**Russia Declares State of Emergency After Oil Spill**
Russia has declared a federal state of emergency in response to an oil spill in the Kerch Strait. The spill occurred on December 15 when two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, were damaged during a storm.
About 3,700 tons of fuel have spilled into the Black Sea, contaminating over 200,000 tons of soil along the coast. Greenpeace Ukraine warned that the spill could cause significant environmental damage.
Russian Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov announced on December 26 that the government would direct state funds to the emergency response and cleanup effort.
**Other News**
* A Russian surface-to-air missile caused a plane crash in Kazakhstan, killing all on board.
* Ukrainian troops hit the command post of Russia’s 810th Separate Marine Brigade overnight on December 25.
* North Korean troops deployed in Russia are suffering significant losses, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported.
* Public support for Ukraine has dropped significantly across several countries, including France and Germany.
**More News**
* Russian companies are using digital currencies like Bitcoin to avoid Western sanctions.
* Inflation in Russia is at its highest levels in nearly a year due to war spending and rising food prices.
* U.S. President Joe Biden directed the Pentagon to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
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