On the 1029th day of the war, Russian authorities announced that they have already detained two suspects for the assassination of General Kirillov in Moscow. One is an Uzbek citizen who confessed in a video recording that he was recruited by Ukrainian special services, who promised him $100,000 and refuge in the EU.
The United States specified that they are not involved in the attack in Moscow.
Also in Russia, a resident of Siberia was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to poison mobilized soldiers and for supporting Ukraine, as announced by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
The Ukrainian air defense shot down over 50 drones launched by Russia on Tuesday night. It was a tumultuous night in the Voronezh region, where air defense systems were activated due to a drone attack.
Moscow's forces are moving at the fastest pace this year in the Donetsk region, stated Oleksandr Sirskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian army. The Russians have advanced in the Pokrovsk sector and have occupied another village.
NATO has taken over the coordination of military aid destined for Kyiv, a precautionary measure before the installation of the Trump administration. One of the logistical centers of the mission is located in Romania.
Several significant diplomatic moves are also expected. The NATO chief will abandon Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the main European powers in Brussels on Wednesday evening to discuss the war in Ukraine, just a few weeks before Donald Trump's return to the White House.
And Trump's envoy for Ukraine will travel to Kyiv and several other European capitals at the beginning of January as part of the future American administration's efforts to quickly end the war.
Frontline Situation
- Dozens of Drones Shot Down - Ukrainian soldiers shot down over 50 drones on Tuesday night. Air force representatives claim that the Russians launched 81 drones. 51 drones were shot down in ten regions of Ukraine, while the remaining 30 did not hit their target, officials said. There is no information about potential casualties or damages.
- Bus Attacked in Pokrovsk - The Russians attacked the village of Udachne in the Pokrovsk district of the Donetsk region on Tuesday. A bus was hit by artillery fire, and four passengers were injured, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
- Russians Gaining Ground in the East - Moscow's forces are moving at the fastest pace this year in the Donetsk region, according to Oleksandr Sirskyi, the commander of the Ukrainian army, as reported by Sky News. He informed government and regional officials in an online speech that the Russians are focusing their attacks on logistical centers in Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. The fight to defend Donetsk is "extremely tough." Sirskyi also mentioned that Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian forces fighting to maintain an enclave in the Kursk region of Russia. "For the third day, the enemy is carrying out intense attacks in the Kursk region," he said, adding that Russia is "actively" using North Korean troops with significant losses.
- Another Village in Russian Hands - Russian troops have occupied the village of Sontivka, near Kurakhove, in the Donetsk region, as reported last night by the Ukrainian military analysis group DeepState. Additionally, the Russians have advanced near nine localities in the region, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Other Relevant Information
- NATO Mission in Romania - NATO has taken over the coordination of military aid destined for Kyiv, a precautionary measure before the installation of the Trump administration. The new mission, called NSATU, is expected to have a total staff of 700 people, including troops stationed at the NATO SHAPE military headquarters in Belgium and at logistical centers in Romania and Poland. The headquarters of the new NATO mission in Ukraine, named NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), is located at Clay Barracks, an American base in the German city of Wiesbaden. A source told Reuters that the mission is now fully operational. So far, the Ramstein group led by the United States, an ad-hoc coalition of about 50 countries, has coordinated Western military deliveries to Kyiv, including the transfer of security assistance materials and equipment repairs.
- Mini-Summit with Zelensky and European Leaders - NATO's chief will host Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the main European powers on Wednesday evening in Brussels to discuss the war in Ukraine, just a few weeks before Donald Trump's return to the White House, as reported by AFP. This informal mini-summit, to be held at the NATO Secretary-General's residence, will be an opportunity to discuss, at the highest level, the "next steps" after over a thousand days of conflict in Ukraine, according to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The discussions will also involve Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The United Kingdom will be represented by Foreign Minister David Lammy, and the European Union by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa. Initially, Emmanuel Macron was supposed to participate, but his trip to Mayotte, the French archipelago in the Indian Ocean devastated by Cyclone Chido, could raise questions about his participation.
- US States Not Involved in Moscow Assassination - The United States clarified that they are not involved in the attack in Moscow where a Russian general was killed, an operation claimed by Ukraine. "I can tell you that the United States was not informed in advance and was not involved," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, referring to the death of General Igor Kirillov, killed in an explosion in the southeast of the Russian capital on Tuesday. "He was a general who was involved in a series of atrocities. He was involved in the use of chemical weapons against the Ukrainian army," Miller added.
- Trump's Envoy Heads to Kiev - President-elect Donald Trump's envoy for Ukraine will travel to Kiev and several other European capitals at the beginning of January. The Trump administration is seeking to quickly end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who is set to be Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, does not intend to visit Moscow during this trip, according to two sources speaking to Reuters. Instead, he will meet with high-ranking leaders in Kiev, and his team is working to arrange meetings with leaders from other European capitals such as Rome and Paris.