This week, the fighting raged across the frontlines. Early this week, Russia carried out a combined air strike across Ukraine, the third major attack in the past weeks. Russian forces launched 59 missiles and drones, killing four and injuring 30 others in four regions across the country.
Modern air defense systems are the number one thing that Ukraine lacks, Zelenskyi told reporters during his trip to Lithuania this week. On Monday, White House officials met with the leaders from the technology and defense industries on tech innovation for Ukraine. According to unconfirmed reports, Ukraine has shot down the first jet-powered Shahed-238 drone that Iran unveiled in November. Russia has also fired North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles into Ukraine, foreign and domestic reports say.
The Ukrainian government called back the mobilization bill it had earlier submitted to the Parliament following debates on amendments.
Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania on Thursday signed an agreement to jointly tackle drifting sea mines that have threatened Black Sea shipping since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Russia could be preparing a possible false-flag operation against Moldova, the Institute for the Study of War said.
British PM Sunak visits Ukraine as UK signs “historic” security agreement with Ukraine. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will visit Kyiv today, Friday as he announces a new package of military aid, security assurances and humanitarian support, the British government said.
Sunak will sign a historic UK-Ukraine Agreement on Security Cooperation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, committing the UK to provide intelligence sharing, cyber security, medical and military training, and defence industrial cooperation. The deal comes after G7 nations agreed to provide Ukraine with bilateral security assurances at last year’s NATO summit in Vilnius. The UK is the first country to deliver a final agreement. The UK will also provide £2.5bn in military aid to Ukraine in 2024-25, the British government said.
After a wave of Russian air strikes ripped across Ukraine overnight on December 29, the UK said it will send 200 more air defense missiles to Ukraine.