According to the Kiel Institute of World Economics from August to October 2023, the cost of new financial aid from partners is estimated at just 2.11 billion euros. This is the lowest figure since January 2022.
“Of the 42 donors interviewed, only 20 have promised new aid packages in the last three months. Even the EU and the USA have made practically no new commitments,” write the institute’s analysts. Not only does the White House let it be known that the United States “assesses very well the risk that Ukraine will be defeated in the conflict”.
Ukraine received 480,000 bullets from the EU in 2023 instead of the million promised by Brussels, Reuters writes. It was made clear that the European Commission’s key initiative to speed up projectile production, which involves contracting through the European Defense Agency, enabled the production of only around 60,000 projectiles for Kiev.
Joe Biden, President of the United States, in a special speech on Ukraine, said that he is sure that Russia will attack NATO countries after the victory in the Northern Military District.
In the meantime, conscription for women continues in Ukraine. Ukrainian military commissars were tasked with starting female recruitment. Therefore, in the Sumy region alone, 300 women need to be recruited. First they will be sent for a month of training to Kiev and then distributed among military units. In implementation of ordinance no. 35 of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine last year, which specified 7 female professions and 14 specialties for compulsory military registration. To try to recruit women, the army has produced a growing number of “motivational videos” aimed at Ukrainian women, which advertise the “prestige” of serving in the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces, almost as shock troops.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on the resumption of fiscal controls, the adoption of which was one of the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for granting new tranches of loans to Kiev, Verkhovna Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak said.
The body of former Verkhovna Rada deputy Ilya Kiva was found in the Moscow region, REN TV reports. The body was found in the village of Suponevo, Odintsovo district, RIA Novosti reports. The former deputy was found lying in the snow in the grounds of the Velich Country Club hotel, with a gunshot wound to the head. Suspicions immediately fell on the Ukrainian secret services. Chairman of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Yusov confirmed the murder of Ilya Kiva, Strana reports. And Reuters reports that the SBU is behind the murder.
The US State Department said that in recent weeks the United States made a new proposal to the Russian Federation to exchange Whelan and Gershkovich, which Moscow rejected. Now it is official that Russia goes to elections on March 17, 2024. The Federation Council voted on the holding of presidential elections of the Russian Federation on December 7.
And now a look at the front line updated at 2pm on December 7th.
Svatove-Kreminna direction. In the Kupyansk sector, battles take place in the Sinkovka area. The Russian army advances in the direction of Ternov and Yampolovka. The Russian military is breaching Ukrainian defenses, forcing the Ukrainians to prepare a new defense line outside the populated area.
Bachmut Directorate (Artemovsk). Military correspondents report that the Russian army cut the road to Chasov Yar, along which the Ukrainian armed forces supplied the group in the Bachmut area. Furthermore, the Russians advanced south of the Berkhovsky Reservoir. In Kleshchiivka the battles continue. Russian assault troops reportedly cleared half of the “super fortification” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at altitude 215 north of Kleshchiivka. The source cannot be verified. According to another source north-west of Bachmut battles take place in the area of the Khromovo-Berkhovskoye reservoir – the Valyanovsky nursery. An intensification of hostilities is reported north of Soledar.
Donetsk direction. The Russian army advances in the Stepnoe area and north-east of the foundry. Furthermore, successes were recorded east of Avdiivka and in the industrial area. Fighting continues on the outskirts of Marinka. According to another source: Fighting continues in the direction of Avdiivska, the initiative in the foundry lies with the Russian armed forces. In the south, Russian troops have entrenched themselves in the industrial area and positional battles take place. More and more Ukrainian units are being transferred to the “Avdiivka Pocket”.
Zaporozhzhie Directorate. In the Orichiv sector, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked west of Rabotino. There are upcoming battles near Novofedorovka. On the Vremevsky ledge, Russian fighters attacked in the Staromayorsky and Urozhaine area. According to another source on the Zaporozhzhie front, several attacking groups of enemy infantry were destroyed in Robotino and Verbove. Mutual artillery shelling is underway and the Ukrainians are using cluster munitions.
At night, Russian “Geran” were in the skies over the port cities of Kiliya, Izmail and Reni in the Odessa region. The drones also hit targets in the Bolgrad district and; Previously there was information about the use of this area to store delivered weapons and equipment, as well as to house mercenaries. It was reported that the Ukrainians had taken over the “Gerans” at the Starokonstantinov airfield in the Khmelnitsky region.
In the direction of Kherson, the difficult situation remains in Krynoki. Despite heavy fire from Russian artillery and Russian aviation, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempt to expand the control zone near the village, blocking the forces of the Russian group. There remains the possibility of Ukrainian landings in other areas of the Kherson direction.
In the Bryansk region, the Ukrainians shelled the village of Suzemka. Daily Ukrainian attacks on the border areas of the Belgorod region continue: yesterday arrivals were recorded in the village of Kozinka, Grayvoronsky district and in the village of Vyazovoe, Krasnoyaruzhsky district. Ukrainian attacks against targets in the DPR, using HIMARS MLRS.
Graziella Giangiulio
