14.12.2022
Ukraine war in the live ticker
+++ 02:39 Zelenskyj dissolves court for corruption +++
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced the dissolution of a Kiev court over corruption. “This story is over,” he said as he signed a law dissolving the district administrative court that Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities had likened to a criminal organization. “But the history of reform goes on – it goes on, even in times of such a war.” One of the prerequisites for Ukraine’s entry into the European Union (EU) is extensive reforms to meet a large number of standards in the judiciary, financial services and food safety.
+++ 01:43 Ukraine produces ammunition for Soviet weapons +++
With supplies of Soviet-era ammunition running low, Ukraine has started producing 152mm and 122mm shells. This is what the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov says, as reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. Now the production of mines and other goods will start, Danilov continued.
+++ 23:50 Selenskyj thanks supporters for winter help +++
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanks the international community for the announced emergency winter aid worth billions. “Every day we draw new strength for Ukraine to get through this winter and I thank everyone who is committed to this and helping our state,” says Zelenskyj in his daily video address. Representatives from around 70 countries came together in Paris to help Ukraine, which had been badly hit by the Russian war of aggression. Aid of one billion euros should primarily benefit the repair of the severely damaged electricity and heat supply, as well as the water supply, transport and health care and the food sector.
+++ 22:48 IAEA stationed security experts in all Ukrainian nuclear power plants +++
Safety experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to be permanently stationed in all four Ukrainian nuclear power plants. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal agree on this at a donor conference for Ukraine in Paris. Currently, only the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has an IAEA team constantly monitoring the situation and providing independent reports on Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which has repeatedly come under fire. Now the three remaining nuclear power plants in the Ukraine are also to be permanently monitored by the IAEA. The facilities are under Ukrainian control.
+++ 21:08 Visit of UN coordinator in Cherson upsets Russians +++
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths has caused anger among Russian occupiers across the Dnipro River during a visit to the recently liberated southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. The regional head of administration appointed by Moscow, Vladimir Saldo, alleges that the UN representative crossed the border into Russian territory illegally and without permission. “It’s outrageous, shameful and indecent,” Saldo was quoted as saying by the Russian state agency Tass.
+++ 21:08 Kiev reports heavy losses among Moscow’s troops +++
In the course of intense fighting in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian armed forces say they inflicted heavy casualties on the Russian occupiers. In the village of Kadievka in the Luhansk region alone, around 60 Russian soldiers were killed and 100 others wounded, according to the General Staff in Kiev. Around 150 Russian soldiers were wounded in attacks on a command staff and artillery positions near Melitopol in the south of the country, it said. The information cannot be independently verified.
+++ 20:37 EU diplomat: Hungary wants to protect Russians from sanctions again +++
According to a senior EU diplomat, Hungary is trying to protect members of the Russian government from sanctions. The government in Budapest has demanded that three people be removed from the list of proposals for the planned ninth package of EU sanctions, he said in Brussels on condition not to be named. Russia’s Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov is said to be among the members of the government concerned. Other EU countries are resisting attempts to weaken the planned sanctions, they say.
+++ 19:53 report: USA could announce delivery of Patriot missiles this week +++
The US is on the verge of finalizing plans to send Patriot anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, according to CNN. The project could be announced this week, reports CNN, citing government officials. It is expected that US President Joe Biden will agree. The German government has so far refused to let Ukraine use Patriot systems.
+++ 19:12 Odessa residents stand up to darkness and cold +++
After Russian attacks on the energy supply, many in Odessa, Ukraine, are stuck without electricity. The bitterly cold winter aggravated the already dramatic situation. But the city’s residents are optimistic and are waiting “for victory”.
Read earlier developments in the Ukraine war here.