Ukraine Battles Back Russian Drone Attacks

Welcome to today’s Morning Brief, where we’re looking at Russia’s drone strikes against Ukraine, why Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rival faces a prison sentence, and escalating Armenia-Azerbaijan tensions.

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Russia ordered a spate of drone attacks against Kyiv on Wednesday—its first drone strikes in weeks—as the war in Ukraine nears its 10th month and Western leaders pledge greater support for Ukraine. 

Ukrainian officials said the country’s air defenses succeeded in knocking out the 13 drones, which they said were Iranian-made. Russian forces also struck an administration building in Kherson on Wednesday.

Moscow’s latest assault comes a day after reports emerged that Washington plans to give Kyiv the Patriot missile system, pending final approval by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. President Joe Biden. Sending the air defense weapon, which Ukraine has long pushed for, would mark Washington’s most advanced weapons shipment to Ukraine yet. Moscow has already warned against the move, with the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, declaring that Russia would “undoubtedly” attack the system. 

In a robust show of support, world leaders pledged more than $1 billion in aid to Ukraine this week, around $442 million of which will be earmarked for Ukraine’s decimated energy infrastructure. After sustained Russian missile strikes, nearly half of the country’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed, according to Ukrainian officials.

As temperatures plummet, the United Nations has warned that almost 7 million children lack steady heating, electricity, and water supplies. “Millions of children are facing a bleak winter huddled in the cold and the dark, with little idea of how or when respite may arrive,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. 

“Beyond the immediate threats the freezing conditions bring, children are also deprived of the ability to learn or stay connected with friends and family, putting both their physical and their mental health at desperate risk,” she added.

On Wednesday, U.S. officials said they did not expect the conflict to end in the coming months, even in more frigid weather. “Just given what we’re seeing in the air and on the ground in Ukraine, it’s difficult to conclude that this war will be over by year’s end,” said White House national security spokesperson John Kirby. “We have no expectation that the fighting will stop in the winter months to come.”

Within the United States, two U.S. lawmakers have introduced a congressional resolution urging Biden to expel Russia from the United Nations Security Council due to its “flagrant violations” of the institution’s charter, FP’s Jack Detsch and Amy Mackinnon report. (Russia is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.)

Although the plan’s feasibility is disputed, Mackinnon and Detsch write, “the move solidifies thinking both on Capitol Hill and within the Biden administration about how to curb Russian influence in Turtle Bay.”

Erdogan’s rival faces prison sentence. Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was sentenced to more than two years in prison and prohibited from running for public office for the crime of “insulting public figures.” He plans to appeal the ruling and will remain mayor for the time being. 

Imamoglu was widely seen as a popular and strong contender to challenge Erdogan in Turkey’s upcoming election, and the ruling fueled concerns that Erdogan may systematically sideline opposition leaders ahead of the vote. 

Escalating Armenia-Azerbaijan tensions. An Azerbaijani group has blocked the only road linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh for three days, intensifying tensions and spurring humanitarian concerns at a time when Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of slashing the territory’s natural gas supply. State media has characterized the Azerbaijani group as environmentalists protesting what they say is Armenia’s illegal mining in Nagorno-Karabakh, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price urged Baku to reinstate free movement along the corridor. “Closure of the Lachin Corridor has severe humanitarian implications and sets back the peace process,” he tweeted. 

Peru’s state of emergency. Facing intensifying and even deadly protests, Peru implemented a 30-day national state of emergency on Wednesday. Under the decree, the government can suspend key civil liberties and authorize police to conduct searches without having a warrant. The unrest requires “a forceful and authoritative response from the government,” said Defense Minister Luis Alberto Otárola Peñaranda. 

Kosovo eyes EU membership. Kosovo plans to formally apply for European Union membership today. “This is the opening of a new chapter,” Prime Minister Albin Kurti said. “Progress will depend on our commitment to deep and transformative reforms that strengthen our democracy and economy.”

In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, although Belgrade and several EU countries do not recognize it. Belgrade has pushed to prevent Kosovo’s application process from moving forward. 

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In a historic first, no supporters of the English and Welsh soccer teams were arrested at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to British police. At the last World Cup in Russia, three people were arrested. 

“Traditionally, we do have few arrests of our fans at World Cups, but to have zero isn’t something we have seen before,” said Mark Roberts, chief constable of the Cheshire Police Department, while describing the fans’ behavior as “absolutely exemplary” in Qatar.