Day 625 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Fewer and Fewer Ukrainians Want to Serve in the Army

Day 625 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• The soldiers of Ukraine are being depleted - what is Kyiv doing
• The Ukrainian military claims that Russian attacks on Avdiivka are intensifying
• Civilian casualties in Russian missile strikes in Kherson region
• Abu Dhabi to limit exports of dual-use goods to Russia
• Putin will answer citizens' questions - on December 14
• The EU is considering continuing financial and military aid to Ukraine with national guarantees
• Deputy NATO Secretary General: We are in the midst of a geopolitical earthquake

The soldiers of Ukraine are being depleted - what is Kyiv doing

More than a year and a half after the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, fewer and fewer Ukrainians want to serve in the army. This is confirmed by military commanders, as well as the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. He explained to the Economist magazine the reasons for this: the protracted war, the limited possibilities to replace the soldiers at the front and some loopholes in the legislation, allowing mobilization to be avoided.

Military psychologist and army officer Andriy Kozinchuk confirms this assessment: "People are running out at the front - they die, are maimed, get sick, get old. In my battalion, three soldiers were sent home because they turned 60. I myself am currently in hospital. There is a shortage of fighters. Without people, we will not be able to do anything, even if we have modern drones, tanks and planes. They are served by...