Mobilized Ukrainian servicemen are leaving their positions in the Soledar area of ​​the Donetsk People's Republic.

Andrey Marochko, an officer of the People's Militia of the LPR, reported this with reference to intelligence data.

“Without waiting for the tightening of measures for disciplinary offenses, some of the military personnel from among the mobilized citizens began to flee their positions and surrender to military law enforcement agencies,” RIA Novosti quotes him.

Earlier, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny asked President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a bill toughening punishment for disciplinary violations, including desertion.

If the head of the Kyiv regime approves the bill, then for failure to comply with the order, a serviceman can be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of five to eight years (now - from three to seven years).

The authors also propose to increase the duration of arrest in a guardhouse from ten to 15 days and to significantly increase the fines for disobedience.

In addition, an officer of the People's Militia of the LPR said that active preparatory work was underway in the village of Artyomovsk for military operations in urban conditions.

According to intelligence data, fortifications are being erected in the city, fortified areas are being created and trenches are being dug.

“Fire points are being set up in the apartments of civilians,” Marochko stressed.

Shelling of the DPR

Over the past day, as a result of the shelling of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, there were no victims, the headquarters of the territorial defense of the DPR reported.

“During the day on the territory of the DPR there were no casualties among civilians,” the report says.

In total, 234 different munitions were fired across the territory of the republic.

This was reported by the representative office of the Donetsk People's Republic in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine.

“Nine housing constructions were damaged in the Proletarsky, Kirovsky and Petrovsky districts of Donetsk, as well as four civilian infrastructure facilities,” the report says.

On the eve of the acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, during a meeting with Vladimir Putin, asked to help strengthen the air defense system in the DPR in connection with the increased shelling of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The head of the Russian region stressed that the country's armed forces are doing everything possible, but the republic asks to increase the number of modern air defense systems.

Shelling of Gorlovka

At 06:30 Moscow time, Ukrainian armed formations fired four 155 mm caliber shells at Gorlovka, the DPR representative office in the JCCC reported.

According to the mayor of the city, Ivan Prikhodko, a civilian was injured as a result of the shelling.

“As a result of the shelling of the Gorlovka village of the Kalinin mine, a peaceful Gorlovka woman was wounded by the VFU,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.

Patriot systems

The Patriot missile defense systems will be part of a new nearly $2 billion US military aid package to be provided to Ukraine, the White House said.

As noted in the Associated Press, the timing of sending the complexes is still unclear, since the Ukrainian military has yet to be taught how to use weapons.

The training is expected to take place at a US military base in Germany for several weeks.

At the same time, on December 21, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Washington, where he will meet with Joe Biden, and will also address the joint session of both houses of the US Congress.

The Presidents of Ukraine and the United States will discuss the strategic situation on the battlefield and Western assistance to Kyiv, as well as anti-Russian sanctions.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the transfer of Patriot complexes to Ukraine would escalate the situation and increase the risk of the US army being drawn into the conflict.

At the same time, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev said that American missile defense systems would become a legitimate target for the Russian Armed Forces if they were delivered to Kyiv.