Biden signs defense budget with $800M in aid for Ukraine

"U.S. President Joe Biden has signed into law an act that allocates funding for the U.S. national defense and which provides, among other things, $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine." Ukrin

The Washington Post broke story that even though Western leaders were quick to accuse Moscow of blowing up the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, after months of investigation no evidence has been found to back the allegation

"The recent disclosure by The Washington Post that there is no evidence Russia is behind the
Nord Stream pipeline blasts is yet another example of the flimsy information war the West is desperately and recklessly waging against Russia, but at the same time losing," Scott Bennett, former US Army psychological warfare officer and US State Department counterterrorism analyst said." Sputnik

Kremlin assesses Zelensky-Biden meeting

"Washington seems intent on waging a proxy war against Russia using Ukraine as a tool,
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said. He added that the main takeaway from Wednesday’s meeting between the two countries’ leaders is that neither the US nor Ukraine is prepared to pay attention to Russia’s concerns." RT

Russia strikes Kramatorsk with missiles

"Russian military launched two missile strikes at the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast."
Pravada

US reveals more details of Patriot handover to Ukraine

"The Biden administration has confirmed the US will provide Ukraine with the Patriot air
defense system. Washington also revealed Ukrainian troops would be trained in the use of the sophisticated weapon in a third country, without elaborating on where exactly it would take place." RT

Russian City Suffers Casualties - 14,000 Without Power After Ukraine Cross Border Attack

"One civilian was killed, another eight people were wounded, and a poultry farm was damaged in Ukrainian shelling in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, the region’s governor said.

 Further he said, "An estimated 14,000 residents are still without power supply. Emergency crews are starting to reconnect the grid to backup power sources." ZH

Armed Forces of Ukraine repel Russian attacks near 10 settlements in Donbas

"Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled enemy attacks near 10 settlements in Luhansk and
Donetsk regions....Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled the occupiers’ attacks near Stelmakhivka, Chervonopopivka, Serebrianske in Luhansk region and Verkhniokamyanske, Pidhorodne, Bakhmut, Opytne, Kurdiumivka, Krasnohorivka, Marinka in Donetsk region." UKRIN

 

Putin Embraced By Lukashenko In Rare State Visit As Fears Mount Belarus Could Join Offensive

"Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the situation in neighboring Ukraine is "escalating" just before receiving a rare in-country visit by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. In statements published by the presidential press service, Lukashenko sought to refute rumors and allegations that Moscow is essentially running the country." ZeroHedge

Russia switches Europeans to horses and donkeys

"Making high fuel price threats, Russian propaganda spreads "European" ad shot in Moscow suburbs. A "social video" is being given out in Russian state mass media and Telegram channels. The video shows a man getting on a horse-drawn Mini Cooper in a parking lot, while the car is filled with hay. Another hero of the video tries to ride a donkey.

The video ends with "good" advice in English with Russian subtitles: "Dear Europeans, switch to alternative transport because soon petrol will be too expensive." Ukrin

Russians hit Kherson city center, injuring three people, one in serious condition

"Russian troops shelled Kherson city again." Ukrin

New details emerge about Ukrainian ‘gift’ explosion at Polish police HQ

"A grenade launcher that allegedly exploded at a Polish police headquarters, injuring a top
commander, had not been subjected to any border or customs checks as it arrived in the country from Ukraine, Poland’s Zet radio has reported.

The weapon had been delivered to Poland by train, which runs between Ukraine and the Polish border town of Przemysl, sources told the outlet on Friday.

Poland has demanded explanations from the Ukrainian side over the incident." RT

 

Russian Diplomat Hospitalized In Mail-Bomb 'Terror Attack'

"Russian government has said one of its diplomats stationed in the Central African Republic was hospitalized Friday after opening a letter bomb, which detonated upon opening. "Dmitry Sitiy, who runs the Bangui branch of Russian House, a state-funded cultural center that promotes Russian culture around the world, collected a parcel addressed to him from a DHL office earlier on Friday, according to a source in the Russian Embassy cited by news agency RIA Novosti," The Moscow Times writes." ZH

Poland Demands Answers After 'Gift' Police Chief Received From Ukraine Officials Exploded

"Poland's police chief Jaroslaw Szymczyk was hospitalized after a "gift" package that he
received exploded, according to international reports, after a recent string of similar exploding mail and package incidents across Europe believed related to the war in Ukraine. 

Poland's Interior Ministry confirmed, "Yesterday at 7:50 a.m., an explosion occurred in a room adjacent to the office of the Police Chief." It's said that Szymczyk only sustained minor injuries. "During the Police Chief's working visit to Ukraine on December 11-12 this year, where he met with the heads of the Ukrainian Police and Emergency Situations Service, he received some gifts, one of which exploded," the statement detailed." ZH

Ukraine hits Donetsk with worst shelling in eight years

"The city of Donetsk has been subjected to the largest-scale Ukrainian artillery attack since the region rebelled against Kiev in the wake of the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, local officials have said. A cathedral was among the buildings hit by Kiev’s artillery." RT

Vatican apologizes to Russia

"The Vatican has issued a formal apology to Russia for derogatory remarks made by Pope Francis last month about some ethnic groups in the country, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

The ministry received the message on Thursday from Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. It expressed the Holy See’s respect for “all peoples of Russia, their dignity, faith and culture, just like all other nations and peoples of the world,” Zakharova told a press briefing.

Pope Francis made a negative generalized assessment of the character of Buryats and Chechens, two of the many ethnic groups living in Russia, in an interview published in late November. He described them as “of Russia but… not of the Russian tradition” and claimed that such people were “the cruelest” of the Russian troops in Ukraine." RT