Plane crash in Kazakhstan and heavy shelling in Ukraine on Christmas Day: key highlights from December 25.
Plane Crash in Kazakhstan
An Embraer 190 aircraft, en route from Baku to Grozny, Russia, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau.
The plane issued a distress signal while flying over the Caspian Sea. The airport in Chechnya redirected the aircraft to Makhachkala, and then to Aktau, due to reported fog in Grozny. At that time, drones were being shot down in the Chechen capital.
The plane did not reach Aktau and fell to the ground. In the crash, 38 people lost their lives, while 25 others survived.
Reports suggested that an explosion on board might have been the cause of the accident. Additionally, a video surfaced showing holes in the aircraft's fuselage. Authorities in Kazakhstan stated that preliminary conclusions are not possible without the results of investigations, while Ukraine has already blamed Russia for shooting down the plane.
Massive Attack on Ukraine
This morning, Russian forces launched a large-scale missile attack on energy facilities in Ukraine. A total of 184 aerial targets were detected in the skies over Ukraine, with most being intercepted successfully.
One of the cruise missiles even crossed into Moldovan airspace, prompting Poland to scramble its air force. Explosions were reported in several regions, including Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, etc., resulting in casualties and injuries.
Tax Increases for Individual Entrepreneurs Not Retroactive
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill to raise taxes for individual entrepreneurs starting January 1, 2025.
This legislation amended tax bill No. 11416d, which initially aimed to increase taxes retroactively—from October 1. The introduction of taxation for individual entrepreneurs has now been postponed to January 1.
Lviv Deputy Tried to Flush Bribe Down Toilet — GDB
Law enforcement officials detained a deputy from the Lviv Regional Council and the deputy mayor of one of the region's territorial communities, who allegedly demanded a bribe of 1.2 million dollars from a local entrepreneur—reportedly for helping him win a construction tender.
Photos released from the arrest show that they attempted to flush the bribes down the toilet.
Odessa Ex-Military Commissioner Arrested Again After Release from Detention
The former head of the Odessa Regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center, Yevhen Borisov, was released on bail exceeding 39 million hryvnias.
However, investigators believe he may have been planning to flee abroad after his release, which led to his arrest with two new charges announced.
Other News of the Day
- SBU drones destroyed an ammunition depot supplying the occupiers in the Kramatorsk direction—source.
- Pope Francis, in his Christmas address, called for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
- The head of the Odessa branch of the "Udar" party, Sukhanov, was detained for a one million dollar bribe—investigation.
- A soldier in Kharkiv underwent surgery after surviving 36 days with a tourniquet on his leg.
- Three Ukrainians were lost for hours in the mountains of Romania because they did not follow the rescuers' advice.