WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine's top general criticizes president's firing of recruitment chiefs- media
Ukraine's top general on Monday issued his strongest criticism to date of a previous presidential decision to fire regional military draft office chiefs, Interfax Ukraine reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy fired all of Ukraine's regional military recruitment heads in August in a corruption crackdown.
He said at the time a state investigation into centres across Ukraine had exposed abuses by officials ranging from illegal enrichment to transporting draft-eligible men across the border despite a wartime ban on them leaving the country.
Asked by reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday about whether the decision affected mobilisation levels, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi bemoaned the recruitment chiefs' sacking.
"These were professionals, they knew how to do this, and they are gone," Interfax Ukraine cited him as saying.
Zaluzhnyi's frank assessment of battlefield realities in a November essay published in The Economist are in stark contrast to the unwavering optimism of Zelenskiy's public speeches.
Ukrainska Pravda, a major Ukrainian media outlet, recently reported of a long history of growing tensions between the two men, citing several anonymous officials.
Asked by reporters to comment on the Defence Ministry's recent plan to boost military recruitment, Zaluzhnyi said the old system should be brought back.
"It is still a little early to evaluate recruiting. As for mobilization issues, it is not necessary to strengthen it, but to return it to those boundaries (and) to those frameworks that worked before," Interfax Ukraine quoted him as saying.
Ukraine, which initially saw tens of thousands of eager volunteers queue up to fight off Russia's invasion, is now trying to conscript more men to replace those currently at the front.
Angry social media posts have abounded in recent weeks purporting to show army recruiters turning up at gyms and resorts to hand out draft notices.
Zaluzhnyi's remarks come a day after it was publicly revealed that an information gathering device had been found in an office that he had been due to move into, with the domestic security service launching an investigation.
** White House plans one more Ukraine aid package, then up to Congress
President Joe Biden is planning one more military aid package in December for Ukraine in its war against Russia, the White House said on Monday, then further assistance to Kyiv will require an agreement in Congress where prospects for a deal were uncertain.
"When that one's done ... we will have no more replenishment authority available to us and we're going to need Congress to act without delay," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.
The White House has warned that U.S. aid will run out by the year's end for Ukraine's fight to retake territory occupied by Russian forces since it invaded in February 2022.
Talks continued on Monday in the Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority, on a deal that would include aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as new measures to improve security at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Republicans have insisted that improved border security be part of any deal on Ukraine aid, although it was unclear whether senators had enough time to clinch an agreement in the days remaining before leaving for a holiday break.
Senate Republicans earlier this month blocked an emergency spending billwith $50 billion in new Ukraine aid, demanding tougher steps to control immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Over the past week, Democrats and Republicans have made important progress towards an agreement on the national security supplemental," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said on Monday. "While the job is not finished, I am confident we're headed in the right direction."
However, Schumer's Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell - whose support would be needed to pass such a bill - said it will "require some time" to reach a deal.
Another top Senate Republican, John Thune, sounded a similar note, telling reporters: "Obviously we are not going to get this done this week. We all know that now."
Even if the Senate were to reach an agreement and pass a bill this week, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives - where a significant number of Republicans have voiced opposition to additional Ukraine aid - is not due to return to work until Jan. 8.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Washingtonbut received a skeptical reception from key Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russian air defense shot down two MiG-29, Su-25, 91 drones over day
Over the past 24 hours, Russian air defense systems shot down two MiG-29 aircraft, one Su-25, and 91 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
"Over the day, air defense systems shot down two MiG-29 and one Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force in the areas of the settlements of Elizavetovka in the Nikolayev region, Druzhkovka and Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. <…> In addition, 91 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed during the day ", the ministry said.
Two HIMARS MLRS shells and a JDAM guided munition were also intercepted, the Ministry of Defense added.
The Russian Armed Forces destroyed the command post of the 47th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a HIMARS MLRS launcher, as well as aircraft fuel depots. "Operational-tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery of groupings of troops of the Russian Armed Forces destroyed the command post of the 47th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, a launcher of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system was hit and fuel depots for aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed at the Kanatovo airfield in the Kirovograd region and Starokonstantinov in the Khmelnytsky region," the statement said.
The Russian Armed Forces also repelled nine attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansk direction over the day. "In the Kupyansk direction, competent actions of units of the Western Group of Forces, air strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems repelled nine attacks by assault groups of the 115th mechanized and 95th air assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka and Terny in the Kharkov region. Losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces consisted of over 50 military personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, and two armored combat vehicles," the statement said.
According to the ministry, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mounts and two D-30 howitzers were hit during the fight.
Units of the central group of the Russian Armed Forces in the Krasny Liman direction repelled an attack by a special forces brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. "In the Krasny Liman direction, units of the Center group of troops, with the support of artillery, repelled an attack by the 12th Special Forces Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine southeast of the village of Kuzmino, Lugansk People’s Republic," the statement said.
Reuters/Tass