News And Information From Ukraine

Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,034.

Kherson region. Russian attacks across the southern oblast, or region, of Kherson left three people dead and one injured on Dec. 22.

Donetsk region. Between Dec. 19–22, Russian shelling of Donetsk region in southeastern Ukraine killed six civilains and injured five others.

Russian troops executed four Ukrainian prisoners of war in the region’s frontline Volnovakha district on Dec. 22. according to the office of Ukraine’s attorney general. Following an artillery strike, four Ukrainian soldiers sought shelter in a private home. They surrendered and were taken captive after Russian forces surrounded the house. Witness accounts indicate two of the Ukrainian prisoners-of-war were forced onto a road, while the other two remained lying on the ground; all four were subsequently executed, a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

On Dec. 23 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported an estimated 3,000 North Korean soldiers killed or wounded in Russia’s Kursk region. Zelensky warned of the potential for additional North Korean troops and military equipment to be sent to support Russia, promising strong responses. This development comes after the integration of 11,000 North Korean soldiers into Russian forces and the delivery of advanced military hardware, such as self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launch systems, from North Korea to Russia.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico visited Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking his first visit to the Kremlin, on Dec. 22. The unannounced meeting focused on energy issues, particularly Russian gas supplies to Slovakia after 2024. Slovakia has historically imported Russian gas through Ukraine. But due to Russia’s aggression, Kyiv has refused to extend its gas transit agreement after it expires at the end of this year, putting Slovakia’s energy security at risk. Fico became the third European leader to meet Putin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, following Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Western officials’ visits to Moscow are controversial, as they undermine Putin’s diplomatic isolation, providing him with an additional platform to spread propaganda and endowing him with legitimacy as a global leader.

The United Nations reported that over 12,300 civilians have been killed and more than 27,800 injured in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022. In November, attacks with long range weapons accounted for 42% of civilian casualties, a sharp rise from prior months. Data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reveals that 2024 has been particularly devastating in terms of civilian losses, with aerial bombings killing 341 civilians and injuring 1,803—figures that have tripled and sextupled compared to last year.

The European Union plans to unveil its 16th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 24, 2025, the third anniversary of the launch of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions target previously unaddressed or under-addressed sectors of Russia’s economy, as well as individuals and organizations identified as propagandists or undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The package may also impose travel bans and freeze assets of alleged spies and participants in disinformation campaigns, though proving such activities remains challenging. The package will follow the EU’s 15th sanctions package, imposed earlier this month, which banned 52 vessels belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” that had been circumventing energy export sanctions, and, for the first time addressed so-called “hybrid” Russian attacks, or acts of sabotage, against EU countries.

Ukraine has received a conditional disbursement of $1.1 billion from the International Monetary Fund under its four-year Extended Fund Facility, bringing the total funds received to $9.8 billion of the planned $15.6 billion. This marks the seventh tranche in the initiative, disbursed after Ukraine met critical structural reform goals in public finance, monetary policy, governance, and the energy sector. Looking ahead to 2025, the program outlines up to $2.7 billion contingent on successful quarterly reviews of reforms progress.

Germany has delivered another significant military aid package to Ukraine, bolstering its defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Announced on Dec. 23, the package includes 15 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks with ammunition, 30 mine-resistant armored vehicles, two Patriot missile defense launchers, and advanced IRIS-T air defense systems with ammunition. Additionally, Ukraine will receive two Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft units, one self-propelled howitzer, radars, drones, and 52 thousand 155mm artillery shells.

Despite a commitment to phase out Russian fossil fuels by 2027, the European Union’s imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) hit a record 16.5 million tons in 2024, surpassing 2023 levels by nearly 10%. While pipeline gas imports from Russia have plummeted and oil and coal are banned, Russian LNG’s lower costs, particularly from the Yamal terminal, a major LNG production facility in the Russian Arctic, have made it a contentious, but growing, part of Europe’s energy mix. France and Belgium lead in imports, with France doubling its intake. The EU plans to ban the use of European ports for LNG transshipments (transfer of the fuel from ice-class ships to ordinary cargo vessels) for non-EU countries in March 2025.

Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk dominated his British rival Tyson Fury in their highly anticipated rematch on Dec. 21, winning by unanimous decision with identical 116-112 scorecards from all three judges. Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the fight saw Usyk’s superior speed, skill, and movement outclass Fury’s larger frame and physicality. Fury, who outweighed his opponent by 55 pounds, struggled to maintain his pace after the early rounds, allowing Usyk to control the action with precision and lateral movement. Despite Fury’s attempts to land heavy shots, Usyk’s sharp counters and relentless pace overwhelmed the Briton as the fight progressed. Fury left the ring in disbelief, while Usyk solidified his legacy as world heavyweight champion, securing a purse of $104.5 million, compared to Fury’s $84.5 million. This victory follows Usyk’s earlier win over Fury in May.

By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani