**Fire at Russian Detention Center Kills 5, Injures 7**
A fire broke out at a detention center in the city of Yakutsk in Russia‘s far-east. The fire occurred on December 20 at around 2am local time.
Five people were killed and seven others injured in the fire. The identities of those who died are still being established. At least seven people have been hospitalized with smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, nor the extent of the damage caused.
**Background**
Yakutsk is a city in Russia’s far-east, located about 450km south of the Arctic Circle. The region has a history of housing political prisoners during the Soviet era.
Desertion rates among Russian soldiers are high due to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In April this year, it was reported that over 8,200 cases related to mobilization had been received by Russian courts since the start of the war.
**Other News**
* A Moscow court has ruled to place a suspect in the killing of General Igor Kirillov in pre-trial detention for two months.
* The European Council president said only Ukraine can define what peace means and when conditions are met for credible negotiations.
* Ukrainian Special Operations Forces have killed 12 North Korean soldiers and injured 20 others, preventing their advance in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
* President Zelensky has blasted Russian President Putin’s threats of using a new missile against Kyiv to test Western air defense systems.
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