This article from Euromaidan Press summarizes various developments in the Russo-Ukrainian War and beyond, highlighting the complex situation on the ground. Here are the main points:
1. **EU Should Target Russian Military-Industrial Complex with More Sanctions**: The Dutch ambassador to Ukraine, Alle Dorhout, suggests that sanctions against Russia should focus on the military-industrial complex, as Moscow has found ways to bypass restrictions through partnerships with China, Iran, and North Korea.
2. **Ukraine Postpones Defense Anti-Corruption Vote Due to Technical Issues**: Ukraine’s Defense Ministry suspended its digital anti-corruption vote due to technical failures, delaying the selection of public watchdogs meant to prevent procurement scandals in the defense sector.
3. **Kremlin’s Silence on Plane Crash Mirrors MH17 Tactics**: Moscow’s refusal to comment on the Azerbaijan Airlines crash and Finnish cable damage reveals a familiar pattern of denial, as evidence points to Russian military involvement in both incidents, says Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.
4. **North Korean Forces Execute Their Own Troops in Kursk Oblast**: Russia deploys North Korean troops with minimal protection in apparent suicide missions.
5. **Azerbaijan Airline Plane Crash Resembles MH17 Tragedy in Ukraine**: Aviation experts find shrapnel damage on crashed Azerbaijani airliner matching MH17’s 2014 downing pattern.
6. **Ukraine’s Spymaster Confirms Russia Shot Down Azeri Plane**: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight JS-8432 was struck by a Russian surface-to-air missile system, and subsequently crashed in Kazakhstan after being denied emergency landing at Russian airports on December 25.
7. **First Captured North Korean Soldier in Ukraine Dies from Injuries**: South Korea’s intelligence confirmed the death of a wounded North Korean POW following Ukraine’s first such battlefield seizure.
8. **Russia Exploits Moldova’s Lack of Air Defenses in Ukraine Air Attacks**: Missiles and drones are often routed across Moldova, as highlighted by recent missile assaults, Defense Express says.
These points highlight the complex situation on the ground in the Russo-Ukrainian War, where international tensions, technical issues, and military actions continue to unfold.