Open Threads

Four, quick housekeeping notes. First, I’m still feeling really rough, so I’m just going to run through the basics again.

Second, I DO NOT CARE if you think you’re being sarcastic or joking or using a word or phrase to point out the hypocrisy of those who use it regularly, if it is a slur I’m going to delete your comment and give you a time out. In this specific case, of a comment with this type of language that came in over night, I have just trashed it. I’ve pushed a screen shot to Cole and he’ll make the decision on a time out. Or not.

Third, if someone is pointing out another front page post on this site, whether it is highlighting it for me or for someone else in comments, don’t jump on them if it is not to their liking.

Fourth, and again, I do not read any other posts here. I don’t comment in any other posts here. I do not write, except under really unusual circumstances, any posts but these war updates.

There is still no new video of President Zelenskkyy – address, press conference, etc – again today.

Here’s the butcher’s bill from Russia’s genocidal attack on Ukraine last night/overnight:

⚡️28 drones intercepted, 46 lost in Russia’s overnight attack on Ukraine, Air Force reports.

The drones targeted multiple oblasts, with debris from downed drones causing damage to residential buildings, the Air Force reported on Dec. 8.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) December 8, 2024 at 5:07 AM

From The Kyiv Independent:

The Ukrainian military shot down 28 Russian drones but lost track of another 46 during a nighttime attack by Russian forces, the Air Force reported on Dec. 8.

The drones targeted multiple oblasts, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Russia launched a total of 74 drones at Ukraine, with the military successfully downing 28, the Air Force said in a Telegram post.

Forty-six unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) went off the radar, and their exact trajectories remain unknown.

Authorities reported damage to residential buildings caused by falling debris from downed Shahed drones during the overnight attack.

The attack follows a steady increase in Russia’s use of Shahed-type kamikaze drones, marking the third consecutive month of intensified drone attacks on Ukraine.

Data from the Air Force shows a sharp rise in Russian drone activity, with 2,576 drones deployed in November, compared to 2,023 in October.

The Kremlin shows no signs of relenting in these nightly attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is also bolstering its drone capabilities. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Dec. 5 that over 30,000 DeepStrike attack drones will be delivered to the military in 2025.

These next-generation drones are designed for autonomous long-distance operations and precision targeting, marking a significant advancement in Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities.

The President-elect has called for Putin to negotiate with President Zelenskyy and for the PRC to help. Here are the details from The Kyiv Independent.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action toward negotiating a truce, saying on Dec. 8: “I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”

Trump’s comments on his Truth Social platform followed his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris as world leaders gathered in the city for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Despite Trump’s call, the Kremlin has said that Russia is not prepared to pause the war in Ukraine, arguing that such a move would allow Kyiv to rearm and regroup. However, Russia has expressed readiness to negotiate on its own terms to end the conflict, insisting that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from four regions annexed by Russia in 2022, even though Moscow does not fully control them.

Meanwhile, the outgoing U.S. administration has continued to supply Ukraine with weapons, aiming to bolster Kyiv ahead of any potential ceasefire talks.

On Dec. 7, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a new military aid package worth nearly $1 billion for Ukraine. The package won’t arrive in Ukraine immediately, instead, it will involve contracts with U.S. defense companies to manufacture new drones and air defense munitions.

Since February 2022, the U.S. has spearheaded a coalition of nations to supply Ukraine with weapons and equipment, and Austin emphasized that abandoning Kyiv would be a grave mistake.

Trump comments on Russia, Ukraine, Syria and Iran after meeting Zelensky in Paris. He says Russia abandoned Assad; Moscow and Tehran weakened. War must end: Kyiv wants to “make a deal”; Putin should “act.” He also shares casualty figures: 600k Russian troops; 400k Ukrainians.

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 5:57 AM

Zelensky after Trump meeting: “When we talk about effective peace with Russia, we must first and foremost talk about effective guarantees for peace… Russia brought war to our land, and it is Russia that most seeks to disrupt the possibility of peace.” He adds: 43,000 troops killed, 370,000 wounded

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.bsky.social) December 8, 2024 at 6:03 AM

I don’t watch Meet the Press or any other Sunday show or any TV or cable news at all as they’re worthless and you shouldn’t waste yout rime with them. Anyhow, apparently the President-elect told his interviewer that Ukraine should, possibly, prepare for a reduction in aid:

⚡️Trump tells NBC News Ukraine should likely prepare for reduced US aid.

When asked whether Ukraine should prepare for reduced U.S. assistance, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump responded, “Possibly, sure.”

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM

The Kyiv Independent has the details:

The U.S. President-elect Donald Trump suggested in a Meet the Press interview aired on Dec. 8 that Ukraine could receive less aid under his presidency. When asked whether Ukraine should prepare for reduced U.S. assistance, Trump responded, “Possibly, sure.”

Trump reiterated that he is working to end the war in Ukraine, building on his previous campaign claim that he could resolve the war within 24 hours if he were in charge.

However, he confirmed that he has not spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin recently, adding, “I don’t want to say that because I don’t want to do anything that could impede the negotiations.”

Trump also wrote on his Truth Social platform earlier that President Volodymyr Zelensky “would like to make a deal” and “stop the madness” of the war in Ukraine, following their meeting in Paris on Dec. 7.

Trump and Zelensky met in Paris as world leaders convened for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. The meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, marked the first in-person discussion between the two since Trump’s election victory in November.

Trump also refrained from guaranteeing the U.S. would remain in NATO but emphasized that the U.S. would continue its membership if treated “fairly” in terms of contributions.

While this is disturbing, it’s also pretty clear he hasn’t thought about any of this stuff and he’s just reacting in the moment to the question about reductions in aid. As for the claim he hadn’t talked to Putin recently, I have no way of knowing if that’s true or not, but there has been reporting that he spoke to Putin at least seven times on an unencrypted commercial cell phone through to election day in November. I expect this is one of his reflexive tells, where the denials are actually admissions of the truth.

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War for Ukraine Day 1,019: A Brief Sunday Night UpdatePost + Comments (29)