Selenskyj warns of new attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of possible Russian attacks in the upcoming holidays and holiday season. Meanwhile, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is boosting Russia’s defense industry. Russian reinforcements were spotted on the fronts. Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian offensive war for 304 days on Saturday.

Zelenskyj warns of new Russian attacks

“With the approaching holidays, the Russian terrorists could become active again,” Zelenskyj said in his daily video address on Friday night. “They despise Christian values ​​and all values ​​in general.”

Zelenskyy urged the Ukrainians to be extra vigilant in the coming days. “So please listen to the signals from the bomb shelter, help each other and always look out for each other,” he said. At the same time, he issued an unusually harsh warning to Russia. “The citizens of Russia must clearly understand that terrorism never goes unanswered,” he said – without elaborating.

In recent days, the Ukrainian military leadership has repeatedly warned of possible new missile attacks on the country’s infrastructure and energy supply. The army pointed out on Friday, among other things, that a Russian fleet was en route in the Black Sea, including a warship with cruise missiles.

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The Russian military has repeatedly attacked Ukraine’s energy supply network in recent weeks with cruise missiles, missiles and so-called kamikaze drones. Despite the large number of Ukrainian air defenses shot down, the attacks caused extensive damage; This resulted in massive disruptions to the power and water supply. Russia wants to put pressure on the Ukrainian population in the winter.

The US Congress approves the budget with billions in aid for Ukraine

The US Congress has adopted the new government budget, which includes billions in aid for Ukraine. The US House of Representatives approved the budget with a size of 1.7 trillion dollars (1.6 trillion euros) on Friday. The Senate had previously approved the law. Defense spending accounts for about half of the budget. About $45 billion has been earmarked for aid to Ukraine.

Putin climbs on tanks and calls for more armaments

Kremlin chief Putin has called on Russia’s defense industry to do more to support his country’s armed forces. “The core task of companies in the arms industry is to provide all units with all necessary weapons, technology, ammunition and equipment,” the Russian president said on Friday while visiting a weapons factory in Tula, south of Moscow. “In addition, this offer must be delivered in the desired size and corresponding quantity and within the deadlines.”

In a workshop, Putin climbed onto a highly polished tank, as photos showed. He called for “past combat experience” to be incorporated into weapons production. He avoided any reference to where this “combat experience” was acquired. At the end of February, Russia invaded Ukraine.

At a meeting at the Defense Ministry on Wednesday, Putin called for a faster pace of upgrading and modernizing the armed forces. There are “no financial constraints” on further improvement of the military, he said. In addition, the armed forces will be expanded by nearly 350,000 soldiers to a strength of 1.5 million men.

Melnyk wants a “European tank alliance” for Ukraine from Berlin

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has again called on the federal government to provide Kiev with main battle tanks and armored cars for defense against Russia. He wished that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) “finally reconsider restraint, for example with the Leopard main battle tank and the Marder infantry fighting vehicle,” the former ambassador of Ukraine to Germany told the editorial network Germany (RND). “If the federal government does not want to go it alone with the supply, then Germany could pursue a leading role on the continent, forge a European tank alliance.”

Melnyk had already proposed in October that the European states with existing stocks of Leopard 2 tanks join forces and supply 10 percent of the 2,000 units to Ukraine. Ukraine has long been asking its allies for Western-style main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers.

Kiev: Russia sends new troops to the front to reinforce them

According to Ukrainian reconnaissance, Russian forces are bringing reinforcements to their troops on the fronts in eastern and southern Ukraine. “The enemy has increased the volume of rail transport of troops, equipment and ammunition to the combat zones,” the general staff said in Kiev on Friday. The area around the front-line city of Bakhmut in the east, as well as the cities of Avdiivka, Kupyansk and Limansk in the Donbass region, were considered key combat zones. Reinforcements on the Russian side were also recognized in the south of the country. However, the new units in the Kherson region would only be used to expand the defense lines. The information could not be independently verified.

Trams in Kiev are at a standstill due to a lack of electricity

Due to the dire power shortage as a result of the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy network, local public transport with trams and trolleybuses in the capital Kiev has come to a standstill for the time being. Instead, 222 extra regular buses would be used, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Friday evening. The metro, Kiev’s main thoroughfare, is not affected by these energy-saving measures.

That will be important on Saturday

The Ukrainian armed forces expect new Russian attacks on the frontline city of Bakhmut. The Russian-controlled cities of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbass are expecting new Ukrainian attacks from Ukrainian tube and rocket artillery. (saw/sda/dpa)