Day: December 28, 2024

The statement by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico regarding the termination of electricity supplies to Ukraine if gas transit is not extended beyond January 1, 2025, does not pose a threat to Ukraine’s energy security, state the director of the Energy Research Center, Oleksandr Kharchenko, and industry sources.

“In my view, Fico’s promise to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine doesn’t pose a serious threat. The volumes Ukraine currently receives from the European Union can be easily compensated through alternative connections. At most, Slovakia would lose additional revenue on top of what it will already lose from the cessation of gas transit,” the expert stated.

Industry sources confirmed to the outlet that there will be no negative consequences for Ukraine from the potential halt of electricity supplies from Slovakia.

“At present, Ukraine can receive up to 2.1 GW of electricity from the EU through four countries: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. If one of these countries halts supplies, the required volumes, within permissible limits, can be provided by the other three,” a source explained.

Fico’s threats

It is worth noting that Ukraine has refused to extend the transit of Russian gas to Europe beyond January 1, 2025. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is open to transporting gas to EU countries, but only if the gas does not originate from Russia.

Meanwhile, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been attempting to extend the gas transit agreement. In December, he traveled to Moscow for a meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Fico also threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine in retaliation for Ukraine’s refusal to continue gas transit.

For more details on the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine and whether Europe is prepared for it, see the full report by RBC-Ukraine.

Over the past day, from December 27 to 28, Russia’s army lost 1,690 soldiers, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, and 66 units of automotive equipment in the war in Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The total combat Russian losses from February 24, 2022, to December 28, 2024, are estimated to be:

• personnel – about 784,200 (+1,690) Russian troops were eliminated;
• tanks – 9,651 (+7);
• armored personnel vehicle – 19,970 (+19);
• artillery systems – 21,408 (+29);
• MLRS – 1,256;
• anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,032;
• airplanes – 369;
• helicopters – 329;
• UAV operational-tactical level – 21,013 (+14);
• cruise missiles – 3,003;
• warships/boats – 28;
• submarines – 1;
• vehicles and fuel tanks – 32,328 (+66);
• special equipment – 3,668.

Frontline updates and Russian attacks

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces are advancing near Toretsk, Velyka Novosilka, as well as in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions in the Donetsk region.

Meanwhile, in the occupied areas of the Kherson region, mass desertions among Russian troops have been reported. Blocking units are being deployed to prevent further desertions.

Last night, Russian forces launched another attack on Ukraine using Shahed kamikaze drones.

In Mykolaiv, debris from one of the drones caused a fire on the roof of a multi-story residential building.