Ukraine struggle briefing: Putin meets Slovak PM in uncommon Moscow go to to safe power deal

Russian president, Vladimir Putin met the Slovakian prime minister, Robert Fico, within the Kremlin on Sunday, a uncommon go to by a European Union chief to Moscow, as a contract permitting for Russian gasoline to transit by Ukraine nears expiry. Slovakia relies on that gasoline passing by its neighbour Ukraine, and it has ramped up efforts to keep up these flows from 2025, whereas criticising Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for refusing to increase the contract expiring on the finish of the 12 months. Russian pure gasoline nonetheless flows to some European international locations, together with Slovakia, by Ukraine beneath a five-year settlement signed earlier than the struggle. “Russian President V Putin confirmed the readiness of the (Russian Federation) to proceed to produce gasoline to the west and Slovakia, which is virtually not possible after 1 January, 2025, in view of the stance of the Ukrainian president,” Fico mentioned. Slovakia final month signed a short-term pilot contract to purchase pure gasoline from Azerbaijan, and earlier this 12 months, it struck a deal to import US liquefied pure gasoline by a pipeline from Poland. The nation may also obtain gasoline by Austrian, Hungarian and Czech networks, enabling imports from Germany amongst different potential suppliers.

Russia has captured two extra villages in east Ukraine, the newest territorial features for Moscow’s advancing military. The defence ministry mentioned on Telegram on Sunday that its troops had “liberated” the villages of Lozova within the north-eastern Kharkiv area and Krasnoye – known as Sontsivka in Ukraine. The latter is near the useful resource hub of Kurakhove, which Russia has virtually encircled and can be a key prize for Moscow’s try to seize the complete Donetsk area. Russia has accelerated its advance throughout jap Ukraine in current months, seeking to safe as a lot territory as doable earlier than the US president-elect, Donald Trump, assumes workplace in January. Moscow’s military claims to have seized greater than 190 Ukrainian settlements this 12 months, with Kyiv struggling to carry the road within the face of manpower and ammunition shortages.

Zelenskyy advised Ukraine’s diplomats on Sunday that the nation should battle to influence allies to permit it to take up Nato membership, however has described the aim as “achievable” because it searches for safety ensures to guard it from Russia. Kyiv says membership within the transatlantic navy alliance, or an equal type of safety assure, can be essential to any peace plan to make sure Russia doesn’t assault once more. Nato has mentioned Ukraine will be a part of it sooner or later, however has not recommended when or issued an invite.

Russian forces executed 5 Ukrainian prisoners of struggle, Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, claimed on Sunday. Russian troops shot the 5 unarmed troopers after capturing them, Lubinets alleged on Telegram, with out offering extra particulars. “Russian struggle criminals who shoot Ukrainian prisoners of struggle must be introduced earlier than a world tribunal and punished with probably the most extreme punishment supplied for by regulation,” Lubinets mentioned. Russia didn’t instantly touch upon the incident, however has beforehand denied committing struggle crimes.

A video purporting to present the Russian seize of an Australian man preventing for Ukraine on the struggle’s jap entrance has prompted pressing inquiries by Australia’s authorities. The person, who recognized himself as Oscar Jenkins, is struck a number of occasions and questioned roughly in Russian within the video, which is circulating on Telegram. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese famous that Russian forces generally seeded incorrect data however mentioned on Monday that the information was “regarding” and the federal government was working “to offer help, together with, for this gentleman” because it ascertained the info.

Ukrainian drones struck a significant Russian gas depot for the second time in simply over every week on Sunday, in line with a senior Russian regional official, as a part of a “huge” cross-border assault on gas and power services that Kyiv says provide Moscow’s navy. The strikes got here days after Russia launched sweeping assaults on Ukraine’s already battered power grid, threatening to plunge 1000’s of properties into darkness as winter tightens its grip over the area, and as Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbour nears the three-year mark.