Russia-Ukraine warfare stay: Ukrainian army says it shot down 20 of 31 drones launched by Russia in a single day

Russia thinks a weak ceasefire to freeze the warfare in Ukraine can be futile and counterproductive, and as a substitute would fairly a legally binding deal for a long-lasting peace that may make sure the safety of each Russia and its neighbours, Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated.

He stated he suspected a weak truce can be utilized by the west to re-arm Ukraine, including:

A truce is a path to nowhere.

We want remaining authorized agreements that can repair all of the circumstances for guaranteeing the safety of the Russian Federation and, after all, the reliable safety pursuits of our neighbours.

He added that Moscow wished the authorized paperwork drafted in such a approach to make sure “the impossibility of violating these agreements.”

Individually, Lavrov stated that the brand new ruler of Syria had known as relations with Russia lengthy standing and strategic and that Moscow shared this evaluation.

Kremlin international coverage aide Yuri Ushakov stated on Monday that Russia was involved with Syria’s new administration at each a diplomatic and army degree.

Peskov added that the investigation into the reason for the Azerbaijan Airways aircraft crash is underway and it’s flawed to take a position earlier than it offers its conclusions.

An Embraer EMBR3.SA passenger jet crashed close to the town of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 individuals, after diverting from an space of Russia that Moscow has lately defended in opposition to Ukrainian drone assaults.

Opening abstract

Rachel Corridor

Hey –

Welcome to the Guardian’s weblog overlaying the Russia-Ukraine warfare.

The Ukrainian army has stated that it shot down 20 drones out of 31 launched by Russia in a single day. Of the 31 drones, 11 “imitator-drones” didn’t attain their targets because of lively engagement from the Ukrainian army, it added.

Listed below are yesterday’s key developments, after Russia launched a Christmas Day assault in opposition to a few of Ukraine’s cities.

• Joe Biden has requested the US defence division to proceed its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, describing Russia’s Christmas Day assault in opposition to a few of Ukraine’s cities and its vitality infrastructure as “outrageous”.

• Christmas morning in Ukraine was overshadowed by a huge Russian aerial assault utilizing cruise missiles to focus on vitality infrastructure throughout the nation, which Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned as “inhuman”.

• The assault left half one million individuals in Kharkiv area with out heating, in temperatures only a few levels Celsius above zero, whereas there have been blackouts within the capital, Kyiv, and elsewhere.

• Ukraine’s air defences downed 59 of 78 Russian missiles and 54 of 102 drones launched in a single day and on Wednesday morning, the Ukrainian army stated.

• British prime minister Keir Starmer has additionally condemned the Russian assault launched on Ukraine’s vitality grid, which killed one individual.

• Nato member Romania stated it had not detected any Russian missile passing by its airspace to focus on Ukraine, as claimed by Kyiv.

• Russia’s Federal Safety Service claimed on Thursday that it had foiled a number of plots by Ukrainian intelligence providers to kill high-ranking Russian army officers and their households in Moscow. It claimed 4 Russian residents allegedly concerned within the plots had been detained. Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service has claimed duty for the killing of Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s nuclear, organic and chemical safety troops, who died after a bomb hooked up to an electrical scooter exploded outsided his condo constructing on 17 December.

• A Russian cargo ship that sank on Tuesday within the Mediterranean Sea was the goal of an “act of terrorism”, in keeping with the vessel’s proprietor. The Ursa Main sank whereas it was crusing by worldwide waters between Spain and Algeria, leaving two crew members lacking. The Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated Russia confronted “systemic problems” in sustaining its fleet however gave no indication that Kyiv was concerned within the incident.

• Falling particles from a Ukrainian drone that was shot down precipitated an explosion and a deadly fireplace in a buying centre within the metropolis of Vladikavkaz in Russia’s North Ossetia area, the native governor stated on Wednesday. One girl was reported to have been killed contained in the buying centre.

• Russia’s international ministry stated Australia had been involved in regards to the attainable seize by the Russian military of an Australian citizen combating with Ukrainian forces. Oscar Jenkins was reportedly captured by Russian troopers whereas combating alongside Ukrainian forces within the Donbas area.

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a name with the Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, the place he thanked Japan’s authorities for a call to switch a further $3bn secured from frozen Russian belongings. The Ukrainian chief additionally thanked Japan for the full $12bn in humanitarian and monetary support offered to Ukraine, in keeping with a readout of the Wednesday name.

We’ll be retaining you up to date with all crucial happenings all through the remainder of the day.