Euromaidan Press

Belarusian volunteer Maria Zaitseva was killed defending Ukraine. She was only 24. She was KIA in the battles near Bakhmut, where she fought as part of the 2nd International Legion. She turned 24 years just 2 days ago. Many people remember Maria from a photo taken on 9 August 2020 in Minsk, during protests against stolen elections. The girl was wounded by a stun grenade and bullets and lost hearing in one ear. Maria underwent treatment in the Czech Republic & did not return to Belarus for fear of retaliation by the Lukashenka regime. After the war started, she joined the defenders of Ukraine. Maria's friends confirmed her tragic death to @nashaniva. 📷 Viasna. Human rights in Belarus / Facebook

On 17 January, a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kryvyi Rih killed a young man and his grandmother near their home. Oleksii Akymenko, 20, was a geography student at the pedagogical university. His grandmother, Alyona, 61, was a former hospital worker. Oleksii was remembered by his peers as an engaged student passionate about teaching. "I realized that a teacher is a friend and mentor, and becoming one is a true art," he had said. Four people died in the attack. Seven people were injured, including Oleksii’s aunt. 📷Svoi Kryvyi Rih

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The military calls it "a one-way ticket." For Ukrainian soldiers, joining meant serving indefinitely under whichever commander they got - even if that meant building the commander's private house, as happened in the 211th Brigade. The numbers tell a devastating story: 88,000 desertion cases in just 10 months of 2024, nearly double 2022-2023 combined. One brigade lost 1,700 soldiers. November 2024 brought the first real change: a mobile app for unit transfers. 6,000 soldiers switched units in two months - a number revealing both hope and the depth of command problems. Yet core issues persist. While frontline soldiers serve with no end date, over 1 million government officials remain exempt under peacetime rules. The military runs on loyalty while politicians dodge hard reforms. Read more in our deep dive: https://lnkd.in/dAKtYkJf

Polish President calls for NATO to extend immediate invitation to Ukraine Duda stressed that a formal invitation could be extended now, while adding that full membership is not feasible during active combat operations.

Russia planned air terror against Polish and global airlines, Tusk reveals Tusk emphasized that these acts of sabotage represent "a version of war that Russia has declared against the entire world," highlighting the need for coordinated international response.

Following a visit to Moscow, the self-proclaimed leader of Transnistria has announced that Russia will send "humanitarian" gas to the unrecognized Russian-backed statelet in Moldova. The route, however, remains uncertain after Ukraine cut off the last pipeline carrying Russian gas to Europe through its territory. Transnistria rejected Moldova's offer to supply gas.

Two Ukrainians row across Atlantic to draw attention to Ukraine war and fund military rehabilitation. Ivan Havrylko, a Ukrainian veteran from the 503rd Marine Battalion, and a boat builder Dmytro Rezvoy are continuing their journey to Barbados as part of the Invictus Ocean / Row4Ukraine expedition. They reached a halfway mark, covering 1,540 nautical miles. Their initiative supports the YANKO Charitable Foundation's Faces of Heroes project, which provides facial reconstruction surgery for soldiers with mine-explosive injuries. A documentary titled Ocean of the Unconquered will chronicle the journey, with release planned for late 2025. The team has launched a crowdfunding campaign to secure the remainder of the journey. https://lnkd.in/dFq7xB5p 📷Invictus Ocean / Row4Ukraine Facebook

Ukraine continues its FPV drone assault on large Russian reconnaissance drones: crowndfunded Dyki Shershni FPVs strike down Russian Zalas This is the work of the 102nd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. This September, Dyki Shershni rolled out an experimental interceptor drone moving at 325 km/h. Drone-on-drone dogfights have emerged as Ukraine's main strategy to counter large Russian recon drones that guided Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's rear: https://lnkd.in/dxU5g8de 🎥 https://lnkd.in/dgEraKhx

On 13 December 2024, a Ukrainian F-16 pilot achieved an unprecedented feat, shooting down six enemy cruise missiles during Russia’s massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine. The mission, conducted amid a barrage of nearly 200 drones, ballistic missiles, and 94 cruise missiles, marked a historic first for the F-16 fighter jet. “Everything happens for the first time,” the pilot said when asked how he accomplished the extraordinary. “I tried it, and it worked.” Guided by his navigator, the pilot intercepted a formation of eight Russian cruise missiles. Despite the missiles’ electronic warfare defenses, the F-16’s radar locked on. “I launched the missiles in turn, and both targets were destroyed,” he recounted. Four air-to-air missiles were fired, each hitting its mark. But the mission wasn’t over. After using his last missile, the pilot spotted another cruise missile heading toward the capital. With only his aircraft cannon remaining, he decided to engage. “I knew it was risky—getting within 500 meters of a missile with a 450-kilogram warhead is dangerous—but I had to try,” he said. Using techniques he had practiced on U.S. simulators, he located the target and fired. The result? A direct hit - two missiles destroyed mid-flight, their “stacked” formation revealed only upon review. “I probably set a record that day,” he said. “But the main thing is the result.” When the pilot landed, applause erupted on the tarmac from fellow airmen and technicians. Even U.S. trainers were astonished to hear of his success. The mission’s success marked the first time an F-16 fighter had used its cannon to intercept cruise missiles in combat. The mission not only highlighted the skill of Ukrainian pilots but also demonstrated the potential of the F-16 in high-pressure scenarios. “This is for my brothers who never got to see the F-16 in Ukrainian skies,” the pilot said, dedicating his achievement to fallen comrades. Photo: Yuriy Ignat FB (Ignat is a Ukrainian colonel, head of the public relations service of Ukraine’s Air Force Command)