Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a call to his citizens to summon the fighting spirit and not retreat in defending the country, a few days before Christmas, while discussions are currently taking place in Ukraine about how the army can recruit more soldiers. The army wants to mobilize between 450,000 and 500,000 men.
Biden during his visit to Kiev on February 20, 2023 (AP)
“The maximum amount of attention to defense, the maximum effort for the state, and the maximum energy is needed in order for Ukraine to achieve its goals,” Zelensky said in his evening video message broadcast in Kiev on Thursday. He added that the time for rest will come later.
For the first time, Ukraine officially celebrates Christmas on December 25 of this year, following the Western model, and is no longer limited to January 7, according to Orthodox customs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discusses military operations with military leaders and the impact of the weapons shortage on the battle with Russia (AP)
“Now, before Christmas, everyone in our country must remember that this is the time of focus, the time of action,” Zelensky said. The country’s fate will be determined in the regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhya and Kherson, which were attacked by Russia. 20 families, one of whose members won the title of Hero of Ukraine, received an apartment from the Ukrainian state on Thursday. Zelensky said that every soldier, sailor and officer who receives the title of hero will receive the same recognition from the state.
Zelensky demanded more weapons before winter (EPA)
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense appeals to the country’s citizens abroad to return and join the ranks of the army to defend their homeland against the continuing Russian forces. Defense Ministry spokesman Ilarion Pavlyuk said on Thursday that, despite this, there are no plans to bring in Ukrainian men from abroad and recruit them under pressure, nor are there any plans to impose sanctions or legal pressure on those who remain outside Ukraine.
“The Minister calls on all citizens of Ukraine to join the armed forces wherever they are,” Pavlyuk said. Does this apply to Ukrainians abroad? Yes, without a doubt. Defending the country in times of war is a constitutional duty for all citizens.” But he noted that there are no plans to impose sanctions or legal pressure on those who remain outside Ukraine.
Defense Ministry spokesman Ilarion Pavlyuk sought to clarify statements made by Defense Minister Rustam Amirov about the mobilization of men abroad. Amirov said in an earlier interview that there were discussions about imposing legal “restrictions” on Ukrainian men who remain abroad.
It is noteworthy that there are hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians registered as war refugees in Germany and other countries. Men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are fit for military service are not officially allowed to leave the country, although many men have been able to leave.
Biden and Zelensky in one of their meetings (EPA)
In this context, German Justice Minister Marco Bushmann stated that Ukraine’s problems in mobilizing soldiers to repel the Russian invasion will not have any practical consequences for Ukrainians living in Germany. The minister told the German News Agency: “We will not force people to perform compulsory military service, or military service against their will.”
The minister added: “It was good that war refugees from Ukraine were accepted into Germany, in an uncomplicated procedure, and they were given the opportunity to work.” The minister continued: “Ultimately, we seek to attract more people from Ukraine to work, and fewer of them end up living dependent on social security.”
Poland also hosts nearly two million Ukrainian refugees.
The new Polish Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, arrived in Kiev on Friday, on his first visit abroad since his appointment, according to what Polish and Ukrainian officials reported to Agence France-Presse. Poland is one of Kiev’s most prominent allies in the face of the Russian invasion, but relations between the two neighboring countries have witnessed tension in recent months due to a number of trade disputes. In the morning, Sikorsky published a selfie that he took in Mikhailivska Square in the center of the Ukrainian capital. He wrote on the “X” platform: “First visit abroad. “I’m already there.”
Ukrainian truck drivers line up to cross the Ukrainian border (Reuters)
A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that the minister arrived in Kiev. Also, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pavel Wronski confirmed that the minister “is in Kiev on his first official visit.” Polish media reported that the details of the visit were kept secret for security reasons. For his part, Polish Minister of Agriculture Czeslaw Sikorski told the Polish News Agency that Sikorski is visiting Ukraine to try “to find a solution to the problem of the excessive flow of (Ukrainian) agricultural products to the European Union, especially to Poland.”
The relations of the two countries also face another thorny issue related to the closure of the Ukrainian border by Polish truck drivers since the beginning of November, causing long queues.
Eastern European Agriculture Ministers meet in Warsaw (EPA)
On Wednesday, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov visited Warsaw in an effort to solve this problem. On Friday, a Polish official is expected to arrive at the Ministry of Infrastructure in Kiev to conduct a new round of negotiations. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who took office in mid-December, pledged to find a solution with transport companies.
The Ukrainian Air Force said on Friday that it shot down 24 of 28 attack drones launched by Russia overnight.
Iranian-made drones were destroyed over areas of central, southern and western Ukraine. Presidential Director Andrey Ermak said via the Telegram application that “a residential building in Kiev was hit by a Shahed drone,” which is an Iranian-made drone that Russia regularly uses to strike targets in Ukraine. This is the first explosive drone to hit a civilian target in the Ukrainian capital in months. On Thursday night, sirens sounded in Kiev to warn its residents of an imminent air attack. Only minutes passed until the sounds of explosions rang out in the Ukrainian capital. Initially, the Kiev municipality announced that air defenses were dealing with targets in the sky of the capital, calling on residents to remain in shelters.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that the residential building that was hit by the Iranian-made drone is located in the Solomyansky district, southwest of the capital. He added that the attack led to “fire breaking out on the upper floors” of the building.
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2023-12-23 03:05:47
