Putin Calls For a Ceasefire on Orthodox Christmas
The announcement appears to be a tactic to appease the Russians
Over the past few days, there has been little to report of substance. Bakhmut continues to be a battlefield where hundreds die each day. The sad thing is that people have stopped reporting on the casualties, and these are human beings who have sacrificed their lives for their country. It’s hard not to get angry at the international alliances who failed to prevent the war, and who were slow in responding to the defence of Ukraine.
In Bakhmut, the Wagner group continue their assault on the city it seems in a bid to gain control of the sale and gypsum mines. There are few people left who have not evacuated, mainly the elderly who have nowhere else to go, and a few stubborn ones who don’t want to leave, even if it means death. It’s hard to reconcile why people do not evacuate when the government advise it and provide assistance in doing so. They endanger themselves, and others who try to save them. I find it hard to understand why someone would stay in their home that is being shelled, and live off scraps of food that soldiers discard and not evacuate given the chance, especially if they have children. They can choose to die if they wish, but is it right to make that decision for their children too?
Putin announced a ceasefire for 36 hours for the Orthodox Christmas (6-7 January). Was it a stalling tactic? As expected, there have been missiles fired at Ukraine during the supposed ceasefire
Day 315 (4 January)
Russia confirmed the deaths in Makiivka but state the death toll was 89 from 63. There have been calls to hold the military to account for failing to stop soldiers using their cellphones, even though they are banned. It is thought that the use of the phones gave away the location on New Year’s Eve and gave the Ukrainians the co-ordinates they needed to launch an attack on the military base. Basically, the Russians are accusing the army of being criminally negligent.
The CES 2023 is the largest Consumer Electronics Show, which is an influential tech event where many innovations are launched. It is currently being held in Las Vegas, but Russian companies were told there were not welcome, leading to some companies saying they would relocate if they could exhibit.
In Belarus, there are claims that 18-60 year old men must enlist or confirm their data. The suggestion is that Belarus is looking at some kind of mobilisation.
In Kherson, the Russians have stolen 80% of the artefacts in the art museum. Reports state the items are currently being held in Crimea.
France has agreed to send tanks to Ukraine at last. Other countries that were slow to do so, the US and Germany have also agreed to send armoured vehicles over the past few days. It’s about 9 months late…
A Ukrainian court has convicted Russian spies who had been collecting information on Ukrainian troops and their movements, their bases, and data on energy facilities and locations of HIMARS.
Day 316 (5 January)
In a downed Iranian drone that attacked Ukraine, analysis shows that there is evidence that 13 US companies provided components, and the other 12 parts had been supplied from China, Taiwan, Japan, Switzerland, and Canada. Clearly, sanctions have not worked as intended.
Taiwan has delivered electricity generators to Ukraine due to the blackouts from the damage caused to the energy infrastructure. Other countries have also pledged to send generators. Taiwan is more noted as even though it is officially part of China, China has not send any generators or weapons to Ukraine.
Putin announces a 36 hour ceasefire from 12:00 (Moscow time) on 6 January until midnight on 7 January 2023, due to the Russian Orthodox Christmas. Putin allegedly requested Kyiv to agree to this, and they have declined to do so. The Kremlin claims it was Patriarch Kirill who pushed for the truce so that soldiers could celebrate Christmas, and it was not a ploy to de-escalate or to regroup. According the Julian calendar, Christmas falls on 7 January 2023.
The idea behind this it seems is propaganda in order to appease the Russians to make it look as if the Kremlin has the best interests of the army. By Ukraine dismissing the truce, it can make them look like the baddies. After the recent loss of lives in Makiivka, Putin cannot risk another incident during Christmas as the people might turn on him.
Members of the Wagner group who were recruited from prisons, and who have completed their 6 months in the field have been released back into their hometowns. They were all given a debriefing on how to behave and not to get into trouble again. This seems to be propaganda to show that soldiers can survive the war.
Ukraine attacked a Russian base in Havrylivka Druha, in the occupied part of Kherson, where 20 Russians were killed and around 100 were injured.
Germany has announced they will provide Patriot air defences (like the US) to Ukraine and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles (tanks).
The head of the demining group in Ukraine was killed while carry out his duty. Serhiy Hotsuliak was killed in Izyum by a Russian bomb. There are many people who have been killed already, and it is important that we recognise the sacrifice people make, and why I believe people should evacuate if they are offered the chance rather than remain and cause risks to others.
Day 317 (6 January)
The alleged truce didn’t appear to happen as a Russian missile hit Donetsk and killed a Ukrainian rescue worker. Russia claims that it was observing the truce and said that it was Ukraine that was shelling occupied parts of Ukraine.
Russia has also attacked Nikopol, and has targeted the residential areas.
Kramatorsk came under attack, and people were advised not to attend Orthodox Church.
The US will supply Ukraine with Sea Sparrow anti-air missiles. These can be used to intercept cruise or aircraft missiles and can be launched from the sea or ground.
Estonian intelligence say that the Russian mobilisation has not stopped. Also, Russia is recruiting mercenaries from the Balkans (Serbia) to fight for Russia.
The media has uncovered an alleged Russian training ground for the Iranian drones, in Kolomna near Moscow.
Documents from a Russian collaborator Volodmyr Saldo who was in charge of Kherson, included directions to commit crimes against Ukraine. Kherson was one of the first areas to fall to the Russians due to collaborators handing the area over to the Russians.