The Ukrainian army shot down a Russian Ka-52 helicopter (nicknamed “Alligator”) on December 4 near the embattled town of Svatovo. Video by Ukrainian forces shows an explosion in mid-air, then the helicopter crashes to the ground. The shooting down is said to have occurred around 2 p.m. and is attributed to the 138th Air Defense Brigade from Dnipro.
According to reports, the pilots were two of the most decorated crews in Russia. Both have already been awarded three medals for special courage, it is said. They should be honored with the title of Great Heroes of Russia. This will now apparently happen posthumously.
The Ka-52 helicopters are feared by the Ukrainians. They are said to be responsible for the deaths of many Ukrainian soldiers.
Zelenskyj: Defense of the homeland is the greatest possible motivation
In view of the winter that has already set in, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenky has appealed to the population for stamina and resilience. “The enemy very much hopes to use winter against us: to make the winter cold and hardship part of their terror,” he said in his daily video address Sunday night. “We must do everything we can to survive this winter, no matter how hard it is.” Enduring this winter means enduring everything.
Russia does have an advantage with missiles and artillery. “But we have something the occupier doesn’t have and won’t have. We protect our home, and that gives us the greatest possible motivation, ”emphasized Zelenskyj. The Ukrainian people fight for freedom and defend the truth.
“To get through the winter, we need to be more resilient and united than ever,” Zelenskyy said.
War winter: UNHCR expects more displaced people in Ukraine
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is anticipating an increase in displacement within Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian war of aggression rather than a large flow of refugees towards the EU countries. “The most likely scenario is further displacement within Ukraine,” UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in an interview with Der Spiegel published on Sunday. “I hope there won’t be another large movement of refugees.” At the same time, he qualified: “But war is unpredictable.”
In view of the winter weather and ongoing Russian attacks on the country’s civilian infrastructure – especially on electricity and heat supply facilities – there have been repeated fears that many more Ukrainians could now flee to the EU. To this end, the German ambassador in London, Miguel Berger, made a statement on Sunday. “We are very concerned about this because these attacks on energy infrastructure mean many people could be forced to leave Ukraine in the freezing temperatures.”
According to UNHCR, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the end of February has led to the largest displacement of people in decades. It was only at the beginning of November that Grandi said in New York that around 14 million people had been driven from their homes since the beginning of the war. Almost eight million have sought protection abroad, one million of them in Germany.
Russian missiles hit Zaporizhia
Several Russian rockets hit the city of Zaporizhia on Monday night. The target of the attacks were industrial buildings and energy infrastructure objects, reported the state agency Unian. No information was given about possible victims or the extent of the damage.
Ukrainian judiciary: Dramatic increase in sexual violence by Russians
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin denounced a “dramatic increase” in sexual violence by Russian soldiers. As a result of the Russian war of aggression, all genders and age groups are affected, children as well as the elderly, Kostin told the Funke media group and the French newspaper Ouest-France. Russian soldiers used sexual violence in a targeted manner – as a “war method to humiliate Ukrainians,” he claimed.
Four months ago, only 40 cases of sexual violence were registered, but now there are more than 110 cases. “Tendency strongly increasing.” There is also a high number of unreported cases. “In many cases, people are raped, tortured and then killed by Russian soldiers. Rapes often take place in front of relatives and children,” said Kostin. Occupied areas are particularly affected. According to Kostin, Russian commanders often ordered rapes or at least supported them. The information provided by the Attorney General could not initially be independently verified.
According to Kostin, almost 8,500 civilians, including 440 children, have been killed in Ukraine since the war began a good nine months ago. More than 11,000 civilians were injured. The Attorney General’s office has so far taken 50,197 war crimes cases, he told the newspapers.
Oil sanctions against Russia come into effect
From Monday, crude oil from Russia may only be imported into the European Union in exceptional cases. The import restriction is based on a sanctions regulation passed by the 27 member states in June because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It came into force shortly after the decision, but provided for transitional periods for the oil embargo. Also effective this Monday is a regulation intended to force Russia to sell oil to buyers in other countries for a maximum of USD 60 per barrel. Russia has already threatened countermeasures.
Also Read: The December 4th Ukraine Update
