Ukraine takes the war to Moscow
Ukrainian intelligence services assassinated a senior Russian general on the streets of Moscow on Monday, detonating a bomb strapped to his car. The killing marks a symbolic win for Ukraine, displaying its ability to bring the war to top Kremlin officials in the capital city. Asymmetric warfare was also on display over the weekend, when Ukraine struck a tanker allegedly linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Mediterranean. The attacks followed Vladimir Putin’s news conference on Friday, in which he showed no signs of readiness to end the war.
Cambodia-Thailand talks set for Xmas eve
The two Southeast Asian nations will hold peace talks this Wednesday as fresh border clashes between them stretch into their third week. Earlier this year, long-running tensions over the frontier triggered several weeks of violence until a ceasefire was brokered by the Trump administration in October. That agreement has since fallen apart, prompting fresh diplomatic efforts from China and the wider ASEAN regional grouping, led by Malaysia. The conflict has already displaced more than 150,000 people, with at least 80 dead in the most recent flare-up. Will the Christmas Eve talks bring a gift of peace?
Could a suspected Islamic State attack push Syrian groups to make a deal?
The US launched strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria after three Americans were killed during an ambush last week. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but early intelligence assessments suggest it was carried out by Islamic State. The suspected attack could have wider implications: it may push Syria’s army to join forces with the Syrian Defense Forces, a US-backed Kurdish group, as a way to deal with its challenging security issues. Turkish officials head to Damascus today to try to push the long-sought deal between these one-time rivals. But obstacles remain: the SDF wants clarity on who will govern the areas it controls in northeastern Syria. Could the threat of IS finally create the conditions for a deal?
