**Ukraine Strikes Russian Command Post, Allegedly Killing 18 Soldiers**
On December 25, Ukrainian forces reportedly hit a Russian command post in the town of Lgov in Kursk Oblast. Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications claimed that 18 Russian soldiers were killed in the attack.
The command post belonged to Russia’s 810th Separate Marine Brigade. After the attack, Kursk Oblast Acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein said that Ukraine attacked civilian facilities and infrastructure in Lgov, killing four people and injuring five others.
However, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications claimed that the strike killed 18 personnel and partially destroyed the command post. A deputy brigade commander was likely among the killed, and most of the soldiers who died were staff officers.
**Russia Deploys North Korean Troops**
Despite the high losses within Russian and North Korean ranks, Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast seem to be on the back foot, facing a Russian advantage in manpower and equipment. Russia has reportedly deployed over 10,000 North Korean troops to help oust Ukrainian troops.
**Other News**
* The Estlink 2, an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, was seriously damaged on Christmas Day.
* A Russian surface-to-air missile caused the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan.
* Public willingness to support Ukraine “until it wins” has dropped significantly across several European countries.
* Ukrainian troops hit a plant in Kamensk-Shakhtynsky that produces solid propellant for ballistic missiles.
* Russian forces struck the central market in Nikopol with a drone, injuring eight people.
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