According to The Wall Street Journal, Vladimir Putin leveraged his connections with the Saudi Crown Prince to select Steve Witkoff as his preferred intermediary from the Trump administration. Putin’s interest in Witkoff was communicated through Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, utilizing the Saudi Crown Prince as an intermediary, and the Saudis even offered to recommend Witkoff to the Russian side. Witkoff, who has made several trips to Moscow, met with Putin without traditional diplomatic support, and the Kremlin carefully assessed his openness to Russia’s perspective. This approach reflects Putin’s effort to bypass established diplomatic channels, which is possibly aimed at influencing the current peace plan discussions and Trump’s decisions.
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On December 21st, Ukrainian partisans targeted an airfield in Russia’s Lipetsk Oblast, approximately 340 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, resulting in the destruction of two Su-30 fighter jets. The operation, which took two weeks to plan, involved a “representative of the resistance movement” successfully infiltrating the military facility, bypassing patrols and guard schedules, and setting the aircraft ablaze. This successful attack is estimated to have caused up to $100 million in damage and further weakens Russian air power, adding to the reported 432 aircraft destroyed since the full-scale invasion.
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The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of Ukrainian Ground Forces deployed an armored ground robot for combat duty, successfully repelling Russian attempts to break through for 45 days. This robot, the DevDroid TW 12.7, allowed operators to engage from a safe location, contributing to zero casualties. Ukrainian forces are increasingly utilizing ground robots for various missions, including reconnaissance, ammunition delivery, and casualty evacuation. Additionally, a ground drone was used to evacuate civilians from a dangerous area in Kharkiv.
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In June, a lawmaker from the AfD party submitted eight inquiries concerning drone defense capabilities of the local police. These inquiries prompted accusations from centrist politicians, who believe the AfD is attempting to expose sensitive information that could be used by Moscow in its war efforts. The questions from the AfD focused on critical infrastructure and security authorities, raising concerns that the party is acting on behalf of the Kremlin. Critics argue that the AfD’s frequent pro-Kremlin stances and inquiries suggest an alignment with Russian interests.
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During the December 22-23 attacks, Ukrainian Air Force pilots flying F-16 fighter jets intercepted the majority of Russian cruise missiles, demonstrating high effectiveness. Specifically, 34 out of 35 cruise missiles were shot down, highlighting the importance of air defense. The Air Force has emphasized the critical need for increased supplies of both air-to-air and air defense missiles from partners. Ukraine’s military leadership, including the President, has repeatedly requested more missile supplies to bolster existing systems, some of which are currently inoperable due to lack of ammunition.
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During a meeting of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Director-General of the National Security Bureau (NSB) Tsai Ming-yen stated that Russia could offer military logistics support to China and engage in provocations in the Indo-Pacific region if China were to attack Taiwan, potentially complicating responses from the United States and its allies. The NSB is actively monitoring China-Russia military cooperation through international intelligence exchanges and has addressed Indo-Pacific security issues in nearly 100 formal bilateral meetings with 45 countries this year. Defense Minister Wellington Koo noted China’s strong dissatisfaction over Japanese remarks regarding a “Taiwan contingency,” further indicating the complex geopolitical dynamics. Additionally, the recent joint China-Russia aerial patrol sends a clear message of their cooperative relationship.
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The French government, under President Emmanuel Macron, has confirmed the construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération (PA-NG), slated for completion in 2038. This new vessel, replacing the existing Charles de Gaulle, will be significantly larger, with a displacement of 78,000 tonnes. Despite some fiscal concerns, the project is moving forward with a predicted cost of €10.25 billion, designed to enhance France’s naval capabilities and bolster its defense spending, which will include approximately €6.5 billion in extra military spending in the next two years. The PA-NG will be the largest warship ever built in Europe, equipped with Rafale M fighter jets and featuring electromagnetic aircraft launch systems.
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On December 22nd, Ukrainian drones targeted the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in Volna, Krasnodar Krai, resulting in damage to equipment, the liquefied hydrocarbon gas pier, and port infrastructure, which caused a large-scale fire. The attack also damaged a pipeline, two berths, and two ships, with the fire spreading over a vast area, including a ship and the tank farm area. This oil terminal, one of the largest in the Black Sea region, handles crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied hydrocarbon gases. This attack is part of a pattern of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities aimed at disrupting military logistics.
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Intelligence assessments indicate that Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon designed to target Starlink satellites, employing “area-effect” technology to disable multiple satellites simultaneously by scattering dense spherical objects into their orbital paths. This could create significant debris, posing risks to other space systems, including the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong. The weapon aims to erode Western advantages in space, particularly those supporting Ukraine, and differs from a previous missile test in 2021 as it is designed to target multiple satellites. Western officials have expressed concern about Russia’s exploration of space-based weapons.
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On December 21st, Swedish authorities detained the sanctioned Russian vessel, the Adler, after an overnight inspection following the ship’s engine failure and subsequent anchoring off the coast. The cargo ship, owned by the sanctioned M Leasing LLC, has a history of transporting Russian weapons and carrying North Korean ammunition to Russia, leading to the inspection conducted by Swedish Customs in cooperation with the Coast Guard. This action comes amid rising tensions and concerns over Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which has been linked to sabotage operations and drone launches. The case has been referred to the prosecutor for further investigation, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
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John Q. Hosedrinker