Ukraine's Armed Forces repel attacks near 11 settlements

"Over the past day, the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russia’s attacks in the
areas of Novoselivske, Andriivka, Chervonopopivka, Zhytlivka, Serebrianske, Bilohorivka settlements in Luhansk region; Verkhniokamyanske, Soledar, Bakhmutske, Pidhorodne, and Bakhmut in Donetsk region." UF

Sanctions on Russia are backfiring – former Austrian vice-chancellor

"Western sanctions imposed on Moscow have failed to make a dent in Russia’s economy and
ultimately only hurt Europeans, former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache has said. He also accused eupolicymakers of turning a blind eye to the deadly fighting in Donbass, which he said served as a prelude to the current conflict for many years." RT

Putin responds to Merkel bombshell

"Putin has said he is “disappointed” by former German chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent
comments regarding the Minsk agreements – the now defunct roadmap for peace in Ukraine – which she admitted was a ruse to buy Ukraine more time to build up its military. 

“What can you say to that?” Putin said during a press conference, adding that he was shocked to hear such a confession from the former German leader, having believed that Russia’s partners in Berlin “treated us with sincerity.” RT

Putin Admits to Troop Desertions

"Putin insisted that troop desertions were not a large-scale problem and that they were
occurring “less and less now.”Breitbart

“WE GOT OUR SPY BACK”; Ex-Kremlin Aide Celebrates Big Victory For Russia After Biden Gets Played By Putin

"Former Putin aide Sergei Markov wrote a blistering series of Telegram messages on Thursday celebrating how Putin “outplayed” Biden in the prisoner swap that brought Brittney Griner back to the US in exchange for Viktor Bout, who government officials have called “one of the most dangerous men on the face of the earth."

“Putin outplayed Biden,” Markov wrote on Telegram. “We got back our spy, it seems, and gave away a normal girl,” he continued." TP

Trump Goes Scorched Earth After Biden Trades Brittney Griner for “Merchant of Death”

"Former President Trump unleashed on Joe Biden after he traded WNBA player Brittney
Griner for Russian arms dealer, the “Merchant of Death.”

“What kind of a deal is it to swap Brittney Griner, a basketball player who openly hates our Country, for the man known as “The Merchant of Death,” who is one of the biggest arms dealers anywhere in the World, and responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and horrific injuries,” Trump wrote. “Why wasn’t former Marine Paul Whelan included in this totally one-sided transaction? He would have been let out for the asking. What a “stupid” and unpatriotic embarrassment for the USA!!" PJmedia

 

‘Devastated’ Family of Marine That Biden Left Behind in Russia Speaks Out After Trade for Brittney Griner

"Paul Whelan, the U.S. Marine that has been held in Russia for over four years on suspicion of  being a “spy,” reacted on Thursday to the news that the Biden administration had secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Griner was swapped for arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed “The Merchant of Death.” Bout was serving a 25-year federal prison sentence for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens, providing support to a terrorist organization, and delivering anti-aircraft missiles. Griner was arrested in Russia in February, a week before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, for illegal possession of cannabis oil.

Whelan gave a statement about the Biden prisoner swap to CNN.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” Paul Whelan told CNN’s Jennifer Hansler. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.” PJMedia

Russia repels drone attack on key Crimean port

 "The Russian Navy foiled a drone attack in Crimea’s Sevastopol on Thursday morning, the
city’s governor Mikhail Razvozhaev has revealed." RT

NATO Knew Ukraine Was Preparing Attacks on Russian Military Airfields

"NATO was aware of the preparations for the latest attacks by Ukraine on Russian military
airfields in the Saratov and Ryazan regions, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation at the military security and arms control talks in Vienna said. "NATO was aware of the preparations for the latest Ukrainian attacks on the Russian military airfields. We gave them an immediate response with a massive strike on the military command and control system, defense complex facilities and related energy facilities in Ukraine. No one should have any doubts that this will happen every time if acts of Ukrainian terrorism continue," Gavrilov said at a plenary meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation.

Ukraine launched attacks on the Russian military airfields with what the Russian military said were Soviet-made jet drones. The Russian air defense intercepted the drones, but their fragments killed three and injured four soldiers, according to the Russian Defense Ministry." Sputnik

Zelensky named Time magazine ‘Person of the Year’

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year”
on Wednesday after being one of 10 individuals or groups placed on a shortlist earlier this week." TheHill

Russians begin to fortify Kursk Oblast with ‘dragon's teeth’ and ditches

"In Kursk Oblast of Russia, which borders Ukraine, defence structures are being built:
concrete pyramidal anti-tank structures, known as "dragon's teeth", are being installed in the fields." Pravada

National Guards of Ukraine manage to shoot down cruise missile from light machine guns and assault rifles

"National Guardsmen shot down a Kh-101 cruise missile from small arms during Russia's
massive missile attack on Ukraine.....A mobile fire group of the guards of the 27th Pechersk Brigade shot down the Kh-101 missile from light machine guns and assault rifles, preventing it from targeting its goal." Pravada

 

EU member says it can no longer accept Ukrainian refugees

"Estonia will not be able to handle a possible new influx of refugees from Ukraine and expects other EU nations, such as Finland, to accommodate them, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has said. Tallinn already has a tentative agreement with Helsinki on the issue, she stated on Tuesday in a radio interview.

Kallas expressed pride in the generosity shown by her nation toward Ukrainians since the start of the conflict with Russia, but added: “everything has its limit, and once we are no longer able to accept people because we ran out of housing and jobs, then others will do more.” RT

Ukraine's Embassy in Romania receives two suspicious envelopes, bomb disposal team called

"The Embassy of Ukraine, which is located in the capital of Romania, Bucharest, received two
suspicious envelopes on 6 December around 11:00,...the police arrived at the scene to secure the area. Bomb disposal teams are also on the scene to conduct specific inspections." Pravada

 

Supply Disruption From Russia Price Cap Is Here: Tanker Jam Forms Off Turkey

"The EU and G7 price cap on Russian oil went into effect on Monday, but it's already causing disruptions in global supply chains. 

In a striking demonstration of the price cap's potential to disrupt markets, most of the oil in the delayed ships isn't even subject to the sanction regime: It's from Kazakhstan and has merely transited Russian ports after arriving there via pipeline.

The first manifestation comes from Turkey, where the Financial Times reports that a tanker traffic jam is stacking up in Turkeish waters and blocking some 18 million barrels of oil from passage, as the country's authorities demand proof that the vessels have insurance coverage: 

"Around 19 crude oil tankers were waiting to cross Turkeish waters on Monday, according to ship brokers, oil traders and satellite tracking services. The vessels had dropped anchor near the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, the two straits linking Russia's Black Sea ports to international markets." ZeroHedge