A new wave of Russian missile attacks shakes the country

Russian forces shelled the Kherson region 30 times on December 15, killing four people and wounding nine others, according to Yaroslav Yanushevich, head of the Kherson regional military administration. The official Ukrainian news agency “Ukrainform” quoted his remarks.

Yanushevich pointed out that the Russian bombing hit housing, transportation routes, health care facilities and humanitarian aid points.

The world’s largest shipping company, MSC, said Thursday that it continues to ship goods through the Black Sea, while avoiding Ukrainian ports deemed too dangerous, such as Odessa.

Executive Director Soren Tofte told CNBC that while he “of course adheres to the sanctions,” he also continues to transport food, humanitarian aid, and medical supplies to Russia.

He said, “I don’t think it is my duty to act politically.” “There are 150 million Russians, and I don’t think I want to deprive them of basic things.”

Karen Gilchrist

Russia may launch a new offensive in Ukraine as soon as January, according to senior Ukrainian officials.

The head of Ukraine’s armed forces, General Valery Zaluzhny, President Volodymyr Zelensky, and General Oleksandr Sersky all spoke to The Economist, published Thursday, detailing their predictions for the year ahead.

“The Russians are preparing about 200,000 new soldiers,” Zaluzhny told the newspaper.

Read more over here.

Matt Clinch

The Associated Press is now reporting, citing Ukrainian authorities, that there were said to be explosions in at least three cities in Ukraine on Friday morning – Kyiv and Kryvyi Rih in the south and the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekov said via Telegram: “Explosions in Kharkiv for the second day in a row. An infrastructure facility was previously under missile attack. There may be electrical problems… Be careful and stay hidden.” .

Matt Clinch

On Friday morning, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said explosions hit the capital, after sirens were heard across the country.

Explosions in the Dasnian district of the capital. All services go to the place.. Stay in the shelters! Klitschko said, according to a Google translation of his post on Telegram.

Another explosion in Kyiv in the Dnipro region.

A new barrage of Russian attacks was expected early Friday, with Reuters reporting that sirens sounded in places such as the capital Kyiv.

Kirillo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President, via the Telegram messaging app: “Don’t ignore air raid alerts, stay in shelters.”

Matt Clinch

US officials said the Pentagon will expand military combat training for Ukrainian forces, using the slow winter months to instruct larger units in more complex combat skills.

The United States has already trained about 3,100 Ukrainian soldiers how to use and maintain certain weapons and other equipment, including howitzers, armored vehicles and the Highly Mobile Artillery Rocket System known as HIMARS. But senior military leaders have for months discussed expanding that training, citing the need to improve the ability of Ukrainian battalion- and company-sized units to move and coordinate attacks across the battlefield.

A battalion could include up to 800 soldiers; A much smaller company, with a few hundred troops.

According to officials, the training will take place at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. The aim is to use the winter months to hone the skills of Ukrainian forces so that they are better prepared for any upsurge in Russian attacks or efforts to expand Russia’s territorial gains.

– News agency

The European Union said it had agreed to a new package of sanctions aimed at stepping up pressure on Russia over its war in Ukraine.

The package, the details of which were not disclosed, was approved after days of deliberation during a meeting of ambassadors from the 27-nation bloc.

The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, said the package would be confirmed under written procedures on Friday. Details will then be published in the legal records of the block.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, last week proposed travel bans and asset freezes for about 200 other Russian officials and military officers as part of the new round of measures.

The targets of the recommended sanctions included government ministers, lawmakers, regional governors and political parties.

– News agency

The organization that manages agricultural exports from the country said that four ships carrying wheat and vegetable oil had left Ukraine’s ports.

The ships are heading to India and Turkey.

The Black Sea Grain InitiativeIn a deal brokered in July between Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, it saw three major Ukrainian ports reopen after a Russian naval blockade halted exports for several months. More than 13.9 million tons of grain and other products have left Ukraine since the agreement entered into force.

The agreement between the signatories is set to expire in three months.

Amanda Macias