Ukrainian soldiers in a tank in the direction of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Dec. 1, 2023.
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At least two people were reportedly killed in Russian shelling in the Kherson region on Sunday, while 18 attack drones fired from occupied Crimea were downed overnight, according to Ukrainian officials.
Along with attacks by air, intense fighting continues along defensive lines in Ukraine’s south and east, particularly Maryinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used his nightly address to thank those who had not forgotten about fighters on the front line and people living in occupied areas. Ukraine is preparing new military support packages from its partners and strengthening air defenses, he said.
Last week, Zelenskyy said the war had entered a new phase as harsh weather sets in and the country braces itself for a rise in Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, a strategy Moscow employed last winter.
Zelenskyy also told AP in an interview that Ukraine had “wanted faster results” in this year’s counteroffensive, which has made limited progress in the face of deeply entrenched Russian defenses. Ukraine says it needs to boost its own defensive lines for the winter.
On Sunday, Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said it launched an investigation into a video that circulated online over the weekend. The video appeared to show two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers who were surrendering as prisoners being shot at close range by people in Russian uniforms. CNBC has not independently verified the footage.
In an announcement on Telegram, the prosecutor general’s office said the killing of prisoners of war was “a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions and is classified as a grave international crime,” according to a Google translation.
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