Prepared by Anna Dovha, Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska
Cities under attack.
Kyiv was attacked once again on the night of December 19. 20 drones attacked Kyiv and the Kyiv region. 15 of them were shot by air defense systems. However, objects of critical infrastructure as well as civilian housing have been damaged. Overall, Russia launched 35 drones that night. Drone attack was recorded in the Mykolaiv region at night as well. In Symu region, Russia launched nearly 50 mortar and artillery shelling during December 17-18. Kherson and Kherson region are under active shelling. On December 17, Russian forces shelled geriatric center in the Kherson region. The next day, the primary health facility was under the shelling and encountered damages. In addition, due to Russia’s active shelling of Kherson downtown, 2 people were killed and 4 injured.
Winterisation.
After Friday’s missile attack, 9 million of Ukrainians were cut off from power. Kyiv remained around nearly 30 hours without power and 48 hours without heating, while the night temperature reached -7 C. Ukrenergo said after the latest Russian air strikes on Friday that repair times would be longer than after previous attacks, and that it would take longer to restore power, Reuters reports. Prime Minister Shmyhal underlines that small and medium-sized Ukrainian entrepreneurs have already imported 500,000 low power generators. But to get through the winter there is a need of about 17000 big and industrial generating units.
Last week during the International Standing with the Ukrainian People Conference, held in France on December 13, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced six specific things that would help Ukraine survive the winter. In order to implement these steps, the Government instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to work on:
- providing Ukraine with the equipment necessary for the restoration of critical energy infrastructure facilities;
- assistance in balancing the united energy system of Ukraine, in particular through the transfer and import of electricity from EU member states;
- possibility of sending special EU missions to critical infrastructure facilities;
- providing financial support for the purchase of about two billion cubic meters of natural gas;
- procurement of LED lamps to meet the needs of the population and economy of Ukraine;
- creation of a special permanent mechanism for prompt and timely elimination of consequences of terrorist acts of the russian federation on critical energy infrastructure facilities.
Azerbaijan delivered energy equipment to support the energy sector of Ukraine.The first batch of equipment from Azerbaijan weighs more than 52 tons, consists of 45 power transformers and 5 backup power plants of various capacities. The second batch is planned to be sent in the near future. The equipment will be sent to Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, Chernihiv regions and generating companies. In general, the aid provided by JSC ‘Azerenergy’ consists of 45 power transformers and 50 generators. The total cost is more than 800 thousand dollars.
Austria will allocate 5 million euros to the Energy Support Fund of Ukraine, which was created by the Ministry of Energy under the Secretariat of the Energy Community in order to accumulate donor funds for the purchase of necessary equipment for Ukrainian energy companies.
Foreign policy.
Vladimir Putin will fly to Belarus today on Monday. Allegedly the Russian president will pressure the former Belarus to join a new ground offensive against Ukraine and reopen a new front. Belarus has been holding active military training since summer 2022, though unofficially it has been providing its land for the attacks on Ukraine since the beginning of the war in February 2022. President Zelenksyy and the country’s military leadership said they are preparing for all possible scenarios.
Croatia rejected joining the EU mission in support of the Ukrainian military. In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union set up the Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). After hours of debates, the parliamentarians with a narrow majority declined the proposal.
President Zelenskyi has announced that Ukraine is preparing a special summit for peace this winter. ‘The Ukrainian Peace Formula consists of ten clear points capable of creating a new, globally important security architecture, which will restore freedom to our entire Ukrainian land, to all our people. And which will serve as guarantees of freedom and security for other nations. Not if, but when it works for Ukrainians. And that is why we invite our partners to show their leadership in guaranteeing peace in the same way that the leadership of various countries and various statesmen is currently being shown in the defense of freedom.’
Food security.
During two days 4 vessels with 145,000 tonnes of wheat for Asia departed from the ports of Greater Odesa, says the Cabinet of Ministers statement. Another 23 vessels are under processing in the ports of Greater Odesa. 3 vessels are moving along the “grain corridor” to load 166,000 tonnes of agricultural products. In the Bosporus 92 vessels are waiting for JCC inspection. Ukraine claims that the queue continues to grow due to the artificial restriction of registration for inspection by the Russian federation. Out of 65 vessels, only 3 were registered the same day. This situation leads to restrictions on the work of Ukrainian ports and underexporting of products by at least 3 million tonnes per month.
Economic security.
The World Bank announced it has established a multi-donor trust fund aimed at supporting the Government of Ukraine – the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF). The Fund will address the relief and the subsequent recovery of the country, driven by critical needs from the ongoing war, as will provide a coordinated financing and support mechanism to assist the Government of Ukraine to sustain its administrative and service delivery capacity, conduct relief efforts, as well as plan and implement Ukraine’s reconstruction and reform agenda. Austria, Iceland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden contributed to the sum of $250 million. Canada and Japan have also pledged support to the URTF and other partners are expected to join.
Culture.
Ukraine selected the TVORCHI band to perform during the Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. This year’s voting was organized via the DIIA app, a national app developed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation, that provides a number of e-services to the citizens.
Recent polls.
Sociological group Rating released the results of their nineteenth national survey in the conditions of war. Some top five findings of the survey.
- As of the end of 2022, over 82% of respondents believe that things in Ukraine are going in the right direction, only 7% think this direction is wrong.
- Two-thirds of the polled expect the next 2023 year to be better than the previous one. 12% believe that next year will be the same, 16% – worse. Compared to last year’s study, the indicators are more optimistic. Also, almost 90% wait for 2023 with optimism, only 6% with pessimism.
- 97% of the Ukrainians are sure that Ukraine will be able to beat off Russian attack.
- Regarding the assessment of their own state of health, two-thirds of the polled indicated no changes, one-third mentioned deterioration. The respondents rated the economic situation in the country the worst: 80% noted deterioration, 10% – no change, only 6% – improvement. More than 60% said that the economic situation of their family had worsened, one-third mentioned no change, and only 4% – improvement.
- The worst rated are the situation with the prices for basic goods and medicines (worsened for 94%), opportunities to find a job (worsened for 72%), and quality of education (worsened for 55%).
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., December 19, 2022: personnel – around 98 800, tanks ‒ 2988, APV ‒ 5952, artillery systems – 1953, MLRS – 410, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 212, fixed-wing aircraft – 281, helicopters – 264, operational-tactical level UAV – 1657, cruise missiles – 653, boats and light speed boats – 16, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 4592, special equipment – 175.
Christmas in the air.
Thinking of Christmas shopping? Check some of the Ukraine supporting brands delivering worldwide:
- Made with Bravery the official Ukrainian marketplace of different goods and gifts produced in Ukraine.
- Here and Now sustainable eco pottery by Yuliya Makliuk. Part of the profit goes for reconstruction needs of Irpin and support of armed forces.
- Saint Javelin former journalist project that distributes profits to support rebuilding Ukraine and its humanitarian needs.
- OLIZ silk scarves and clothes. 50% of income goes to the Ukrainian army and volunteers.
Every action counts, no contribution is too small!
- Support Hurkit Foundation established and supported by Kyiv activists, previously standing for urban development, now supporting the military in the hotspots.
- Support SharetheTruth project becoming one of the volunteers translating it into your local language.
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Thank you for supporting Ukraine! Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!
