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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• Ukraine Says It Downed Russian Air Target With Sea Drone For First Time RFE/RL 31 Dec 2024 -- Ukraine claims that for the first time one of its sea drones has downed a Russian military target in the air during a day of intense attacks by both sides as the war edges closer to its three-year anniversary.
• North Korean soldiers fighting with outdated weapons, Ukrainian sergeant says Radio Free Asia 31 Dec 2024 -- North Korean soldiers are fighting with deteriorated supplies and outdated weapons and may have been carrying no food rations during their recent combat operations in Russia's Kursk region, a Ukrainian special operations sergeant told Radio Free Asia.
• Zelenskyy pledges to fight to end war in 2025 VOA 31 Dec 2024 -- In a New Year's Eve address to his nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country would do everything it could in the new year to end the war with Russia.
• The President heard reports on the progress of the special military operation and sent his best wishes to servicepeople for the upcoming New Year President of Russia 31 Dec 2024
• Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (31 December 2024) Russia MoD 31 Dec 2024 -- The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region.
• Russia Conducts High-Precision Strikes on Ukrainian Military Infrastructure Sputnik 31 Dec 2024 -- A military airfield, ammunition production facility and storage sites for combat drones were targeted, according to Moscow's Ministry of Defense.
• Russian Air Defense Shoots Down 68 Ukrainian Drones Overnight - MoD Sputnik 31 Dec 2024 -- Russian air defense systems on duty shot down 68 Ukrainian drones last night, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Tuesday.
• Oil Depot in Russia's Smolensk Region on Fire After Ukraine's Drone Attack - Governor Sputnik 31 Dec 2024 -- The Russian air defense repelled Ukraine's drone attack on the Smolensk Region, Governor Vasily Anokhin said on Tuesday, adding that after the fall of the drone debris, a fuel spill and a fire occurred on the territory of an oil depot.

Defense Policy / Programs

• New Year Address to the Nation President of Russia 31 Dec 2024 -- President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
• Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov inspects organisation of combat training of Black Sea Fleet's marines at one of training grounds of Southern Military District Russia MoD 31 Dec 2024 -- At this training ground, contracted servicemen improve their skills in tactical and special, fire, medical, engineering training as well as combat cohesion of units under the guidance of officers with combat experience gained during the special military operation.
• Russian Tanks Now Boast Advanced Anti-Drone Shields - Manufacturer Sputnik 31 Dec 2024 -- All Russian tanks are equipped with protection against drones; their design received such a change as a result of the special military operation experience, tank maker Uralvagonzavod told journalists.

Foreign Policy

• Xi, Putin exchange New Year greetings People's Daily 31 Dec 2024 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday exchanged New Year greetings with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Congratulatory Letter to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin KCNA 31 Dec 2024 -- Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, sent a congratulatory letter to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on December 30 on the occasion of the New Year 2025.
• US-UK attacks on Yemen nothing but aggression: Russia IRNA 31 Dec 2024 -- Russia has slammed American and British airstrikes on Yemeni territories, saying such attacks are aggression against an independent and sovereign Arab country.
• U.S. Announces Sanctions Against Russian, Iranian Entities Accused Of Election Interference RFE/RL 31 Dec 2024 -- The United States on December 31 imposed sanctions on entities in Iran and Russia that it accused of attempting to "stoke socio-political tensions" through disinformation campaigns during the 2024 U.S. elections.
• Sanctions in Response to Attempted Iranian and Russian Interference in U.S. General Election US Dept. of State 31 Dec 2024 -- The United States is imposing sanctions today on the Cognitive Design Production Center (CPDC), a subordinate organization of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise and its director, Valery Mikhaylovich Korovin, affiliates of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).
• Treasury Sanctions Entities in Iran and Russia That Attempted to Interfere in the U.S. 2024 Election US Treasury 31 Dec 2024 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating a subordinate organization of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and a Moscow-based affiliate organization of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and its director pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, the U.S. election interference authority. As affiliates of the IRGC and GRU, these actors aimed to stoke socio-political tensions and influence the U.S. electorate during the 2024 U.S. election. Today's actions build on sanctions previously imposed on the IRGC, the GRU, and their numerous subordinate and proxy organizations, pursuant to several authorities targeting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and malicious cyber-enabled activities.
• U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Russian Judge Who Sentenced War Critic RFE/RL 31 Dec 2024 -- The United States has imposed sanctions against the Russian judge who sentenced human rights activist Alexei Gorinov to seven years in jail for speaking against the war in Ukraine.
• Sanctioning Judge for the Arbitrary Detention of Alexei Gorinov US Dept. of State 31 Dec 2024 -- The United States is today imposing sanctions under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program on Olesya Mendeleeva for her role in the arbitrary detention of Moscow city councilor and human rights defender Alexei Gorinov.
• Treasury Sanctions Russian Judge for Arbitrary Detention of Alexei Gorinov US Treasury 31 Dec 2024 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning Russian judge Olesya Mendeleeva(Mendeleeva) for her role in the arbitrary detention of Moscow city councilor and human rights defender, Alexei Gorinov. Mendeleevais being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. This action is also undertaken in the spirit of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (P. L. 112-208).

News Reports

• Russian Gas Flow Through Pipeline In Ukraine Ends RFE/RL 31 Dec 2024 -- Russian natural gas supplies to Europe via a pipeline traversing Ukraine are set to end on January 1 with the expiration of a contract signed before Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
• Concerns mounting over new energy crisis in EU as Russian gas transit via Ukraine ends Press TV 31 Dec 2024 -- As the agreement allowing Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe expires on Tuesday, concerns are mounting about potential energy price hikes and their impact on European public opinion regarding support for Ukraine.
• Underwater investigations restarted in the Gulf of Finland Police of Finland 31 Dec 2024 -- The authorities have restarted their underwater investigations after interruption due to, for example, poor weather conditions. The criminal investigation into the cable ruptures that took place in the Gulf of Finland on Christmas Day 25 December is active and continues with also other investigative measures.