"This is the incredible moment a wounded Ukrainian soldier and his Russian foe emotionally paid their respects to each other as the fighter took his final breaths after being slashed by Putin's serviceman in a knife fight.Bodycam footage filmed by a Ukrainian fighter shows the two men opening fire at each other near the ruins of a blitzed building.
The Ukrainian manages to reach his opponent and grabs the Russian's automatic rifle, leading to a struggle which results in the Putin fighter pulling his knife and viciously slashing his rival in the thigh.
The two fighters can be heard hurling insults at each other, with the Ukrainian warrior angrily telling his enemy: 'You came to [invade] my homeland'.
The Russian soldier wins the bloody blade combat and the Ukrainian fighter falls to the ground after being slashed.
The unidentified defeated fighter, losing blood, sends a message to his mother as he takes his final breaths.
'That's it, Mum. Goodbye'.
The Russian soldier then comes to the wounded fighter and kneels beside him.
'You cut my whole body open', the Ukrainian fighter cries out.
As he lies wounded, the Ukrainian pleads for the Russian to let him die alone and salutes his foe, saying: 'I want to die myself. Thank you. You were the best fighter in the world.
'Goodbye, you were better.'
The Russian fighter - also wounded in the fight - backs off and tells him: 'Goodbye.'
The Russian's knife is clearly visible as he backs off, with blood seen on his face.
The defeated Ukrainian then pulls the pin on his grenade in an attempt to take his own life.
Russian accounts of the incident claim the grenade explosion left the Ukrainian even more wounded, with his hand blown off, but still alive.
He then told the Russian to 'finish me off'.
There have been calls from Russian war channels for the soldier - named Tuta - to be decorated for his bravery." DailyMail
"Russia’s flurry of attacks on Kyiv and elsewhere comes as Ukraine says it shot down an Mi-8 helicopter for the first time with a naval drone.Russia launched a heavy aerial attack on Ukraine hitting the capital, Kyiv, and other regions with a volley of missiles and drones.
Ukraine’s air force said on Tuesday it downed six out of 21 Russia-launched missiles overnight. Russia used 40 drones to attack the country, the air force said on Telegram. Air defense units shot down 16 and 24 more failed to reach targets." AJ
"The Italian government summoned the Iranian ambassador to demand the release of journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested without due process or clear charges in Tehran on December 19. Iran responded that Sala will only be freed if Italy releases Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian national arrested by Italy on behalf of the United States on December 16.
Abedini, 38, is a drone expert accused of supplying advanced technology to the Iranian military in defiance of U.S. sanctions. Components provided by Abedini were allegedly used in a January 2024 drone attack by Iran-backed militants that killed three U.S. service members in northern Jordan. Abedini’s company, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak (SDRA), specializes in creating navigation modules for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The company provides these modules to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government." Breitbart
"Flight restrictions were twice implemented at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, likely due to the threat of drone attacks.
As of 10:30 a.m., the restrictions were lifted. Alexander Drozdenko, governor of Leningrad Oblast, reported a record drone attack on the region, claiming that Russian air defense systems “shot down” four drones.
Departures and arrivals were temporarily halted “to ensure flight safety,” according to the statement. Russian media suggested the disruptions were linked to the drone attack." NV
"The global community is on edge as unverified reports emerge of a mysterious illness sweeping through China, leading to hospitals being overcrowded, which is very similar to an outbreak in China last winter and the hospitals not being ready for such an influx of people.
China has been pinpointed as the origin of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, whichtriggered a worldwide pandemic after the initial human cases were identified in Wuhan in November 2019.
Presently, unofficial reports from Chinese local media are hinting at a novel ailment, a new strain of the disease, possibly linked to the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), causing severe and sometimes fatal outcomes.
Typically, HMPV results in symptoms akin to a mild cold, but reports suggest that lines of ill children and adults are currently overwhelming China's medical facilities, with fatalities being reported.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has proposed that influenza might be responsible for the spike in hospital admissions and cases, echoing a similar surge in the UK.
Aboluowang News, a US-based outlet reporting on China, published a statement from a farmer in Hunan Province who claimed that the epidemic was proving lethal." MS
"Over 1,700 soldiers from Ukraine’s newly formed 155th Mechanized Brigade, trained and outfitted with great fanfare in France, deserted before reaching the battlefront, according to Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov.
French President Emmanuel Macron proudly announced the “elite” project alongside Volodymyr Zelensky last June. The brigade was meant to have more than 5,800 troops and be equipped with Leopard tanks and French CAESAR 155 mm howitzers. However members of the unit, also known as “Anne of Kiev,” went AWOL already during drills in France." Sputnik
"Slovak power grid operator SEPS assured that, despite the threats voiced by Prime Minister Roberto Fico, electricity exports to Ukraine will not be interrupted.
Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the government would discuss measures in response to Ukraine's suspension of Russian gas transit. According to the official, options for stopping electricity supplies to Ukraine and reducing assistance to displaced Ukrainians who found refuge in Slovakia are being considered." Ukrin
"A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has been recorded northeast of Broken Hill in NSW.
The quake was detected at a depth of 10km at 2.50pm local time on Saturday.
Broken Hill is an inland mining town near the border of NSW and South Australia with a population of roughly 17,000 people." MS
"A total of 148 combat engagements have been reported along the frontlines over the past day, with Russian assaults being most intense in the Pokrovsk direction and Kursk region.
In the Kharkiv direction, Ukraine repelled two attacks near Vovchansk.
In the Kupiansk direction, the Russians launched seven attacks. Ukraine’s forces repelled assaults near Kucherivka, Synkivka, and Zahryzove.In the Lyman direction, the invaders attacked 11 times, trying to advance near Nadiia, Makiivka, Hryhorivka, Tverdokhlibove, Yampolivka, towards Cherneshchyna and Zelena Dolyna.
In the Siversk direction, the Russian army twice attacked Ukraine’s positions near Bilohorivka.
In the Kramatorsk direction, 10 clashes were recorded in the areas of Chasiv Yar, Bila Hora, as well as towards Predtechyne and Stupochky.
n the Toretsk direction, Russian troops attacked seven times near Diliivka, Toretsk, and Shcherbynivka.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian defenders held back 40 assault and offensive actions in the areas of Vodiane Druhe, Baranivka, Myroliubivka, Promin, Novo-olenivka, Novovasylivka, Ukrainka, Lysivka, Zelene, Novyi Trud, Pishchane, Zvirove, Solone, Kotlyne, and Pokrovsk.
In the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 11 attacks near Petropavlivka, Sribne, Kurakhivka, and Shevchenko.
In the Vremivka direction, the Russian army performed 11 offensive attempts against Ukrainian positions in the areas near Yantarne, toward Kostiantynopil, and Novosilka.
In the Orikhiv direction, Ukraine repelled an attack near Novoandriivka. In this section of the front, the invaders actively employed air support.
In the Pridniprovia direction, Russian troops twice unsuccessfully stormed Ukrainian positions.
In the Huliaypole direction, the Russians ran no assault operations.
In the Volyn and Polissia directions, the situation underwent no significant changes.
On the border with Russia in Chernihiv and Sumy regions, the invaders actively employed artillery and aviation, hitting Ukrainian settlements from across the border.
In the operational zone in Kursk region, Ukraine’s troops repelled 41 attacks. The enemy launched three missiles and 15 guided bombs, as well as 357 artillery rounds, on Ukraine’s positions in the area." Ukrin
"Austrian parliament failed to form a ruling coalition in negotiations that have been going on since November. In this regard, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will resign, as he announced on the X." RBCUkraine
"About 20 drones were spotted over the port of Køge in Denmark. Law enforcement officialshave launched an investigation, The Associated Press reports.
The Danish police are investigating reports of about 20 drones over the port of Køge, located southwest of Copenhagen.
Law enforcement officials said the incident occurred the night before.
The regional police said that when they arrived at the scene, officers could spot four large drones over the pier. According to a witness who called the police, there were about 20 drones in the air, which later disappeared into the Køge Bay at high speed." MS
