Russia has already suffered colossal losses in manpower and equipment in the direction of Avdijivka, but continues its deadly attacks to surround the city. In its latest analysis, the Institute for Military Studies (ISW) reported that Russian forces were advancing in the direction of Avdijivka.
Important Friday 22 December at 5.50am:
– ISW: Russian troops advance in the direction of Avdijivka;
– According to the BBC, Ukraine needs hundreds of billions for reconstruction.
ISW: Russian troops advance in the direction of Avdijivka
In its latest analysis, the Institute for Military Studies (ISW) reported that Russian forces were advancing in the direction of Avdijivka.
Geotagged footage released on December 19 shows Russian forces advancing around Krasnohorivka. Nearby is the Avdijivka coke factory, around which fierce battles also take place. Russian war bloggers also claim that Russian troops advanced in the direction of Stepov. However, ISW reported that there is no geotagged footage confirming that Russian forces were able to advance into the area.
Ukrainian and Russian sources also report that fierce battles are taking place near Siverne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske. A representative of the Ukrainian brigade operating in Avdijivka said that there is room for maneuver in the area and therefore Russia will continue to conduct attacks.
The Russian troops moved a little further in the direction of Bahmut. Geotagged footage released on December 20 shows that Russian troops were advancing near Kliššivka. A Russian blogger claimed that Russian troops were also advancing in the direction of Bohdanivka.
According to the BBC, Ukraine needs hundreds of billions for reconstruction
Ukraine is on the brink of a massive reconstruction programme, but Western donors may be put off by corruption and the threat of theft of money meant to rebuild the war-torn territory, UNIAN news agency reported on Thursday, citing an article from the British national broadcaster BBC.
According to the BBC, the first projects implemented in Butsha should demonstrate the willingness of Ukrainians to be transparent in the use of Western aid.
It is estimated that at least 245,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in Ukraine.
In February this year, the World Bank estimated that rebuilding Ukraine would cost $411 billion. But even greater destruction has occurred since then.
“International donors have expressed concerns about the proper accounting of funds. The European Union has placed the fight against corruption at the center of Ukraine’s accession efforts, and Ukraine ranked 116th out of 180 countries in the index Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Survey,” the BBC highlighted.
“The goal of restoring Bucha, which suffered extensive destruction at the very beginning of the invasion, is to demonstrate that Ukraine is capable of rebuilding,” Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Infrastructure Agency said.
The stakes are high because if the world saw the corruption, international funding would not come, the BBC noted.
At the same time, the BBC admitted that Ukraine’s efforts to fight corruption in recent years have begun to bear fruit. Ukraine is one of ten countries that has consistently improved its position in the corruption prevalence index ranking, rising by as many as 28 places in a decade.
The BBC also highlighted that several high-profile dismissals have occurred in connection with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s anti-corruption campaign. The Minister of Defense, his deputies, the heads of all regional military registration and recruiting offices and the President of the Supreme Court of Ukraine remained without their posts.
2023-12-22 03:54:00
isw-russian-troops-advance-in-the-direction-of-avdijivka-foreign-country