Putin warns of rising nuclear war risk; Europe debates ninth sanctions package

Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s televised comments on Wednesday were made as the European Union deliberated a ninth package of sanctions against Moscow, including restrictions on the drone sector, as well as on other technologies and components used for military purposes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine.

Key developments

• Putin calls Russia’s nukes ‘deterrent factor’ as war risk rises


• Poland makes U-turn, accepts German Patriot missiles on its soil


• Finnish customs finds links to Russia tycoons in yacht probe


• Airlines urge EU to set terms for return of Russia flights


• EU leaders to focus on next winter after Russian gas supply cut


• A year in the war that’s killing Putin’s lies — Leonid Bershidsky

On the ground

Russian forces shelled the town of Kurakhove in the eastern Donetsk region with multiple launch rocket systems, killing eight people and wounding five, Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said on Telegram.

The assault hit a local market, bus station, fuel stations and residential buildings.

Kremlin forces attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones and heavy artillery overnight, Governor Valentyn Reznichenko said earlier on Telegram, adding that Ukrainian troops shot down all of the eight UAVs.

EU chief denounces Russia’s nuclear ‘blackmail’

European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovkis, responding to Putin’s comments on the risk of nuclear war, said the EU would not give in to Russian blackmail and manipulation. He pledged to continue to provide support to Ukraine, including providing €18-billion of financial assistance for the coming year.

“Ukraine needs our support and we are going to provide this support,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

“We are aiming for the first disbursement in January and we are sticking with this.”

Putin earlier stopped short of pledging not to use nuclear weapons first in a conflict, saying Russia’s arsenal is a “deterrent factor” in conflicts.

 

Putin says no need for further mobilisation for now

The Russian leader said there’s “no need” now to mobilise more reservists, with about half the 300,000 called up in September still in training, providing a “combat reserve”.

The last mobilisation triggered a massive exodus of Russians from the country and shook confidence in the war effort, leading Kremlin officials to reiterate that there are currently no plans to repeat the move.

Speaking to a Kremlin human-rights panel, Putin also said achieving results from his invasion may be “a prolonged process”. But he cited the annexation of occupied territories as “a significant result for Russia”.

Time magazine names Zelensky ‘Person of the Year’

Time magazine called this year’s choice of President Zelensky “the most clear-cut in memory” as the Ukrainian leader had galvanised the world in a way unseen in decades.

Each year, the magazine chooses a person who has influenced the world the most for good or for ill. In 2007, Putin took the accolade.

Sweden says it’s up to Ukraine to decide on talks

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom, whose country seeks to join Nato alongside Finland, pushed back against calls for Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow, saying Russia must not succeed.

“Messages from partners that Ukraine needs to engage in negotiations risk reinforcing Mr Putin’s conviction that time is on his side and therefore prolong the war,” Billstrom said at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday. 

“Whether to negotiate with Russia or not — and if so, about what — is for Kyiv to decide.”

Ukraine says 20 vessels being loaded at Black Sea ports

A total of 529 ships with 13.2 million tons of agricultural products have left the Black Sea ports of Odesa, Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk since the start of the “grain corridor” initiative in August, the Infrastructure Ministry said. 

Currently, 20 vessels are in port being loaded with Ukrainian products, the ministry said.

Russian damage to Ukrainian infrastructure exceeds $70bn — ministry 

The damage caused by Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure targets and civilian residences, since the start of the invasion, has already exceeded $70-billion, deputy infrastructure minister Yuriy Vaskov said at an EBRD online conference on Wednesday. That includes $30-billion in the transport sector and $39-billion in housing losses, he said.

“We have already started the restoration of roads, bridges, railway infrastructure, and built 12 module towns for those who lost their houses,” Vaskov said.

Ukraine grapples with power deficit amid frosts, Ukrenergo says 

Ukraine continues to experience a significant power deficit, national grid operator Urkenergo said on Telegram. The most difficult situation is in the east of the country, where temperatures fell to -17ºC after Russian forces made repeated attacks on several energy facilities on Tuesday evening.

There were freezing conditions in Borodyanka, Ukraine, on 7 December.

Putin discusses oil price limits with UAE counterpart

Putin has discussed “attempts of some western nations to introduce anti-market limits on the price of Russian crude” in a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Russia is looking for ways to counter the price cap and the decision will be taken by the end of the year, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this week.

One of the potential solutions is setting a “price floor” for international sales of Russian oil barrels, according to two officials familiar with the discussions.

 

Nato chief on drone strikes: Ukraine has right to defend itself

Asked about recent strikes inside Russia, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine had the right to defend itself against attacks by Russia on its cities and critical infrastructure.

The alliance chief said the conditions were currently not ripe for peace negotiations because Russia had shown “no sign of engaging in negotiations which are respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he told the Financial Times in an interview. 

He said Ukraine has concerns that Russia could use a pause in fighting to regroup and launch a bigger offensive later on, given that Ukraine currently has the momentum.

Stoltenberg added that Nato needs to be prepared for a difficult relationship with Russia for a long time. 

“When this war ends, it doesn’t mean that we go back to some good or normal relationship with Russia,” he said.

Turkey’s Karpowership ‘in talks to provide power to Ukraine’

Floating gas-fired power plants supplier Karpowership is in talks to provide electricity to Ukraine via Moldova and Romania, Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency cites MD Zeynep Harezi as saying. 

The company plans to provide about 300MW to 400MW of power to Ukraine from ships based in Moldova and Romania. DM