Ukraine updates: Russia shells entire eastern frontline

Russia spent Friday shelling the eastern frontline in Donetsk as part of an effort to secure territory Moscow claims to have annexed. The effort is a scaled back version of what Russia initially set out to do with its February 24 invasion.

The areas near the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka saw the fiercest fighting, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a televised interview.

Casualties included five dead and two wounded civilians in the Ukrainian-controlled areas of Donetsk on Thursday, he added.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodynyr Zelenskyy said in a video post, “The Russians have intensified their efforts in Donetsk and Luhansk.”

He added, “We are advancing nowhere but, rather, defending, destroying the enemy’s infantry and equipment wherever it tries to advance.”

Russian forces also hoped to move forward near Lyman, which Ukraine retook last month, one of many battlefield setbacks Russian forces confronted last month.

A witness told Reuters news agency that in Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces countered with barrages of artillery.

Russian President Vladimir Putin again charged the West was “exploiting” Ukraine and using its people as “cannon fodder.”

Here are the other top stories related to the war in Ukraine on Friday, December 9:

Olympic Summit opens doors for return of Russia, Belarus athletes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has opened the door for a return of athletes from Russia and Belarus to international sports competition, despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

An Olympic Summit agreed on a motion from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to “facilitate the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in competitions in Asia under its authority, while respecting the sanctions in place.”

The OCA said that protective measures named as the reason for the ban of the athletes no longer existed for them, while the sanctions concern the states and governments of Russia and Belarus.

The statement said conditions for participation of Russians and Belarusians include respect for the Olympic Charter and the sanctions which include the ban on flag, anthem, colors or any other identifications of Russia and Belarus at sports events.

The statement said the IOC is “to lead the further exploration of the OCA initiative concerning the participation of athletes who are in full respect of the Olympic Charter and the sanctions.

Bulgarian parliament approves military aid to Ukraine

Bulgarian lawmakers approved the country’s first military assistance package to Ukraine involving a classified list of weapons prepared by the government.

The National Assembly voted 148-46 with one abstention in favor of sending the weapons to Kyiv following months of political squabbling on the issue in the Balkan NATO member state.

Bulgaria previously agreed to repair Ukrainian military equipment at its factories but refused to send weapons directly due to opposition from President Rumen Radev and the country’s Moscow-friendly political parties.

Along with Hungary, Bulgaria was the only European Union member country to initially refuse to give Ukraine weapons following Russia’s invasion.

Kremlin addresses relations with the US

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russia’s relations with the US were still in “crisis” despite the prisoner exchange involving US basketball star Brittney Griner and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Peskov said, “It is probably wrong to draw any hypothetical conclusions that this could be a step towards overcoming the crisis that we currently have in bilateral relations.”

Nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” Bout was swapped for Griner in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. She had been arrested in the airport in Moscow for having vaporizer cartridges with cannabis oil in her possession. Bout allegedly armed rebel groups in some of the most lethal conflicts in the world.

Bout had been placed under arrest in 2008 in Thailand following an American sting operation before being extradited to the US where he was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Other Russian officials were also keen to tamp down hopes of improved relations between Moscow and Washington.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that the US was seeking to destroy Russia’s export earnings. He said the US hoped to push Russia towards default.

Despite the negative signals, Russian state-run Tass news agency reported that representatives from both Russia and the US would meet in Istanbul Friday. The meeting concerns “difficult questions” such as visas, embassy staff levels and the work of other government agencies abroad on unspecified issues of concern.

UK says Russia returns to use of Iranian drones

The UK Ministry of Defense reported in its morning briefing that Russian forces are again using Iranian drones. If verified, the reinjection of Iranian drones onto the battlefield could indicate Russia had received a fresh supply.

The UK assessed that Russia had used up its supply of hundreds of Iranian-supplied Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones, formally known as loitering munitions.

Earlier in the week, Ukrainian intelligence said Ukraine had shot down 17 drones, including 14 Shahed-136 drones used to attack the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions.

Kamikaze drones cause considerable damage in Ukraine

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France’s TotalEnergies announces withdrawal from Russia

The French energy firm TotalEnergies announced that it was walking away from a stake in Novatek, the Russian natural gas producer, and would write off the $3.7 billion (€3.5 billion) loss.

TotalEnergies had faced criticism for pursuing projects in Russia after the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. The French firm said sanctions prevented it from selling a nearly 20% stake in the firm to a Russian company.

TotalEnergies withdrew its representatives from the Novatek board with “immediate effect,” though they had abstained from voting due to sanctions.

The news comes amid an energy crisis in Europe brought on by Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine and the crippling Western sanctions inflicted as retribution in response.

UK announces sanctions against Russian officials

The UK announced a raft of sanctions against 30 individuals worldwide who were being targeted for acts of torture, sexual violence and violent mass repressions of peaceful protest.

Among those being sanctioned included Russian officials and Iranians responsible for supplying Moscow with loitering munitions more popularly known as “kamikaze” drones.

Russian Colonel Ramil Rakhmatulovich Ibatullin, the commander of Russia’s 90th Tank Division, was sanctioned over multiple allegations made against serving members of the 90th Tank Division deployed in Ukraine. A senior lieutenant of the 90th Tank Division was convicted in Ukraine on sexual abuse charges during the conflict.

Despite abundant evidence in Ukraine, Russia denies involvement in war atrocities.

Russia pardoned Zambian student as inmate before death in Ukraine

The Russian government told Zambian authorities that a student who had died in Ukraine was pardoned from a prison sentence in order to fight in Ukraine.

Zambian Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had informed him by telephone that the student, Lemekhani Nyirenda, had been pardoned on August 23 prior to joining Russian forces in Ukraine.

Nyirenda’s father said his son had been serving nine years in the suburbs of Moscow for a drug-related offense when he was conscripted.

Nyirenda’s remains arrived in Moscow on Friday and were due in Zambia Saturday.

dh, ar/aw (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-updates-russia-shells-entire-eastern-frontline/a-64047586?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf