Emergency Manager's Weekly Report
- Dec 31, 2022
- 7 min read

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Situation Report #53

Global Crisis Management Report

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Situation Report #53 (December 30th)

Military and Diplomatic Highlights:

· As of December 18th, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 17,595 civilian casualties (6,826 killed and 10,769 injured) in the country.

· The Ukrainian military is reporting the following Russian losses:

o 105,250 Soldiers (Wounded or Killed)

o 3,026 Tanks

o 6,059 Armored vehicles

o 2,010 Artillery

o 283 Aircraft

o 268 Helicopters

o 1,740 Drones

o 711 Cruise Missiles

· On December 29th Russia launched 16 kamikaze drones against Ukraine. These drones targeted critical infrastructure in the Southern, Eastern and Central parts of the country. All these drones were shot down.

· The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has donated more than 1,000 VALLON metal detectors and 100 bomb de-arming kits to Ukraine to help clear minefields and make safe reclaimed territory, civilian homes, and infrastructure.

· The UK Ministry of Defense is reporting the following:

o Lieutenant General Yevgeniy Nikiforov is likely in the process of taking over command of Russia’s Western Group of Forces in Ukraine. He would be at least the fourth commander of the formation since the invasion.

ü The continued rotation of senior Russian officers probably reflects internal divisions regarding the Russian Ministry of Defense’s future conduct of the war.

o On December 26th, the Engels Air Base in Russia was attacked for the second time in three weeks:

ü Russian media reported that uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) were responsible for the strike on the facility, one of the main operating bases of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.

ü This attack indicates that Russia is struggling to counter air threats deep inside Russia.

ü One challenge for Russia is probably the exceptional demand on its fleet of modern, medium-range air defense systems, which would typically be expected to take a major role in countering UAVs.

ü As well as providing point defense for strategic sites such as Engels, these systems are currently required in large number to protect field headquarters near the front line in Ukraine.

· The U.S. Department of Defense is reporting the following:

o An additional $1.85 Billion in security assistance has been approved for Ukraine. This assistance includes:

ü Patriot air defense battery and munitions

ü Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems

ü Precision-guided 155 mm artillery rounds

ü Mortar systems and rounds

ü Cougar Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles

ü High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles

ü Armored utility trucks

ü High-speed anti-radiation missiles

ü Precision aerial munitions

ü Grenade launchers and small arms

ü Claymore anti-personnel munitions

ü Demolition munitions and equipment

ü Night vision devices and optics

ü Tactical secure communications systems

ü Body armor and other field equipment

· The International Atomic Energy Agency is reporting that shelling damage has disconnected the Zaporizhya plant’s 330Kv backup power line. The plant is receiving offsite electricity from the last 750Kv external line.

· The three other nuclear power plants in the country are restoring previous electricity production levels after the December 29th drone attacks.

War and Atrocity Crimes Investigations Highlights:

· The Ukrainian military has documented numerous violations of Protocol ІІ to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. These violations have included but not limited to:

o Booby traps in dead soldiers and mass graves

o Soft toys and children’s backpacks rigged with explosives

o Booby traps in schools, hospitals, and apartments

· The International Committee of the Red Cross, Ukraine reported that their office in Donetsk was shelled by Russian forces. The shelling damaged the facilities and some vehicles. No personnel were injured.

· The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine reports that there are now 56,330 reported crimes of aggression and war crimes.

Humanitarian Impact and Response and Recovery Highlights:

· The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reporting the following as of December 19th:

o 17.7 million people are in need and 11.5 million people have been targeted for assistance.

o 13.6 million people have been reached with assistance.

o There are 5.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

o A total of 7.83 million people are refugees in European countries.

o A total of $4.3 billion is required to fund humanitarian activities and as of December 19th, $3.3 billion has been received.

· A humanitarian worker was killed during an attack that hit an aid distribution point in Kherson on December 15th.

· There have been reported incidents of mine accidents in Kharkivska, Khersonska and Mykolaivska oblasts.

· The French Red Cross have delivered over 7.5 million humanitarian kits to Ukraine. This assistance is intended for people who are on the road and need the most basic things (food and hygiene products). It is being issued at train stations, evacuation points and temporary shelters throughout the country.

· The Ukrainian Red Cross is continuing to evacuate residents from the Kherson region despite the fact the region has been continually shelled by Russian forces.

· On December 30th the German government delivered 28 specialized units and equipment to the Ukrainian State Emergency Services.

· The Ukrainian State Emergency Services has also received 140 special medical kits from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

· Healthcare and Public Health Updates:

o There have been 716 verified attacks on healthcare as of December 21st.

o The World Health Organization (WHO) through a UN interagency convoy delivered critical lifesaving medical supplies (medicines and consumables) to Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. These supplies will allow medical personnel to treat 10,000 people.

o WHO has also provided up to 4,000 assistive products (crutches, walking canes, walking frames, wheelchairs, catheter kits and other items) to 12 hospitals in five eastern regions.

o WHO Emergency Medical Teams have been deployed to provide acute trauma care and primary health care to populations in recently retaken regions, including Kharkiv, Kherson and Mykolayiv.

o The Izyum City Hospital facility in the Kharkiv oblast was significantly damaged, and approximately 70% of its medical equipment was either destroyed or stolen. The hospital, which served about 150,000 people before the war, can now only operate at 10% of its capacity.

o Ukrainian Red Cross mobile medical teams are starting work in the Kirovohrad region. They will help ensure access to medical care in remote settlements.

· Electrical Infrastructure Update:

o The U.S. government has been working with national labs, industry partners, and utilities to locate available equipment that can be delivered to Ukraine for emergency support:

ü The equipment identified will assist in rebuilding the country’s power transmission system.

ü The U.S. government has committed more than $53 million in support for Ukraine's electric grid.

ü The equipment identified so far was transported by the U.S. Transportation Command.

o On December 21st, the EU reported that they are working to increase electricity flows with Ukraine.

o The EU has activated their new rescEU energy reserve to facilitate the delivery of emergency generators. As of December 21st, more than 900 generators are being provided to provide emergency power to critical facilities.

· On December 24th, the European Union members agreed to channel 18 billion Euros in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in 2023 to assist in reconstruction.

Russian Dis-information Campaign Highlights:

· The National Democratic Institute has established a Disinformation Coordination Hub to monitor, assess and discuss the increasing volume of information attacks. Details are available here.

· President Putin is continuing to exaggerate the Russian economy’s resilience. However, the following is evidence to the contrary:

o The interest rate in Russia was 7.5% which is above the G20 average

o Russia's credit rating is one of the worst among the G-20 countries and the world.

o On June 27th, Russia defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time since 1918.

· Russian officials have signaled a willingness to use nuclear weapons to hold onto Ukrainian territory and then blame the West for stoking atomic fears. Here is the factcheck.

· Russia is continuing to try and dismiss or justify the mass crimes they have committed in Ukraine. Here is the factcheck.

· The Russian government continues to offer peace talks while continuing to strike civilian targets. An analysis of this is available here.

Cultural Heritage Protection Highlights:

· The UN Educational, Scientific and Educational Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to 231 sites as of December 23rd. These sites include:

o 102 Religious sites

o 18 Museums

o 81 Buildings of historical and/or artistic interest

o 19 Monuments

o 11 Libraries

· Blue Shield International completed an assessment mission in Ukraine to evaluate the effects of the war on Ukraine’s cultural sector. This report is available here.

· The Conflict Observatory has updated its analysis of potential damage to cultural sites. Their revised report includes damage to 1,602 cultural heritage sites throughout the country. The revised analysis is available here.

Sources:

· War in Ukraine: situation report from WHO Ukraine country office. Issue No. 37, 21 December 2022

· Ukraine: Situation Report, 19 Dec 2022

· Ukraine: Civilian casualties as of 24:00 18 December 2022

· Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO

· Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Twitter Page

· Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine Twitter Page

· EU Commission President’s Twitter Page

· EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Twitter Page

· IAEA Twitter Page

· United Kingdom Ministry of Defense Twitter Page

· PolyGraph Info Twitter Page