**Ukrainian Lawmaker Sent to Trial for Assault and Kidnapping**
Mykola Tyshchenko, a Ukrainian lawmaker who was expelled from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s party in 2023, has been sent to trial for allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a war veteran. The State Investigation Bureau said on December 17 that it had completed its investigation against Tyshchenko.
The charges stem from a video recorded in June that shows Tyshchenko and his bodyguards confronting a war veteran named Dmytro Pavlov, who was walking with his child in central Dnipro. The footage shows an argument escalating into a physical altercation, with Pavlov reportedly detained and sustaining injuries.
Tyshchenko claimed he was investigating alleged bot farms during the incident, but this explanation was met with skepticism by many. If convicted, Tyshchenko could face up to five years in prison.
The incident drew significant backlash from activists, soldiers, and public officials, including President Zelensky‘s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak, who condemned Tyshchenko’s actions as “absolutely disgraceful.”
**UK Sanctions Russian Vessels and Pledges Aid to Ukraine**
The United Kingdom has sanctioned 20 vessels belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet” and pledged £35 million in aid to help repair Ukraine’s energy grid. The British government made this announcement on December 17.
**Russia Accused of Using North Korean Troops in Ukraine**
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces killed 50 North Korean soldiers and injured 47 others in three days of fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, the unit said on December 17. This is the first confirmed engagement of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian military.
South Korea has imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and 15 entities for their alleged involvement in illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
**Explosion Kills Russian Military Leader**
A Russian attack killed one person in the front-line town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. In another incident, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s radiation, chemical, and biological defense troops, was reportedly killed in an explosion at a residence in Moscow on December 17.
**US Warns Against North Korean Troops Fighting for Russia**
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller warned that if North Korean troops crossed the border into Ukraine to fight for Russia, it would mark a serious escalation in the war.