**Russia’s Wars From Syria to Ukraine: Ukraine This Week**
The latest episode of Ukraine This Week explores Russia’s withdrawal from Syria, a front-line update from Ukraine, and controversy over mobilizing younger men.
Russian forces have been employing diverse weaponry and tactics to strike Ukrainian positions in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. The city of Mykolaiv was targeted by Russian drone and missile attacks on December 15, injuring two people and damaging an infrastructure facility.
**Russia’s Withdrawal from Syria**
Russia’s withdrawal from Syria has reduced its ability to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime, increasing the risk of losing key military assets in the region. Ukraine This Week also discusses North Korean soldiers allegedly killing eight members of the Chechen Akhmat unit in a “friendly fire” incident.
**Ukraine Criticizes FIFA**
Ukraine has criticized FIFA for an “unacceptable error” after a map displayed during the 2026 World Cup draw appeared to exclude Crimea from Ukraine’s territory. The Petroleum Industry of Serbia, primarily owned by Russia’s Gazprom Neft and its parent company Gazprom, is under scrutiny due to its control over gas pipelines delivering fuel to Serbian households.
**North Korea’s Involvement in Ukraine Conflict**
Ukrainian authorities have classified an incident involving North Korean soldiers as a terrorist attack. The Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces suffered 1,280 casualties just over the past day.
**Support for Ukraine Continues**
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine ahead of the German parliament elections. Ukrainian Defense Minister Serhii Boiev met with foreign ministers from eight countries to discuss plans for military and financial assistance in 2025.
**More Sanctions on the Horizon?**
Washington is considering more sanctions on “shadow fleet” tankers and hasn’t ruled out targeting Chinese banks if they are found to be involved in Russia’s war effort. Ukrainian air defense intercepted 58 drones out of 132 launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported on its Telegram channel.
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