Page 35 - RusRPTDec23

Ukraine is threatening to attack Russia’s money-making oil and gas assets if Russia repeats last year’s winter strategy of trying to destroy Ukraine’s power and heating facilities. Ukraine's Energy Minister, German Galushchenko, said in an interview that Ukraine is contemplating potential retaliatory actions against Russia's oil and gas infrastructure as a response to potential strikes on Ukraine's electric system during the upcoming winter. Galushchenko said "It’s only fair" in the interview with Politico on November 10 during his visit to Washington, D.C., where he engaged with US lawmakers and White House officials.
Russia stockpiling missiles in anticipation of freezing temperatures. Russia is "waiting for the temperature to drop below zero" before launching mass strikes on Ukraine's energy system, Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR), said in an interview with RBC Ukraine on Nov. 6.
Energy giant DTEK calls for more air defense systems as winter looms. Ukraine needs more powerful air defense systems, such as Patriot and IRIS-T air defense systems, to better protect its critical infrastructure from Russian attacks, Maksym Timchenko, CEO of Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK, said on Nov. 17.
15 Russian warships destroyed, 12 damaged, Ukraine's navy says. Ukrainian military operations have destroyed 15 Russian warships in the Black Sea and damaged 12 others since the start of the full-scale invasion, Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk reported on Nov. 17.
Russia has lost 318,570 troops in Ukraine. Russia has lost 318,570 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported in its morning update on Nov. 19. This number includes 1,190 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Russia may begin full mobilisation after the 2024 Russian presidential election on 17 March, the secretary of the national security and defence council of Ukraine, Oleksii Danilov, has suggested. Danilov said in a speech to the International Security Forum in Halifax, Canada: Russia has managed to adapt, and constantly injects funds into its defence sector. Russia proved to be more resilient to the west’s sanctions, as expected.
Russian, Chinese companies discuss possible underwater Crimean tunnel project. Russian and Chinese state-connected business executives have reportedly begun discussing the possibility of constructing an underwater tunnel across the Crimean Strait amidst fears that Ukrainian forces will continue striking the Kerch Bridge, The Washington Post reported on Nov. 24, citing unnamed sources from Ukraine's intelligence service.
35 RUSSIA Country Report December 2023 www.intellinews.com