Ukrainian military intelligence said that it does not rule out the launch of a Russian attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus, but Moscow denied these allegations, while the bombing operations continue in the east and south of the country, as the Ukrainian authorities announced that 7 people were killed in Kherson.
The Director of Ukrainian Military Intelligence, General Kirillo Budanov, stated that Russia's launch of an attack from the territory of Belarus is not excluded, but it remains a weak possibility, as he put it.
The Ukrainian side's concerns have increased after Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Belarus, where he discussed with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko the establishment of a unified defense sphere.
For its part, Moscow denied Ukraine's allegations, and said that the mission of the military union between it and Minsk is to repel any possible aggression on the territory of Belarus.
Turkey forecast
On the other hand, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said during a press conference in Ankara today, Saturday, that the war in Ukraine "does not seem to end easily," referring to Western military aid to Kiev and Moscow's determination to achieve its goals.
"It would not be wrong to say that despite our good intentions and our calls for a ceasefire, the war is likely to continue in 2023," Akar added - whose country is a member of NATO playing a mediating role in the conflict between its two neighbors on the Black Sea.
However, he renewed Turkey's call for a cease-fire, "at least a cease-fire for humanitarian reasons. Then a permanent cease-fire, then peace talks," he said.
The effects of the bombing on the city of Kherson this morning (Reuters)
Kherson bombing
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today condemned the Russian bombing, which he described as "terrorist" on the city of Kherson, in the south of the country, where at least 7 people were killed.
Zelensky said on social media, "Saturday morning, on Christmas Eve, in the city center. It is not military installations, it is not a war according to what is known. It is terrorism and killing to intimidate and enjoy" killing.
According to the Ukrainian presidency and the governor of the Kherson region, Yaroslav Yanushevich, "the attack claimed the lives of 7 people and wounded 58 residents, 18 of whom are in serious condition."
A previous report by the Public Prosecution stated that 8 were killed and 17 others were wounded.
On the other hand, the pro-Moscow authorities in Donetsk (eastern Ukraine) said that 4 people were injured as a result of Ukrainian shelling on the neighborhoods of Donetsk city and province.