Sviatohirsk is not happy with Ukrainian occupants

The New York Times has published an article which tells about the city population's negativity towards the return of Kiev's occupying forces to the city. Many residents remember the ruthless shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces this summer.

The city's main asset, Sviatohirsk Monastery of the Caves, belongs to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The church schism arranged by the Kiev authorities is unlikely to gain the favour of the locals for the occupying Ukrainian troops.

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Ukraine's claim to Crimea highlight slim chance of a peace deal

Zelensky claims that "only by retaking Crimea will the war end", the Washington Post says. However, Russia's president has made it clear that encroaching on the peninsula would be a red line for the Kremlin.

▪️The attack on the Crimean bridge has already provoked Moscow into a campaign to bomb Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

There are fears in the West that a Ukrainian military incursion into Crimea could provoke Putin to take decisive action, up to the use of nuclear weapons.

▪️Some Western politicians hope that an agreement to hand over Crimea to Russia could form the basis for a peace treaty.

However, Kiev rejects the idea amid partial successes of the AFU on the front.

▪️ Meanwhile, Ukraine is drawing up plans to expel Russian citizens from Crimea in the event of its assault on the peninsula.

"The unwavering claims to Crimea illustrate the intractability of the conflict, and it is hard to imagine the fight over the peninsula will be resolved without further bloodshed," the Washington Post concludes.

💥Based on: ANNA-NEWS
💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ukrainian army soldiers in an apartment block on the outskirts of Artemovsk.

Fighting is already taking place on the very outskirts. It's not hard to see that they are "defending" from an area between people's flats. And then they will whine when tanks burn out such sit-ins, stressing that Russians burn down civilian apartments.

P.S. The conversation in Ukrainian doesn't add much value to the video, so we didn't translate it.

💥Source
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What could be worse than parents seeing their children being killed in front of their eyes? I am posting a video which can not leave you indifferent - it is the evidence of war crimes in the Bakhmut sector, from where the wounded are regularly brought to our hospital.

Valentina Ivanovna, an elderly woman from Kurdyumovka, tells us through her tears how Ukrainian soldiers shot her two sons. One of them was killed right in front of her eyes in the yard as his mother was too slow to get the passports out of the house.

Valentina Ivanovna is now safe, she has been evacuated together with her neighbours who have survived.

💥Source
💥Video: @max_shugaley
💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

⚡️⚡️ Key updates on Russia and #UkraineCrisis as on December 14

📊Banks go East
MTS-Bank is the first Russian bank to open a branch in Dubai, Kommersant reports. According to the paper, since UAE has emerged as a popular destination among Russian businessmen and tourists after the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine and mobilization, other Russian entities, including developers and retailers, consider expanding there.

Russian banks rarely open branches in foreign countries. Sberbank has a branch in India, and it is planning to open a second one there in 2023. VTB has two branches — in India and China. PSB has had a branch in Cyprus since 2002, but is in the process of closing it.

🚚Make tyres not war
Oil company Tatneft has initiated the approval process for the deal to purchase the tire business of Finland’s Nokian Tyres in Russia (the company used to make 80% of its passenger car tyres in Russia and has been operating in the country since 2005, but decided to exit from the Russian market due to Ukraine events).

Authorities of the Leningrad regions, where the plant is located, say the output should reach 17 million tires per year in the second quarter of 2023, however experts say it may be not easy since the car manufacturing industry is one of the worst hit due to Russia’s invasion in Ukraine and following sanctions.

🩸Oil flow
Indian refiners may be able to source most of their Russian oil purchases at a rate lower than the West's price cap of $60 after international prices fell, Economic Times reports.

Multiple government officials and industry executives said domestic refineries will continue to buy cheap Russian oil with no major shipping or insurance trouble expected as the market rate for the key grade has fallen below the cap. The US and its allies have barred the use of its shipping, insurance and financial services for any Russian oil deal struck above the cap of $60.

"The price cap looks more like a posturing. Even the West may not want Russian oil to go off the market," said MK Surana, the CEO of Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals and former chairman of HPCL.

🤹‍♀️Prisoner swap pressure
Former President Trump’s ex-national security adviser said that Moscow appeared committed to releasing Paul Whelan and another imprisoned American to improve relations between Washington and Moscow following a meeting in October 2020, The Hill reports.

Robert O’Brien, former national security adviser under Trump, told The Hill that the Russians reneged on the deal that would have freed Whelan and Trevor Reed after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. 
“Once we lost the election, the Russians lost all interest” in talking with the Trump administration, O’Brien said. 

🐤Twitter war
Ukrainian Presidential Office Advisor Mikhail Podolyak tweeted late Tuesday that "War in Ukraine" had disappeared that mentions of Russia’s “aggression” are curtailed.

“Radical curtailment of tweets mentioning ru-aggression coverage. Users aren’t allowed to register or log into accounts with Ukrainian phone number. @elonmusk, I wonder if will we ever see “Twitter Files” about Fall/Winter 2022?” he asked.

👉Follow t.me/russiawire for daily updates, analytics, and ground reportage from Russia, Donbass, and the neighbourhood.

On 12 December, Ukrainian terrorists tried to kill the deputy head of the Russian-appointed administration of Kherson region.

Vitaly Bulyuk was wounded after a car bombing, his driver was killed.
The attempt was made in Skadovsk: a directional mine went off.
"He was wounded, his condition is stable, medium severity. He is in one of the medical institutions of the region," said the head of the regional Ministry of Health, Vadim Ilmiev.

💥Source
💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

Clayton Hightower - killed "International Legion" mercenary from the United States

The participation of U.S. mercenaries in combat actions on the side of the AFU usually ends with inglorious obituaries. Last week the liquidation of an American, Clayton Hightower, was announced.

▪️The former U.S. Army military man arrived in Ukraine in spring, joining the Normandy Brigade.

▪️According to his commander, Hightower had already taken part in battles for Velyka Novoselka in the DNR in May.

▪️The American did not maintain social media accounts, but frequently appeared on the profile of his compatriot mercenary Lee Johnson.

▪️On December 4, Clayton Hightower, along with Polish mercenaries Janusz Sheremet and Krzysztof Tiefel, was killed at a patrol post east of Kupyansk during a Russian DRG attack.

▪️ On December 10, the remains of Hightower, Sheremet and Tiefel were buried in a cemetery in Kharkiv.

▪️While the U.S. media is studiously ignoring the death of yet another U.S. mercenary, Hightower's half-sister is trying to get his remains repatriated.

💥Source
💥Our channnel: Node of Time EN

We have a new column: ⚽️football and politics.

The Washington Post: "Why doesn't Argentina include more black players in the World Cup lineup?"

Argentina's right-wing party La Libertad Avanza: "Because we are a country, not a Disney movie."

💥Source
💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

'They brought us through the gate to the cellar in a UAZ. I only saw it when we were exchanged, as we had bags over our heads'. Serviceman of LPR People's Militia Ivan Maslov describes how he was captured and tortured by Aidar Nationalist battalion militants. The territory is now liberated and people can learn about atrocities of Kiev regime forces.

Check out the video to know where and how people were tortured by Ukrainian military.

🌊 Join Military Wave

‼️🇺🇦🏴☠️ Kherson residents surprised Sky News with honest words about how they live under Ukraine now

A Sky News reporter asked a local woman about whether life in the city has become better since the return of the Ukrainian forces. The woman replied that it had gotten worse and complained about the lack of assistance.

💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

⚡️⚡️ Key updates on Russia and #UkraineCrisis as on December 15

🛥LNG delayed
The Russian shipyard Zvezda is probably going to delay completing the lead tanker Arc7 for NOVATEK's Arctic LNG 2 project. The tanker was supposed to be ready by March 2023, but the delivery of the first vessel is postponed for at least a year, according to Kommersant.

The same delay is expected for another four tankers (out of total 14 commissioned). In such circumstances, NOVATEK may be forced to postpone its plans to deliver most of the cargo from the new LNG terminal to Asia, redirecting LNG shipments to Europe, where the transport shoulder is shorter.

🇺🇸🇬🇷Deterring Russia
Several US MQ-9 Reaper drones have been stationed at Larissa Air Base in Greece, Defense News reports. A spokesman for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Africa confirmed the arrival to Defense News.

“Larissa Air Base is a strategic location, allowing the MQ-9s to easily support both the eastern and southern flanks of NATO,” the spokesman said. “The move [to place them there] is not in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but this placement does support deterring and avoiding conflict with Russia.”

🇨🇳🇷🇺Betting on Russia
China’s leader Xi Jinping has in recent months tried to put public distance between Beijing and Moscow, however behind the diplomatic appearances Xi is deepening his long-term bet on Russia, WSJ reports.

The economic rapprochement plan provides for an increase in imports of Russian energy resources, agricultural goods, the development of joint Arctic projects and investments in Russia's infrastructure. The report also notes that in order to increase the circulation of the Chinese currency and to avoid future sanctions, Russia and China began to conduct more financial transactions in yuan and rubles.

🇺🇦🇬🇧Sue as Englishmen do
A group of 90 Ukrainian judges will undergo training, provided by the UK, to carry out war crimes trials for Russian soldiers. The first group of judges attended sessions at a secret location in the region last week, and more will follow in the coming months, as part of a £2.5m investment., Sky News reports.

The program is headed by Sir Howard Morrison who was among the judges in the trial of Karadzic, who was ultimately convicted of alleged genocide and other serious crimes by the tribunal. The first group of judges were given lessons at a “secret location in the region” last week, according to the report.

🇵🇱Terrorist labels
The lower house of the Polish parliament on Wednesday night adopted a resolution branding Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. the move comes after the European Parliament designated Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism in November. Polish MEPs, with 494 voting 'yes', 58 'no' votes and 44 abstentions, argued that Moscow's military strikes on civilian targets such as energy infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and shelters violated international law.

MEPs also called on member states to include the Russian paramilitary organisation, the Wagner Group, the 141st Special Motorised Regiment, known as the "Kadyrovites", and other Russian-funded armed groups on the EU's terrorist list.

👉Follow t.me/russiawire for daily updates, analytics, and ground reportage from Russia, Donbass, and the neighbourhood.

🇺🇦Zelensky suggested in his address to the G7 that Russia should start withdrawing troops this Christmas.

"I propose Russia to take a concrete and meaningful step towards a diplomatic settlement, which is being talked about by Moscow so regularly. It would be right to start the withdrawal of Russian troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine this Christmas."

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The G7 leaders declared that they would put Putin on trial.

"There can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. We will hold President Putin and those responsible to account in accordance with international law."

I wonder if dialogue is even possible with someone who dreams of you, humiliated and helpless, rotting in prison.

This statement is further evidence that no one needs negotiations except Russia. The war in Ukraine is what the West needs. And, of course, the defeat of Russia.

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest Kremlin statements:

1. No holiday truces (New Year or Christmas) should be expected.
2. The Special Military Operation will continue. At the current stage, the main focus of the SMO are the DPR and LPR.
3. Putin will hold a meeting with the leadership of the 4 new Russian regions before the end of the year.
4. Odessa and Chernihov may be incorporated into Russia if this is the will of their inhabitants.

💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

A clear answer to the question: why do Russian tanks demolish the upper floors of multi-storey buildings? The video shows an AFU sniper's position in one of the multi-storey buildings of Bakhmut, where street fighting is going on.

It is also worth noting that the increase in the number of videos from the Ukrainian armed forces, demonstrating their positions in the city and in residential buildings, clearly shows that the fighting has already shifted from the pre-field and industrial zone to residential areas. The footage is starting to look increasingly like Popasnaya and Mariupol.

💥Source
💥Our channel: Node of Time EN

It has become sort of a tradition to check whether any international media reported on shelling in Donetsk, and how.

Today, Reuters report is showing up on the main page, but it cites mayor’s early morning statement without accessing the data on casualties. Of course, the report doesn’t mention that the city has been shellev for last 3 weeks daily. And the amount of people dead and wounded.

The latest updates from local authorities are available here https://t.me/DNR_SCKK

Today so far: 1 dead and 7 wounded (including one child)
14 Dec - 5 dead and 5 wounded
13 Dec - 3 dead
12 Dec - 5 dead and 5 wounded
11 Dec - 9 wounded, including 2 children

In 298 days since February, 20, 2022: 4376 civilians died, inclduing 132 children
Before the start of current escalation: 2247 civilians died, including 153 children