Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

When we show up, we win.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

There is one struggling party in US right now, and it’s not the Democrats.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

Innocent people don’t delay justice.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

Pelosi: “He either is stupid, or he thinks the rest of us are.” Why not both?

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

This blog will pay for itself.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

I was confident that someone would point it out and thought why not me.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

The lights are all blinking red.

You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / War for Ukraine Day 668: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

War for Ukraine Day 668: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas

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Screen shot of a mural of an eye shedding a tear/crying. The upper eyelid is painted in the blue of Ukraine's flag. The lower eyelid is painted in the yellow of Ukraine's flag. The mural was painted by the artist MyDogSighs.

(Image by My Dog Sighs)

Quick housekeeping note: Bill Arnold, the short answer to your question last night is that no, that won’t work. Decommissioning/demilitarization of weapons systems and munitions is not the same as shipping them to Ukraine and declaring that by doing so you’ve decommissioned them. It would require Congress to pass legislation for this to happen.

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska’s charitable foundation is participating in the Christmas at the Doorstep Initiative.

Olena Zelenska Foundation, on the eve of Christmas, greeted all foster and big foster families in Ukraine. Ukrainian and international companies contributed to this effort. Thanks to their collaboration, over 3,100 families with over 13,000 children across the country simultaneously received gifts on December 23.

“Today, even during the war, every child, as always, awaits the Christmas miracle. Especially the children for whom a previously unfamiliar family has become their own,” the First Lady said.

Olena Zelenska personally visited a family in Kyiv region with gifts. The Foundation’s team visited this family as one of the first in the spring of 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Parents, Anatoliy and Iryna, have been raising children for over 10 years. Since the creation of the foster family, 14 children have lived in it.

“On December 23, Ukrainian celebrities became Christmas St. Nicholases for families across the country: Dmytro Monatik visited families in Kharkiv region, while Volodymyr Dantes greeted a family in Kyiv region. Dmytro Komarov paid a visit to a family in Galicia, Oleksiy Zavhorodniy visited a family in Cherkasy, and Yuriy Tkach and Yevhen Koshovyi together visited two families in Dnipro.

Director of the Foundation Nina Horbachova, jointly with the team, greeted two families in Kharkiv region.

“This project proved to be quite a challenge for the Foundation’s team. Organizing such a large-scale campaign for children in wartime conditions is not easy. But we managed to give the children a holiday! Thanks to our partners from different countries around the world who supported this initiative and sent gifts to our children,” the Foundation’s Director, Nina Horbachova, said.

Gifts were collected jointly with partners over three months. The Christmas sets include Christmas trees, decorations, construction toy sets, puzzles, stationery, creative kits, various toys, sweets, and books for the whole family. Collaboration became possible thanks to Ukraine’s embassies and honorary consuls in Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, and Türkiye.

“The project partner, Nova Poshta, provided their putting together, festive packaging, and courier delivery of holiday sets throughout Ukraine. Within two months, the company received gifts from the Foundation’s partners from different parts of the world and put them together into festive sets. On December 23, couriers all over Ukraine delivered bright Christmas parcels to the doorstep of each foster family.

The Foundation’s team expresses gratitude to all the partners who contributed to the implementation of the “Christmas at the Doorstep” project: Nova Poshta Group of Companies, Epicenter K, Ukrainian Food Bank Federation, Burgenland federal state, The LEGO Foundation, Toms Group, Carletti A/S, DSV A/S, Netcompany-Intrasoft A/S, Room2Play, Leg & idé, MOTTO, Vestergaard Group, SNCF, La région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, La Région Normandie, BIC, Le Petit Prince, Stellantis, FC Rennes, Loacker, Billa, Handelsverband, FC Bayern München AG, Deutscher Verband der Spielwarenindustrie e.V., Sav-Orbico, Perfetti Van Melle, TOBB, HARIBO Türkiye, and Turkish Football Federation.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

The eve of Christmas is culminating this week, the week that made our Ukraine stronger – address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

23 December 2023 – 20:12

I wish you good health, dear Ukrainians!

This week is coming to an end – the week before Christmas. The week that has made all of us, our state, Ukraine, stronger.

It is essential, as always, to express gratitude at the end of the week. There are new support packages. Germany: Gepard SPAAG, anti-aircraft guns, and 155mm rounds – and other necessary weapons. Thank you! The Netherlands: a package of over EUR 100 million that will help our resilience. Thank you! Finland: already the 21st aid package – specifically defense – also over EUR 100 million. I’m grateful!

The potential for U.S. sanctions has been increased. Decisions have been made regarding financial institutions that help Russia bypass sanctions and cooperate with the military-industrial complex of terrorists. There are also new sanctions against those who assist Russia in exporting oil in violation of price caps. Putting pressure on such Russian ties with collaborators is especially crucial. I am thankful for this. We also await the approval of the U.S. support package for the next year, and I am grateful to representatives of both parties for understanding that decisions need to be made.

“This week once again demonstrated the effectiveness of bolstering our air defense. It is not only for protecting cities and villages from Russian drones and missiles but also for frontline operations. The capability to shoot down Russian fighter jets is one of the keys to ending this war justly. I thank all the partners already assisting us with this and preparing for relevant steps in support for the coming year.

And, of course, our warriors. Combat brigades on all fronts, from Kharkiv to Kherson. At the border – those who defend against Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, those who eliminate Shahed drones, and those who hold our frontlines. I thank each and every one of you!

Today, I want to particularly acknowledge the guys from the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade. Soldier Vasyl Polischuk and Sergeant Oleh Bernadsky – both exceptionally effective, both wounded, both exemplarily brave. Thank you! Rifleman of the 23rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, Soldier Oleksiy Kopytsia – currently near Avdiivka, engaged in defensive battles, with previous heroic storming actions in the south. Thank you, soldier! Warrior of the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Mariupol Brigade, Senior Soldier Ivan Kireev – thank you for your Cossack bravery, soldier, and for rescuing your comrades! The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade – Soldier Yevhen Lisovenko and Senior Sergeant Kostiantyn Volokonsky. Thank you, guys, for your resolve and actions that save the lives of your comrades! The 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade – Soldier Mykhailo Karpiuk, Senior Soldier Volodymyr Lebedev, and Senior Lieutenant Oleh Kryvenko. Guys, the tank crew, thank you for successfully destroying the occupiers and for being a strong team! Well done!

Another thing.

There are new sanctions decisions from Ukraine: I have signed the relevant decrees, and they have already been published. In total, more than 130 legal entities and over 20 individuals are targeted. Those who work for Russian aggression, those who assist it, those who take the ignoble path of collaboration with the terrorist state. All of them will be held accountable for their actions.

We will defend Ukraine. I thank everyone standing with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

For those of your marking Advent on your calendars this season:

Ukrainian Advent Calendar: Day 23   

Today, we are happy to present to you the M113 tracked armored personnel carrier.  

M113 APCs play an important role in #UAarmy. They provide fire support for units in battle, evacuate the wounded soldiers, and also deliver ammunition to the front line. This helps bring Ukraine’s victory closer and saves the lives of our soldiers.  

We are grateful to our partners who have donated M113 APCs to Ukraine, including the United States (@DeptofDefense), Netherlands (@Defensie), Spain (@Defensagob), Portugal (@defesa_pt), Lithuania (@Lithuanian_MoD), Germany (@BMVg_Bundeswehr), Belgium (@BelgiumDefence), Australia (@DefenceAust), Denmark (@Forsvarsmin), and Luxembourg (@Defense_lu). \

Thank you, friends!   #StandWithUkraine #UAMoDAdvent

Are you ready for the 24th Weapon of Victory tomorrow? Stay tuned!

From the BBC:

For the first time since 1917, Ukraine is celebrating Christmas on 25 December.

The move is more than just a change of date from 7 January – the date for Christmas in the Julian calendar, which Russia uses.

It’s the continuation of a significant cultural shift in the country – the latest attempt to eradicate Moscow’s influence in Ukraine.

The adoption of the Western, Gregorian calendar is also a sign of Kyiv’s continuing bid to align itself with Europe.

Whether in war or peacetime, Christmas always comes.

Klavdievo-Tarasove’s decorations factory, in a small town outside Kyiv, used to be one of three which supplied the whole of the Soviet Union.

“We used to have many people – not any more,” Leokadia tells us. She’s worked on this production line since 1978.

She effortlessly blows glass baubles using a gas burner fixed to her desk. It’s a welcome source of heat in these cold, industrial surroundings.

After years of shrinking output, this factory stopped completely when Russian forces occupied this area for a month soon after the start of the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“It was very scary when tanks drove down the street,” Henya, another worker, explains. “We couldn’t go outside. We had no information, we were cut off from the world. It was terrible.”

And yet, despite only a third of the team having returned, decorations are still being made. Small pieces of Christmas cheer are carefully built and sent out around the country.

And what is Henya’s wish for Ukrainians living under Russian occupation this Christmas?

“You have to believe, hope – and liberation will happen, it will be like that.”

Henya works on the more artistic part of the process: she and her colleagues caringly hand paint each individual bauble.

You immediately notice a military theme. Miniature soldiers, MIG fighter jets, even a Ukrainian tractor pulling a Russian tank – all hang from a shelf, destined for a Christmas tree.

“I think that everyone who will take a look at such a bauble will hope for the victory of our country sooner,” says Tamila with a defiant tone now typical here in Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia share countless cultural ties, and they will always have to live next to each other. Yet the former’s identity is only being strengthened by the latter’s aggression.

Fewer places know that aggression better than the town of Bucha, a couple of miles from the decoration factory.

As the Russian advance towards Kyiv slowed last year, invading troops were accused of killing more than 500 civilians in one of the worst atrocities of the war so far.

Some of their names appear on a silver memorial next to the Church of St Andrew. As its golden domes glisten in the winter sunshine, you can still see where grass has struggled to regrow.

It was here that a mass grave appeared during Russia’s occupation. The bodies of those who died could only be exhumed after they retreated.

“Unfortunately for many people in the world, Ukraine is linked to Russia. And Ukraine is always viewed in the context of being a neighbour of Russia,” explains Father Andriy in the candlelit crypt of St Andrew’s.

“But I think that we are more a neighbour of Europe,” he says. “And the fact that we’ve now changed the calendar is not shifting away from Russia. It is us returning back to Europe, where we belong.”

More at the link.

Germany continues to support Ukraine in our fight against russian invasion.

The new package of military aid includes:
◾️3 Gepards self-propelled anti-aircraft guns
◾️2 Winsent 1 mine clearing tanks
◾️10 Vector reconnaissance drones
◾️2 border protection vehicles
◾️2 AMPS self-protection systems for helicopters
◾️8 Zetros trucks
◾️2 8×8 HX81 truck tractor trains
◾️5 semi-trailers for HX81
◾️8 vehicles (trucks, minibuses, all-terrain vehicles)
◾️Ammunition for LEOPARD 2 A6
◾️30,240 rounds ammunitions for Gepard
◾️2,500 rounds 155mm ammunition
◾️25,536 rounds 40mm ammunition
◾️Medical materials

Thank you for your steadfast support!
🇺🇦🤝🇩🇪
#StandWithUkraine
@BMVg_Bundeswehr

Here’s all of Ponomarenko’s first tweet:

Judging from the fact that Putin keeps signaling that he is “open to a ceasefire in Ukraine”, the conclusion is that things are very far from being as great as the Kremlin wants us to believe.

And they dearly need a respite in hostilities with Ukraine.

They want us all to stop for now.

And they keep tempting the Free World into a deal with the devil. A seemingly easy and a cheap one.

Which means: we’re all on the right path and need to amplify our efforts in all domains.

Kyiv:

Synkivka, Kupyansk front:

 

Another Russian attack ended in chaos. This happened in the Kupyansk area. At first, it looks like that Russians can make it, but gradually they lose vehicles and troops.

The full chaos erupts when they reach that small settlement. Ukrainian mortar strikes and drones wreak havoc. The Russian vehicles are in utter disarray and the mounted infantry is also absolutely confused. One Russian even gets stuck on his IFV and gets dragged around.

The end comes with one Ukrainian tank and infantry clearing the area from all Russian presence.

Another chapter showing how incapable Russians are when it comes to modern combined arms warfare.

Source: t.me/operativnoZSU/

#Ukraine #Kharkiv #Kupyansk

Avdiivka:

Machine translation of Sternenko’s original tweet:

Near Avdiivka, the Russians were hiding in a battered armored personnel carrier. They thought they wouldn’t be found like that.

Didn’t guess!
Soldiers of the 47th Brigade smoked out the Russian infantry from there and forced them to die with the help of one of your drones.

Stepove north of Avdiivka:

 

The area around Stepove north of Avdiivka is a shooting gallery for Ukrainian Bradley IFVs. All Russian attempts to overcome Ukrainian defenses in that sector ended so far with their own demise. The tree lines are piles of Russian corpses and burnt out husks of Russian armor.

Source: t.me/artem_blogerr/

#Ukraine #Kherson #Avdiivka

Bilohorivka, Russian occupied Luhansk Oblast:

More from the Mariinka front:

Korsunka east of Krynky, left bank of the Dnipro, Russian occupied Kherson Oblast:

Magyar’s bird released another lengthy video, showing the destruction of all kinds of vehicles.

I found this part interesting. It shows Russians massing near Korsunka, east of Krynky. Three Russian BMPs got caught in the open and when Russians realized that FPV drones were coming down, they hid in the bushes. At least one BMP got hit.

This video shows in particular how early Russians are getting harassed and why the small Ukrainian detachment in Krynky against all odds still holds the line.

Coordinates:

46°45’36″N 33°10’34″E

Full video: https://t.me/robert_magyar/760

#Ukraine #Kherson #Krynky

Russian occupied Kherson Oblast:

The destruction of the three Russian Su-34 yesterday brought the Russian air campaign in Kherson to a complete halt. Usually, the Russian air forces deploys an average of 80 missiles against Ukrainian positions in Kherson alone. Today, it fell to exactly zero!

It cannot be more obvious how brittle the Russian army in reality is. It is a Potemkin army which primarily lives from masses of meat respectively deterrence and less from real value on the battlefield. When only one Patriot battery can cause the entire Russian air force to completely disappear, then you can imagine what swarms of F-16, AMRAAM AIM-120D, ATACMS and TAURUS and other weapon systems against Russian air and ground assets will cause, once they get unleashed.

The Western self-deterrence is absolutely unjustified.

Source: https://t.me/ssternenko/23644

#Ukraine

It appears the air defense response from the battery in Odesa the other day has made the Russians a bit gun shy. This is a good thing.

It also once again demonstrates the strategic cowardice of those who believe that if the US, the EU, NATO, and non-EU and non-NATO allies and partners give Ukraine everything they need to actually defeat Russia that it will cause Putin to escalate in dangerous ways. Every single piece of empirical evidence we have clearly demonstrates that when Putin gets punched in the nose he does not escalate. Rather, he only escalates when he faces either no or insufficient resistance. At heart he’s a Leninist. He probes, when he finds steel he retreats, when he finds mush he proceeds. Ukraine is steel. The US, the EU, and NATO are mush.

Ilovaisk, Russian occupied Donetsk Oblast:

It looks like that the area at the main station of Ilovaisk is burning, potentially the fuel depots or rail cars on the tracks.

Coordinates:

47°55’12.54″N, 38°11’48.21″E

Ilovaisk has been repeatedly targeted in the past for being an important logistics and transfer point of the Russian invasion force.

#Ukraine #Donetsk #Ilovaisk

Abrykosivka, Russian occupied Kherson Oblast:

Ukrainian planes using JDAMs hit Russian warehouses containing equipment and ammunition of BM-27 “Uragan” MLRS. The strike occurred near Abrykosivka, Kherson.

In the end of the footage you can even see two Russian planes, likely Su-25.

Coordinates of this engagement: 46°28’41″N 33°04’52″E

Source of video: t.me/ButusovPlus/698

#Ukraine #Kherson

There are no new Patron tweets or videos tonight, so here’s some adjacent material from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

13Comments

  1. 1.

    Alison Rose

    When I first saw all the headlines about “putin is willing to negotiate” I was just like, how are people still this fucking dumb. But if your paycheck relies on being dumb, I guess for some people it’s not too difficult…

    On the First Lady’s FB page, there’s a video of her visiting the foster family, and it’s very sweet. She seems like a really kind-hearted person, and I love the work that she and her foundation have been doing.

    It’s amazing to me that cats in Ukraine are this chill near the front lines, while my cat hides in the closet if someone closes a door too loudly down the hall. Ukrainian cats are almost as bad-ass a Ukrainian grannies.

    Thank you as always, Adam.

  2. 2.

    Jay

    ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – In an improbable confluence of geopolitical strife, childhood wonder and salty air, a Ukrainian watchmaker has repaired a 118-year-old town clock in eastern Newfoundland that hadn’t told time in decades.

    Liudmyla Pass, 68, had been in Newfoundland less than a month when she climbed the stairs to the long-silent clock tower in the coastal town of Carbonear on Tuesday, armed with her tools and five decades of expertise.

    https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/ukrainian-watchmaker-fixes-newfoundland-clock-tower-that-hasn-t-told-time-in-decades-1.6699705

  4. 4.

    Another Scott

    @Jay:

    Great story.

    Pass was five years old when she fell in love with clocks. She first encountered a clockmaker at a toy shop in her village and she was completely transfixed, Veretennyk said.

    “She thought they were from a fairy tale, or like Merlin,” she said. “She thought they were some kind of magic.”

    When Pass was 15, she discovered a college nearby where she could learn to fix clocks and watches, but her parents didn’t want her to go, Veretennyk said. So she ran away. Pass stayed with friends and began her education, and her parents had no choice but to accept it.

    That’s destiny, just as much as Einstein and the Zytglogge was.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  6. 6.

    NobodySpecial

    @Adam L Silverman: Just wanted to say thank you for answering my question the other day. Sorry I wasn’t able to reply then.

    I guess it’s a bit disappointing in that there were lots of workarounds used during WWII using the Lend Lease program.

  7. 7.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NobodySpecial: You’re most welcome. The FDR administration was unique. President Biden and his team have done a lot, but they are exceedingly risk averse. And when you read just how risk accepting FDR and his people were the contrast is even more stark. And while a Lend-Lease bill was passed for Ukraine, without a supplemental appropriation, there’s no money for the program. Because there’s no money to replace whatever would be lent or leased.

  9. 9.

    Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom

    I don’t want to wreck everyone’s joy at this time of year. But between the horror of Gaza & the failure of support to Ukraine I’m not in the most celebratory of moods.😡 As Adam has repeatedly asked, what has happened to “Never again” ?

    Thank you Adam for your cool headed analysis & continued sharing of your expertise.

    I’m not a Christian so Blessed Be to all the Jackals & Happy New Year to all.

  11. 11.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Citizen Alan: As I’ve written about before on the front page, the Republicans in the 1930s tried to overthrow the Constitution and establish a fascist “co-president” to run the country from the shadows while keeping FDR as the figure head. Two of the GOP elites involved were George Herbert Walker and Prescott Bush. One was the father/grandfather and the other the grandfather/great grandfather of the 41st and 43rd presidents of the US. They were enamored of European fascists, their rise, and their leaders. The NY Times, among the other news outlets, tried to cover it up.

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