Ukrainian attack in Russian border region of Rostov triggers fire in oil refinery
Thursday, December 19th, 7:00 a.m.: A Ukrainian drone and missile attack on the Russian border region of Rostov sparked a brief fire at an oil refinery, according to the regional governor. Rostov, which borders Ukraine, was exposed to “a massive enemy attack,” local governor Yuri Slyusar said on Thursday in the Telegram online service. More than three dozen drones and three missiles were deployed and Russian air defense services were activated in several cities in the region.
Although “most of the air targets were neutralized,” Sljusar continued, a fire broke out in an oil refinery. About 45 minutes later, the governor announced that the fire had been extinguished. According to Sljusar, a person in a village was injured by falling drone debris.
Wagenknecht admits mistake about Russian war of aggression
8:53 p.m.: The chairwoman of the BSW, Sahra Wagenknecht, admits in the “ZDF today Journal” that she misjudged the situation shortly before the Russian war of aggression in February 2022. “I was wrong then too. “I thought that was a threatening gesture,” says Wagenknecht in the “ZDF today Journal”.
Wagenknecht refers to the BND, whose assessment it was at the time that the man in the Bundestag was informed about it. Wagenknecht also emphasizes that she had warned at the time that Western influence in Ukraine would massively increase the risk of war.
From this, Wagenknecht concludes in the “ZDF Today Journal”: “Much was completely predictable and this war could certainly have been avoided if more attention had been paid not to cross the Russian red lines.”
Ukraine commander horrified by North Korean soldiers: “Si.e. don’t understand what’s happening.”
7:13 p.m.: The military announced on Tuesday that 50 North Korean soldiers had been killed and another 50 injured in just three days in the Kursk region. Pictures show how the armed forces from North Korea are becoming an easy target for Ukraine. Because while the Russians are seeking protection from the drones, the North Korean soldiers are supposed to shoot at them without cover. In addition, North Korean soldiers are said to walk across fields without mechanized support.
“The North Koreans are walking across the fields and there are so many of them.” They don't understand what's happening. “I don’t know if she just doesn’t understand what’s going on or if the Russians are intentionally sending her into the fire like that,” a Ukrainian drone commander told The Washington Post. According to the commander, even Ukraine is surprised by the behavior of the North Koreans. “If you have 40 to 50 people running across a field, that’s a perfect target for artillery and drone operators.”
Strack Zimmermann: Putin Prepared an attack on NATO
3:34 p.m.: According to Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing an attack on NATO. “We know that Putin is preparing to attack a NATO state, possibly at the end of the 1920s – although such a number is always used,” said the FDP defense politician in Strasbourg. She did not say where she got this information.
“It is currently a question of whether Europe will be able to defend itself,” emphasized Strack-Zimmermann. With a view to a possible attack by Russia on an EU country, she said: “To hope that the Americans will help us out of this is naive.” Putin's success in Ukraine would mean that “Ukraine's neighboring states are no longer safe either are.” will be”.
Strack-Zimmermann: Defense is also possible without debt
She also campaigned for numerous military expenditures. When asked whether the German debt brake should also be relaxed, she said: “Anyone who has a budget of 450 billion euros a year – and therefore one of the strongest in Europe – can of course also invest in defense without getting into debt .” .” It’s a question of prioritization.
They see their own party's program as being strongly aligned with NATO's goals. For example, if the NATO Secretary General says that members should invest 3 percent of their gross domestic product in defense, “then we will implement that.”
A majority of the European Parliament also voted at its December plenary week to upgrade its previous defense subcommittee, led by Strack-Zimmermann, to a full committee. The FDP politician was already chairwoman of the Bundestag's defense committee. Until now, the Defense Committee in the EU Parliament was attached to the foreign affairs area.
Kremlin accuses Ukraine of “terrorism” after assassination attempt on general
10:58 a.m.: The Russian government has accused Ukraine of “terrorism” following the assassination attempt on high-ranking Russian army official Igor Kirillov. “It is now obvious who committed this terrorist attack,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in the government’s first official reaction on Wednesday in Moscow. “It has once again confirmed that the regime in Kiev does not shy away from terrorist methods,” he added.
Suspect arrested after assassination attempt on general in Moscow
Wednesday, December 18th, 7:44 a.m.: In connection with the presence of high-ranking Russian army representative Igor Kirillov in Moscow, Russian investigators say they have arrested a suspect from Uzbekistan. “An Uzbek citizen, born in 1995, has been arrested,” the investigative committee said on Wednesday.
He was suspected of masterminding the assassination attempt that killed Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian anti-radioactive, biological and chemical warfare troops, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov, and confessed to being “recruited by Ukrainian special forces .” “to have been.
Some media report that two suspects were caught: The authorities were able to identify their cars through surveillance cameras at the crime scene, the newspapers “Kommersant” and “Izvestia” and the portal “RBK” reported.
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mmo, al, ja, til, pip, shu, ter, daz, fil, sca, wop, lro, juw, cba/with agency material
