Azerbaijani Minister and State Oil Company Veteran to Head COP29 Climate Talks
Ukraine Admits Attacks on Russian Military Positions in Crimea
In a rare admission of its military operations in Crimea, Ukraine has confirmed that it carried out attacks on a Russian military command post and a military unit in separate strikes on the Russia-occupied peninsula. The country claims that it inflicted “serious damage” to Russia’s defense system.
Since 2014, when Russia seized and illegally annexed Crimea, Kyiv has been seeking to reclaim the peninsula. Over the years, Ukraine has staged a string of attacks on Crimea, including on warships, the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, and the bridge that connects the peninsula to southern Russia.
Nataliya Humenyuk, the spokeswoman for the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine, stated on January 5 that “powerful combat operations” took place earlier in the week, targeting Russia’s military operations in Crimea particularly hard.
The attacks on Crimea come after an intensification of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have been engaged in multiple close-quarters clashes and continue to repel attacks in various regions.
Furthermore, the United States has declassified intelligence finding that North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic-missile launchers and several ballistic missiles. Russian forces have reportedly used at least one of those missiles to launch an attack in Ukraine, landing in the Zaporizhzhya region. Russia is also seeking close-range ballistic missiles from Iran, raising concerns among U.S. officials.
In response to Russia’s increasing aggression, Ukraine has been urging its Western allies to continue supplying it with air-defense weapons. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed confidence that Ukraine will receive the international aid it needs, emphasizing that it is an investment in the protection of NATO and the prosperity of the American people.
U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed a national security spending bill that includes $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, but it has been blocked by Republican lawmakers who are calling for action on U.S. border security.
As the situation continues to escalate, tensions between Ukraine, Russia, and their allies remain high. The conflict is a cause for concern, and the international community is closely monitoring the developments between the rival nations.
