**Russia’s Aeroflot Airline to Buy Old Planes for Parts**
Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline, is planning to buy five old Boeing 737-800BCF freighters. However, instead of using them as passenger planes, the airline will disassemble them for spare parts.
The planes were originally meant to be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda. But with Western sanctions in place, it would be too expensive to convert them from cargo to passenger use. The sanctions have hit Russia’s aviation industry hard, making it difficult for airlines to get the parts and support they need.
**Russia’s Aviation Industry Struggling**
Many Russian airlines are struggling to stay afloat due to the lack of access to parts and support from Western manufacturers. This has put around 30 Russian airlines at risk of bankruptcy by 2025. The financial strain is also affecting leasing disputes, with some airlines stopping lease payments in 2022.
**Russia Selling Off Gold Reserves**
To address its budget shortfall, Russia has started selling off gold reserves from the National Welfare Fund. This comes as the country continues to face significant losses in Ukraine, with an estimated total of 45,690 soldiers lost since November.
**Ukraine Receives Military Aid from US**
The United States is sending hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine before mid-January. The US has also offered to train Ukrainian soldiers at sites beyond Ukrainian territory.
**Other Developments in the Conflict**
* Russia launched 53 Shahed-type drones from Orel overnight on Dec. 6.
* Vehicular traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily suspended due to security concerns.
* An Atesh operative burned down a relay cabinet near the village of Chekhov, disrupting Russian supply lines.
**Other News**
* The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) expressed concerns over Elon Musk’s contacts with Russia and the alleged use of his Starlink system by Russian forces in Ukraine.
* EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova announced 25 million euros ($26.5 million) in funding for Ukrainian NGOs and civil society organizations that will advance work related to Ukraine’s eventual EU integration.
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