A Ukrainian sea drone shot down a helicopter, while SSO fighters took over a village in the Kursk region. Key highlights from December 31.
Marine Drone Downed Helicopter
Fighters from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense announced that for the first time in the world, they destroyed an aerial target using the Magura V5 marine drone.
As a result of the use of P-73 SeeDragon missiles from the marine drone, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed. Another similar enemy helicopter sustained fire damage but managed to reach the airfield.
Special Forces Captured a Village in the Kursk Region
Troops from the 6th Special Operations Regiment captured a village in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. This was preceded by artillery strikes. Subsequently, the military entered the village, reclaimed, and secured it. Alongside Russian forces, North Korean troops also held the village.
The military did not specify which settlement was captured.
Zelensky Approved Mobilization Deferral for Civilians After Captivity
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law granting the right to defer mobilization for civilians who have been captured.
The law also provides military personnel the right to resign from service following the death or disappearance of their half-brother or half-sister.
Drones Attacked an Oil Depot in the Smolensk Region
In the Smolensk region of Russia, an attack by drones was reported, resulting in damage to an oil depot. Powerful explosions were heard at the facility, and a fire broke out, leading to significant smoke.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the strike was carried out by a Special Operations Forces unit in coordination with drone units and other defense forces.
President and Government Made Personnel Changes
The Cabinet of Ministers appointed new officials to the former leadership positions of the Kyiv and Poltava Regional Military Administrations, Ruslan Kravchenko and Filip Pronin.
At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Popko, appointing Timur Tkachenko in his place.
The head of state also appointed a new head of the Counterintelligence Department of the Security Service of Ukraine.
Italy Allocates €13 Million to Support Ukraine's Energy Sector
Italy allocated 13 million euros to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine. Previously, Ukraine received 86 million euros from the EU for energy protection.
It is worth noting that during a massive attack on the morning of December 25, Russian forces targeted DTEK thermal power plants.
Other Important News of the Day
- On the night of December 31, Russia struck Ukraine with 21 missiles and 40 drones.
- The South Korean court issued an arrest warrant for the president, who was impeached due to martial law.
- A defender returned from captivity, whose 12-year-old brother and grandmother died from a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih.
- The first symptom was itching palms: in Lviv, an 8-year-old girl was saved from an aggressive tumor.