Attacks targeting the energy and military infrastructure of Ukraine and Russia continue. This morning, the Ukrainian army reported that its forces had attacked a large chemical plant in the Stavropol region in southern Russia, causing a fire. The military headquarters indicated that the Nevinnomyssky Azot plant was targeted, stating that the facility produced components for explosives and described it as one of the largest plants of its kind in Russia.
Additionally, the port infrastructure of the Sea of Azov in Temryuk, Russia, was damaged in a drone attack by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 41 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian ombudsman accused Russia on Thursday of sending "kidnapped" Ukrainian children to camps in North Korea to be "Russified and militarized" as part of its war against Kiev and the increasing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Putin Assures Modi They Are Negotiating a Joint "Peaceful Declaration" with the United States
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Friday that his government is actively working with the United States on drafting a "possible peaceful declaration" regarding Ukraine, a revelation suggesting tangible diplomatic progress beyond preliminary contacts, as reported by Efe.
"We are working together with some partners, including the United States, on a possible peace declaration," stated the Russian leader while detailing the status of the discussions at the beginning of his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Putin took advantage of the bilateral meeting to thank Modi for his personal involvement in seeking solutions and emphasized the importance of finalizing the agreements.
Orbán Believes the EU Abandons Legality by Vetoing the Purchase of Russian Energy from 2027
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed on Friday his opinion that the European Commission (EC) is abandoning legality by proposing a veto on the purchase of Russian hydrocarbons in 2027 to hinder the financing of aggression against Ukraine and increase the EU's energy independence, as reported by Efe.
"It must be pointed out that (the Commission) has deviated from the path of legality and this will have consequences later," stated Orbán in his Friday remarks to Hungarian public radio.
Negotiators from the Council of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament (EP) agreed yesterday for the EU to stop importing Russian gas as of September 2027, with a possible one-month extension for some types of contracts, and gradually move towards halting purchases of Russian oil by the end of the same year.
Modi Tells Putin that India Is "Not Neutral" in the Ukraine War
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that India does not maintain a position of neutrality in the conflict in Ukraine but actively aligns itself in favor of peace, as reported by Efe.
"In recent days, every time I have spoken with leaders of the global community and we have discussed this issue in detail, I have always said that India is not neutral. India has a clear position, and that position is in favor of peace. We support all efforts towards peace," declared the Indian leader.
The statement was made at the start of the official talks of the annual summit that both leaders hold in New Delhi.
Russia Shoots Down 41 Ukrainian Drones in Five of Its Regions and Annexed Crimea
Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 41 Ukrainian drones last night over five regions of the country and the annexed Crimean peninsula, as reported on Friday by the Russian Ministry of Defense, according to Efe.
"During the past night, between 11:00 p.m. on December 4 and 7:00 a.m. (GMT+3) on December 5, the anti-aircraft defenses intercepted and destroyed 41 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones," stated the military report published on Telegram.
Defense specified that nine unmanned aircraft were shot down over Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, and an equal number over the Samara region, more than 800 kilometers from the nearest point of the Ukrainian border.
Kremlin Awaits US Response Following Talks on Ukraine in Moscow
The Kremlin stated on Friday that Moscow was awaiting a response from Washington following the discussions between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. representatives earlier this week in the Russian capital, as reported by Reuters.
"We are now waiting for the reaction of our American colleagues to the discussion we had on Tuesday," said Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov, as cited by RIA.
He added that there are no plans for a call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, and no date has been set for a new meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.