Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 306 of the invasion - The Guardian

Blasts were heard astatine Russia’s Engels airbase hundreds of miles from frontlines successful Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported aboriginal connected Monday. The RBC-Ukraine quality bureau reported that 2 explosions took place. The Russian quality outlet Baza, citing section residents, said aerial raid sirens were wailing and an detonation was heard. The Guardian was not been capable to instantly verify the reports. The airbase, adjacent the metropolis of Saratov, is astir 730km (450 miles) south-east of Moscow.

Vladimir Putin has said the westbound is trying to “tear apart” Russia and claimed his violative successful Ukraine aims to “unite the Russian people”. In an interrogation aired connected nationalist TV, Putin said Russia’s “geopolitical opponents [were] aiming to teardrop isolated Russia, the humanities Russia … Divide and conquer, that’s what they person ever sought to execute and are inactive seeking to do,” Putin added. “But our extremity is different: it’s to unite the Russian people.”

Putin claimed Russia was acceptable to negociate with each parties progressive successful the warfare successful Ukraine, portion accusing Kyiv and its occidental allies of “refusing” to negotiate. Kyiv and its allies fishy Putin’s claims are a ploy to bargain clip aft a bid of Russian defeats and retreats connected the battlefield.

Ukrainian statesmanlike advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin “needs to travel backmost to reality” aft the Russian person claimed Moscow was acceptable for negotiations. It is “obvious” that Russia “doesn’t privation negotiations, but tries to debar responsibility”, Podolyak tweeted.

Air raid alerts sounded crossed Kyiv and astir of Ukraine connected Sunday. Officials gave the all-clear and determination were nary contiguous reports of Russian attacks. Unconfirmed reports connected Ukrainian societal media suggested the sirens whitethorn person been triggered aft Russian jets took to the skies successful Belarus.

Ukraine’s Kherson politician has issued a humor donor entreaty aft 16 radical were killed erstwhile Russian shelling deed the southern region connected Saturday. Yaroslav Yanushevych said Russian forces “opened occurrence connected the Kherson portion 71 times” with artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems and mortars. Iuliia Mendel, a Ukrainian erstwhile statesmanlike spokesperson, shared photos of people waiting to donate humor successful Kherson.

Three Ukrainian exigency workers died erstwhile a excavation exploded portion they were demining parts of the Kherson region. “All 3 selflessly served … and performed the task of demining territories liberated from the force successful the Kherson region,” the Zhytomyr exigency work said connected its Facebook page.

Russian forces’ complaint of beforehand successful the Bakhmut country of eastbound Ukraine has astir apt slowed successful caller days, according to analysts. In its latest update, the US thinktank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) cited 1 Russian subject blogger as saying that Ukrainian forces had pushed backmost elements of Russian backstage mercenary institution the Wagner radical to positions they held days ago.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy utilized his latest video code to accidental that Ukrainians would make their Christmas miracle by remaining unbowed, despite Russian attacks that person near millions without power. Speaking 10 months to the time since Russia invaded, Zelenskiy said that portion state came astatine a precocious price, slavery would outgo more.

Moscow is reportedly acceptable to resume state supplies to Europe done the Yamal-Europe pipeline. “The European marketplace remains relevant, arsenic the state shortage persists, and we person each accidental to resume supplies,” Russian authorities media outlet Tass cited Russian lawman premier curate Alexander Novak arsenic saying connected Sunday.

Russia’s parliament is preparing to present a higher taxation complaint for radical who person near the country, arsenic galore person since the warfare successful Ukraine began. Some section media reported as galore arsenic 700,000 fled after the announcement of a mobilisation thrust to telephone up caller troops to articulation the combat successful September. The authorities rejected that fig astatine the time.

China’s overseas curate has defended his country’s presumption connected the warfare successful Ukraine and indicated that Beijing volition deepen ties with Moscow successful the coming year. China volition “deepen strategical communal spot and mutually beneficial cooperation” with Russia, Wang Yi said successful a video address.

Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Pope Francis utilized their Christmas addresses to call for an extremity to the warfare successful Ukraine. Condemning the usage of nutrient arsenic a limb of war, the pope said the warfare successful Ukraine and struggle successful different countries had enactment millions astatine hazard of famine.