Russia-Ukraine updates: Grid operator lifts state of emergency
All the updates from December 16 as they happened.
This blog is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday, December 16.
This blog is now closed. Thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday, December 16.
- Ukraine’s power operator Ukrenergo has lifted the state of emergency it declared earlier in the day after Russia’s attacks cut the country’s energy use by 50 percent.
- It also warned more time would be needed to repair equipment and restore electricity than after previous bombardments.
- Ukrainian officials report “two people killed” in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, saying the latest strikes are the “biggest” since the war began.
- Authorities have also reported Russian attacks in the capital Kyiv and the northeastern Kharkiv region.
- The European Union says its ninth round of sanctions will be aimed at Russia’s military-industrial complex, as well as people and groups.
- Croatia rejects joining the EU’s military mission to support Ukraine after the president said the country should not be involved in the war and questioned Ukraine as an ally.
$2bn in loans to help Ukraine’s agriculture, fuel import businesses
Private businesses in Ukraine are in line to receive $2bn in financing arranged by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to help rebuild the country’s agriculture and fuel import industries, along with other ventures that have faced extensive losses because of the war.
The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, provides private-sector financing to developing countries. The loans differ from the billions that Ukraine has received in grants and other forms of no-strings-attached aid from donor nations, as they must be paid back.
Since Russia invaded in February, at least five million jobs have been lost, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy. The National Bank of Ukraine estimates that 11 percent of businesses had closed as of September and more than half were operating below capacity.
Zelenskyy: Russia has enough missiles for several more massive strikes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia still had enough missiles for several more massive strikes, like the one launched earlier in the day against Ukraine’s electricity generation system.
“Whatever the rocket worshipers from Moscow are counting on, it still won’t change the balance of power in this war,” he said in a video address.
Ukraine grid operator lifts state of emergency it declared after attacks
Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo has lifted the state of emergency it declared earlier in the day after Russian missile strikes cut nationwide energy consumption by more than 50 percent, it said in a statement.
A senior Ukrainian official said earlier that emergency power shutdowns were being brought in across the country after Russian missiles hit energy facilities in several regions.
‘So good to be home’: Griner speaks out after release from Russia
In her first remarks since being released from a Russian prison, United States basketball star Brittney Griner said it was “so good to be home” and pledged to play again for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
The 32-year-old Griner, in an Instagram post, thanked a long list of people for securing her release with a “special thank you” to President Joe Biden.
“It feels so good to be home!” Griner said. “The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going.”
Griner, who was arrested on drug charges at a Moscow airport last February, was swapped last week for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer.
EU slams Russia’s ‘indiscriminate terror’ in Ukraine
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has condemned the “indiscriminate terror” Russia’s latest missile attacks were inflicting on Ukraine.
“These cruel, inhumane attacks aim to increase human suffering and deprive Ukrainian people, but also hospitals, emergency services and other critical services of electricity, heating and water,” said Borrell in a statement.
“These bombings constitute war crimes and are barbaric. All those responsible shall be held accountable.”
Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine awarded Charlemagne prize
Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have been awarded a prize for contributions to European unity.
The prize committee said it selected Zelenskyy and Ukrainians for the 2023 International Charlemagne Prize because they were fighting Russia not only for the sovereignty of Ukraine “but also for Europe and European values”, German news agency DPA reported.
The committee said awarding the prize underscored that Ukraine is part of Europe.
The prize, named for the Holy Roman emperor, Charlemagne, who once ruled a large swath of western Europe from Aachen, Germany, has been awarded since 1950 for service to Europe and European unity.
Last year’s prize went to Belarusian opposition leaders Maria Kalesnikava, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Veronica Tsepkalo.
Canada to transfer $500m loan to Ukraine
Canada is transferring a $500m loan to Ukraine following the sale of Canadian bonds allowing individuals and other entities to support Kyiv, Canada’s Finance Department said in a statement.
The government said that the loan, transferred through the International Monetary Fund (IMF), follows the sale of bonds costing $100 or more to Canadians, investors, institutions and other buyers.
Swiss government adopts EU price cap
The Swiss government is adopting further sanctions in line with the EU’s latest measures on Russian crude oil and petroleum products, the cabinet said.
The additional sanctions ban the transportation of Russian oil and petroleum sold above the price cap introduced earlier this month to trade and broker services.
Switzerland’s government said on December 8 it would adopt the price cap of $60 per barrel for Russian crude oil.
The additional sanctions come into force on Friday evening.
In pictures: Russia’s assault on Ukraine
On Friday, Russia launched missile attacks across at least four cities in Ukraine, causing mass blackouts and loss of life.
Croatia rejects EU mission of supporting Ukraine’s military
Croatian politicians have rejected a proposal that they should join an EU mission supporting the Ukrainian military after hours of debate reflecting deep divisions between the premier and the country’s president.
A majority was needed to agree on the proposal that would have included allowing up to 100 Ukrainian troops to be trained in Croatia over the next two years. President Zoran Milanovic, who is the supreme commander of the Croatian armed forces, opposed the plan.
Of the 107 who voted in the 151-seat parliament, 97 supported it. Ten voted against it.
Milanovic said Croatia should not be involved in the war and that the proposal would violate the constitution because it failed to clarify the basis for declaring Ukraine an ally, given that it is not a member of the EU or NATO.
The European Union agreed in October to set up the Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) and appointed a Polish general to lead training that will mostly take place in Poland.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 296
Click here for a roundup of the war’s key events from day 296.
Keep reading:
Latest Ukraine security package ‘coming’: US
The White House says the next security assistance package for Ukraine is coming, and it is expected to include more air defence capabilities.
“As you have seen in previous packages, I think you can expect to see additional air defence capabilities in this,” John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told reporters.
‘Moscow loves to show off’, says Ukrainian official
Head of the Presidential office, Mikhail Podolyak, says “Moscow loves to show off” after the latest Russian missile attack.
He tweeted: “Moscow loves to show off. Re-offensive, Kyiv capture, landing on Mars. Corrupt imperialists gratify their egos in corridors of Kremlin, giving orders to the military. But there is a problem ru-generals do not tell about: these plans cannot be implemented. Ukrainians won’t allow.”
Moscow loves to show off. Re-offensive, Kyiv capture, landing on Mars. Corrupt imperialists gratify their egos in corridors of Kremlin, giving orders to the military. But there is a problem ru-generals do not tell about: these plans cannot be implemented. Ukrainians won’t allow.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) December 16, 2022
EC approves German Uniper SE acquisition
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Uniper SE by the German government, paving the way for nationalising the gas trading firm, which nearly collapsed after Russia stopped supplying gas.
The acquisition was approved under the EU merger regulation after the Commission concluded it would raise no competition concerns.
“The transaction was prompted by the continuing European energy crisis, in particular the cessation of Russian gas deliveries and the sharp rise in gas prices, which resulted in Uniper, Germany’s largest importer of Russian gas, requiring significant capital injections to prevent its insolvency,” the Commission said.
Gazprom used to be Uniper’s biggest gas supplier, but deliveries were reduced in mid-year and entirely halted at the end of August, forcing Uniper to buy gas elsewhere at much higher prices to meet existing contracts.
Latest EU sanctions package to target the Russian military
The European Union says its latest round of sanctions will target Russia’s military-industrial complex, as well as people and groups.
Valdis Dombrovskis, a European Commission vice-president, said the package would deal a blow to 168 “entities”, companies or state organisations, as well as some two dozen individuals.
The ninth package of EU sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine was approved by EU leaders at a summit on Thursday.
It was formally adopted on Friday by written procedure.
European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the package also focuses “on tech, finance and media to push the Russian economy and war machine further off the rails”.
She also proposed “to ban the direct exports of drone engines to Russia and the export to any third countries, such as Iran, which could supply drones to Russia”.
Frozen Russian assets in Hungary rise to 870 million euros
Russian assets frozen by Hungary’s government rose to 870 million euros ($925 million) by the end of November from a previously reported 3,000 euros, the newspaper Nepszava said.
Nepszava cited a European Commission document which said Hungary had reported that it had frozen 870 million euros worth of assets of Russians under sanctions as of November 25.
A Commission spokesperson declined to give details of assets frozen in Hungary but said nearly 19 billion euros linked to Russian individuals had been frozen by the end of November in EU member states.
The Hungarian government did not immediately reply to questions from the Reuters news agency on the total of Russian assets frozen.
Who controls what?
Here are four maps we update daily, charting the latest war developments.
TikTok to cut down staff members in Russia
TikTok says it will cut staff numbers in Russia after the company suspended key services for users in the country earlier this year, the RIA Novosti news agency reported, citing the company’s press office.
“This year, we were forced to take a number of decisions regarding the operation of our service in Russia and now, unfortunately, we have had to reduce the number of employees in the country,” the company said in a statement to RIA.
Chinese-owned video app TikTok suspended live streaming and new uploads in Russia after Moscow introduced strict new media censorship regulations following its invasion of Ukraine in February.
Power grid will take longer to repair than previous attacks: Ukrainian operator
Ukraine’s power grid operator says it will take longer to repair the national grid and restore power than it did after previous Russian missile attacks.
Russia fired more than 70 missiles at Ukraine on Friday morning.
The grid operator said, “Considering this is already the ninth wave of missile strikes on energy facilities, the restoration of power supply may take longer than before.
“Priority will be given to critical infrastructure facilities: hospitals, water supply facilities, heat supply facilities, and sewage treatment plants,” it said.
Putin, Modi discussed ‘strategic partnership’ and war in Ukraine
In a statement about the meeting between the Russian president and his Indian counterpart, the Kremlin says Putin gave Modi his assessment of the Ukraine conflict at Modi’s request.
It said the leaders expressed satisfaction with the high level of cooperation in their “privileged strategic partnership” and discussed prospects for the two countries to work together in areas such as investment, energy, agriculture, transport and logistics.
India has become a leading buyer of Russian energy since Western sanctions triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February sharply reduced Western purchases of Russian oil and gas.
Nine power facilities damaged in missile attacks
Nine Ukrainian power facilities are damaged during Russia’s latest missile attacks on critical infrastructure, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said on national television.
“What we already see is damage to about nine generating facilities. Now we are still verifying the damage,” he said.
Air defences shoot down 37 of 40 Russian missiles in Kyiv region
Ukraine’s air defences shot down 37 of 40 Russian missiles in the Kyiv area, a spokesman for the Ukrainian capital’s military administration said.
The missile attack was one of Russia’s most significant since the start of the war, Mykhailo Shamanov said on television.
Ukrainian air defences also shot down 10 missiles over the Dnipro region, Governor Valentyn Reznichenko said in a separate statement on Telegram.
Modi reiterates need for diplomacy in call with Putin
In his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way forward in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Reuters news agency partner ANI said, citing the Prime Minister’s Office.
Putin spoke by phone on Friday with Modi, the Kremlin said.
New attacks caused ‘colossal’ damage, says Kharkiv mayor
Russian missile shelling caused “colossal” damage to infrastructure in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and mainly affected the energy system, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
“There is colossal damage to infrastructure, primarily the energy system,” he said on Telegram.
“I ask you to be patient with what is happening now. I know that in your houses there is no light, no heating, no water supply”.
‘Two people killed’ in latest Russian shelling
The deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, says on Telegram that two people have died in Kryvyi Rih due to Russian shelling early on Friday morning.
He wrote: “As a result of a rocket hitting a residential building, one of the five entrances was destroyed.
“Two people died. Six people were injured, including three children. There may be two people under the rubble, including 1 child”.