Funding from the US Department of Defense to replenish weapons to replace those sent to Ukraine will run out on December 30, Bloomberg reports, citing a letter from Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord to members of the US Congress. On December 19, the United States announced a new aid package to Ukraine scheduled for the end of December and will be the last, the White House said.
Bloomberg also says that Ukraine’s allies in the United States and Europe believe that without help from Washington and Brussels, Kiev will be forced to accept a ceasefire on Moscow’s terms. Kiev’s allies in the United States and Europe fear that Russia could “win” in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyj cited one of the reasons for the failure of the offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in southern Ukraine: “Uncontrolled skies: this had an impact on the Southern operation of 2023. We do not control the skies, we do not have enough adequate weapons” , Zelensky said at a press conference. Asked whether Ukraine could gradually lose ground in the war, Zelensky replied “No.”
“We were in the most difficult situation, we were almost completely occupied – at least the central regions, the logistics of our state, the roads, the railways, the delivery of food, we were in complete blockade. Now we have a different situation,” Zelensky said.
Commander Valery Zaluzhny proposed mobilizing another 500,000 people, “but I said I need more arguments to approve it, details are needed,” Zelensky commented on Zaluzhny’s request. This mobilization will cost Ukraine around 500 billion hryvnia. Zelensky also populistically stated that he had not yet seen in the new mobilization bill the issue of demobilization of those who have been at the front for a long time.
Another joint press conference, this time in Moscow, saw Putin, Shoigu and Gerasimov at the same table. Among Vladimir Putin’s statements: “Russia will not give up its objectives in the Northern Military District.” “Our troops have the initiative, we do what we deem necessary. The Special Military Operation identified a number of problems; it is necessary to rebuild communication systems and use modern intelligence technologies more effectively.”
“It is necessary to increase the production of high-precision projectiles and UAVs, air defense work requires improvement. All attempts to defeat the Russian Federation failed thanks to the courage and fortitude of the Russian soldier.” “Even small and seemingly harmless drones cause damage, this is an advantage not to be missed” And again the Russian President said: “The myth of the invulnerability of Western military equipment has collapsed. Russian troop supply is improving.”
Russian Defense Minister Serghei Shoigu said: “The Sea of Azov area has become an internal sea of Russia. Ukraine, in fact, is a bankrupt country.” “The West supplied Kiev with 5,220 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored vehicles, 28 aircraft, 87 helicopters, 23,000 UAVs, over 1,300 artillery systems.” “Kiev lost 159,000 people killed and wounded in the counteroffensive.” “The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces since the inception of the Northern Military District amount to 383,000 killed and wounded.” Regarding what Russia is doing on the field, the Minister said: “Every army now has a reserve regiment. Designers create new weapons for the Russian Armed Forces in 4-7 months instead of 5-8 years under normal conditions, this has not happened since the times of the Great Patriotic War. Since February 2022, production of tanks in Russia has increased by 5.6 times, of infantry fighting vehicles by 3.6 times, of armored vehicles by 3.5 times, of UAVs by 16.8 times, and of ammunition of artillery by 17.5 times”. Not only that: “The survival rate of the wounded has increased significantly. The number of foreign volunteers willing to fight for the Russian Armed Forces increased 7 times, in the Ukrainian Armed Forces the opposite trend occurred, the number of mercenaries decreased 6 times.”
The Russian army today is the most prepared and combat-ready in the world. All plans for the recruitment of the army and navy in 2023 have been fully implemented, their number has been increased to 1,150,000 servicemen. In proportion to external threats, the strength of the Russian Armed Forces will be increased to 1,500,000 military personnel.”
Before closing the press conference, Putin lamented the failure to implement NATO promises “which in 1991 they didn’t even say not an inch to the east”, damn, look, they are appearing here in our courtyard”. And Putin again on the agreements between Russia and Ukraine: “If the Minsk agreements on Donbass were implemented, everything would slowly grow together. Not even now we will fight with Europe”.
Regarding the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Putin reiterated that Moscow will do so only on its terms.
And now a look at the front line updated at 4pm on December 19th.
A drone attack was repelled in the Odintsovo neighborhood, Moscow Mayor Sobyanin said. According to preliminary data, there was no damage or casualties where the debris fell. Emergency services specialists are working on site.
Bachmut management. The 4th motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Armed Forces took part in the attack on Chernobylets southwest of Artemovsk. The advance along the front reached up to 1 km in length and up to 530 m in depth
Donetsk direction. Russian assault units south of Novomykhailivka captured the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Cemetery-Farm line. It is foreseeable that in the near future Russian units will continue to expand the southern bridgehead near the populated area. Meanwhile, to create a critical situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it is necessary to capture the heights north of Novomykhailivka. This will allow you to bring the Ukrainian Armed Forces into a pincer maneuver and force it to retreat in the direction of Paraskoviivka.
According to another source in the direction of Soledar, the Russian armed forces are conducting an offensive along the entire front line. On the northern flank, Russian troops try to advance towards Krasnoye and establish control on the road to Chasov Yar. Meanwhile, south of Bachmut, units of the Russian Armed Forces are conducting attacks on the Kleshchiivka-Andriivka line.
In the morning the Russian army storms the fortified area of Kleshchiivska, closing the area in a pincer attack. North of Kleshchiivka, battles continue for control of the powerful fortified area of Kleshchiivka; Russian fighters are pushing the Ukrainian armed forces, who had already occupied more than half of the positions, out of the trenches. Battles are also taking place in the area of 215.7 altitude, the Ukrainian armed forces are trying to counterattack the lost hill.
The Russian Armed Forces increased artillery activity and the number of assault groups, which allowed them to get closer to the forward positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and achieve partial success,” Ukrainian military analysts report.” The Russians advanced 200 meters towards Ivanovsky, 100 m south of Bogdanovka, 100 m in the Kleshchiivka area. Khromoe is practically lost,” Ukrainian resources admit with great delay.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the 18th evening that the Russian army carried out 17 attacks near Bogdanovka, Klishchiivka and Andriivka, and on the morning of December 19th announced the 21st Russian attack.
In the Avdiivska sector the Ukrainian teams also find themselves in a difficult situation. So far the Ukrainians have had difficulty holding their positions on the northern flank near Stepove and Petrovsky, but in the south the Russian troops, after a long artillery bombardment, managed to advance in several sectors.
Russian troops continue to strike Ukrainian targets in Ukraine’s rear. Explosions were reported in Dnepropetrovsk, Starokonstantinov, Krivoy Rog, Kherson and the city of Kremenchug. However, Ukrainian censors have so far managed to prevent the dissemination of information about the affected targets.
Ukrainian formations made another attempt to attack Russian targets with drones. The latest such raid occurred in the middle of last week, when at least nine drones were destroyed in the Kaluga and Moscow regions.
Graziella Giangiulio
