Nikopol, Kharkiv Shelled l Ukraine Kills 340 Russian Troops l US Slams Putin’s “Loose Talk” On Nukes

Ukraine’s General Staff claims that Russian troops attacked residential areas in several regions on December 7. Russia allegedly also used heavy artillery to fire 70 times at Nikopol and the Marhanetska and Chervonohryhorivka communities. Ukraine’s military said that it killed over 340 Russian troops over the last 24 hours. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said that local authorities in the capital city are prepared for the worst. According to CNN, Ukrainian officials have in recent months urged the US to provide Kyiv with cluster munition warheads. The Kremlin said that a US military aid spending bill providing $800 mn to Ukraine was “confrontational“ towards Russia. The US has denounced Russia’s “loose talk” on nuclear weapons after Putin said Moscow would use them in response to an enemy strike. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia’s war on Ukraine is “a strategic failure”. The European Commission has proposed a ninth package of sanctions on Russia, which is likely to include