Ukraine war live updates: Fresh wave of Russian missile attacks rocks country

Russian forces bombarded the Kherson region 30 times on Dec. 15, killing four people and injuring another nine, according to Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration. His comments were reported by Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform.

Russian shelling struck residences, transport routes, health care facilities and humanitarian aid points, Yanushevych noted.

The world’s largest shipping company, MSC, said Thursday that it is continuing to ship goods through the Black Sea, while avoiding Ukrainian ports that are deemed too dangerous, such as Odessa.

CEO Soren Toft told CNBC that while it is “of course abiding by the sanctions,” it is also continuing to transport food, humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Russia.

“I don’t think it’s my job to act politically,” he said. “There’s 150 million Russians, and I don’t think I want to deprive them of basic stuff.”

— ‌‍Karen Gilchrist‎‏

Russia could launch a new offensive in Ukraine as soon as January, according to top Ukrainian officials.

The head of Ukraine’s armed forces, General Valery Zaluzhny, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and General Oleksandr Syrsky have all spoken to The Economist magazine, published Thursday, which detailed their predictions for next year.

“The Russians are preparing some 200,000 fresh troops,” Zaluzhny told the publication.

Read more here.

-Matt Clinch

The Associated Press are now reporting, citing Ukrainian authorities, that there are said to be explosions in at least three cities in Ukraine on Friday morning – Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih in the south and the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

“Explosions in Kharkiv for the second day in a row. An infrastructure facility was previously under missile attack. There may be electrical problems … Be careful and stay in cover,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said via Telegram, according to a Google translate.

-Matt Clinch

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Friday morning explosions had hit the capital after air raid sirens had been been heard across the country.

“Explosions in Desnyan district of the capital. All services go to the place … Stay in shelters!” Klitschko said, according to a Google translation of his Telegram post.

“Another explosion in Kyiv, in the Dnipro district.”

A volley of fresh Russian attacks were expected early Friday as Reuters reported that air raid sirens were sounding in places like capital Kyiv.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the president’s office, said via the Telegram messaging app: “Do not ignore air raid alerts, remain in shelters.”

—Matt Clinch

The Pentagon will expand military combat training for Ukrainian forces, using the slower winter months to instruct larger units in more complex battle skills, U.S. officials said.

The U.S. has already trained about 3,100 Ukrainian troops on how to use and maintain certain weapons and other equipment, including howitzers, armored vehicles and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS. But senior military leaders for months have discussed expanding that training, touting the need to improve the ability of Ukraine’s company- and battalion-sized units to move and coordinate attacks across the battlefield.

A battalion can include as many as 800 troops; a company is much smaller, with a couple hundred forces.

According to officials, the training will take place at the Grafenwoehr training area in Germany. And the aim is to use the winter months to hone the skills of the Ukrainian forces so they will be better prepared to counter any spike in Russian attacks or efforts to expand Russia’s territorial gains.

— Associated Press

The European Union said it approved a new package of sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia for its war in Ukraine.

The package, whose details have not been revealed, was approved after days of deliberations during a meeting of the 27-nation bloc’s ambassadors.

The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, said the package will be confirmed by written procedure on Friday. Details will then be published in the bloc’s legal records.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, last week proposed travel bans and asset freezes on almost 200 more Russian officials and military officers as part of the new round of measures.

The targets of the latest recommended sanctions included government ministers, lawmakers, regional governors and political parties.

— Associated Press

Four ships carrying wheat and vegetable oil have left ports in Ukraine, the organization managing agricultural exports from the country said.

The ships are destined for India and Turkey.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal brokered in July among Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations, saw three key Ukrainian ports reopen after a Russian naval blockade stopped exports for months. More than 13.9 million tons of grain and other products have left Ukraine since the agreement took effect.

The deal among the signatories is set to expire in about three months.

— Amanda Macias