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Ukraine strikes back: US missiles hit Rylsk, Putin reacts!
On 1,031. Day of the war between Russia and Ukraine, there are important developments on fighting, economics and diplomacy.
Ukraine strikes back: US missiles hit Rylsk, Putin reacts!
The dramatic developments on 1,031. Ukraine War Day!
On Saturday, December 21st, events in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine accelerated. The situation is tense and the fronts continue to harden!
In a devastating attack, Ukraine has targeted the city of Rylsk in Russia's Kursk region. Six people were killed by US missiles! This came just hours after a Russian airstrike on Kiev that killed at least one person. A building housing the embassies of Albania, Argentina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palestine and Portugal was severely damaged. Moscow justified the attack as retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on Rostov with Western missiles. The escalation of violence is alarming!
Losses and grief
The Ukrainian government announced on Friday the repatriation of 503 fallen soldiers from the Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia regions, as well as from Russian morgues. Most of the fallen fighters come from Donetsk, where the fighting is heaviest. The grief for the fallen heroes is immeasurable!
But the bad news isn't just on the battlefield. Russia's central bank has kept interest rates at a record high of 21 percent, despite high inflation fueled by a massive war effort and a deep labor shortage. Entrepreneurs criticize the impact of high borrowing costs on the already struggling economy. The international community responds: The International Monetary Fund approved $1.1 billion in budget support for Ukraine on Friday, bringing the total funding since March 2023 to $9.8 billion!
Political reactions and strategies
The political reactions to the recent attacks are equally violent. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, strongly condemned the Russian attack on Kiev, calling it a “cruel attack” and Putin’s disregard for international law. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is calling for a strategic realignment among European leaders regarding Ukraine, calling for a Christmas truce and the exchange of up to 1,000 prisoners of war. However, Orban has repeatedly blocked or watered down EU efforts to provide weapons and financial support.
In Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planning another meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin after resuming contact last month. Scholz has been criticized, but he emphasizes that the aim is to make it clear to Putin that he must stop his aggression and withdraw his troops. Diplomatic efforts are in jeopardy!
The situation remains tense and developments in the Ukraine conflict are of crucial importance for the entire region. Stay tuned for more updates!