**60,000 Ukrainians Considered Missing**
Ukraine has 60,000 missing persons. This is according to the Interior Ministry‘s Department for Missing Persons, led by Dmytro Bohatyuk. These cases are linked to war, occupation, and natural or man-made disasters.
Most of these missing people were last seen during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The figures show the devastating impact of this war on civilians. Over 70,000 cases have been documented since the launch of a unified register for missing persons in special circumstances.
“About 60,000 are still actively searched for,” Bohatyuk said. This number does not include over 19,500 Ukrainian children who were forcibly deported to Russia, Belarus, or occupied territories.
**Russia Launches Drones and Missiles**
Russia has launched drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight. The country’s Air Force reported that 24 drones were launched from inside Russia, as well as two ballistic missiles from Voronezh and Kursk oblasts.
This number includes 1,650 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day. Ukraine’s defense strategy aims to increase spending to 1% of its GDP by 2030.
**Ukrainian Official Charged**
A Ukrainian platoon commander has been charged with abuse of authority for beating and humiliating subordinates. The Prosecutor General‘s Office reported this on December 26.
**Crash Near Aktau, Kazakhstan**
A Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Azerbaijani government sources confirmed this on December 26.
**Russia and US Relations**
Russia is willing to improve relations with the incoming US administration if the United States makes the “first move” in restarting dialogue. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this on December 26.
**Other Developments**
* North Korean troops deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast continue to suffer significant losses, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported.
* A possible act of sabotage damaged an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia on Christmas Day.
* Public willingness to support Ukraine “until it wins” has dropped significantly across several European countries.
Read More @ kyivindependent.com