Thursday Briefing: A wave of attacks on Ukraine

Plus, the year in animal celebrities

View in browser|nytimes.com December 26, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering Christmas Day attacks on Ukraine and an effort to unite rival factions in Syria. Plus: The year in animal celebrities. Rescuers tried to put out a fire on Wednesday after a drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sergey Bobok/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Russia released a wave of attacks on Ukraine Early Christmas morning, air-raid alarms and explosions sounded in Ukraine as dozens of Russian missiles and drones targeted the nation's energy infrastructure. Rescue workers and energy repair crews raced to assess the damage as missiles streaked through the skies. At least six people were wounded in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, and one person was killed in Dnipro, and officials said that the toll from strikes around the country might rise. The Ukrainian military said air defense teams had shot down 59 missiles and had either shot down or disabled most of the drones used in the attack. Ukraine's largest private energy company said the attacks caused serious damage to equipment; power outages were also declared across the country. Quotable: "Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack," said Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a statement. "What could be more inhuman?" Children resting on the remains of a Syrian Air Force helicopter at a military airport on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday. It was among military targets across Syria hit by Israeli airstrikes. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Syria's new leaders are trying to unite rebel factions A number of rebel factions agreed to dissolve and be integrated under the defense ministry, according to the Syrian state-run news service, as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the fighters who overthrew the country's leader, try to establish a single national military. Here's a visual guide to the tangled alliances and rivalries in Syria. Dissolving the rebel factions has been a top priority because "wayward factions" were acting outside their command in some rural areas, analysts said. The new administration has also appointed a caretaker prime minister to lead a transitional government until March 2025, and has promised that a legal committee will draft a new constitution. Shifting gears: Pictures posted on social media showed Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, meeting with dozens of leaders of rebel factions. Al-Shara has recently presented himself as more of a statesman than a rebel leader. Lebanon: In the coastal city of Tyre, an ancient Christian community observed a somber Christmas after months of Israeli bombardment. Gaza Strip: A U.S. diplomat criticized a new report that said famine was "highly likely" in part of the enclave, saying that it relied on "outdated and inaccurate" population data. Syrian Christians paraded through the streets, under the watch of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters, in Damascus on Christmas Day. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times A holiday of color and light Christmas, the Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus, was celebrated yesterday with presents, decorations and song, as has been done for centuries. See photos from celebrations around the world. Chrismukkah: Members of interfaith families (including your Briefing writer) observed two holidays on the same day this year. Read an account by Dan Saltzstein, an editor at The Times. Related: Pope Francis called for peace, asking for cease-fires in Ukraine and in Gaza. Every December, Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrates its rich history with a radish-carving competition. See the entries. In his Christmas speech, King Charles III thanked medical workers and praised communities that came together after anti-immigrant riots in Britain this summer. MORE TOP NEWS Amilton Neves/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Mozambique: At least 56 people have been killed since Monday, a government official said, as police officers and protesters have clashed over the results of a disputed presidential election. Kazakhstan: In a plane crash near the city of Aktau, 38 people died but at least 29 survived, the authorities said. Haiti: At least three people were killed, including two journalists and a police officer, when armed men fired on reporters at a hospital in Port-au-Prince. Politics: President Biden will seek solace and "relief" during a visit with Pope Francis next month, according to people familiar with his plans. Afghanistan: When the U.S. hired private militias to fight the Taliban, they laid the groundwork for the Taliban's victory, a Times investigation found. U.S.: Twenty big cats, including a half-Bengal tiger and four cougars, died from avian flu between late November and mid-December at a sanctuary in Washington State. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Brian Barry-Murphy, the former Manchester City coach, is set to join Ruud Van Nistelrooy's backroom staff at Leicester City. Best of: The Athletic's top stories from 2024. Tennis: Our tennis writers answer your questions. MORNING READ Randy Forbes for The New York Times These seniors are taking their golden years one 12,500-foot leap at a time. Wuest Ways is a group of older sky divers, based in Southern California, that started in 1987. Watch them soar. Lives lived: Desi Bouterse, who ruled Suriname first as a brutal dictator and then as a populist president, and who was convicted of murdering political opponents, has died at 79. CONVERSATION STARTERS 'A Complete Unknown': Timothée Chalamet makes a cool Bob Dylan in this biopic — though not as cool as the original, our critic writes. Read our review. Eat Up: Why celebrities all go to the same restaurants. (It's not just to see and be seen.) From Opinion: Times staff members shared how they escaped it all this year. ARTS AND IDEAS Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images Nonhuman newsmakers Of all the starlets who hit the headlines this year, only one had a body that was routinely compared to a potato and a name that came from a type of meatball. She was, of course, Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo who, at just 2 months old, inspired a character on "Saturday Night Live." Moo Deng was far from the only animal celebrity who made news this year, whether as a celebrity, a political weapon or a cautionary tale. Read about them. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cook: These latkes are a classic for a reason. Eat: Some dairy products are easier to digest than others. Here's a guide. Travel: Next year, millions of Christian pilgrims will visit Rome for the Catholic Jubilee. Here are five of the city's quieter churches. Prepare: Doing Dry January? Set yourself up for success. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018