The cold and winter do not stop the Ukraine war. The fight for every inch of land continues in various areas of Ukraine and Russia. Intense battles are being fought in Kurakhove, an industrial city in eastern Ukraine that Russia claims to control. Simultaneously, in the Russian region of Kursk, after weeks of operations to try to repel Ukrainian forces, Moscow announced that Kyiv launched a counterattack. In addition, the Ukrainian Defense Forces hit an oil depot in the Russian region of Saratov that supplies Russian planes firing missiles at Ukraine.
Russia claimed on Monday to have taken Kurakhove, a key defensive position for Ukrainian troops, and stated that this victory will allow them to seize the rest of the Donetsk region "at an accelerated pace." However, on Tuesday, Ukrainian troops fighting in this sector stated that they "remain in the western part of the city," although the situation is "difficult" and "a large part of the city is destroyed."
In recent months, Russia has accelerated its advances in eastern Ukraine. At the end of 2024, it made its most significant advances since the early weeks of the offensive in February 2022. But since then, Moscow has not made significant progress and, according to Kyiv, is suffering immense losses.
Ukraine Attacks Berdiansk Port with Missiles in the Sea of Azov
The Ukrainian army carried out a missile attack today on the port of Berdiansk in the Sea of Azov, as reported by the authorities of the Zaporiya region loyal to Moscow.
The target of the enemy guided missile would have been an oil depot that, according to Governor Yevgeny Balitski, was empty.
"A cynical and senseless attack by the enemy that has set out to cause an ecological catastrophe in the Sea of Azov," he said on his Telegram channel.
Balitski specified that the fire caused by the attack, which did not cause any injuries, has already been extinguished.
Ukraine Urges Isolation of Russia and North Korea for Destabilizing Europe and Indo-Pacific
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga urged on Wednesday the total isolation of the regimes of North Korea and Russia for their "destabilizing impact" on Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, reports Efe.
"North Korea and Russia collaborate to destabilize Europe and the Indo-Pacific. North Korean troops and missiles attack Ukraine, and Russian support emboldens the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to threaten its neighbors. Both criminal regimes must face total isolation and devastating sanctions," Sibiga wrote on his X account.
Several Cetaceans Found Dead on Crimea's Coasts Due to Oil Spill
Several cetaceans were found dead in Sevastopol, on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia, due to the oil spill caused by the sinking of two oil tankers over three weeks ago, local authorities reported on Wednesday, according to Afp.
On December 15, these ships ran aground during a storm in the Kerch Strait, between Russia and Crimea, causing pollution that reached the major port city of Sevastopol, located about 250 km from the scene of the accident.
Asked by the TASS news agency, Pavel Yarlamov, a local deputy from Sevastopol and head of a group of volunteers cleaning the beaches, stated on Wednesday that "several" cetaceans were found dead, and their bodies were being "evacuated." He did not specify the number or species.
Russia Captures 18 Ukrainian Soldiers after Taking Kurakhove
The Russian army said on Wednesday that it had captured 18 Ukrainian soldiers west of Kurakhove, an important stronghold that Moscow took two days ago in the Donetsk region, reports Efe.
The prisoners of war who fell into Russian hands belong to the 46th Airborne Brigade of the Ukrainian Army, reported the Russian Ministry of Defense in its daily war update.
After the conquest of Kurakhove, Russian units are advancing at a forced march to take control of the entire south of Donetsk, for which they still need to take the town of Velika Novosilka, near the border with the Zaporiyia region.
Ukraine Claims to Have Attacked a Russian Oil Facility Supplying the Military
The Ukrainian army claimed on Wednesday to have attacked an oil field in Russia located 500 kilometers from the border and supplying fuel to Russian military aircraft bombing Ukraine, reports Afp.
"The Combinat Kristall oil depot in Engels, in the Saratov region, was attacked" during the night, said the Ukrainian army's General Staff on Telegram.
Ukrainian Army Says It Shot Down 41 Russian Drones Launched Overnight
The Ukrainian army said on Wednesday that Russia launched a total of 64 drones against the country overnight. Of those drones, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down 41, while 22 "imitation drones" did not reach their targets, added the Air Force, reports Reuters.
The drone remnants fell on a private residence in the Kiev region, damaging its facade and windows without causing casualties, according to local authorities.
Kallas Accuses Russia of Using Gas as a "Weapon" in Its "Hybrid War" against Moldova
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, accused Russia of using gas as a "weapon" in its "hybrid war" against Moldova, to whose authorities she expressed the EU's "unwavering solidarity," reports Efe.
"Russia continues to use gas as a weapon, and once again Moldova is the target of its hybrid war," Kallas stated in a message on her social networks after a conversation with the Prime Minister of the former Soviet republic, Dorin Recean, to whom she reaffirmed the EU's "unwavering solidarity."
The EU's foreign policy chief highlighted that, "thanks to the EU's support, Moldova remains resilient and well connected to European energy networks."
Ukrainian Drones Attack City with Russian Strategic Bomber Fleet Base
Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian cities of Saratov and Engels, where Russia has an airbase for its fleet of strategic bomber aircraft, the regional governor said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
Governor Roman Busargin stated that the two cities had been the target of a massive drone attack, causing damage to an industrial company. He did not mention whether the Engels airbase had been attacked.
Trump's Special Envoy to Ukraine Postpones Trip to Kiev
The trip to Kiev of the special envoy of the US President-elect, Donald Trump, for Ukraine and Russia has been canceled but will be rescheduled, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Tuesday, reports Afp.
The planned meetings between Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general who has long been Trump's top advisor on defense matters, and Ukrainian officials are "extremely important," Sybiha told reporters in the Ukrainian capital.