HERE IS THE SITUATION ON MONDAY DECEMBER 11, 2023. (656 DAY)
In a tragic incident, one civilian was killed and another wounded when Russian forces dropped an explosive from a drone on the town of Beryslav in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson. This Saturday morning attack prompted prosecutors to launch a war crimes investigation. The victims were walking on the street at the time of the incident, and authorities are actively pursuing justice.
On the diplomatic front, US President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Tuesday. The agenda includes discussions on the “urgent needs” facing Ukraine, as Biden seeks approval from the United States Congress for military aid to both Ukraine and Israel. During his visit, Zelenskyy is also expected to engage with senators and hold private talks with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson.
During the inauguration of Argentinian President Javier Milei, Zelenskyy had a brief conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as captured in a video published on the Argentinian Senate’s YouTube channel. While the encounter was confirmed by Orban’s press chief Bertalan Havasi, it remains uncertain whether Orban will continue opposing Ukraine’s entry into the European Union.
In response to Russian plans for presidential elections in March in the occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, Ukraine has strongly condemned the move. Declaring the polls “null and void,” Ukraine has vowed to prosecute any observers sent to monitor them, emphasizing its stance against the annexation of these territories by Moscow in 2022.
Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, expressed optimism about a coalition of countries working together to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children who were illegally taken to Russia by Moscow. Lubinets hopes that this coalition will develop a more expedited mechanism to reunite these children with their families. Currently, it is estimated that approximately 19,000 children remain in Russia or are separated from their families in Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
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Municipal workers in Kyiv took down a statue of Mykola Shchors, a Soviet field commander from the Russian Civil War, as part of an ongoing initiative to eliminate all monuments associated with the Soviet era.
In the realm of military support, Bulgaria’s parliament has given approval for additional military aid to Ukraine. This aid includes portable anti-aircraft missile systems and surface-to-air missiles. The decision garnered support from 147 lawmakers in the 240-seat chamber. However, it’s noted that Ukraine will need to undertake repairs on the provided weapons before deploying them or utilize them for spare parts.
SOURCE: The Guardian
