World

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 295


As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 295th day, we take a look at the main developments.

Here is the situation as it stands on Thursday, December 15.

Fighting

  • Russia says no “Christmas ceasefire” is on the cards after nearly 10 months of war in Ukraine, rejecting a call by Kyiv to start withdrawing troops by Christmas as a step to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.
  • Multiple Russian rocket launchers hit the regional administration building on the central square of the recently liberated southern city of Kherson.
  • The Kremlin has said the Patriot missile defence systems would be a legitimate target for Russian attacks against Ukraine should the United States authorise them to be delivered to support Kyiv.
    Kyiv blast
    Rescuers and police experts examine the remains of a drone following an attack on an administrative building in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv [Sergei Supinsky/AFP]

Diplomacy

  • Ukraine has said it secured the release of 64 Ukrainian members of the military in its latest prisoner swap with Russian forces, as well as a US citizen.
  • Echoing a comment by the Kremlin, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia needs to accept the “new reality” that Ukrainian land will not remain part of Russian territory.
  • A European Union speaker said the Ukrainian parliament has passed all the reforms needed before talks on joining the bloc.

Economy

  • The German parliament’s budget committee has approved a 10bn-euro ($10.50bn) purchase of F-35 fighter jets produced by the US, two committee members told Reuters news agency.
  • The US is moving to impose sanctions on Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s wealthiest men.



Source link