Day 658 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Russians Strike Kyiv - At Least 45 Injured

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Day 658 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• Von der Leyen: Joining the EU will be the biggest victory for Ukrainians
• Ukraine reported large-scale cyberattacks against a bank and a telecom
• At least 45 wounded in Russian strikes against Kyiv
• The 10 Russian missiles shot down by Ukraine prove the effectiveness of Western weapons, Andriy Yermak said
• Ukrainian President Zelensky is on a surprise visit to Norway
• Zelensky in the USA: Biden with a promise that aid to Ukraine will not stop
• Biden to Zelensky: Don't lose hope
• Russia has lost over 300,000 troops in Ukraine, according to an intelligence report
• The EU will never recognize elections in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine
• Against the background of the war in Ukraine: Moldova wants to modernize and increase the budget for the army

Von der Leyen: Joining the EU will be the biggest victory for Ukrainians

Joining the EU will be the biggest victory for Ukrainians, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg. She was speaking on the eve of the European Council meeting in Brussels tomorrow and on Friday, when EU enlargement will also be discussed.

Von der Leyen called the time since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine "two painful years". We remember all the pain Putin caused innocent Ukrainians as well as Europeans with energy blackmail. In these dark days, there was also light in the courage of the Ukrainian resistance, in the joy of those freed from the Russian occupation, in the sympathy of the entire European continent with the Ukrainian society. Europe remained united, Ukraine resisted also because Europeans opened their hearts and homes, because of European financial and military aid, she pointed out.

Tens of thousands of Russian soldiers lose their lives or are wounded every week. Ukraine has taken the path of joining the EU. Not only did Putin fail to achieve his strategic goals, but he suffered huge losses. His loss does not necessarily mean victory for Ukraine, Von der Leyen summed up.

According to her, Kyiv is making great efforts to meet the requirements for starting EU accession negotiations. The country reports clear progress on the set goals, noted the chairman of the EC. Von der Leyen called for permanent financial assistance from the EU for Kyiv. We must give Ukraine what it needs to be strong today and even stronger tomorrow in the negotiations for a lasting and just peace, insisted the president of the European Commission.

Ukraine reported large-scale cyberattacks against a bank and a telecom

On Tuesday, one of the largest banks in Ukraine - "Monobank" and the leading provider of telecommunications services "Kyivstar" became the object of large-scale cyber attacks, representatives of the two companies announced.

Kyivstar was the first to report the attack, and a little later, the co-founder and CEO of Monobank, Oleg Gorokhovskyi, informed about the attack against the bank. The latter took the form of a Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, where an excessive amount of traffic is directed at a website to overload its servers, often causing service disruptions.

Kyivstar - the leading telephone service provider in Ukraine with more than 24 million mobile customers and more than 1 million home internet customers as of September this year - also reported mass internet and mobile network outages. The company said its specialists are working to resolve the issue with the involvement of law enforcement and security services. Gorokhovskyi announced that the situation with Monobank's digital assets was under control, and Kyivstar reassured its subscribers that their personal data had not been compromised.

"Yes, our enemies are insidious. But we are ready to meet any difficulties, overcome them and continue working for Ukrainians," Kyivstar said in a statement. It does not specify the source of the problems.

Early on Tuesday, Kyivstar users reported that they were unable to make calls and use internet services. Kyivstar's website was also down as of 9 a.m. local time.

Horokhovsky also did not name an alleged perpetrator of the cyberattack, but speculation that Russia was behind it was not long in coming. The Kremlin has repeatedly been accused of supporting cybercriminal groups in attacks on its rivals. Moscow has used its cyber capabilities against Ukraine, launching attacks against state institutions, the defense sector and energy infrastructure.

Also on Tuesday, the Military Intelligence Service of Ukraine (GUR) said that the cyber units of the Ministry of Defense and Military Intelligence hacked the central server of Russia's Federal Tax Service, as well as 2,300 regional servers in Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea, infecting them with malware.

The entire database of the tax system, as well as its backup copies, have been destroyed and Russia "will not be able to fully bring its tax system back to life," the GUR said.

At least 45 wounded in Russian strikes against Kyiv

At least 45 people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the capital of Ukraine Kyiv last night, AP reported, quoted by BTA.

An air alert was declared after several explosions were heard in the center of Kyiv around 3:00 that night.

Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced on Telegram that debris from intercepted missiles fell in the Dnipro region and injured at least 45 people. Eighteen of them, including two children, were hospitalized, and 27 received medical attention on the spot.

An apartment building, a private home and several cars were set on fire, and the windows of a pediatric hospital were broken, Klitschko reported. Missile debris also damaged the water system in the area.

On Monday, a Russian missile attack destroyed several houses on the outskirts of Kyiv and left more than 100 households without electricity, AP recalls.

The 10 Russian missiles shot down by Ukraine prove the effectiveness of Western weapons, Andriy Yermak said

The effectiveness of Western weapons cannot be doubted, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff of the Ukrainian president, said today after his country's air force shot down 10 ballistic missiles fired by Russia last night, Reuters reported.

The effectiveness of Western weapons in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers cannot be doubted, Yermak wrote on his Telegram channel.

But falling debris from Russian missiles is causing casualties, burning houses, Kyiv is being struck, Yermak reports.

Ukrainian President Zelensky is on a surprise visit to Norway

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Norway today on an unannounced visit, the Norwegian government said in a statement, Reuters and AFP reported. Leaders from all five Scandinavian countries are expected to meet with Zelensky today in Oslo. The five Scandinavian countries are among the main donors to Ukraine in its conflict against Russia, notes AFP.

Zelensky and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gare Store will have meetings on Norway's continued support for Ukraine, as well as other topics, the government in Oslo said.

"I warmly welcome Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Norway," the Norwegian Prime Minister said in a press release.

"Norway will continue to support Ukraine's struggle to defend itself. We are providing targeted, long-term support to help Ukraine in its fight for freedom and democracy," Store said in a statement. "Ukraine's efforts are also important to protect freedom and democracy here in Norway," added the Prime Minister.

Zelensky in the USA: Biden with a promise that aid to Ukraine will not stop

The United States promised that it will not abandon Ukraine - this is how the meeting between American President Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky ended. Biden warned that all Western democracies are at risk if Russian President Vladimir Putin is allowed to win.

Zelensky was in Washington, trying to secure additional financial and military aid. Ukraine will be unable to muster artillery and ammunition for a counteroffensive next year if the United States ends aid, the Biden administration has announced.

Earlier, the Ukrainian president met with the leaders of the majority and minority in the Senate and the House of Representatives behind closed doors.

It comes amid Biden's request for nearly billion in military funding for Ukraine as part of a 6 billion aid package. So far, however, Biden's request has not been met by Congress, as it was tied to the debate on Washington's immigration policy and the security of American borders.

"President Zelensky has made it clear how much help he needs. If he gets the help, he can win this war. And he's outlined in great detail the kind of help he needs. On the other hand, he's made it clear, and we all know that if we lose, Putin wins," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund announced the disbursement of 0 million to Ukraine under the country's assistance plan announced in March

According to a poll by Reuters and marketing research company Ipsos, 41 percent of American adults support sending troops to Ukraine, while 32 percent oppose or are unsure.

"American citizens should be proud of the role they play in supporting Ukraine. We will continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment for as long as we are able to do so. Today I approved an additional 0 million in aid, and also so air defense systems, artillery and ammunition. But without significant funding, we will not be able to help Ukraine respond quickly enough to the threats it faces. Putin hopes the United States will stop supporting Ukraine. We must, we must, let's show him he's wrong," said US President Joe Biden.

"We remain steadfast, no matter what Putin tries. Thanks to Ukrainian defense, he does not manage to achieve any victories in the country, and other countries in Europe are safe from Russian aggression," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Biden to Zelensky: Don't lose hope

US President Joe Biden urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to lose hope in his country's fight against Russia's invasion, saying the US Congress should approve additional financial aid to Kyiv.

It came at the start of the seventh meeting between the two and Zelensky's third visit to the White House since the start of the war in Ukraine on Tuesday.

The US president has assured that the US remains on Ukraine's side and said that blocking aid to Kyiv was a "Christmas present for Putin".

Biden announced 0 million in separate military aid to Kyiv that does not require congressional approval.

But that's not the case with the .4 billion the president requested for Ukraine in October, which Congress continues to block, demanding that Biden commit to beefing up border security with Mexico to reduce the flow of illegal migrants.

Zelensky did not win a clear victory during his congressional meetings on Tuesday, after which Republicans said they stood by their position on linking border security and aid to Ukraine.

The president held a series of meetings in Washington, including with Senate Majority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

After the meeting, Schumer said Zelensky assured senators that "if he gets the help, he can win this war."

But Republican Lindsey Graham, a staunch Kyiv supporter, told the BBC that "nothing has changed" since the talks.

Zelensky also spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson, where the vote will be more dramatic since Republicans have a majority.

Johnson told reporters that while the American people stood with Ukraine against the "brutal invasion" by Russia, the Biden administration wanted billions of dollars "without oversight."

"The border is an absolute disaster," Johnson said, adding that House Republicans would not budge until "transformational" changes were made and clarity was provided on how aid would be used in Ukraine.

Russia has lost over 300,000 troops in Ukraine, according to an intelligence report

A declassified US intelligence report estimates Russian losses in the war in Ukraine at 315,000 killed and wounded soldiers. This is almost 90% of the personnel of the special operation at the beginning of the conflict, reported Reuters.

According to the document, losses in manpower and equipment delayed the modernization of the Russian army by 18 years.

Russian officials believe that Western estimates of the number of Russian casualties in the war are greatly exaggerated and almost always underestimate Ukrainian losses, which Russian officials say are enormous.

A Reuters source revealed details of the report as President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to the US Congress to urge US lawmakers not to cut US military aid to Ukraine.

According to the report, at the beginning of the war, Russia deployed about 360,000 military personnel in Ukraine. 315 thousand of them, or about 87%, were killed or wounded.

The losses have forced Moscow to lower its recruitment standards and call up prisoners and older civilians.

"The scale of the losses has forced Russia to take extraordinary measures to maintain its ability to fight. Russia has announced a partial mobilization of 300,000 people in late 2022 and relaxed requirements to allow the recruitment of prisoners and older civilians", said the analysis cited by Reuters.

The Russian army has been left with 1,300 armored vehicles on the battlefield and must reinforce those forces with T62 tanks produced in the 1970s, the agency's source said.

Kyiv treats its losses as a state secret, and officials say revealing the figure could harm its war effort. A New York Times report from August quoted US officials as saying that the number of victims in Ukraine was close to 70,000.

Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Tinchenko and volunteer Herman Shapovalenko, who is compiling the Book of Remembrance, said they had confirmed the deaths of 24,500 Ukrainian military personnel killed in combat and non-combat. The real figure, they say, is significantly higher.

The EU will never recognize elections in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine

"The EU will never recognize the 'elections' held by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine and their results," the European External Action Service said in a statement on the decision of the Russian Central Election Committee to do so in March next year.

It emphasizes that the EU strongly condemns Russia's new attempts to legitimize the temporary and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.

"The so-called 'elections' seriously violate the UN Charter and the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia has no legitimate basis for any such action on the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine," the document also states.

Against the background of the war in Ukraine: Moldova wants to modernize and increase the budget for the army

For almost 30 years, Moldova's military has been underfunded. One of the poorest countries in Europe and a former Soviet republic has declared itself a neutral country. Since becoming independent in 1991, the number of military personnel has steadily declined to around 6,000, which is less than 25% of its Soviet-era strength. Subsequently, Russia invaded Moldova's northern neighbor - Ukraine.

"The first bombs that went off in Odesa, we could hear from Chisinau because it was a cloudy day and the sound carried so far. All of Chisinau woke up in a complete panic, thinking there were bombs going off," Kent Logsdon shared.

He began work as the United States ambassador to Moldova about a week before the invasion in February 2022. And he says the invasion was an eye-opener, especially after word of the atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha spread.

"People here were very shocked. These were not the Russians they knew, the Russians they had worked with for generations, who lived here. It changed the way people thought about Russia, as well as what they thought about Russia's opinion of Moldova" he explained.

Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi said that members of the pro-Western government in Chisinau had already seen the invasion of Ukraine and Russian war plans indicating targets in Moldova. They realized that they had to accelerate their plans to bring the Moldovan army into the 21st century.

"As we saw in their plans, while we were leading the rhetoric, we were definitely targeted and considered the next target. That's why we're working very hard right now to improve our operational capacity. I've only been in this position for two years, though in this period of time we were able to identify the resources to increase the budget, we started with a budget of 0.3% which was one of the lowest in Europe and I think in the world and now we have 0.55% and it even allowed us to get some things. About 90% of the equipment is outdated, maintenance is very expensive. In some cases, it is impossible to find spare parts because nobody makes them anymore. Now my priority is to modernize the equipment, to introduce the NATO standard", stressed Anatolie.

We traveled to the military training grounds about an hour's drive east of the capital to get a first-hand look at Moldova's defense needs. We didn't have to go far before we found this old Soviet tank.

"When you don't invest in the army for 30 years, it's hard to change it overnight. So you need time, you need to introduce this equipment, and that's why we're working on all this," stressed the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Moldova.

These are D20, Soviet-era artillery pieces. Ukraine switched from them to NATO-standard howitzers when supplies began to run out during the war. Now Moldova also wants to modernize with Western howitzers. Since the war in Ukraine began, the United States and the European Union have pledged nearly million in foreign military aid to Moldova to help its small army get back on its feet. But modernizing even a small force takes years, so for now, according to officials, Moldovan troops will have to rely on what they have.

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Novinite is still the only Bulgarian media that publishes a summary of events and highlights related to the conflict, every single day. Our coverage began on day one - 24.02.2022 and will not stop until the war has concluded. Despite the pressure, our independent media will continue to provide its readers with accurate and up-to-date information. Thank you for your support! #stayinformed

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