Increasing deficit in energy system, first sentence for war crime in Crimea: highlights of the day

Deficit in power system

In the morning of December 28, the electricity deficit in the system increased. This happened due to the shutdown of some units of power plants as a result of shelling of gas infrastructure in the east.

Due to relatively warm weather, no restrictions were imposed at night for the fourth day in a row. However, the available capacity in the system is not enough to meet all the needs of consumers.

Detention of former MP

At the request of Ukraine, Ukrainian businessman and former MP Kostyantyn Zhevaho was detained at a French ski resort.

French criminal police detained Zhevaho on December 27. At first, the businessman was against the detention, but later agreed to go with law enforcement officers.

The extradition arrest of Zhevaho is scheduled for December 28 in the court of Chambery. The property of the businessman and related legal entities was seized.

Sentence for war crime in Crimea

Two former employees of the Security Service of Ukraine in Crimea were sentenced in absentia to 9 and 10 years in prison. They were found guilty of torturing activist, participant of the Revolution of Dignity Oleksandr Kostenko in 2014.

Head of the Crimean Prosecutor's Office Ihor Ponochovnyi noted that this is the first sentence for violation of the laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) since the beginning of the international armed conflict in Crimea.

Shelling of Oleshky

On December 28, Russian troops shelled the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in Kherson Oblast. As a result, a woman died. In addition, as a result of Russian shelling of Oleshky on December 27, one man was killed and five others were injured.

"Oleshky are being shelled brutally. Locals tell how they saw Russian military arrive at the beach, set up mortars, shelled the town, sat down and left. After the shelling, a film crew arrives at the scene," said Mayor Yevhen Ryshchuk.

Budanov in Bakhmut

The Chief of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine Major General Kyrylo Budanov visited frontline Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, on December 27-28. Special Forces reconnaissance officers are currently working in this town.

During the visit to Bakhmut, Budanov heard the reports of the commanders of reconnaissance units, defined tasks and awarded the service members who have the greatest achievements in destroying the occupiers.

Other news:

• Acoustic sensors will be installed in Kyiv Oblast to help detect Russian missiles and drones to protect critical infrastructure in particular.
• The SBU blocked the assets of a Russian energy company that illegally imported its goods to Ukraine.
• The Kyiv Court of Appeal has imposed a pre-trial restraint in absentia on former Defense Minister Mykhailo Yezhel, as he approved the Kharkiv agreements that later facilitated Russia's occupation of Crimea.
• An earthquake occurred in Nadvirna district of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. Its magnitude was 2.4 points on the Richter scale.
• The European Commission organized a solidarity action to provide Ukrainian schoolchildren with transport to schools. Under this initiative, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Germany and the Netherlands will donate 120 school buses to Ukraine.
• The situation in the energy system of Kyiv is stabilizing. The capital is preparing to return to power outage schedules, YASNO CEO Serhiy Kovalenko said.
• Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said that Ukraine plans to develop combat UAVs that will shoot down Russian kamikaze drones.
• In Kyiv, law enforcement officers detained a collaborator who previously helped the occupiers to manage the occupied Svatove, Luhansk Oblast.