waiting for the American Patriot battery
The Ukrainian army, which already uses a number of foreign anti-aircraft systems, is awaiting the deployment of the announced US Patriot battery. Ukrainian soldiers are currently being trained on the system.
Attacks on Ukrainian power grid
The Russian army has been targeting the Ukrainian energy grid since October, causing massive damage to the power and water supply for long periods of time. The aim is to put the population under pressure in winter. In this context, Zelensky referred to a “clear strategy” for securing electricity generation and for distributing electricity across the country. “It takes a lot of effort, but it will work,” he said. “It is one of the most important tasks for the next year and I have no doubt that we will master it.”
fights in the east
In the meantime, small gains in territory are said to have been made in the eastern Donbass. “Overall, we’re holding our positions,” Zelensky said. “There are also some front sections where we are making some advances.” In the Luhansk region, Ukraine claimed to have conquered the small town of Novoselivske. This is regarding 20 kilometers northwest of Svatove, a key Ukrainian destination in the region. Russia has lost soldiers and military equipment in the fighting, the local administration of Luhansk said on Telegram. “Some of the occupiers were captured.” A video is said to show captured Russian soldiers. The information and the authenticity of the recordings cannot be independently confirmed. A Russian statement is not available.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, the Russian army has lost its effectiveness for years due to its losses in Ukraine. According to Reznikov, the Russian armed forces will need at least five years to rebuild. “According to the findings of NATO reconnaissance, the Russians have suffered enormous losses in terms of tanks, artillery, armored personnel carriers and soldiers,” Reznikov was quoted as saying by “Ukrajinska Pravda”.
“The regular armed forces of the Russian Federation might be restored in five years at the earliest, maybe in ten years,” said the minister. The same applies to Russia’s missile potential. After all, this is a war of resources. “And they (NATO) can calculate those resources.”
Resnikov gave no information regarding his own armed forces. Both sides have already suffered heavy casualties since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February. According to the Ukrainian account, the Russian army has already suffered over 100,000 casualties. The information cannot be independently verified.
