Soldiers from already limited Ukrainian units were now being mobilized to join infantry forces that were not their forte to overcome the problem of troop numbers.
UAVs attack both sides
On December 22, the Ukrainian military announced that its air defense forces had shot down 52 of 103 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched overnight. In addition, 44 Russian UAVs disappeared from Kyiv's radar system. Ukrainian officials added that buildings in Kherson, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Kyiv provinces had been damaged by Russian attacks, Reuters reported.
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In contrast, the Russian Defense Ministry said on December 22 that it had shot down 42 UAVs in five Russian provinces overnight. In addition, an attack caused a fire at a fuel facility in the town of Stalnoi Kon, Oryol province. “Thanks to the quick response, the fire was completely extinguished and there were no casualties or significant damage,” Oryol Governor Andrei Klychkov said on his Telegram channel on December 22.
Also on December 22, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had taken control of two settlements, including Sontsivka in Donetsk province and Lozova in Kharkiv province. Moscow said it had repelled 11 Ukrainian counterattacks in Donetsk, causing more than 480 casualties among Ukrainian soldiers, and had destroyed 10 artillery pieces of various types owned by Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia did not comment on their opponents' statements.
Officers of Ukraine's Khyzhak Brigade deploy a UAV in the town of Toretsk, Donetsk region on December 19.
President Putin warns Ukraine
Regarding Ukraine's attack on a high-rise apartment building in the Russian city of Kazan on December 21, TASS news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 22 emphasizing that Kyiv will have to "regret" and face more attacks after the raid on Kazan.
“Anyone who tries to destroy something in our country will face much greater destruction in their own country and will regret their actions,” Putin said. Kyiv has not yet responded to the Russian president’s remarks.
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Lacking troops, Ukraine had to assign air defense soldiers to the infantry.
The Guardian newspaper on December 21 quoted officials in Ukraine's air defense unit as saying that the shortage of manpower has become serious and the Ukrainian General Staff has ordered air defense unit soldiers to join the infantry ranks on the front line.
This has further reduced the already limited air defense manpower and posed a security risk to Ukraine, one source said. In addition, soldiers who had been trained in the West and were skilled in air defense operations are now being sent to the front lines as infantry without relevant combat experience. There are also concerns within the Ukrainian military that if some of the air defense soldiers sent to the front lines are captured, they could reveal important information about Kyiv’s defenses.
The Ukrainska Pravda newspaper reported that Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuhla mentioned this situation in November and former Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat confirmed that air defense soldiers were sent to the front line to perform positions that were not their forte in the infantry.
Ukrainian soldiers operate the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger mobile air defense missile system on the outskirts of Kyiv.
A Ukrainian air defense officer told the media that his unit is now down to less than half its strength. In recent days, he has been ordered to send dozens of additional soldiers. “I am left with only people over 50 and wounded. It is impossible to operate in this condition,” the officer said.
According to The Guardian , the shortage of personnel has also caused a rift between the US and Ukraine. Officials in the administration of US President Joe Biden are said to be unhappy that Kyiv has repeatedly requested more weapons but has not recruited enough troops for its units. Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that 14 reserve brigades in Ukraine are not armed.
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IMF predicts when the war in Ukraine will end
Euromaidan Press reported on December 22 that in its sixth assessment, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast that, based on the baseline scenario, the war in Ukraine will end by the end of 2025. Ukraine's GDP growth in 2024 will reach 4%, up 1 percentage point from the previous forecast. The IMF also noted that the economic impact in winter due to the power shortage in Ukraine will be less severe than initially forecast, considering the possibility of increased electricity imports from Europe and efforts to repair the country's power grid infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the IMF’s bearish scenario sees the war lasting until mid-2026. This could also create a more severe shock to economic activity, financing needs, and the balance of payments than the baseline. The bearish scenario also forecasts lower GDP growth, a slower recovery, and higher and more prolonged inflation.
In addition to the economic forecasts, on December 21, the IMF completed the sixth review of the expanded fund for Ukraine and approved a new disbursement package worth 1.1 billion USD.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chien-su-ukraine-ngay-1033-thieu-quan-tram-trong-kyiv-dieu-linh-phong-khong-lam-bo-binh-185241222224637597.htm
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