**Russia Suffers Record Losses in December, Says Zelensky**
Ukraine‘s President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia is suffering record losses in manpower during the ongoing conflict. According to a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Moscow’s troops are advancing at a rapid pace in Ukraine’s east, but at a high cost.
Zelensky stated that November and December saw record Russian losses, with over 45,000 soldiers wounded, killed, or captured. He also noted that the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove sectors in Donetsk Oblast remain key battlegrounds.
**Ukraine Has Arms to Resist Until Mid-2025**
Despite Russia’s advances, Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko says his country has enough funds and ammunition to resist Russian aggression until mid-2025, even if US aid is cut. The minister stated that Ukraine has allocated necessary funds from its budget to purchase equipment and continues to receive US arms.
Marchenko expressed concern about the possibility of a reduction in US assistance under President-elect Donald Trump, but emphasized that Kyiv wants to build a good relationship with Washington. He reiterated that full NATO membership remains the best possible guarantee to deter Russian aggression.
**Russian Proxies Sentence 9 Azovstal Defenders**
In another development, nine Ukrainian soldiers captured after defending Mariupol were sentenced by Russian occupation authorities in Donetsk to between 24 years and life in prison. The soldiers, who belonged to the 36th Marine Brigade, were accused of shelling a village near Mariupol.
Ukraine’s former Prosecutor General said that nine out of 10 Ukrainian prisoners of war are subjected to physical and moral torture while in Russian captivity.
**US Intelligence Says Russia May Launch New Missile**
The Associated Press reported that US intelligence believes Russia may launch its new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine for the second time “in the coming days.” The missile was first launched at Dnipro on November 21.