Ukrainian Forces Hit Occupied Southern City Of Melitopol, Claim Big Russian Losses - Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Updated December 11, 2022

Ukrainian forces blasted the Russian-occupied metropolis of Melitopol with much than a twelve explosions lighting up the entity amid conflicting reports of casualties among Russian forces successful the area.

Residents of the strategical confederate metropolis of immoderate 150,000 radical reported that ample explosions rang retired successful eastbound Melitopol precocious connected December 10, with fires burning into the greeting of December 11.

Several blasts hits a edifice and edifice analyzable known arsenic the Hunter's Halt connected the eastbound outskirts of the city, country residents reported.

Ivan Fedorov, the exiled politician of Melitopol, said the erstwhile analyzable was present being utilized to location 200-300 Kremlin-backed forces and that dozens of them had been killed oregon wounded.

Fedorov wrote connected his Telegram transmission that "the wounded were instantly taken to hospitals successful [Russia-occupied] Crimea due to the fact that determination are not capable places successful Melitopol. Some ambulances are being converted into morgues."

The reports could not beryllium independently confirmed.

The Ukrainian subject did not supply specifics but said targets deed included barracks and were carried retired with artillery and missiles.

The Russian-installed authorities said 2 radical were killed and 10 injured successful a rocket onslaught astir Melitopol, which was seized by Russian forces aboriginal pursuing the penetration that began connected February 24.

"Air-defense systems destroyed 2 missiles, and 4 reached their targets," Yevgeny Balitsky, the Moscow-appointed politician of the occupied portion of the Zaporizhzhya region, wrote connected Telegram.

The United States has provided Ukraine with high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARs), which are playing an progressively important relation successful Ukraine's counteroffensives against Russian forces successful eastbound and confederate Ukraine.

Fierce warring continued elsewhere arsenic Ukrainian forces battled to clasp of a Russian thrust successful the east.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy has said Russian forces person turned Bakhmut into "ruins" successful their continued effort to encircle the strategical metropolis successful eastbound Ukraine's Donetsk region, portion the Ukrainian subject has said it has thwarted the latest attacks successful the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

In his nightly video code to the federation connected December 10, Zelenskiy said the concern "remains precise difficult" successful respective frontline cities successful the 2 partially occupied regions that unneurotic marque up the Donbas region.

"Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka, Kreminna: For a agelong time, determination is nary surviving spot near connected the onshore of these areas that has not been damaged by shells and fire," Zelenskiy said, naming cities that person been targeted by a caller Russian offensive. "The occupiers really destroyed Bakhmut, different Donbas metropolis that the Russian Army turned into burnt ruins."

Earlier the aforesaid day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said it had successfully repelled attacks successful Bakhmut, arsenic good arsenic successful different cities successful the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Russia identified capturing the full Donbas region, parts of which had been controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014, arsenic a absorption of its warfare run successful Ukraine from the onset of its all-out penetration successful February. Following subject and territorial setbacks successful Ukraine's southbound and eastbound owed to a caller Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia has placed renewed absorption connected taking Bakhmut, a cardinal Ukrainian proviso hub, by massing troops and subject instrumentality successful an effort to situation the city.

On December 10, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian troops were besides focusing their Donbas violative successful the absorption of the Donetsk portion metropolis of Lyman, which is 65 kilometers northbound of Bakhmut, saying they had "managed to instrumentality much advantageous positions for further advancement."

In his video address, Zelenskiy said the concern successful Odesa, successful confederate Ukraine, was "very difficult" aft vigor infrastructure successful the Black Sea larboard metropolis was struck by Russian forces utilizing Iranian-made drones.

WATCH: Ukraine's Finance Ministry says request for backstage weaponry shelters has risen twentyfold since Russia launched a full-scale penetration of the state successful February.

"Unfortunately, the hits were critical, truthful it takes much than conscionable clip to reconstruct electricity," Zelenskiy said. "It doesn't instrumentality hours, but a fewer days, unfortunately."

The strikes by Iranian-made Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones connected 2 vigor facilities near 1.5 cardinal radical successful the metropolis without power, according to Ukrainian officials.

Moscow has been targeting Ukraine's vigor infrastructure since October with waves of rocket and drone strikes, starring to claims by Kyiv and rights groups that Russia is committing warfare crimes by trying to deprive Ukrainians of heat, electricity, and h2o arsenic wintertime approaches.

Iran has travel nether disapproval for supplying Russia with termination and combat drones to boost the Kremlin's warfare successful Ukraine.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters

A Chechen blogger who was reportedly killed this period gave tribunal grounds successful Germany successful November, and the tribunal wherever helium appeared said that to its "knowledge" helium is inactive alive.

The comments, made to RFE/RL connected December 11, corroborate quality reports by Swedish Radio and German media that said Tumso Abdurakhmanov was alive, contradicting aggregate reports earlier this week saying helium had been killed. Anzor Maskhadov, a salient person of the Chechen diaspora, had besides told RFE/RL’s North Caucasus Service that Abdurakhmanov had been killed by respective chartless assailants.

In February 2020, helium appeared to fend disconnected an attacker who broke into his location and attacked him with a hammer. Abdurakhmanov disarmed and bushed his attacker, and showed the man's confession successful a video helium posted online.

In January 2021, 2 Russian citizens from Chechnya were sentenced to situation by a Swedish tribunal for attempted execution successful the case.

Earlier this month, reports circulated successful Chechen diaspora communities that Abdurakhmanov had gone missing.

A Chechen absorption radical called 1ADAT aboriginal reported that Abdurakhmanov had been killed and that his brother, Muhammad, was nether the extortion of Swedish police.

Abdurakhmanov's colleagues told RFE/RL's Russian Service that helium had been changeable dead, though a spokesperson for Chechen separatists surviving successful exile connected December 9 said -- without giving grounds to backmost up his assertion -- that Abdurakhmanov was "alive and nether the extortion of Swedish police."

Swedish constabulary person repeatedly declined to remark connected the case, telling RFE/RL and different media they had nary accusation connected immoderate reported killings oregon investigations that had been prompted by media inquiries.

On December 9, Swedish Radio reported that Abdurakhmanov had been scheduled to attest successful a lawsuit involving a antheral accused of trying to execution his brother.

The Bavarian tribunal spokesperson besides told Swedish Radio that Tumso Abdurakhmanov was alive.

That study followed an earlier report successful Augsburger Allgemeine that elaborate ongoing tribunal proceedings regarding an attempted execution lawsuit connected to Kadyrov. The case, according to the newspaper, progressive a antheral named "Mokhmad A" and progressive grounds from "Tumso A."

With reporting by RFE/RL’s North Caucasus Service and Mike Eckel

Rights groups warned connected December 11 that respective protesters successful Iran are astatine imminent hazard of execution, pursuing an planetary backlash against the clerical regime's archetypal hanging linked to ongoing demonstrations. The astir 3-month-old protestation question was sparked by the decease successful custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian arrested by the morality constabulary for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic's strict formal codification for women. To work the archetypal communicative from AFP, click here.

Two well-known leaders of the Baha'i assemblage successful Iran who had already served decade-long situation presumption person been handed caller 10-year sentences, the Baha'i International Community (BIC) said.

The BIC said successful a statement released successful Geneva connected December 11 that the women, Mahvash Sabet Shahriari and Fariba Kamalabadi, received the further sentences successful "an unbelievable injustice" pursuing an hour-long proceedings held connected November 21.

Sabet Shahriari, 69, and Kamalabadi, 60, were arrested successful July astatine the opening of a caller question of repression against Iran's Baha'i community.

Sabet Shahriari and Kamalabadi are well-known leaders of the Baha'i community. They were released successful caller years from situation aft serving 10 years connected charges of acting against Iran's nationalist security, collaboration with overseas countries, and "corruption connected Earth," among different things.

In July 2022, Iranian information agents raided the homes of dozens of Baha'i citizens successful antithetic parts of the country, arresting respective well-known assemblage leaders, charging galore with "spying for Israel."

Sabet Shahriari and Kamalabadi were among those detained successful the caller question of crackdowns.

In imposing the caller sentences, Iman Afshari -- justice of the Revolutionary Court -- assailed the 2 women for "not having learned from their erstwhile imprisonment."

Iran accuses Baha’is of having links to Israel, wherever the metropolis of Haifa hosts a halfway of the Baha’i faith. Baha’i leaders cull the allegations and accidental they are utilized arsenic a pretext to persecute members.

Baha'is -- who fig immoderate 300,000 successful Iran and person an estimated 5 cardinal followers worldwide -- accidental they look systematic persecution successful Iran, wherever their religion is not officially recognized successful the constitution.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has connected respective occasions called the Baha'i religion a cult and successful a spiritual fatwa issued successful 2018 forbade contact, including concern dealings, with followers of the faith.

Since the Islamic republic of Iran was established successful 1979, hundreds of Baha'is person been arrested and jailed for their beliefs. At slightest 200 person been executed oregon were arrested and ne'er heard from again.

Thousands much person been banned from receiving higher acquisition oregon had their spot confiscated, portion vandals often desecrate Baha'i cemeteries.

Human rights defenders and planetary organizations person called the Islamic Republic's attraction a "systematic usurpation of quality rights," citing wide detention and harsh sentences against Baha'i citizens.

With reporting by AFP

The assemblage of a 23-year-old Zambian pupil who died portion warring for the Russian Army successful the warfare successful Ukraine has been returned home. The assemblage of Lemekani Nyirenda, who was studying atomic engineering successful Russia earlier joining the military, arrived successful Lusaka connected December 11. Although helium had been a student, Lemekani was convicted of cause trafficking successful April 2020 and sentenced to 9 years successful prison. He was aboriginal pardoned done a peculiar amnesty connected information that helium enactment successful the war. He was killed portion warring successful Ukraine. To work the archetypal communicative from AP, click here.

Updated December 11, 2022

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed Russia’s penetration of Ukraine and related atom and vigor issues successful abstracted telephone calls with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, officials of the nations progressive said.

Following the aboriginal telephone with Russia's Vladimir Putin, the Turkish presidential office said connected December 11 that Erdogan "expressed his sincere privation for the termination of the Russia-Ukraine warfare arsenic soon arsenic possible."

In a akin statement pursuing Erdogan's telephone with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Turkish leader's bureau said helium stated that "works proceed to conscionable the Ukrainian people’s request for humanitarian assistance successful the looming harsh winter."

Following his talks with the Turkish leader, Zelenskiy said connected Telegram that helium thanked Turkey for "sheltering Ukrainian children and providing hundreds of generators for our cities."

He said helium noted Turkey's enactment for the Grain From Ukraine inaugural and that "we besides discussed further enactment and imaginable enlargement of the atom corridor."

Erdogan has attempted to support lines of connection unfastened betwixt his NATO federation and the warring Ukrainian and Russian sides. He helped broker a UN woody designed to get Ukraine atom to satellite markets, particularly to immoderate of the poorer nations of Africa.

Ukraine is simply a starring planetary exporter of wheat and different grain, but farming and exports were severely deed erstwhile tens of thousands of Russian troops attacked successful precocious February.

After months of stoppage owed to a Russian embargo to support clamps connected Ukraine, the UN and Turkey brokered the woody with Moscow and Kyiv successful July to resume Ukraine's Black Sea shipments of grain.

Erdogan's engagement comes arsenic the European Union expressed concerns that Turkey was processing a adjacent narration with Russia contempt the warfare and pugnacious Western sanctions against Moscow.

German quality bureau dpa reported that EU overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell wrote successful a missive to the EU parliament that deepening economical ties betwixt Turkey and Russia is "a origin for large concern," arsenic is Ankara’s refusal to articulation “EU's restrictive measures against Russia."

Updated December 11, 2022

Serbia and Kosovo person intensified their speech of harsh rhetoric amid reports of heightened unit arsenic roadblocks were acceptable up by taste Serbs successful the northbound of the state successful protestation against the apprehension of a erstwhile taste Serb constabulary officer.

No injuries person been reported from the unit that broke retired connected the nighttime of December 10-11 pursuing the apprehension of the constabulary serviceman and aft Serbian officials suggested that Serbian subject and constabulary could beryllium sent successful crossed the Balkan countries' partially recognized border.

Explosions and shootings were reported arsenic tensions roseate betwixt taste Albanians and taste Serbs aft six roadblocks were acceptable up successful solidarity with serviceman Dejan Pantic, who precocious discontinue the unit successful protestation and who was charged connected December 10 with home coercion aft being accused of being a perpetrator of attacks connected the elections committee successful bluish Kosovo.

Unidentified masked men were reportedly seen manning the barricades acceptable up by taste Serbs, blocking the main roads starring to the borderline with Serbia. Kosovo authorities, meanwhile, closed 2 borderline crossings to some conveyance and pedestrian traffic.

Among the reported acts of unit was the throwing of a "stun grenade" astatine a conveyance operated by the European Union's ngo tasked with patrolling the northbound of Kosovo. No injuries oregon worldly harm were reported.

EU overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell successful a December 11 tweet said that the European Union "will not tolerate attacks" connected the mission, known arsenic EULEX. He besides said that "barricades indispensable beryllium removed instantly by groups of Kosovo Serbs" and urged Kosovo institutions "to bring the perpetrators to justice. "Calm indispensable beryllium restored," Borrell said, adding that "all actors indispensable debar escalation."

The U.S. embassies successful Pristina and Belgrade said successful a joint statement that the United States "expresses heavy interest astir the existent concern successful the northbound of Kosovo."

"We telephone connected everyone to workout maximum restraint, to instrumentality contiguous enactment to execute a de-escalation of the situation, and to refrain from provocative acts."

The EU and the United States person stepped up mediation efforts, fearing that uncertainties implicit the warfare successful Ukraine and Serbia’s adjacent ties with Russia could pb to a flare-up of tensions successful Kosovo.

Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, speaking astatine a property league pursuing a gathering of the National Security Council connected December 11, said that each taste Serbs surviving successful Kosovo are citizens of the state and said they should region themselves from "criminal groups" and the "regime" of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, which helium alleged "finances them and seeks war."

"We are not against anyone based connected ethnicity, but connected the behaviour and actions of individuals oregon groups, successful narration to the regularisation of instrumentality successful Kosovo," Kurti said.

Kurti accused Serbia of attempting to endanger the territorial integrity of Kosovo and destabilize the full Balkan region.

Kosovar and Serbian officials person progressively engaged successful heated rhetoric successful caller days contempt the postponement of contentious municipal elections that angered taste Serbs and planetary efforts to broker a woody to easiness tensions implicit a quality implicit licence plates.

In the latest exchange, Kurti connected December 11 responded harshly to the suggestion, made earlier by some Vucic and Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, that Serbian information forces beryllium allowed to participate Kosovo amid the protests by taste Serbs successful Kosovo implicit Pantic's arrest.

Kurti accused Vucic and Brnabic of threatening "military aggression, calling for the Serbian service to instrumentality to our territory," and said that portion his state did "not question conflict," Kosovo "will support itself -- forcefully and decisively."

Brnabic connected December 9 had suggested she mightiness favour sending troops into bluish Kosovo, wherever taste Serbs marque up the bulk of the population. Vucic followed up connected December 10 by saying helium would inquire a NATO-led planetary peacekeeping unit to licence the deployment of Serbian subject constabulary successful the bluish portion of Kosovo, wherever members of the 1,000-stong taste Serb assemblage accidental they are discriminated against.

Vucic said the planetary peacekeeping force, known arsenic KFOR and made up of astir 4,000 personnel, has been incapable to support calm and Serbia had the close to nonstop successful its forces based connected the 1999 UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

WATCH: Kosovo has accrued the fig of constabulary officers successful North Mitrovica and different taste Serb-dominated communities amid rising tensions.

Serbian forces haven't been contiguous successful Kosovo, a state comprised mostly of taste Albanians but with galore taste Serbs successful its bluish areas, since they were driven retired by NATO forces successful 1999 during the Kosovar War successful then-Yugoslavia.

In 2008, the bulk taste Albanian authorities successful Pristina declared independency from Serbia successful a determination rapidly endorsed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and astir large European powers. But portion much than 100 countries admit Kosovo arsenic an autarkic state, Belgrade -- backed by state Russia -- is outspoken successful its rejection of Kosovar sovereignty.

The instrumentality of Serbian troops would endanger to further escalate already-high tensions betwixt the 2 nations that are periodically marked by disturbances.

The astir caller quality began past period erstwhile hundreds of taste Serb constabulary officers, judges, and section officials discontinue their jobs successful Northern Kosovo to protestation Pristina's request that section motorists registry their cars with Kosovar licence plates alternatively of the aged Serbian-era plates favored by immoderate Serb nationalists. Belgrade awarded and promised to wage immoderate of those who quit.

In response, Kosovo sent successful taste Albanian constabulary officers to capable the bare positions.

A woody was brokered by the European Union successful November to extremity the long-running quality implicit the licence plate. In caller days Kurti has accused Vucic of creating a caller situation to undermine different EU connection that would normalize relations betwixt Kosovo and Serbia.

Tensions besides roseate aft Kosovo announced caller elections slated for December 18 for mayors of 4 Serb-majority municipalities successful bluish Kosovo aft the incumbents quit.

A radical of taste Serbs attacked respective offices of the elections committee successful bluish Kosovo connected December 6 to disrupt the upcoming vote.

Pantic, who precocious discontinue his occupation and was among the alleged perpetrators, was arrested connected December 10 and charged with coercion and violating the nation’s law order.

While the predetermination plans were postponed the aforesaid time until April, protests broke retired implicit Pantic's arrest.

Ukrainian information agents conducted counterintelligence operations astatine much than a twelve cathedrals and monasteries successful the Kharkiv portion belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) arsenic portion of a weeks-long, wide-ranging probe into suspected pro-Russia enactment by members of its leadership.

Agents raided the Svyato-Pokrovskiy Monastery successful the halfway of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, connected December 10 arsenic good arsenic 14 different monasteries and cathedrals successful the region, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed successful a statement.

The SBU alleges the spiritual institutions were being utilized arsenic instruments of Russian power wrong Ukraine. The UOC had been nether the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Patriarch successful Moscow until May 2022, erstwhile it chopped ties implicit the Kremlin’s unprovoked penetration of Ukraine.

The Russian Orthodox Church is intimately aligned with the Kremlin and its leader, Patriarch Kirill, has backed the war.

The December 10 raids were conducted "to exclude the usage of spiritual communities arsenic cells of the 'Russian world' and to support the colonisation from provocations and violent acts," the SBU said successful its statement, claiming it had recovered a room with pro-Kremlin agitation arsenic good arsenic currency successful assorted currencies, including Russian rubles.

The probes successful Kharkiv travel little than 3 weeks aft agents raided Kyiv’s historical Pechersk Lavra on with different UOC facilities astir the country. The 11th-century monastery and UNESCO World Heritage tract -- which is besides known arsenic the Monastery of the Caves -- is the spot of the UOC.

More raids of UOC facilities were conducted earlier this period successful the Zakarpattya, Zhytomyr, and Rivne regions. The SBU said astatine the clip that it had recovered a ample magnitude of "anti-Ukrainian material" arsenic good arsenic documents confirming the UOC members possessed Russian passports.

Following the December 10 raid successful Kharkiv, the SBU said it had recovered different monk who possessed a Russian passport and is present investigating whether helium was progressive successful quality gathering for Moscow oregon progressive successful different subversive activities.

The UOC has protested the raids, calling accusations of alleged collaboration by monks and priests "unproven and unfounded." It warned the SBU against "inciting an interior war."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said connected December 3 that his authorities volition proceed measures to guarantee the "spiritual independence" of Ukraine from Russia.

Updated December 10, 2022

BELGRADE -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said helium volition inquire a NATO-led planetary peacekeeping unit to licence the deployment of Serbian subject and constabulary into neighboring Kosovo, an unprecedented determination that volition apt escalate already-high tensions betwixt the 2 Balkan nations.

Vucic made his comments connected December 10 arsenic taste Serbs successful Kosovo protested the apprehension of a comrade and erstwhile constabulary serviceman connected coercion and different charges by blocking roads successful respective regions successful bluish Kosovo.

WATCH: Kosovo has accrued the fig of constabulary officers successful North Mitrovica and different taste Serb-dominated communities amid rising tensions.

With reporting by Ljudmila Cvetkovic successful Belgrade and Luljeta Krasniqi Veseli successful Prishtina

Updated December 10, 2022

The Ukrainian subject said connected December 10 that it is engaged successful aggravated warring successful the Donbas successful eastbound Ukraine arsenic Russian forces proceed to onslaught cities.

Meanwhile, successful the south, Russian drone strikes chopped powerfulness successful the Black Sea larboard metropolis of Odesa a time aft the West approved a caller shipment of assistance to Ukraine to bolster its aerial defenses.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said successful his nightly video code connected December 9 that Moscow's troops had brought "hell nether the Russian flag" to his country.

He called the warring successful eastbound Ukraine "very difficult," peculiarly successful Bakhmut, Soledar, and Kreminna. Zelenskiy said Russia's service had turned Bakhmut -- a metropolis of astir 70,000 earlier the penetration -- into “burnt ruin."

Russia has been besieging Bakhmut for months astatine bonzer costs to its ain equipped forces.

The metropolis is location to cardinal obstruction and roadworthy routes and its seizure would rupture Ukraine's proviso lines, perchance opening a way for Russian forces to property connected toward Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, cardinal Ukrainian strongholds successful Donetsk. Its sacking would besides correspond a intelligence triumph for Russia pursuing months of setbacks astatine the hands of Ukrainain forces.

However, immoderate analysts person questioned Russia's strategical logic successful sacrificing truthful galore of its ain men arsenic good arsenic instrumentality to instrumentality Bakhmut, with the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War saying connected December 8 that the costs to Russia "far outweigh immoderate operational advantage" from capturing the city.

The aggravated warring successful the Donbas has hastened the depletion of Russia's weapons stockpile, particularly missiles, forcing it to crook to countries specified arsenic Iran and North Korea for further supplies, Western governments person said.

Iran Partnership

Russia has been sourcing drones from Iran for months with Moscow utilizing them to people some subject and civilian targets.

Britain's UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward said connected December 9 that Russia is present attempting to get much weapons, "including hundreds of ballistic missiles," from Iran.

She said London was "almost certain" that Russia is besides seeking to root weapons from North Korea and different sanctioned nations arsenic its ain stocks "palpably dwindle."

Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed her comments, saying Moscow had already refuted "on galore occasions" that it was being supplied by Iran.

However, Ukraine has captured dozens of Iranian drones since Russia launched its penetration successful February, demonstrating the subject practice betwixt Moscow and Tehran.

To assistance combat Russia's drone and rocket attacks, the United States connected December 9 approved different $275 cardinal successful subject aid, overmuch of which volition beryllium for anti-air defense.

A time later, the European Union approved $18 cardinal successful fiscal assistance to Ukraine for 2023. Russia's penetration has decimated Ukraine's economy, leaving it babelike connected Western assistance to concern expenses, including paying soldiers.

Saber-Rattling

The backmost and distant accompanied a Security Council gathering requested by Russia connected weapons "falling into the hands of bandits and terrorists" successful Europe and elsewhere.

But the Security Council meeting's absorption connected weapons proliferation was partially overshadowed by a provocative connection from the Kremlin connected December 9.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested astatine a determination economical acme successful Kyrgyzstan that Moscow is eyeing adoption of what helium implied was a U.S. posture connected imaginable preemptive subject strikes.

"We are conscionable reasoning astir it," helium said aft an allusion to Russia's almighty atomic arsenal, adding successful a notation astir U.S. officials: "They weren’t shy to openly speech astir it during the past years."

Putin and different Russian officials person repeatedly utilized precocious alerts and hints astatine a readiness to purpose oregon usage atomic weapons since their penetration of Ukraine began.

Kyiv and Western leaders person accused Moscow of "nuclear blackmail" and "nuclear terrorism" successful those statements and successful Russian actions astir captured Ukrainian civilian atomic facilities, including astatine Zaporizhzhya.

Putin’s atomic saber-rattling prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel his yearly in-person acme with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg News reported connected December 9, citing radical with cognition of the matter.

While the 2 nations person long-standing ties, Bloomberg reported Modi felt it would beryllium inappropriate to beryllium seen astatine this clip successful the beingness of Putin, who has been shunned by the West.

Odesa Power Cuts

Back successful Ukraine, the Army General Staff said connected December 10 it had repelled attacks by Russian forces successful a dense bout of warring successful the Luhansk portion and astir a twelve successful the Donetsk region. The 2 regions marque up the Donbas.

More than 20 settlements were deed successful warring successful the fiercely contested Bakhmut country alone, it said.

Ukrainian determination officials said Russian troops had "massively" attacked the communities of Nikopol and Marhanets successful the Dnipropetrovsk portion overnight connected December 9-10, causing astatine slightest 4 casualties.

WATCH: Ukraine's Finance Ministry says request for backstage weaponry shelters has risen twentyfold since Russia launched a full-scale penetration of the state successful February.

The caput of the determination administration, Valentyn Reznychenko, shared images of bombed-out residences and said 11 high-rise and residential buildings had been and harm to a kindergarten and different civilian sites.

RFE/RL cannot independently corroborate claims of battlefield gains oregon losses oregon casualty counts by either broadside successful areas of dense fighting.

Early connected December 10, the Ukrainian subject claimed to person changeable down 10 Iranian drones successful the past time successful the confederate Kherson, Mykolayiv, and Odesa regions.

With reporting by Reuters and AP

Updated December 10, 2022

The United Nations said aft a gathering betwixt UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Belarus's lawman overseas curate that Minsk has agreed to let shipments of Ukrainian atom crossed its territory bound for Lithuanian ports "without preconditions."

The support could assistance planetary efforts to mitigate the fallout from Russia's 9-month-old penetration of Ukraine amid an planetary nutrient situation owed successful portion to the resulting obstacles to Ukrainian atom and different exports.

The UN said Deputy Foreign Minister Yury Ambrazevich repeated Minsk's petition to beryllium allowed to export its ain fertilizer.

"The lawman overseas curate informed the secretary-general that Belarus volition accept, without preconditions, the transit of Ukrainian grains done its ain territory for export from Lithuanian harbors," a UN press merchandise said.

Ukraine is simply a starring planetary exporter of wheat and different grain, but farming and exports were severely deed erstwhile tens of thousands of Russian troops attacked successful precocious February.

After months of stoppage owed to a Russian embargo to support clamps connected Ukraine, the United Nations and Turkey brokered a woody with Moscow and Kyiv successful July to resume Ukraine's Black Sea shipments of grain.

Other nutrient and fertilizer shipments were besides to beryllium facilitated.

Russian shipments of ammonia, a cardinal constituent of fertilizer, via a pipeline to a Ukrainian larboard are inactive hampered.

Fertilizer is simply a large root of revenues for the Belarusian system and Aleksandr Lukashenka's embattled regime, which has been hard-hit by the war's effects.

Minsk already faced dense Western sanctions aft Lukashenka claimed triumph successful a 2020 statesmanlike predetermination marred by fraud and disqualifications dealing a stroke to betterment hopes for the post-Soviet authorities of astir 9 cardinal people.

But Lukashenka's determination to let Russian troops to usage Belarusian territory to signifier offensives against Ukraine has furthered his isolation and arguably accrued his reliance connected Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay successful powerfulness amid a crushing crackdown connected Belarus's absorption and the media.

Updated December 10, 2022

Representatives for the Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian trio awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize amid the full-scale warfare successful Ukraine and crackdowns connected dissent by Moscow and Minsk person received the awards astatine a ceremonial astatine Oslo City Hall successful the Norwegian superior and spoken defiantly of opposing authoritarian forces.

The Kyiv-based Center for Civil Liberties, which has chronicled alleged atrocities since Russian troops invaded successful February, were chosen for the grant successful October on with the banned Russian rights radical Memorial and the jailed Belarusian laminitis of the Vyasna rights group, Ales Byalyatski.

Byalyatski's wife, Natalia Pinchuk, expressed her husband's feelings astir his sacrifices contempt Belarusian authorities' reported refusal to let him to supply remarks for the event.

"I don't regret," she told Nobel organizers, chap laureates, and dignitaries astatine the lawsuit connected behalf of her husband, "Because my dreams are worthy it."

In a pointed rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his state inactive wielding powerfulness successful Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, lawyer Berit Reiss-Andersen, said, "The satellite needs those admirable individuals and groups of radical who astatine large idiosyncratic sacrifice basal up against aggression successful pursuit of democracy, quality rights, and peace."

The enactment committee successful October cited Byalyatski's and the 2 groups' "outstanding effort to papers warfare crimes, quality close abuses, and the maltreatment of power" portion demonstrating "the value of civilian nine for bid and democracy."

"I privation to inquire the close questions truthful we tin commencement to look for answers," Oleksandra Matviychuk, manager of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, told the ceremony. "How tin we marque quality rights applicable erstwhile more?"

She besides said, "The radical of Ukraine privation bid much than anyone other successful the world."

"But," Matviychuk added, "peace cannot beryllium reached by a state nether onslaught laying down its arm. This would not beryllium peace, but occupation."

"The information that we person the grant unneurotic is an other grant for us," Yan Rachinsky, Memorial International’s chairman, said.

He said that nether Putin "resistance to Russia is called 'fascism'" and has go "the ideological justification for the insane and transgression warfare of aggression against Ukraine."

Pinchuk dedicated her husband's involvement successful the prize to "millions of Belarusian citizens who stood up and took enactment successful the streets and online to support their civilian rights" contempt a brutal crackdown by Lukashenka's thugs.

A time earlier, she accused Moscow of seeking to subjugate Belarus, too, nether Lukashenka's watch.

"I cognize precisely what benignant of Ukraine would suit Russia and Putin: a babelike dictatorship," Pinchuk said. "The aforesaid arsenic today's Belarus, wherever the dependable of the oppressed radical is ignored and disregarded."

All 3 of the honorees' representatives expressed enactment a time earlier for a imaginable warfare crimes tribunal targeting Putin.

At a joint property appearance connected the eve of the gathering, they besides suggested they were assured Putin would yet look justness for his relation successful the largest overseas penetration successful Europe since World War II.

""I person nary uncertainty that sooner oregon aboriginal Putin volition look earlier a nationalist court," Matviychuk said.

She accused Russia of utilizing atrocities to effort to interruption Ukrainians' tone successful the 9-month-old conflict, which sparked unprecedented Western financial, political, and diplomatic sanctions but besides hurtled overmuch of the satellite into substance and nutrient crises.

Matviychuk said Putin and Aleksandr Lukashenka, who has claimed a disputed sixth word arsenic person of Belarus since a flawed 2020 predetermination that sparked monolithic protests, usage likewise repressive measures to enactment successful power.

"They judge they tin bash immoderate they want," Matviychuk said. "And present we indispensable interruption this ellipse of impunity, signifier an planetary tribunal and marque Lukashenka, Putin, and different perpetrators accountable -- not lone for the involvement of Ukrainians but besides for different countries and peoples of the world."

Byalyatski awaits yet different proceedings that critics accidental is politically motivated.

He won the Nobel for his actions since founding the Vyasna rights group.

Sixty-year-old Byalyatski and 3 of his Vyasna colleagues are presently facing proceedings successful Belarus for alleged smuggling and taxation evasion and could walk up to 12 much years successful situation if convicted.

The Memorial group, which agelong documented Soviet-era crimes but besides tracked Putin-era abuses, was labeled an "undesirable" enactment by Russian authorities.

Rachinsky besides expressed assurance connected December 9 that warfare crimes won't spell unpunished.

"This is important for the full nine -- for nine to recognize that crimes volition beryllium punished. This allows radical to combat the fear, which contiguous is overmuch greater than successful 1987," Rachinsky said successful a notation to grudging reforms allowed by the ruling Communists successful the waning days of the Soviet Union.

"Unfortunately, since the mid-1990s, enactment has gone successful the other absorption successful Russia," Rachinsky said.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians person been killed and millions displaced by the full-scale penetration by Russian troops crossing into Ukraine from Russia and Belarus since precocious February.

Tens of thousands of Russian casualties person besides mounted arsenic what Moscow appeared to judge would beryllium a speedy triumph has fixed mode to trench warfare arsenic Ukrainians with Western backing equine a almighty defence of their territory.

Matviychuk told journalists successful Oslo that this warfare has "a genocidal character."

"Putin volition halt erstwhile helium volition beryllium stopped," she added.

With reporting by AFP