11/12/2022

Ukraine war in live broadcast tape
+++ 04:15 Reports of deaths in the Ukrainian attacks on Melitopol +++

According to pro-Russian sources, two people were killed and ten others were wounded in Ukrainian missile attacks on the Russian-controlled city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine. The exiled mayor of Melitopol reports that an abandoned church used by the Russians as a meeting place has been bombed and reports many deaths. The Ukrainian military did not immediately comment on the incident. The Central Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said earlier that it had carried out attacks on Melitopol.

+++ 02:41 Estonia orders more arms shipments to Ukraine +++
Estonian Prime Minister Kadja Kallas urged Germany and other allies to continue supplying arms to Ukraine. „I urge all allies, including Germany, to send everything Ukraine needs to defend itself,” the prime minister said. „Had all the Allies sent weapons in January or February, many lives could have been saved,” says Klass. Estonia was supplying arms to Ukraine even before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine began.

+++ 01:14 The European Union is concerned about Turkey’s proximity to Russia +++
The European Union urges Turkey to change its trade policy with Russia and implement Western sanctions over the Ukraine war. „The continuation of Turkey’s policy of not joining the restrictive measures imposed by the European Union on Russia is increasingly worrying,” Funke newspapers quoted European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a letter to the European Parliament. Turkey has greatly expanded its exports to Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine War, and is also increasingly buying Russian oil. Apparently, Western companies are also using Turkey as a loophole to sell their products to Russia.

More on this here.

+++ 23:33 Selinsky honors the Ukrainian Nobel Prize winner +++
In his evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky honored the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to a human rights organization to his compatriot Oleksandra Matveychuk, among others. „This year, for the first time, the language of Ukraine, our Ukrainian language, was heard at the ceremony – thanks to the Center for Civil Liberties and its director, Ms. Matveychuk, who received the Peace Prize,” Zelensky said. “I congratulate Ms. Oleksandra, her colleagues and all Ukrainian human rights defenders on this recognition.” In addition to the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), the now-defunct Russian organization Memorial and Belarusian human rights lawyer Alice Bialiatsky have been honored with the world’s most important political award.

+++ 22:22 So far there is no compromise from the EU in the rings around the gas price cap +++
So far, no compromise has been reached in talks between EU diplomats on the details of a possible cap on gas prices. Twelve countries – including Belgium, Italy, Poland and Slovenia – have called for an upper limit much lower than the EU Commission proposed. A representative of a member state of the European Union said that the countries had converged in their positions. Other departments said, however, that little progress had been made. Diplomats want more talks on Monday. EU energy ministers are set to find a solution at a meeting on December 13th. The European Union has been at odds on this issue for months. At the end of November, the EU Commission proposed a gas price cap of €275 per MWh.

+++ 21:54 Explosions in occupied Melitopol – “Waiting for good news from the Armed Forces of Ukraine” +++
Several explosions occurred during an attack by Ukrainian artillery on the Russian-controlled town of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine. According to the occupation administration, there was an attack on a restaurant and a number of civilian casualties. „As a result of the missile attack from the HIMARS system, there were dead and wounded among the peaceful people in the restaurant,” the Kremlin-affiliated Tass news agency quoted a representative of the occupiers as saying. The city’s Ukrainian mayor, Ivan Fedorev, reported on Telegram that an occupied church where Russians were holding their meetings had been bombed. According to Fedorev, explosions were heard in all districts of the city. The mayor calls for „Waiting for good news from the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.

+++ 21:15 Odessa probably two to three months without electricity +++
After recent missile attacks on the port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine, authorities believe it could take up to three months to restore electricity. „According to preliminary forecasts, the restoration of power plants in the Odessa region will take much longer than after previous enemy attacks,” the regional administration announced on Facebook. „It’s not a matter of days, it’s weeks, and it’s not impossible that it could take two to three months,” she said. The agency recommends that families with young children and the elderly leave the city temporarily if possible.

+++ 20:45 Russia: anti-aircraft defense in the Crimea and in Melitopol +++
According to Russian information, anti-aircraft defenses are active in the Ukrainian regions occupied by Russian forces. Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that there were reports of air defense being used from both Simferopol in Crimea and Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine. Residents were asked to remain calm. However, no information was provided about the nature or implications of the potential attack. Ukraine recently used reconnaissance and combat aircraft over the territories occupied by Russia. Kiev has not yet officially commented on the possible use of Ukrainian combat drones against military airfields in Russia, as the combat aircraft were damaged.

+++ 20:04 Turkey plans to hold talks with Russia and Ukraine on the grain corridor +++
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. Erdogan declared in Istanbul that the goal is to „strengthen the passage of cargo ships in the Black Sea that was established with the grain agreement.” Russia and Ukraine, mediated by Turkey and the United Nations, signed an agreement in July to export Ukrainian grain through a corridor in the Black Sea. The agreement ended a months-long blockade on Ukrainian grain exports as a result of Russia’s war of aggression. Ships en route to or from Ukrainian ports are checked at a joint center in Istanbul by teams made up of Ukrainian, Russian, Turkish and UN representatives. However, the controls are progressing slowly. There are currently 79 vessels awaiting inspection off Istanbul. According to the center, ships sometimes have to wait weeks for them to be brought under control.

Read previous developments in the Ukraine war over here.