For now, links to reports from the Moscow Times, Tass, the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

–   –   –

‘External impact’ caused Russian military plane crash – Tass. From the Moscow Times.  Information recovered from the “black boxes” of the Russian Il-76 military transport plane that crashed near the border with Ukraine last week indicates the aircraft was shot down, the state-run news agency TASS reported today, citing an anonymous security agency source. “The data from . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Russian forces improve positions in Donetsk area in past day — Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian Armed Forces improved their positions in the Donetsk area in the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said. “In the Donetsk area, units of Battlegroup South, backed by aircraft, artillery forces . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukraine downs Russian Su-34 fighter jet over Luhansk Region. From Kyiv Post. A Russian Su-34 fighter jet was shot down on Monday over the eastern Luhansk region, Ukraine’s military has reported. The aircraft was listed on the daily . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Kyiv denies Russia captured village in Kharkiv Oblast, by Daria Shulzhenko and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian military has denied 29 Russia’s claims about the capture of Tabaivka, a small destroyed village in Kharkiv Oblast, about 20 kilometers southeast of Kupiansk. “The enemy claims . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukrainian woman looks back on the Russian missile attack that changed her life. Reported by Elissa Nadworny | NPR  London art student Svitlana Dolbysheva was back in Ukraine for the holidays working for a foreign TV crew in Kharkiv when a Russian missile hit the hotel where she was staying. She was badly injured. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.