Mass shooting in Prague, new EU financial aid package for Ukraine, cannabis legalization - Thursday brief

Russia's war against Ukraine: Rundown

• Russian occupiers released 35 kamikaze drones over Ukraine on the night of December 21. Ukrainian air defense systems managed to shoot down 34 Shaheds. In the Poltava region, fragments of enemy UAVs fell on a residential building, causing damage. In the Kyiv region, a drone attack led to a fire at a warehouse, while in Mykolaiv region, the wreckage damaged an agricultural facility, causing a fire.
• The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Russia's total losses in personnel have exceeded 350,000 soldiers. On December 21 alone, Defense Forces eliminated another 1,080 invaders, 14 tanks, 31 armored vehicles, and 20 enemy artillery systems.
• In the morning, Russian occupiers shelled Nikopol with artillery, resulting in the deaths of two women aged 60 and 46, and the injury of a 86-year-old man. During the day, Russian terrorists dropped two aerial bombs on Toretsk, resulting in three fatalities and six injuries. In the evening, Russian forces launched a missile strike on Zaporizhzhia, causing damage to civilian infrastructure.

Shooting in the center of Prague, resulting in death of 15

In the center of Prague, a shooting occurred, resulting in 15 people dead. Among the victims, there are no Ukrainians. In the capital of Czechia, Prague, on December 21, a man carried out a shooting at a university in the city center. Initially, it was reported that there were 10 casualties, but later in the evening, local law enforcement clarified that the shooter killed at least 15 people and injured a minimum of 24 individuals. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine, based on information from the Czech police, as of Thursday evening, there are no Ukrainians among the victims.

According to the chief of the Czech police, Martin Vondrášek, the attacker committed suicide when law enforcement officers fired at him. Czech media reported that the shooter could be a 24-year-old student from the local university's Faculty of Philosophy David Kozak.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already responded to the incident. The head of state wrote on his account that he was deeply shocked by the news of the tragic events in Prague and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

Ukraine receives final tranche from the EU's macrofinancial aid package of €18 bln

The European Commission transferred the last tranche of 1.5 billion euros to Ukraine, as announced by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Kyiv received 18 billion euros through long-term concessional loans in 2023.

She emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement to continue providing Ukraine with the support it needs for recovery and reforms.

Ukrainian parliament legalizes medical cannabis

On December 21, the Verkhovna Rada, voted for the legalization of medical cannabis in the country, allowing the use of medicines based on hemp, their production, and scientific research. In total, 248 deputies voted "for."

Now, after approval, it will take six months for the law to take effect. The government is given six months to develop all subordinate acts and orders for this law to come into force.

NASA determines how many tons of crops Russia could have stolen in the occupied territories of Ukraine

According to NASA analysts, this year, on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine by Russian invaders, approximately 6.4 million tons of wheat and almost 1.5 million tons of sunflower seeds were harvested.

NASA Harvest research also shows that in 2023, around 7% of Ukraine's agricultural lands were neglected, primarily along the front line.

U.S. discussing the use of Russian assets for Ukraine with partners - NYT

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has initiated urgent negotiations with allies regarding the use of Russian assets to aid Ukraine.

According to officials, discussions on this matter between finance ministers, representatives of central banks, diplomats, and lawyers have intensified in recent weeks. The Biden administration insists that the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan develop a strategy by February 24, the second anniversary of the invasion.