Putin:

We will definitely drive Ukraine out of Kursk region, but I won’t give a specific date, that’s not how it’s done.

Everything will be restored, there can be no doubt.

Putin proposes a “technological duel” to the West:

"Select a target in Kyiv, concentrate all air and missile defenses there, and Russia will strike it with the Oreshnik MRBM.

We are ready for such an experiment.

No one has a chance of shooting down the Oreshnik."

Ukrainian FPV drone uses thermite to destroy Russian dugout near Siversk.

Warm handshake between Iran’s Pezeshkian and Turkish President Erdogan in Cairo after Assad regime’s collapse.

Putin:

I have not yet met with Assad since his arrival in Moscow, but I plan to do so.

Putin:

We have evacuated 4,000 Iranian fighters to Tehran from the Khmeimim base.

Russia was not defeated in Syria. We achieved our goal in Syria, we did not allow the creation of an Islamic caliphate, it was not terrorists who came to power there.

30,000 government troops and pro-Iranian units retreated without a fight.

Putin:

350 militants were able to capture Aleppo.

Putin:

Politics is the art of compromise, Russia is always ready for it.

Putin on Tartus and Khmeimim military bases in Syria:

We suggested that our partners use our air base in Syria for humanitarian purposes, as well as the naval base.

Another batch of North Korean 170mm M1989 Koksan SPGs spotted in Russia.

The first photos of these SPGs in Russia appeared a month ago, with no evidence yet of their use in combat.

Putin:

Western countries communicate with Syrian opposition factions, and if they were terrorists, they would not have done so. This means that they have changed.

Syrian opposition factions that fought government forces witnessed internal changes.

The U.S. intelligence report highlights China’s H-20 stealth bomber, expected to debut operationally by the 2030s despite claims of an imminent unveiling.

Capabilities:
• Range: Over 10,000 km (6,214 miles), with global reach via aerial refueling.
• Payload: Nuclear and conventional weaponry, including land-attack and anti-ship missiles.
• Design: A stealthy flying-wing, similar to the U.S. B-2 Spirit.

Strategic Goals:
• Expand China’s strike range beyond the “Second Island Chain,” targeting Guam, Hawaii, and parts of the U.S.
• Surpass the H-6 bomber family as China’s premier long-range strike platform.

• Enhance China’s ability to deter and strike strategic targets.
• While currently lagging behind U.S. stealth technology, China’s modernization efforts may close the gap.

Source: TWZ

Putin:

We are ready to talk to Zelensky if he is re-elected, any talks with Ukraine must be held on the basis of the Istanbul agreements and facts on the ground.

Putin: The main beneficiary of the events in Syria is Israel.

Putin:

We hope that Israel will leave Syrian territory. But it seems to me that not only are they not leaving, but they are also getting stronger, introducing new forces.

Iraqi forces are returning soldiers and officers of the Assad regime back to Syria.

Syrian Minister of Internal Trade: We will reduce taxes on imports.

NEW: All Israeli military deployment in the Golan must end and Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.

- French Foreign Ministry

Tishrin Dam, located on the Euphrates River 90 kilometers east of Aleppo, is Syria's second-largest dam and a critical water source for Aleppo and surrounding regions. Built with outdated technology, the dam has suffered severe damage and neglect due to Syrian civil war and PKK/YPG activities.

Reports indicate that the water drainage system and critical operational systems have failed, and the water level reached a critically low point in early December. Terrorist control around the dam has hindered access for inspections, leaving only limited information from workers to assess the situation. A potential collapse poses a grave disaster risk.

Türkiye has reduced its Euphrates River water release as a precaution, but international pressure on the PKK/YPG is essential to prevent further damage and avert a humanitarian crisis.

Syrian forces now oversee military operations along the Syrian coast.

NEW: Militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) ambushed several trucks heading to Niger near Dori, Burkina Faso, on December 18, 2024. The convoy, carrying goods and supplies, was attacked at the town’s entrance. Multiple trucks were destroyed in the assault, with casualties still unconfirmed.

Source: Zagazola