December 29, 2023

Ukrainian General Staff: 850 Russian troops killed or wounded in the past 24 hours; 31 tanks and APCs destroyed or disabled

Ukraine Defense Ministry

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.2022 to 29.12.2023 were approximately:

personnel ‒ about 357520 (+850) persons,

tanks ‒ 5953 (+13),

APV ‒ 11033 (+18),

artillery systems – 8417 (+26),

MLRS – 938 (+3),

Anti-aircraft warfare systems ‒ 620 (+3),

aircraft – 329,

helicopters – 324,

UAV operational-tactical level – 6539 (+36),

cruise missiles ‒ 1620,

warships / boats ‒ 23,

submarines – 1,

vehicles and fuel tanks – 11215 (+35),

special equipment ‒ 1254 (+7).

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 

Operational information on 18.00, 29.12.2023 regarding the #russian_invasion 

Glory to Ukraine! The six hundred and seventy-fourth day of the large-scale armed aggression of the russian federation against our state continues.

The russian federation continues to wage a war of aggression. Despite significant losses, he does not give up his plans for the full occupation of Ukraine. The adversary continues to ignore the laws and customs of war, uses terror tactics, strikes, and attacks both military and civilian targets. The enemy actively uses operational-tactical aviation and quadrocopters of the “FPV” type, conducts assault operations with the support of armored vehicles, and has increased the number of airstrikes.

Tonight, the enemy launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine, attacking critical infrastructure, industrial, military and civilian facilities. The enemy used about 160 means of air attack against Ukraine: missiles of various types and attack UAVs. 88 X-101/X-555/X-55 cruise missiles and 27 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs were destroyed by the forces and means of air defense of Ukraine.

The operational situation in the east and south of Ukraine remains difficult.

During the day, 31 combat clashes took place. In total, the enemy launched 134 missile and 60 air strikes, fired 36 MLRS strikes at the positions of our troops and populated areas. As a result of russian terrorist attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Private residential buildings, hospitals, other civil and industrial infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

On the Volyn and Polissya directions, the operational situation has not changed significantly. There were no signs of the formation of offensive groups. Certain units of the armed forces of belarus perform tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine.

In the Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi directions, the enemy maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts sabotage and intelligence activities, attacks populated areas from the territory of the russian federation, and increases the density of mine and explosive barriers along the state border of Ukraine. More than 20 settlements, including Krasniy Lozy, Zalizniy Mist, and Bleshnya in the Chernihiv region, were hit by enemy artillery and mortar attacks; Stepok, Zapsilya, Basivka, Popivka of the Sumy region; Udy, Guryev Kozachok, Krasne Pershe, Ambarne of the Kharkiv region.

In the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 7 enemy attacks in the area of Synkivka settlement of Kharkiv region, where the enemy, with the support of aviation, unsuccessfully tried to break through the defense of our troops. The enemy also carried out an airstrike in the area of Ivanivka, Kharkiv region. About 10 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, in particular, Dvorichna, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka of the Kharkiv region.

The enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions in the Lyman direction. He carried out airstrikes in the areas of Makiivka, Nevske, Serebryanske Forestry of Luhansk Oblast and Terna, Serebryanka of Donetsk Oblast. More than 10 settlements were affected by enemy artillery and mortar shelling, among them Nevske, Belogorivka of the Luhansk region and Torske, Serebryanka, Verkhnokamianske, Spirne, Rozdolivka of the Donetsk region.

In the direction of Bakhmut, the Defense Forces repulsed an enemy attack in the Andriivka area of the Donetsk region, where the enemy was trying to regain lost position. More than 10 settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, in particular, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, New York of the Donetsk region.

In the Avdiivka direction, our defenders repelled 3 enemy attacks in the areas of Stepovoy, Avdivka, and another 12 attacks in the areas of Severnoy, Pervomaiskyi, and Nevelskyi of the Donetsk region, where the enemy unsuccessfully tried to improve the tactical position. The enemy carried out airstrikes in the areas of Oleksandropil and Novobakhmutivka settlements of the Donetsk region. About 10 settlements, including Berdychi, Stepove, Avdiivka, Severna, and Pervomaiske of the Donetsk region, were hit by artillery and mortar attacks.

In the Marinka direction, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the Marinka and Novomykhailivka districts of the Donetsk region, where the enemy launched 5 unsuccessful attacks on the positions of our defenders. Such settlements of the Donetsk region as Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, Pobyeda, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka came under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers.

The enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions in the Shakhtarske direction. About 10 settlements, including Vodyane, Vugledar, Prechistivka, and Urozhane of the Donetsk region, were hit by artillery and mortar shelling.

In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the Defense Forces repelled the enemy’s attack west of Vervovoy Zaporizhzhia region. More than 25 settlements, including Poltavka, Malynyvka, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Kamianske, Stepnohirsk of the Zaporizhzhia region, were hit by artillery and mortar attacks.

In the zone of responsibility of the “Odesa” anti-aircraft defense unit in the Kherson direction, enemy artillery shelling occurred. Ivanivka, Antonivka, Novotyaginka, Kherson, Kherson region; Solonchaky, Mykolaiv region.

The enemy does not give up his intention to knock out our units from the bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro river. During the day, the enemy carried out 9 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of our troops, but our units continue to hold their positions and inflict significant losses on the enemy.

During the day, the Aviation of the Defense Forces struck 10 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment and 3 anti-aircraft missile complexes of the enemy.

Units of the missile forces hit 2 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, 3 artillery facilities, 5 ammunition warehouses and 2 other important enemy targets.

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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!

At the heart of this crisis are the political triggers. Armed conflicts, ethnic or religious persecutions, and systemic human rights abuses force millions to flee their homes in terror. Many are displaced within their own national boundaries, while others seek asylum abroad. If these factors change as a result of political shifts at home or the pressures from abroad, they can return to their homes. Forced displacement is thus different from environmentally driven displacement, as victims of climate change may never be able to return to their homes.

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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
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