Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. Back in the capital for first time since late Feb. Much has changed!
But first the news: British intel claims Russia used ~65% of ground forces in Ukraine; and more than 1/4 are now combat ineffective
UK Ministry of Defense says that Russia's most elite forces, including its airborne troops, are among those most devastated by combat in Ukraine; and that it will set those units back by years.
In eastern Ukraine, the UA military reports fighting all along the front lines.
I spoke to Elena Dulgig, who was waiting in line for humanitarian aid in Kramatorsk, a city in the Donbas region, 20-30 miles from the front lines
Elena needs the help: most of the grocery stores in town are closed or have nothing left to sell…
…and she has been out of work since Feb 25, the day after the invasion
Pictured below with her mother
It was a hectic scene, as locals jockeyed for position to get a few basic provisions:
They received some canned goods, a little milk, a little pasta.
Elena told us what she wanted most was peace, that she was concerned about her son, who is in the Kharkiv region, another area that is close to the front lines...
Elena said she hadn't seen her son in six months, and that she wants the war to be over so that her grandkids can visit safely.
More from Elena and others in Kramatorsk on NPR soon.
NPR team found it difficult to find much food or gas in Kramatorsk.
We got some bread, some cheese, and some deli meat.
I broke into a jalapeño pepper beef patty MRE that I brought along, and due to request we keep room lights off at night, ate it under red light headlamp
Spotted at a cafe three hours outside Kyiv:
Two Ukrainian mil officers at at a table under the shade, arms around their spouses; as their children played (one was rolling around on a skateboard). Looked like they were on leave.
Sense of relief characterized the whole scene.
Returning to Kyiv for the first time since the invasion: the route is much more militarized... the city is bustling, a contrast to those panicked few first hours where the streets were empty.
Still waited for the better part of an hour at a checkpoint to enter the city.
Today’s dog of war is Misha, a dog who was very eager to have belly rubs and cried when I stopped playing with him, which broke my heart a little
Bonus moose of war:
A moose being evacuated from the zoo in Kharkiv, per Ukraine NOW, social media arm of Ukrainian government
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Scoop: Trump’s special envoy for Russia Steve Witkoff has a serious conflict of interest: business dealings with a man sanctioned by Ukraine as a threat to its national security.
Len Blavatnik is a longtime business partner of Witkoff’s, and made his money in post-Soviet Russia.
Steve Witkoff, appointed as Trump’s special envoy, has repeatedly shown not just an affinity for Moscow but has openly stated that he “spent a lot of time talking and developing a friendship and relationship” with Putin — a dictator responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians.
After a meeting with Putin, he told Trump that the fastest way to a ceasefire would be to give four Ukrainian territories to Russia, Reuters reported – views that drew direct condemnation from Ukraine’s president this week.
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
Tomorrow Germany will vote. Will it stand by Ukraine or give power to the pro-Russian far right?
Kirill, a Ukrainian in Hungary, warns voters about ‘Orbanization’ of Germany.
Kiril Demchenko has lived in Hungary for four years, so he knows how a country changes when its authorities flirt with the Kremlin, as Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban has done.
Kiril says after the start of the full-scale invasion, Hungarians began to treat Ukrainians badly, especially older people who see Russia as an ally, not an aggressor.
Trump’s suspension of U.S. foreign aid has left numerous Ukraine-based humanitarian projects w/o funding.
USAID is supporting veterans groups, local media, critical infrastructure among other vital areas.
Russian intelligence contact relatives of Ukrainian POWs immediately after capture, trying to manipulate them into sending money or sensitive information.
They also promise prisoner exchanges or better treatment for their POW relatives while in captivity.
EU may ban selling video game consoles to Russia, as Russia is using them to operate attack drones.
Following Western sanctions, Russia's military has been known to use non-military tech for military purposes, like refrigerator parts which are used in missiles and drones.
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
War doesn’t stop, even on Christmas Eve. Nastia and I spent the night at a medical stabilization point near the frontline, where medics were working around the clock to save Ukrainian soldiers.
We had barely started eating Kutya – the sweet Ukrainian Christmas dish you’re obliged to eat first, and with a spoon – when the first call came in for an emergency evacuation.
At the forward headquarters of MOAS, an NGO dedicated to spiriting critical patients away from the frontlines, Christmas Eve dinner was marked with a couple hearty toasts and camaraderie.