While Volodymyr Zelensky praises the Ukrainians’ spirit of resistance and forbearance, Moscow is moving to open a new front in Belarus. Belarusian president Aljaksandr Lukashenko is in Putin’s hands and is complying, without batting an eye, with all the requests coming from the Kremlin in order not to be deposed or killed (as emerged from the report by the American research center Robert Lansing a month ago). Minsk has deployed Iskander tactical missile systems, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and air defense systems supplied by Russia. It’s not an indiscretion but it’s all official, as Victor Gulevic, commander-in-chief of the Belarusian troops explains. «These weapons are as of today active and ready to perform tasks for their intended purpose. Our military have completed their training in joint training centers. The news follows Putin’s recent visit to Minsk a week ago. All this while the Polish media reveal that a massive attack on Kiev could start from Belarus by the end of the week. It is no coincidence that Putin replaced commander Sergei Kuzovlev with lieutenant general Yevgeny Nikiforov, known by analysts as the “butcher of Tbilisi”. The enemy also has no plans to abandon the tactic of bombing the energy system. New attacks are expected on New Year’s Day, according to Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko. However, Russia is rapidly running out of ballistic and cruise missile stocks, and has returned to knock on Tehran’s doors.
Despite Christmas, field operations continued unabated and the 305th day of fighting opened with the blitz of modified Tu-141 Stryzh drones against the airport of Engels (Saratov), a Russian city about 750 km from the border. Three members of the technical service were killed by falling metal fragments. On 5 December, two more explosions had occurred at the air base, with Kiev claiming no responsibility. At Engels airfield, Tu-95 long-range bombers are stationed – the significant component of Moscow’s strategic nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile, the invaders carried out at least 40 rocket attacks on Christmas Day alone. Dozens of locations in the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, Kharkiv (also bombed last night), Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were hit in the raids. The troops of the Russian Federation yesterday concentrated their efforts on conducting offensive actions in the Bakhmut and Lyman directions, while defending themselves in Novopavliv and Kherson. Four Ukrainian saboteurs were killed as they attempted to infiltrate Russian territory in the Bryansk region on Christmas day. There would have been a shooting.
Donbass continues to be the most important theater of maneuvers and strategies and the Russians are concentrating on building defensive positions on the front line, setting up anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. The news comes from the British MI6 daily bulletin. However, London intelligence claims that Moscow’s forces do not have trained personnel to monitor the new minefields.
Kiev drones on Engels: 750 km inside Russia. Minsk prepares the attack