Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 288

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 288th day, we take a look at the main developments.

Service members with the Ukrainian Army's 10th Mountain Assault Brigade unit prepare a BM-21 Grad self- propelled multiple rocket launcher
Soldiers with the Ukrainian army's 10th Mountain Assault Brigade unit prepare a self- propelled multiple rocket launcher in Bakhmut region of Ukraine [File: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters]

Here is the situation as it stands on Thursday, December 8:

Fighting

  • Russian shelling has killed at least six people and set buildings on fire in the eastern Ukrainian town of Kurakhove, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin says the fighting in Ukraine could last for a long time but there is no need to mobilise additional soldiers.
  • Russian forces killed at least 441 civilians in the early days of the invasion, according to the United Nations human rights office.
  • Belarus plans to move military equipment and forces in a “counterterrorism” exercise amid fears that Russia could attack Ukraine from Belarus.INTERACTIVE- WHO CONTROLS WHAT IN EASTERN UKRAINE 287

Energy

  • Russian forces have fired more than 1,000 rockets and missiles at Ukraine’s power grid, which is still working despite taking considerable damage, Interfax Ukraine news agency cited a senior official as saying.
  • Uzbekistan’s energy minister says they will not agree to political conditions that would jeopardise its national interests after a Russian proposal for a “gas union” included the Central Asian country.
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Diplomacy

  • Putin says the risk of a nuclear war is rising but insists Russia has not “gone mad” and sees its own nuclear arsenal as a purely defensive deterrent.
  • The United States has denounced Putin’s comments as “loose talk” on nuclear weapons but says Moscow would not attack first.
  • Political consultations between Turkey and Russia will be held in Istanbul on Thursday and Friday to discuss regional issues, the Turkish foreign ministry has said.
  • The European Commission has proposed a ninth package of sanctions on Russia, including adding nearly 200 additional individuals and entities to the sanctions list.
  • Western nations have slammed the environmental destruction brought about by Russia’s invasion at a high-stakes UN summit on biodiversity in Montreal.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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