[W:855]interesting images

[Rogue Valley]

The military physician Yulia Kuzmenko (Sheremet case) in a Kyiv courtroom yesterday. A police SWAT team transferred her to and from court due to two dozen
combat veterans showing up in court to lend their support to Yulia. She was ordered held in a detention facility until her next court date. This entire case has
a smell about it and Zelenskyy could face serious and significant pushback from Ukraine's military veterans who don't fully trust him.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The Odesa City Council Building. Ukraine's third most populous city and no doubt the most corrupt city in all of Ukraine. Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov is under multiple indictments. If the trials are held
in Kyiv he will probably be convicted. Held in a Odesa court and he will be released. Not a good situation and one in which so-called "corruption fighter" president Zelenskyy is avoiding like the plague.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Most Friendly To Ukraine Countries (%). Lithuania, Canada, Poland, USA, Estonia.

Most hostile to Ukraine States (%). Russia, Hungary, Belarus, Serbia, France.

Polls taken by the 'Ukrainian Prism' think tank in Kyiv. Ukrainians were polled but I'm not sure of the sample numbers or the methodology used.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Yesterday, the Cabinet banned all gambling houses in Ukraine and state lotteries. Right now only the national lottery games are legal. Police raided 500 gambling establishments and shut them down.
I think the government wants to get a handle on regulating the large and lucrative gambling industry in Ukraine. Admittedly, it has gotten completely out of hand.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The food served at UA military bases must meet or exceed approved nutritional standards and are purchased through a program of authorized food vendors.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The first local elections of the united territorial communities (UTC) are held today in 23 regions of Ukraine. Two police officers are assigned to every voting location.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Long line of Russians waiting to lay flowers on Stalin's tomb. Disgusting. The mass murderer would have been 140 years old on December 18.

 

[Rogue Valley]

A suspect arrested fleeing Kharkiv in 2018 by SBU agents received a 10 year prison sentence yesterday. Acting for a monetary reward on behalf of the
Russia-occupied LNR, he planted an explosive device at a critical rail junction in Kharkiv. Informed of the scheme, the SBU had the mobile-phone receiver
unit in the explosive device switched out with a harmless dummy component. The perpetrator was then arrested fleeing the scene.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Christmas tree in the city of Dnipro (1,000,506). Outdoor skating rink and outdoor concert also in view.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The snow is beginning to accumulate in the Carpathians. They actually use large sleighs pulled by a team of horses each with a collar of jingle-bells around their necks.
With flaming torches illuminating the way, traveling like this through the mountains at night is a surreal experience. Snowshoes are also a must.

 

[Rogue Valley]

European Karate Champion (55 kg division) Anzhelika Terliuga of Ukraine.

 

[Rogue Valley]

The view from on top of Ukraine's national Christmas tree on St. Sophia Square in the heart of Kyiv.

 

[Rogue Valley]

A Soviet PMN-2 mine. The Russian military is seeding its fortifications in Donbas with this landmine. Ukraine destroyed all of its stocks of PMN mines in 2012. This is another sign that Russian
forces are active in Ukraine. The materials of this mine are mostly composed of durable plastic to mitigate metal detectors. The X on the top is a pressure-plate. Inside is an RDX/TNT explosive mixture.
When you turn and withdraw the arming key, the mine goes live in about ten seconds. This will take the leg off an adult at a minimum. 192 children have been killed by mines in Donbas since 2014.

 

[Rogue Valley]

It is still snowing in the Carpathians. Travel is difficult.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Meet Catherine. She originally volunteered at the 169th Desna Training Center and spent a year on the front as a gunner
in the 10th Mountain Assault Battalion. She then took courses in medicine and contracted with the military as a medic.
Her call sign is "Guardian Angel".

 

[Rogue Valley]

In the holiday spirit in Ivano-Frankivsk.

 

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The Gothic style Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin built in 1901 in Sumy.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Color guard of the 80th Air Assault Battalion headquartered in Lviv.

 

[Rogue Valley]

Christmas carolers bringing joy and enjoying the holiday season.

 

[Rogue Valley]

29y.o. Herman Soloviov KIA in enemy shelling on Dec 22. Born in 1994 in Kamyanske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; lived in Dnipro.
Enlisted in September 2018, serving as a mechanic and driver in the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Kholodny Yar”.
Russian forces do not honor the Donbas ceasefire even during the holiday season.

 

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З Різдвом Христовим з України! Merry Christmas from Ukraine!