[RYAN ROBERTSON]

IT WASN’T CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ILLUMINATING THE SKY IN CRIMEA OVERNIGHT – 

UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAY THIS IS VIDEO OF AN AIRSTRIKE AGAINST A RUSSIAN NAVY WARSHIP.

THE SIZE OF THE INITIAL BLAST AND SECONDARY EXPLOSIONS INDICATE UKRAINE LIKELY USED A DEEP STRIKE MISSILE LIKE THE STORM SHADOW…AND THE SHIP WAS LIKELY LADEN WITH OTHER EXPLOSIVE MUNITIONS.

ACCORDING TO THE UKRAINIAN AIR FORCE – THE SHIP WAS THE NOVOCHERKASSK (NOVO-CHIR-CASK) – A LARGE RUSSIAN LANDING VESSEL DOCKED IN THE CRIMEAN PORT OF FEODOSIA (FAYO-DOSSA). UKRAINIAN SOURCES SAY THE SHIP WAS DESTROYED…AND OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE SEEMS TO CONFIRM THOSE REPORTS.

IF THE SHIP’S CREW WAS ABOARD, DOZENS OF SAILORS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED….BUT RUSSIA’S MINISTRY OF DEFENSE TOLD A STATE-RUN NEWS OUTLET THE SHIP WAS ONLY DAMAGED IN THE STRIKE….ADDING JUST ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND TWO OTHERS INJURED.

THE MINISTRY SAID THE TWO UKRAINIAN FIGHTER-JETS INVOLVED IN THE STRIKE WERE ALSO SHOT DOWN SHORTLY THEREAFTER…BUT THAT CAN’T BE CONFIRMED. 

THE STRIKE IS THE LATEST EXCHANGE IN THE WAR THAT, ACCORDING TO SOME, IS FADING INTO THE BACKGROUND AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR PLAYS OUT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

BUT, WHILE GLOBAL SUPPORT AND INTEREST MAY BE FADING – THE WAR IS NOT – AND UKRAINE CONTINUES TO APPROVE ITS PROWESS WITH THE WESTERN WEAPONS IT HAS LEFT. 

UKRAINE SAYS IT TOOK DOWN 5 RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS OVER  THE CHRISTMAS WEEKEND USING PATRIOT MISSILES SUPPLIED BY WESTERN ALLIES.

WHILE UKRAINE’S REPORT HAS YET TO BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED – IF TRUE – IT WOULD BE AN IMPRESSIVE FEAT…AND  CALLS INTO QUESTION WHETHER RUSSIA CAN STILL CLAIM AIR DOMINANCE IN SOUTHERN UKRAINE. 

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE GOOD NEWS…SAYING:

“IN JUST ONE WEEK, THE TERRORISTS HAVE MINUS 5 PLANES. THIS CHRISTMAS SETS THE RIGHT MOOD FOR THE WHOLE COMING YEAR.”

BUT THAT POTENTIAL FEAT COULD BE OVERSHADOWED BY RUSSIA’S CLAIM IT TOOK CONTROL OF MARYINKA,  A TOWN IN A STRATEGIC LOCATION ON THE EASTERN FRONT. LIKE OTHER TOWNS IN THE AREA, IT’S ALSO MOSTLY JUST RUBBLE NOW….BUT IF MARYINKA DID FALL TO RUSSIA, THAT’S A BLOW TO UKRAINE’S BATTLE PLAN AND ITS SOLDIERS’ MORALE…UKRAINE’S MILITARY LEADERSHIP MAINTAINS THE TOWN IS NOT UNDER RUSSIAN CONTROL.  

OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, RUSSIA LAUNCHED OFFENSIVES ACROSS UKRAINES ENTIRE EASTERN FRONT – STRESSING RESOURCES WHILE UKRAINE WAITS FOR MORE MILITARY AID FROM THE U.S. – CONGRESS  IS STILL STRUGGLING TO AGREE ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE – SO UKRAINIAN FORCES COULD BE WAITING A WHILE.