Ukraine Russia newest information: Zelensky warns of extra Russian air strikes over Christmas

President Vladimir Putin has informed Russia’s defence business chiefs to up their sport to make sure they’ve sufficient weaponry wanted to combat the warfare in Ukraine.

“A very powerful job of our military-industrial complicated is to offer our items and frontline forces with all the pieces they want,” he stated on Friday (23 December).

“Weapons, gear, ammunition, and kit within the obligatory portions and of the best high quality within the shortest doable timeframes.

“It’s additionally essential to good and considerably enhance the technical traits of weapons and gear for our fighters primarily based on the fight expertise now we have gained,” he added.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has wished the UK a Merry Christmas and thanked the British folks for his or her help.

Responding to a tweet posted by Rishi Sunak, he stated that Ukrainians “really feel the sunshine and the heat” of British hearts and, collectively, we’d “defeat evil and restore peace in Ukraine, Europe, and the world”.

Russia is reducing down on missile assaults in Ukraine as a consequence of shortages, says the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

Of their newest replace shared on 24 December, they stated: “Russia has possible restricted its long-range missile strikes in opposition to Ukrainian infrastructure to round as soon as every week as a result of restricted availability of cruise missiles.

“Equally, Russia is unlikely to have elevated its stockpile of artillery munitions sufficient to allow large-scale offensive operations,” they added.

Ukraine will likely be opening new embassies in 10 African international locations, stated president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Talking at a convention on 23 December, the Ukrainian president stated that he plans to extend the nation’s presence in Africa by opening new embassies and strengthening commerce ties.

He added that there have been additionally plans to develop a “Ukraine-Africa commerce home” with places of work within the capitals of “probably the most promising international locations” throughout Africa.

Olha Komarnytska who lives in Birmingham along with her kids – Mia, 15, and Volodymyr, 13 – are additionally set to expertise their first Christmas within the UK, alongside their host household.

They arrived within the UK from western Ukraine in Could of this 12 months.

“We often rejoice Christmas in January however a consider lot of Ukrainians will rejoice Christmas in December this 12 months as a result of Russians rejoice Christmas in January and it’s not excellent for us as a result of we’re preventing with Russia”, Ms Komarnytska, a 42-year-old cleaner stated.

She stated that on December 25, the group are to go to Church collectively, adopted by a Christmas dinner, which is able to embrace conventional British and Ukrainian meals staples.

“I plan to make cabbage with rice, meat carrot and onions and a Ukrainian salad with potato, carrot, meat, onions and cucumber,” she added.

The household have already gotten into the Christmas spirit by attending a celebration hosted by Centrala, an artwork house in Birmingham devoted to selling Central and Jap European artwork and tradition, on December 19 – Saint Nicholas Day.

“It was superb and all the kids there have been very comfortable – they acquired a whole lot of presents and so they noticed Santa and heard Ukrainian music”, she stated.

“My son was sadly not on the occasion as he was in poor health however my daughter was actually comfortable when she went.”

A number of folks from the household will likely be absent from the dinner – Mrs Komarnytska’s husband Taras, her mom and father, Anna and Vasyl and brothers Dmytro and Vasyl.

“We’re so unhappy as a result of we are able to’t be with our household as a result of my husband stayed in Ukraine and my mum, dad and brothers all stayed in Ukraine and we are able to’t rejoice Christmas with them”, she stated,

“It’s not good, we aren’t comfortable – however the scenario may be very unhealthy due to the warfare occurring in Ukraine and there’s a unhealthy scenario with electrical energy the place many don’t have any.”

This time of the 12 months can also be tainted with disappointment since Ms Chebizhak would often spend Christmas along with her household again in Ukraine, of which the precise location particulars can’t be talked about for security causes.

“Normally now we have traditions the place my mum (Tetiana) will at all times make 12 dishes which symbolise the 12 months of the 12 months and we’d make a want on Christmas Eve and go to mattress and it ought to come true”, she stated.

Ms Chebizhak added that her mother and father are okay, however that her mom didn’t put up a Christmas tree as a result of ongoing warfare.

“My sister Anna additionally used to stay not too removed from them and she or he additionally left to go to Greece along with her two kids, so they’re alone and she or he doesn’t have any grandchildren close by”, she added.

“My mum and pop may sit down collectively and watch some motion pictures or take heed to the nationwide anthem of Ukraine and we’ll have a name, however they’re coping and doing nice regardless of it not being a very good scenario.”

Because the pair stay up for 2023, Ms Chebizhak stated she “desires of peace in our nation”.

“We actually hope the warfare’s over and we are able to return to see Kolya’s dad as he misses him very a lot and remains to be within the Vinnytska area in Ukraine.”

Ukrainians celebrating their first Christmases within the UK have been busy writing letters to Santa Claus and planning out conventional dishes they plan to make on the large day, amid hopes for peace and being reunited with their family members again dwelling in 2023.

Regardless of often celebrating Christmas on January 7 – as decided by the Orthodox Church – Kateryna Chebizhak, 34, who works as a phone interpreter, and her seven-year-old son Kolya, are planning on spending December 25 with associates who stay close to them in Enfield, North London.

“We now have associates right here that stay simply subsequent door and we’ll meet to rejoice”, Ms Chebizhak stated.

“I’ve some presents for Kolya and we could have a pleasant stroll, we would do some arts and crafts and play Uno.”

The pair got here to the UK in April after fleeing Kyiv, following brief stays in Poland and Germany.

She added that when she informed her son that within the UK kids often obtain Christmas presents on December 25, he started making a listing.

“Normally in Ukraine, we simply get presents underneath the Christmas Tree within the New Yr, however [in the UK] it really works otherwise”, she stated.

“Now’s he ready for his two presents and he’s actually excited.

“As it’s the faculty holidays, he has been writing letters to Santa Claus.”

The charities the cash will likely be donated to are: Hospitallers, a Ukrainian voluntary paramedic organisation; Kharpp, which helps refugees in Ukraine and as they arrive in Poland; Livyj Bereh, which supplies provides and the reconstruction of homes and colleges; Kyiv Volunteer, which supplies support and feeds civilians; and Vostok SOS who assist victims of the battle in japanese Ukraine.

The band additionally inspired folks to donate to the teams instantly, including: “Season’s Greetings to you all and Slava Ukraini.”

Guitarist and vocalist Gilmour, who has a Ukrainian daughter-in-law and grandchildren, beforehand stated the group had been “feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an impartial, peaceable democratic nation being invaded and having its folks murdered by one of many world’s main powers”.

The musician, 76, defined when the charity track was introduced that he had approached Khlyvnyuk after seeing the video he shared to Instagram through which he’s heard singing a patriotic Ukrainian protest track, The Purple Viburnum In The Meadow, as he thought it was a “highly effective second” which he wished to place music to.

The title of the Pink Floyd monitor is taken from the final line of the track.

The video for the brand new track has been filmed by director and screenwriter Mat Whitecross and the duvet art work for the one contains a portray of a sunflower, the nationwide flower of Ukraine, by Cuban artist Yosan Leon.

The flower is alleged to be a reference to the girl who confronted Russian troopers telling them to take seeds from her and to hold them of their pockets so once they died, sunflowers would develop.

Pink Floyd have thanked all those that supported their Ukrainian charity single Hey, Hey, Rise Up as they introduced it has raised £500,000.

The rock band launched the track in April this 12 months to assist “alleviate the struggling” of the folks within the war-torn nation.

It marked the primary unique music recorded by the group as a collective since 1994’s The Division Bell and options David Gilmour and Nick Mason in addition to long-time collaborator and bass participant Man Pratt, with musician Nitin Sawhney on keyboards.

The track additionally options vocals by Ukrainian singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk, from rock and pop band Boombox, taken from a clip he posted on Instagram the place he sings in Kyiv’s Sofiyskaya Sq..

The band stated in a press release on Friday: “Pink Floyd want to thank everybody who has supported Hey, Hey, Rise Up.

“The one, recorded on March 30 with Andriy Khlyvnyuk of the Ukrainian band Boombox, has up to now raised over £450,000 to assist alleviate the struggling of the Ukrainian folks.

“David Gilmour and Nick Mason have added £50,000 to make this as much as £500,000 which will likely be distributed to humanitarian charities.”

In his common nightly video tackle, Zelensky warned Ukrainians that Russia may launch extra strikes over Christmas, urging them to “take note of air raid alarms, assist each other and look out for each other.”

“With the vacation season quick approaching, the Russian terrorists may once more step up their actions,” he stated. “They don’t have any regard for Christian values or any values for that matter.”

Switching to Russian, Zelensky warned that “residents of Russia should clearly perceive that terror by no means goes and not using a response.” He didn’t elaborate.

He stated that he had met his prime commanders to assessment the navy scenario and that his authorities is “making ready for numerous situations of motion by the terrorist state. And we’ll reply.”