**WAR IN UKRAINE ENTERS 665TH DAY: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS**
As the war in Ukraine enters its 665th day, new developments continue to unfold. Here is the situation on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
**FIGHTING**
Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched its fifth air attack this month on the capital, Kyiv. However, air defense systems managed to destroy all weapons on their approach to the city, resulting in no casualties or destruction. At the same time, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have brought down a Ukrainian drone near the capital, leading to restrictions on flights at Moscow’s main airports with no reported casualties.
The fighting continues in the eastern Kharkiv region, where the Ukrainian military is holding the line against Russian forces attempting to take control of the town of Kupiansk. Both sides reported engagements and artillery exchanges in the area.
**POLITICS AND DIPLOMACY**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the military had requested the mobilization of 500,000 more people in the fight against Russian forces on Ukrainian territory. He urged the United States and other Western allies to continue their support for his country, and hoped that prisoner swaps, which have been delayed, would resume soon.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow had the momentum in its war in Ukraine and was well-positioned to reach its goals. He also stated that Moscow was upgrading its nuclear arsenal and maintaining the military at its highest level of readiness.
Italy has approved a decree allowing it to supply “means, materials and equipment” to Ukraine in its fight against Russia until the end of 2024. Meanwhile, the United Nations’s human rights chief, Volker Turk, stated that there were indications Russia had committed war crimes in Ukraine, including summary executions and enforced disappearances.
Moreover, a court in Poland convicted 14 people of being part of a spy ring preparing acts of sabotage on behalf of Moscow, with jail terms ranging from 13 months to six years.
**WEAPONS**
Russia’s Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, revealed that since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Russia has significantly increased its production of tanks, drones, and artillery shells. Additionally, Russian forces have laid minefields and anti-tank barriers in Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine is aiming to manufacture 1 million drones next year for use on the battlefield, in response to the use of drones by both Ukraine and Russia in the conflict.
The US also made a significant announcement regarding Iran’s drone program. It has charged an Iranian and a Chinese national with supplying dual-use US-manufactured microelectronics to Iran’s drone program, with those components being used by Iran’s allies in current conflicts, including in Ukraine.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the situation remains complex, with both sides continuing to engage in fighting on various fronts and significant geopolitical implications at play.