WAR IN UKRAINE: December 26, 2022

Acclaimed Ukrainian singer Kolia Cerga performs for soldiers of the 59th brigade near the front line yesterday in Donetsk, Ukraine. Photo: Pierre Crom/Getty Images

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 306

• A Ukrainian drone attack on an airbase for bombers in southern Russia has left three people dead, Moscow says. Air defences shot down the drone near the Engels base, but falling debris fatally wounded three technical staff, the defence ministry said. The base lies about 500km (310 miles) north-east of Ukraine's border. The Ukrainian military has not officially admitted carrying out the latest attack, but air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said they were the result of what Russia was doing on Ukrainian soil. The latest incident will come as an embarrassment to Russian authorities, coming so soon after the two 5 December attacks hundreds of kilometres from the front line - both at the Engels base and in the Ryazan region. Russia had also blamed falling debris for the deaths of three servicemen and what it described as light damage to two aircraft - BBC

• Also on Monday, a spokesperson for South of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces warned of a possible retaliatory Russian strike, referencing a similar incident earlier this month in the same region. “This reminds of the events of December 5, so there may be some deja vu, some repetition of this situation, after which [the Russians] launched a massive missile strike,” the spokesperson said. “Therefore, we should be prepared for this, take it into account in our plans and do not forget to proceed to the shelter” - CNN

• Many Ukrainians celebrated Christmas yesterday, in a break from their traditional Eastern Orthodox observance on Jan. 7. The shift is a rebuke to Russia, where the Orthodox church follows the Julian calendar — and an alignment with the West, where the Gregorian calendar dominates. New Year’s Day is also a major celebration and there’s been debate whether the curfew of 11pm should be changed for New Year’s Eve to allow celebrations.

• Russian forces bombarded scores of towns in Ukraine on Christmas Day as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to negotiations, a stance Washington has dismissed as posturing. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned the people of his country of further Russian attacks in the few remaining days of 2022.

• Ukraine is planning to call for Russia to be removed as a permanent member of the UN Security Council on December 26, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

• Pope Francis calls to end ‘senseless’ war in Ukraine during Christmas Day address. Earlier, Pope Francis asked people to spend less on Christmas celebrations, using the savings to help Ukrainians through a very difficult winter - Kyiv Independent

• Russian state media: Medvedev urges ‘security guarantees’ for Russia. Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that in order to “normalize the situation” (Russia’s war against Ukraine) which could lead to a Third World War, Russia needs “security guarantees,” reported Russian state media Rossiyskaya Gazeta - Kyiv Independent

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China intends to deepen cooperation with Russia next year and also assured of the country’s stance on the war in Ukraine. “As for the crisis in Ukraine, we consistently adhere to the fundamental principles of objectivity and impartiality, not preferring one side or another, not adding oil to the fire, and even more so not looking for selfish benefits from the situation.”

• The Director General of the IAEA, Raphael Grossi, held another round of negotiations in Moscow regarding creating a demilitarized zone around the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant captured by the Russians. According to him, diplomatic efforts to develop a nuclear safety zone around the Zaporizhzhya NPP are moving forward, intending to agree and implement this necessary measure soon. Earlier, Grossi discussed this idea with high-ranking Ukrainian officials in Kyiv.

• At least one Ukrainian political analyst has pointed out that during his recent historic visit to Washington, President Volodymyr Zelensky brought along Oleksandr Kubrakov - the Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development. Mykola Davydiuk said on his TikTok that the purpose was to show Kubraklov as the future prime minister of Ukraine. Others in the delegation included Zelensky’s chief of staff, foreign minister and head of protocol.