Ukraine Day 1407: LIVE UPDATES BELOW. Russia-backed forces violated the “Christmas Ceasefire.”
Yesterday’s coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here.
An Invasion By Any Other Name: The Kremlin’s Dirty War in Ukraine
Photo by Reuters
Russia-backed forces violated the “Christmas ceasefire” four times, Unian.net reported, citing the Anti-Terrorist Operation [ATO].
On the Lugansk line, militants fired 82-mm mortars, grenade-launchers, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft systems near Luganskoye. Snipers were active in Novoluganskoye and Zolotoye. Stanitsa Luganskaya was also attacked.
On the Donetsk line, at about 19:00, militants fired from Sosnovskoye on ATO positions at Pavlopol with 120-mm mortars.
The funeral of Sergei Shirkov, a special forces officer who served in the ATO took place at the Alley of Heroes at the Central Cemetery in Sumy, Unian reported. He left behind a wife and 10-year-old son.
Shirkov, age 41, was killed December 24 while performing counter-intelligence support for the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade.
— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick