Ukrainian servicemen unload a plane with US Javelin anti-tank missiles at Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport, February 11, 2022 (Sergey Supinsky/AP/Getty)

Monday’s Coverage: Zelensky Anticipates “Important Decision” from US on Military Aid

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1652 GMT:

Ukraine claims that its sea drones have downed a Russian aerial military target for the first time.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency HUR said a Magura V5 sea drone equipped with missiles shot down an Mi-8 helicopter. The downing occurred in a battle near Cape Tarkhankut on the west coast of occupied Crimea on December 26.

Another helicopter was struck but returned to a Russian airfield.

UPDATE 1405 GMT:

Italy is allocating €13 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

The Italian Foreign Ministry noted that the commitment is being made as Russia continues attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure: “Italy’s donation is a testament to global solidarity and highlights the Fund’s undisputed importance in providing timely and effective assistance to the Ukrainian energy sector.”

Ukraine President Denys Shmyhal said:

Despite dozens of Russian attacks on our energy infrastructure, we have withstood and maintained system integrity. We have launched a large-scale recovery campaign. We have attracted over €1 billion in contributions from partners to the Ukrainian Energy Support Fund. We are using these funds to purchase equipment and restore light and heat to people’s homes.

UPDATE 1258 GMT:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reiterated that Russia will not enter negotiations unless Ukraine accept indefinite Russian occupation of part of the country.

Lavrov said Ukraine must renounce the objective of liberating its territory up to internationally-recognized 1991 borders.

UPDATE 1250 GMT:

Exchanging New Year’s greetings with Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has declared that China and Russia consistently advance together on a "path of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party".

Xi added, "The political mutual trust and strategic coordination between the two sides have continuously marched to a higher level under the strategic guidance of the two leaders."

UPDATE 1243 GMT:

Russian missile and drone attacks injured at least one person and damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in the Kyiv and Sumy regions overnight.

The Russians launched 21 missiles, including six Iskander ballistic missiles and one Kinzhal aeroballistic missile, and 40 drones.

Air defenses downed 6 of 21 missiles and 16 of the drones, Ukraine's Air Force said. Another 24 decoy drones were lost to electronic counter-measures.

A woman in the Kyiv region was concussed after falling debris damaged the roof of a house and smashed its windows. In the capital, missile wreckage fell onto the roof of a home in the Darnitskyi district.

Russian attacks also damaged infrastructure in the town of Shostka in the Sumy region, as well as 12 residential buildings, two educational institutions, three boiler houses, a health care clinic, and dormitory.

UPDATE 0732 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the freeing of 189 citizens by Russia, in one of the largest prisoner exchanges during Moscow's 34-month invasion.

The release included 87 Armed Forces service members, 43 National Guard members, 33 border guards, 24 sailors, and two civilians. The freed soldiers included defenders of Mariupol, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and Snake Island.

Ukraine freed 150 Russian military service members.

Zelensky also spoke about the visit of a Ukrainian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, to the new Syrian government.

This is a demonstration of Ukraine’s leadership and swiftness in foreign policy – exactly what can provide the necessary advantage. We can help restore stability in Syria after years of Russian interference, and this will undoubtedly help us restore peace for ourselves as well.

The visit was preceded by Ukraine's first shipment of food aid, 500 tons of wheat flour, to Syria.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: The US has announced almost $6 billion in military and budget aid for Ukraine.

The Biden administration is trying to dispense all of the $60.8 billion in military aid, authorized by Congress in April, before Donald Trump returns to the White House in three weeks.

President Joe Biden said in a statement, “I’ve directed my administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible. At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office.”

The package includes almost $2.5 billion in weapons. Around $3.4 billion in economic assistance will pay for critical government services, including salaries for civilian government and school employees, healthcare workers, and first responders.

In his nightly address on Sunday, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky anticipated the "important decision" by Washington: "This support is crucial to stabilizing the front lines—every additional supply from our partners means more saved lives of our soldiers."