Ukraine appears to show ability to strike deep in Russia

Officials from Kursk in Russia, 90km (60 miles) north of the Ukraine border released photos of black smoke rising above an airport following the latest strikes on Tuesday (6 December). Although an oil storage tank was set on fire, the governor claimed that no one was hurt.

Russia claimed that it was hit by Soviet-era drones hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine on Monday (5 December). It said the drones were at Engels, Russia's strategic bomber fleet's home, and Ryazan, which is just a few hours drive from Moscow.

Although Ukraine didn't directly claim responsibility for the strikes, it nonetheless celebrated them.

Russian state-run media reported that sirens were heard at Engels' airfield late Tuesday night, citing the first deputy from the district administration.

Washington: US Secretary Antony Blinken reiterated his country's resolve to supply Ukraine with the equipment it needs, while denying that it had allowed or encouraged Ukrainians to strike in Russia.

US legislators have agreed to provide Ukraine with at least $800,000,000 in additional security assistance next year.

Russia's defense ministry claimed that three soldiers were killed in the attack on Ryazan. The attacks on military targets were not terroristic, but the defense ministry described them as terrorism. It also stated that the goal was to destroy its long-range aircraft.

Ukraine has never publicly acknowledged responsibility for the attacks on Russia. When asked about the strikes Defence Minister Oleskiy Resnikov said a familiar joke, blaming his carelessness with cigarettes. He said, "Very often Russians are found smoking in places that it is forbidden to smoke."

The Russian ally neighbor Belarus moved military equipment along with forces on Wednesday and Thursday (7-8 December) in order to monitor its response to terrorist attacks, according to the BelTA state news agency. It also reported that imitation weapons will be used as training.

Ukraine has been expressing concerns for months that Russia and Belarus might be plotting a joint invasion across Ukraine's northern border. However, Belarus has stated it will not join the war.

'LEVERAGE and CONTROL'

According to industry sources, at least 20 oil tankers are still waiting off Turkey to cross the Black Sea ports of Russia to the Mediterranean. The delays will increase as operators try to comply with new Turkish insurance rules. This is in response to a G7 price cap for Russian oil.

According to a group official, the disruption in tanker traffic did not result from the Russian oil price cap agreed by a coalition made up of Australia and G7 countries.

On Monday, the price cap was set at $60 per barrel. This price is higher than the current price of Urals crude oil from Russia, which is the second largest oil exporter in the world.

The G7 countries and Australia will be busy in the coming weeks determining two additional price caps for Russian refined oil products. These prices are due to be in effect by 5 February, according to a US Treasury official.

The official stated that "I think that the point is that now that we've been in a position to set the ceiling at $60, we have all of the leverage and control. Any adjustments will be made in the best interests of the G7, Ukraine and the global economy. It will not be in Russia's interest."

ZELENSKIY - TROOPS

The Ukrainian military stated late on Tuesday (6 December) that Russian forces continued to shell villages and towns on the battlefields in eastern, northeastern, and southern Ukraine.

Six people were killed when Donetsk was hit by rocket and artillery fire. Alexander Kulemzin (Russian-installed mayor of Donetsk) reported the incident in his Telegram channel.

"Look at what they have done," said Irina, pointing towards the flat that had been destroyed. "There are people over there... Go to the fields and fight over there, not here."

Dmytro Zovytsky (the governor of Sumy, near the Russian border) said that several people were injured when Russian forces fired 226 rounds on seven communities.

Investigators investigating war crimes are currently looking into the deaths and injuries of hundreds of civilians in the nearly 10-month-old conflict. Russia denies that it targeted civilians in a special operation to rid Ukraine from dangerous nationalists.

On Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, visited troops near the front lines of eastern Ukraine.

Zelenskiy addressed servicemen in Kyiv later, saying he had spent the day in Donbas, the theatre of the most severe battles, as well as in Kharkiv, the region where Ukrainians have retaken large swathes of Russian territory.

Zelenskiy, dressed in his signature khaki green, stated that thousands of Ukrainians had given their lives in order to see the day when no occupying soldier will remain on our land.

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