🚨 This morning, December 23, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its troops have taken control of two villages in eastern Ukraine: Prylipka (Kharkiv region) and Andriivka (Dnipropetrovsk region). They claimed Ukrainian forces lost 1,405 combatants in the push.
The announcement came amid a massive missile and drone strike launched today—just days after US-led peace talks in Miami. At least three people were killed, including a 4-year-old child, and emergency power outages spread across western Ukraine. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko warned some areas could be without power for days 💡❄️.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack in a social media post: “This Russian strike sends an extremely clear signal about Russia’s priorities. An attack carried out essentially in the midst of negotiations aimed at ending this war.” 😡
Ukraine’s air defenses shot down most of the 650 Shahed drones and 30 missiles involved, but some still breached the defenses. The strikes even hit areas near the Polish border, prompting NATO member Poland to deploy aircraft.
Zelenskyy urged Western allies to ramp up support: “Putin still cannot accept that he must stop killing. That means the world is not putting enough pressure on Russia. Now is the time to respond.”
Earlier this week, a car bombing in Moscow killed a Russian general just hours after the Miami talks—an incident that may fuel further escalation, though Ukraine hasn’t claimed responsibility. Meanwhile, a 20-point peace plan featuring 90% of Ukraine’s demands was rejected by the Kremlin, revealing splits in the Western coalition between immediate ceasefire supporters and those favoring long-term strategies.
As the holiday season unfolds, rising energy costs and the war’s economic toll are sparking protests across Europe. Zelenskyy had warned that strikes around December 23-25 are “in Russia’s nature,” underscoring the fragile path toward peace 🎄🤝.
Reference(s):
Russia claims taking 2 Ukraine villages, Kyiv condemns Russian strike
cgtn.com
