A Ukrainian Missile Lands In Belarus
Russia states that 3,392 Ukrainians are being held captive by them
It was only a matter of time before Belarus became more involved in the war in Ukraine, and inevitable that a missile from an air defence system might fall into the country near the Ukrainian border. Now it is how Belarus will react. So far, they have stated that they might consider it an act of provocation, even though Ukraine has never targeted Belarus and has stated it has no plans to either.
Many consider it a ruse to justify Belarus getting involved in the war and by Russia deliberately targeting an area near the Belarusian border would force the Ukrainian air defence systems to shoot the missile near Belarus. Stray missiles have landed in other border countries, Poland and Moldova already so this incident was anticipated.
Meanwhile, archived documents show that Tony Blair while he was the UK Prime Minister supported Putin having a seat at the table at the international alliances claiming Putin was open to Western democratic ways. There was even talk of a UK-Russia pipeline. Fortunately, others were not as optimistic as Blair (or were wiser) and the pipeline plan never happened.
Day 309 (29 December)
A missile landed in Brest, in Belarus and is said to be Ukrainian. Belarus have requested an investigation, where Ukraine has said it was an air defence system missile and it was not an attack. The missile landed in Harbacha, around 9 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Belarus claims that it shot down a S-300 surface-to air- missile that came from Ukraine around 10-11 am on 29 December 2022. The Ukrainian Ambassador in Minsk, has been summoned to explain the situation. Ukraine has suggested that independent parties that do not support Russia be called upon to investigate the incident. Locals (Oleg Konovalov, a military commissar) in the area played down the incident as there were no injuries and compared it to the incident in Poland last month.
More than 100 ships are queuing in the Bosporus in the grain corridor as Russia is holding up ships claiming that the need to be inspected
On 28 December, Zelenskyy made a State of the Nation address to the Verkhovna Rada.
Gordon Brown (a former UK Prime Minister) has been active in setting up a special international war tribunal to try Russians for the war crimes that have been carried out. He has stated that the tribunal is taking shape and is seeking to indict Putin for the crime of aggression. The tribunal is so far endorsed by the EU, and NATO, with the Netherlands stating they will bear the cost of creating an interim office to indict Putin.
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The ICC has no jurisdiction as neither Russia or Ukraine signed the treaties to recognise the court, hence a special tribunal like the Nuremberg Trials is necessary.
Iranian Shahed drones have been reported in the Chernobyl area, which could lead to a nuclear disaster.
Russia has said it would not consider a proposed peace plan that did not include the four annexed regions of Ukraine.
A German intelligence officer has been arrested, suspected of being a Russian agent. The officer had access to sensitive information about the war in Ukraine, and on the US and the other allies.
Zelenskyy has been discussing the reconstruction of Ukraine with Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, one of the most prominent financial institutions in the world.
More than 120 missiles were launched by the Russians to attack Ukraine. Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv were all targeted, resulting in further power outages as energy grids and infrastructure is damaged again after being repaired.
Day 310 (30 December)
Fighting continues is Bakhmut and Donetsk, where Ukrainian troops are slowly advancing. Thee areas are largely controlled by the mercenary Wagner group and there is been a stalemate of sorts where the Russians are holding their line.
The UK provides de-mining equipment to Ukraine with 1000 VALLON metal detectors and bomb de-arming kits.
Russia continues to add laws to punish any Ukrainian sympathisers, called ‘assistance to subversive activities.’ These include organising protests, called ‘organising a sabotage community’ and will lead to sentences of 5-10 years imprisonment
A resident from the Donbas who was apprehended in a sabotage mission in July, admitted to joining the Russian army and has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for treason.
After the Ukrainian missile landed in Belarus, the question remains as to whether Belarus consider it escalation, even though Ukraine has never attacked Belarus, and the entire world knows that it is a Russian client state and has permitted Russian troops to enter Ukraine across its borders. However, if as reported drones have been launched from Belarus, then Ukraine has a right to defend itself from Belarus.
Russia has confirmed it is holding at least 3,392 Ukrainians captive, and at least 15,000 people are missing. Add to this the total number who are reported dead, the world must admit this is a bloody war that the international alliances have failed to prevent, and who have failed to provide assistance to Ukraine in order to prevent such a disaster.
Biden has signed a $1.7 trillion government funding bill which includes $47 billion of aid to Ukraine.