In the fall, the US presented a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal named five potential obstacles to peace between Russia and Ukraine.
The Defense Forces conducted a special operation near Pokrovsk, destroying tanks, Osa SAM systems, and armored fighting vehicles. The enemy planned to use this equipment for assault operations in the Pokrovsk direction.
SBU long-range drones hit two Russian Su-27 aircraft at the Belbek military airfield in Crimea, one of which was ready for a combat sortie. The control tower was also confirmed to have been hit, which will complicate the organization of flights.
On the night of December 20, Russians attacked Ukraine with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 51 attack UAVs. Air defense forces shot down 31 enemy UAVs, and hits from ballistic missiles and 20 attack UAVs were recorded in 15 locations.
On the night of December 19, the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully hit the Russian military ship of project 22460 "Okhotnik" in the Caspian Sea. A Lukoil drilling platform and an RSP-6M2 radar system in occupied Crimea were also hit.
On Saturday, December 20, cloudy weather with fog is expected in Ukraine, which will reduce visibility to 200-500 meters. The air temperature will range from 2° below zero to 6° above zero during the day, fog is also predicted in Kyiv region and Kyiv.
On December 20, cloudy weather without precipitation is expected in Ukraine, but with fog on the roads, visibility 200-500 m. The temperature will range from 2°C below zero to 3°C above zero, in the west and south up to 6°C above zero, in Crimea up to 10°C.
Russia attacked Ukraine with 160 Shahed-type, Gerbera, and other drones on the night of December 19. Air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 108 enemy drones in the south and east of the country.
On Friday, December 19, stable weather without precipitation will persist in Ukraine due to high atmospheric pressure. Dense fogs are possible on the Left Bank, in the west, and in Zhytomyr region, which will worsen visibility on the roads.
Negotiations between the US and Russia on a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine are planned in Miami, where the Russian side will be represented by Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The meeting will take place after consultations in Berlin, where security guarantees for Kyiv and possible territorial concessions were discussed.
In temporarily occupied Alchevsk, schools are not introducing quarantine despite the widespread outbreak of streptoderma among students. Parents are forced to attend classes, despite the risk of infection.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution on human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea and Sevastopol. 79 countries voted for the document, 16 were against, and 73 abstained.
Ukraine announced a successful restructuring of GDP warrants worth $2. 6 billion, which will avoid significant payments in the post-war period. This transaction will strengthen debt sustainability and increase the country's budget predictability.
Mass destruction of green spaces is taking place in Simferopol. The felled trees are being used as building materials and fuel for the needs of the Russian army at the front, as well as for clearing sites for commercial facilities.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the destruction of a number of enemy targets in the temporarily occupied territories, including the 55Zh6 "Nebo-U" radar in Crimea and a fuel and lubricants depot in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. A UAV depot in Makiivka was also hit, and two S-400 air defense system launchers in Belgorod Oblast were destroyed.
An anticyclone will determine the weather in Ukraine on December 18, it will be dry and sometimes windy. From December 26, a cold snap with night frosts down to -5...-11 degrees is expected.
On the night of December 18, SBU drones attacked the Belbek military airfield in Crimea. Two "Nebo-SVU" complexes, a 92N6 radar, a "Pantsir-S2" air defense system, and a MiG-31 aircraft were hit.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stopped the payment of state scholarships to Serhiy Bubka and Yana Klochkova, according to decree No. 967 of December 17. Other Olympic champions and medalists have also been deprived of scholarships.
The Russian dictator confirmed his intention to seize territories that he considers "historical lands of Russia. " This primarily refers to the south and east of Ukraine.
In temporarily occupied Crimea, discontent is growing due to benefits for participants of the "SVO" and their families. Local residents are recording widespread irritation over special privileges against the backdrop of deteriorating social services.
Russia launched a night attack on Ukraine with 69 drones, including Shahed and Gerbera. Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 37 enemy UAVs, but 29 attack drones hit 12 locations in the north, south, and east of the country.
The Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld the verdict against ex-president Yanukovych, sentenced to 15 years for organizing illegal border crossing and inciting desertion. His accomplice, the former deputy head of the State Protection Department, received 10 years in prison.
The occupation authorities of Crimea announced the "nationalization" of the property of 84 Ukrainians, accusing them of "cooperation with Kyiv" and supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The list includes world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, as well as politicians, entrepreneurs, and military personnel.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Russia will not make concessions regarding the occupied territories of Ukraine, considering them part of its constitution. Moscow will also not agree to the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine in any format.
Overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with 69 Shahed-type, Gerbera, and other attack UAVs. Air defense forces shot down/suppressed 57 enemy UAVs; hits by 10 attack UAVs were recorded at 7 locations.
On December 16, cloudy weather with clearings is expected in Ukraine, with no significant precipitation. Daytime temperatures will be 1-6°C, and up to 9°C in Zakarpattia, Odesa region, and Crimea.
On December 14, a drone hit a warship in occupied Feodosia, causing a fire. The consequences of the strike and the extent of the damage remain unknown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin refuses a unilateral withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region. This comes against the backdrop of a 28-point US plan that envisages Ukraine's renunciation of NATO and new elections.
A KIIS poll showed that 72% of Ukrainians are ready for peace with a frozen front and security guarantees. Most Ukrainians reject the Russian peace plan and are ready to endure the war for as long as necessary.
Representatives of the Trump administration held five-hour talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, which were described as "difficult. " The US is increasing pressure on Ukraine to conclude a peace agreement with Russia by the end of the year, but the parties have significant disagreements.
