China has a new defense minister, the US secretly launches a spacecraft, and a UN convoy is attacked in Gaza.

Russia will not back down in the war in Ukraine, Greek ship hit a mine in the Black Sea, Netherlands declares need to prepare for war with Russia, Türkiye stops terrorist plot... are some of the highlights in the past 24 hours.

General Dong Jun was appointed as China's new Defense Minister. (Source: SCMP)

The World and Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Russia-Ukraine

*Russia completes airstrike targets in Ukraine: The Russian military announced on December 29 that it had hit all targets in dozens of attacks on Ukraine over the past week, with the latest raid killing at least 16 people.

"In the period from December 23 to 29, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out 50 group attacks and one large-scale attack... All targets were hit," the Russian military said in a daily update. (TASS)

*Russia “will not back down” in war in Ukraine: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on December 29 that Russia’s latest missile attack on Ukraine showed that President Vladimir Putin “will not back down in order to achieve his goal of eliminating freedom and democracy.”

“We will not let him (President Putin) win,” Mr Sunak wrote on his social media account X. “We must continue to stand with Ukraine as long as we can.” Hours earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched one of its most intense air strikes on Ukrainian territory, with around 110 missiles.

According to the Ukrainian military, it was the largest Russian airstrike on Ukrainian territory since the war between the two countries broke out in February 2022. (DW)

*Russia draws up list of retaliation if $300 billion seized: The Kremlin announced on December 29 that Moscow has a list of Western assets that could be seized in retaliation if the Group of Seven (G7) moves forward with discussions on a proposal to seize $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.

Germany , France, Italy and the European Union (EU) have expressed reservations about the idea of ​​seizing Russian assets, saying that the legality of such a measure should be considered first. The EU, the UK and France stressed that the money received through the seizure would not be easily accessible and would not be enough to cover Ukraine's reconstruction needs. They also noted that the seizure of Russian assets should not jeopardize the provision of financial assistance to Kiev in 2024. (Sputnik News)

*Russia to receive 1,500 more tanks, 22,000 UAVs in 2023: According to the year-end document of the Russian Ministry of Defense, in 2023, the country's army received more than 1,500 tanks and 22,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The document reads: "Completeness: over 84%. Delivered: more than 1,500 tanks, more than 2,200 armored fighting vehicles, more than 1,400 rocket and artillery vehicles, more than 22,000 UAVs". In addition, the Russian army also received more than 12,000 cars, of which armored vehicles accounted for more than 10% (1,400 units). (TASS)

Asia-Pacific

*China has a new Minister of Defense: Xinhua News Agency reported on December 29 that China has appointed Mr. Dong Jun as the new Minister of Defense. The decision was approved at a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC).

Dong Jun, born in 1961 in Shandong Province, replaces his predecessor, Li Shangfu, who was dismissed in October. He has served in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) since the late 1970s and was deputy chief of staff of the North Sea Fleet. The South China Morning Post said that Dong Jun's appointment as the new defense minister could further facilitate high-level military contacts between the US and China. (THX)

*India to launch 50 border surveillance satellites: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Sreedhara Somanath said the country plans to create a multi-orbital satellite constellation to monitor its borders by launching 50 satellites in the next five years.

ISRO will keep its space objects connected to each other, meaning a satellite in a higher orbit, when it detects a certain event or phenomenon, can transmit the information to a satellite in a lower orbit that is in a better position to capture a larger picture and analyze it, said Sreedhara Somanath. (The Economic Times)

Europe

*Latvia deports more than 1,000 Russian citizens: The Latvian Citizenship and Migration Service said it has decided to deport 1,213 Russian citizens who failed to submit documents for permanent residence within the specified time limit.

The agency said on December 28 that citizens had to submit documents before the deadline set by the revised immigration law - November 30 - and that those who were deported did not submit documents, did not obtain a residence permit and did not leave the country. The agency also noted that the final number of deportees would be updated. (Reuters)

*Terrorist attack by truck in Germany: On December 29, a truck suddenly plowed into a crowd of pedestrians near the train station in the center of Passau, southern Germany. According to local police, the incident left a 37-year-old woman dead on the spot due to severe injuries, while 4 others were injured. Among the victims was an 11-year-old child of the unfortunate woman mentioned above.

The truck driver (63 years old) was also injured and taken to hospital for treatment. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The police said "this was a normal accident situation". (DW)

*The Netherlands says it needs to prepare for war with Russia: De Telegraaf newspaper on December 28 quoted outgoing Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch Armed Forces Martin Wijnen as saying that the country's army needs to recruit 2,000-3,000 volunteers each year to prepare for the risk of war with Russia. Lieutenant General Wijnen shared: "The Netherlands is really worried about war and our society must prepare for that."

Mr Wijnen pointed out that Dutch society should also prepare for a conflict with Russia. According to him, much larger numbers of reservists and volunteers are needed to keep the army functioning. Earlier, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that the Netherlands had informed Kiev about the preparation of 18 F-16 fighter jets for transfer to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU). (De Telegraaf)

*Greek cargo ship hit by mine in Black Sea: On December 28, Greek national television station ERT reported that a Greek-owned cargo ship was damaged by a mine in the Black Sea, with three crew members slightly injured.

According to a source at the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Maritime Affairs, the incident occurred on December 27 and the crew of the Panamanian-flagged vessel was 18. The injured included two Greek citizens - the captain and first mate - as well as an Egyptian cook.

The cargo ship was en route to a port in Ukraine to load grain when it encountered trouble. Tugboats were sent to tow the stricken vessel to the port. (AFP)

*Germany cancels most forms of cooperation with Russia: Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev said on December 29 that almost all forms of bilateral cooperation are now being abolished or frozen at Berlin's initiative.

“As for the current contacts, almost all forms of interaction were abolished or frozen at the initiative of Germany,” Ambassador Nechaev asserted, not at Russia’s option.

The conflict in Ukraine has had a major impact on relations between Russia and Germany. In May, the German government said that only one of the five Russian consulates in Germany would be allowed to operate, along with the Russian embassy in Berlin. Germany also closed its consulates in Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, leaving only the embassy in Moscow and the consulate in St. Petersburg. The measure was taken in response to Moscow's decision to reduce the number of German diplomatic staff in Russia, which was a retaliatory move after Berlin expelled dozens of Russian diplomats in April. (DW)

*NATO scrambled more than 300 times to respond to Russian aircraft in 2023: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said on December 29 that the air force of this military alliance had to scramble more than 300 times to respond to Russian military aircraft in 2023.

NATO spokesman Dylan White stressed: "NATO fighter jets carry out missions around the clock, ready to take off in case of suspicious or unannounced flights near allied airspace."

After Russia's attack on Ukraine last February, NATO significantly strengthened its air defenses on its eastern flank with more fighter jets, surveillance flights and a ground-based air defense network. (Reuters)

*France condemns Russia's "terrorist strategy" in Ukraine: The French Foreign Ministry on December 29 issued a statement condemning Russia's "terrorist strategy" in Ukraine after Russian military attacks killed at least 16 people in the war-torn country.

“Russia continues its terrorist strategy aimed at destroying Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and undermining the resilience of the Ukrainian people… In close coordination with its partners, France will continue to support Ukraine and provide the necessary aid to enable it to defend itself,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (AFP)

Middle East – Africa

*UN convoy attacked in Gaza: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced on December 29 that a convoy carrying aid into the Gaza Strip was attacked by the Israeli army.

“Israeli soldiers fired on a convoy of aid vehicles as it returned from the northern Gaza Strip along a route designated by the Israeli army. The head of the convoy and his staff were not injured, but one vehicle was damaged,” UNRWA Director Tom White wrote on social media X. The incident took place on the afternoon of December 28, according to UNRWA.

Earlier, the UN (UN) Under-Secretary-General for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths described the incident as “an impossible situation for the people of Gaza and those trying to help them.” Mr. Griffiths confirmed that the aid convoy had been fired upon but did not give further details. (Reuters)

*Turkey thwarts terrorist plot: Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on December 29 that in Operation Heroes-37 deployed in 9 provinces and cities, the country's authorities arrested 29 people suspected of having ties to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.

On the social media platform X, Minister Yerlikaya stated that the suspects arrested in Operation Heroes-37 on December 29 were planning to attack churches and synagogues in Istanbul.

The Turkish government has stepped up operations against IS and Kurdish militants in recent times, after Kurdish rebels detonated a bomb near government buildings in the capital Ankara on October 1. (the Express Tribune)

America

*US shoots down Houthi rebels' UAV and missile: The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a US warship shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an anti-ship ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen.

Houthi forces have repeatedly targeted ships in the vital Red Sea shipping lane in attacks they say are aimed at supporting Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting the Hamas movement.

"USS Mason (DDG 87) shot down a Houthi-launched UAV and anti-ship ballistic missile in the southern Red Sea. There was no damage to the 18 vessels in the area and no casualties," CENTCOM said in a statement.

The attacks are endangering shipping lanes carrying up to 12% of global trade, prompting the United States to create a multinational naval task force in early December to protect shipping in the Red Sea. (Reuters)

*Venezuela conducts military exercises, Britain strongly protests: The British government on December 29 condemned Venezuela's "unjustified" actions after Caracas mobilized more than 5,600 soldiers to participate in military exercises near the border with Guyana in response to London's move to send warships to the area.

The border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana was settled in 1899 through international arbitration and “Britain continued to support the territorial integrity of Guyana.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on December 28 that he was launching a “joint defensive operation in response to the United Kingdom’s provocations and threats to the country’s peace and sovereignty.”

Days earlier, London announced it would divert the HMS Trent patrol ship to Guyana, a former British colony, amid the South American country's tense territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region, to provide "military and diplomatic support" to Georgetown. (AFP)

*US secretly launches spacecraft into orbit: According to SpaceX website, the Falcon Heavy rocket launched the US Space Force's unmanned X-37B spacecraft into orbit. The launch took place from Kennedy Space Center at 8:07 p.m. (Eastern US time, 8:07 a.m. December 29, Hanoi time).

The X-37B is one of the most secretive military projects in the US and the mission's objectives are closely guarded. The US Space Force has only revealed that the spacecraft will undergo "a series of tests and experiments". This is the seventh flight of the spacecraft, but the first to be launched on the rocket. Previously, the spacecraft has been launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Atlas V rockets.

Earlier, the head of the Mozhaysky Military Space Academy, Major General Anatoly Nestechuk, announced that X-37B-type devices pose a threat and can attack extremely important Russian spacecraft in outer space. (Sputnik News)

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