December 20, 2024

Russian Ministry of Defense:  up to 13,250 Ukrainian casualties between Dec. 14 and 20

Russian Defense Ministry

From 14 to 20 December 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 24 group strikes by precision weaponry and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, which hit energy facilities that were used to support the AFU, infrastructure of military airfields, UAV workshops and depots, a military echelon at an offloading site, as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries.

▫️Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces continued to eliminate AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.

Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two tank brigades, one heavy mechanised brigade, seven mechanised brigades, three air assault brigades, two assault battalions of the AFU, one marine brigade, and five territorial defence brigades. 

In Kharkov direction, Russian troops hit units of one mechanised brigade, one motorised infantry brigade, one air assault brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, one border detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Over the past week, the enemy losses were over 2,675 troops, nine tanks, 73 armoured fighting vehicles, including one Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and one U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carrier, 68 motor vehicles, two Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launchers, and 26 field artillery guns.

▫️The Zapad Group of Forces’ units improved the situation along the front line, defeated military personnel and hardware of five mechanised brigades, one infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade, one airborne brigade of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade. In addition, 18 counter-attacks of AFU assault detachments were repelled.

The AFU losses were more than 3,610 troops, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured personnel carriers, including one U.S.-made M113 and one Polish-made Rosomak armoured personnel carriers and four other armoured fighting vehicles, 34 motor vehicles, and 57 field artillery guns, including eight Western-made 155-mm ones.

Four electronic warfare stations and counter-battery radars and six ammunition depots were eliminated.

▫️As a result of decisive actions, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Annovka, Vesely Gai, Yelizavetovka, Trudovoye, and Uspenovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Russian troops hit units of six mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one infantry brigade, two airmobile brigades, one assault brigade, one air assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades.

Over the past week, the AFU losses were more than 2,365 troops, one tank, five armoured personnel carriers, including one U.S.-made Stryker and three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 12 other armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, 17 field artillery guns, including seven Western-made ones, four electronic warfare stations and counter-battery radars, and five ammunition depots.

▫️The Tsentr Group of Forces’ units continued advancing into the depth of the enemy’s defences and liberated Novopustynka, Pushkino, and Starye Terny (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Russian troops engaged units of one heavy mechanised brigade, six mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, two assault brigades, two assault battalions of the AFU, one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and two national guard brigades. In addition, 67 counter-attacks of the enemy were repelled.

The AFU losses were more than 2,945 troops, two tanks, 15 armoured fighting vehicles, including three U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 23 motor vehicles, and 43 field artillery guns.

▫️As a result of active operations, units of the Vostok Group of Forces liberated Zelenovka and Novy Komar (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Russian troops hit formations of two mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, and two national guard brigades. In addition, 16 counter-attacks launched by AFU assault detachments were repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 1,215 troops, two tanks, including one German-made Leopard tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, 11 other armoured fighting vehicles, 22 motor vehicles, and 20 field artillery guns, including six self-propelled artillery systems and NATO-made 155-mm howitzers.

▫️The Dnepr Group of Forces’ units engaged manpower and hardware of one heavy mechanised brigade, two mechanised brigades, one infantry brigade, one air assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, three territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade.

The AFU losses were up to 440 troops, 20 motor vehicles, 16 field artillery guns, including three U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers.

In addition, one HIMARS MLRS combat vehicle and four U.S.-made Patriot SAM system launchers, five electronic warfare stations, and six field ammunition depots were eliminated.

▫️Air defence units shot down one Ukrainian Air Force’s MiG-29 aircraft, six U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, three UK-made Storm Shadow air-based cruise missiles, one Neptune long-range guided missile, four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 18 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 519 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

▫️Over the past week, 59 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered on the line of contact.

▫️In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 650 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 38,152 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 19,933 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,504 MLRS combat vehicles, 19,874 field artillery guns and mortars, and 29,384 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised.

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Wilson Center

Forced displacement represents one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time. Individuals and families, torn from the fabric of their communities, find themselves navigating a world of uncertainty, often without basic necessities or a clear path to safety. There are currently some 110 million forced displaced, and this number is growing by 10 million each year!

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International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with its core principles centered on the protection of civilians during conflicts, plays a pivotal role in this discourse. Yet, despite clear legal frameworks, compliance remains
inconsistent. This initiative emphasizes the importance of upholding and reinforcing these international standards.

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