US finalises plans to send its sophisticated Patriot air defence system to Ukraine in a potentially pivotal move while allies pledge just over $1 billion to help Ukrainians survive the freezing winter, as fighting enters its 293rd day.
(AFP)
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Ukraine shot down ‘all’ 13 drones in Kiev attack: Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukrainian air defence systems had shot down 13 Iranian-made kamikaze drones that targeted the capital Kiev earlier in the day.
Russia “started this morning with 13 Shaheds… all 13 were shot down by our Ukrainian air defence systems,” Zelenskyy said in a video address on social media, referring to Iranian-made suicide drones that Moscow has been accused of deploying against Ukraine targets.
Two admin buildings damaged in drones attack on Kiev
Two administrative buildings in Ukraine’s capital Kiev have been damaged in a drone attack, the city’s administration said, adding that there was still no information about potential injuries or fatalities.
Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko said that air-defence systems shot down 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones and that there were explosions in the city’s central Shevchenkivskyi district, a cluster of universities, galleries and restaurants.
The capital and the Kiev region remained under air raid sirens at 0600 GMT, more than two hours after they first went off.
“Weaklings,” Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app after the explosions in Kiev.
Ukraine secures $1.1B in aid ‘to get through winter’
Ukraine’s Western allies pledged an additional one billion euros ($1.1 billion) in emergency winter aid, responding to pleas from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to help the country withstand Russia’s onslaught against its energy grid.
Around 70 countries and international organisations gathered in Paris for a meeting aimed at enabling Ukrainians “to get through this winter”, said French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a video message, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needed assistance worth around 800 million euros in the short term for its battered energy sector.
Zelenskyy: Mines cover area roughly size of Cambodia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for long-term help in clearing his war-ravaged nation of mines and other unexploded ordnance, which he said now cover an area roughly the size of Cambodia.
In a video address to New Zealand’s parliament, Zelenskyy described Russia’s nearly year-old offensive as an “ecocide” that would have lasting impact and implored Wellington and others to step up aid.
“As of now, 174,000 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory are contaminated with mines and unexploded ordnance,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers.
Zelenskyy urged New Zealand — whose military has extensive experience in mine clearing — to help lead the clean-up effort.
US finding grid equipment for Ukraine at home and abroad
As Washington sends Ukraine US-sourced power equipment to help the country’s grid recover from Russian attacks, it is also scouring for those supplies worldwide, US officials have said.
The Biden administration this week shipped the first portion of $53 million in power equipment aid it announced last month. The open market value is likely to be higher because utilities and manufacturers provided many items at cost and paid transportation costs.
“They were really quite forthcoming,” an Energy Department official said about the suppliers, but noted that not all US equipment is compatible with Ukraine’s grid.
“Some of the stuff we have here is not like plug and play with Ukraine, so we have to look and see what is available and what will work,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Zelenskyy shuts court, says Ukraine can fight graft, Russia at same time
President Zelenskyy has hailed his dissolution of a Kiev court as evidence Ukraine can fight to end a history of corruption and Russia’s offensive at the same time.
“This story has drawn to a close,” he said as he announced he had signed a law liquidating the Kiev District Administrative Court, which Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities had compared to a criminal organisation and whose chairman was hit with US sanctions December 9.
“But the story of reforms continues – it continues, even in the time of such a war,” Zelenskyy said.
He signed the law the same day it was passed by Ukraine’s parliament, in a nod to extensive judiciary and other reforms needed for Ukraine to join the European Union.
For live updates from Tuesday (December 13), click here
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
