanswered”.
“These actions of the kyiv regime, supported by its Western supervisors, will not go unanswered”threatened the ministry in a press release. According to this source, six American ATACMS missiles and four British Storm Shadow missiles were used on Wednesday by the Ukrainian army against a factory located in the Russian region of Rostov (southwest).
► Russia should have attacked Ukraine “sooner”, assures Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country should have attacked Ukraine ” earlier “ and to have been better prepared for it, ensuring that Russia was “deceived” et ” constraint “ to launch his offensive.
“If it were possible to go back in time, knowing what is happening today, I would have considered deciding to launch a special operation (in Ukraine) earlier”declared Vladimir Putin during his major annual press conference.
► Putin recognizes an error by his special services
Vladimir Putin admitted that his special services had failed to prevent the assassination on Tuesday of Russian general Igor Kirillov, killed in an explosion in Moscow claimed by kyiv.
“This means that our intelligence services are allowing these attacks to go through. They let these attacks pass”admitted the leader during his televised conference. “We just have to improve this work, we must not allow such flaws”he added.
► Russian president ready to meet Trump “at any time”
Vladimir Putin says he is ready to meet US President-elect Donald Trump“at any time”in full speculation on the launch of a possible peace process around Ukraine.
“I don’t know when I’m going to see him. He doesn’t say anything about it. I haven’t spoken to him in over four years. I’m ready to do it, of course. Anytime »declared the Russian president during his major press conference.
► Putin does not know when the Ukrainian army will be driven out of Kursk
Vladimir Putin admitted that he did not know when his army would manage to push back Ukrainian forces from the Russian region of Kursk, a small part of which they have controlled since a surprise offensive in August.
“We will absolutely defeat them”assured the Russian president during his major annual press conference, answering a question from a resident of this region. “But as for the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I can’t say that now”he admitted.
► Putin at his annual question-and-answer session
Economic troubles, setbacks in Syria, escalation of the conflict in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin lends himself to his annual question-and-answer session, a widely staged television show but also a rare opportunity to question the Russian president on angry subjects.
This spectacle broadcast live on television has taken place in various formats almost every year since Vladimir Putin came to power a quarter of a century ago.
It includes questions from the press, including Western ones, and responses to the grievances of the Russian population. Some 1.6 million questions were submitted, according to a count on Wednesday reported by the Ria Novosti agency.
► Zelensky calls for unity between Europe and the United States
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for unity between Europe and the United States to achieve peace and “save Ukraine”.
“We need this unity to achieve peace. I think that only together the United States and Europe can really stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and save Ukraine.”he declared upon his arrival at a summit of 27 in Brussels.
► Moscow claims the capture of two villages
Russia has claimed the capture of two villages in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where it has been making advances in recent months against struggling Ukrainian troops, Russian state agencies reported.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had ” released “ Zelenivka, near the town of Kurakhové, which Moscow soldiers are approaching, and Noviï Komar, a village located about twenty kilometers to the southwest, according to the Ria Novosti agency.
► Death of at least 100 North Korean soldiers
At least 100 North Korean soldiers sent to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine were killed on the battlefield in December, South Korean lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun said Thursday.
“In December, they participated in actual combat, during which at least one hundred deaths occurred”said Lee Seong-kweun, citing South Korean intelligence services.
► New British aid
The United Kingdom will release 225 million pounds sterling (273 million euros) of military equipment for Ukraine, including drones, air defense systems and munitions, the British Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday evening in a press release.
This announcement comes the day after a visit by British Defense Minister John Healey to kyiv, during which he met his counterpart Roustem Oumerov and where he pledged to « intensifier » UK support for Ukraine in 2025.
