Victory Chronicles-DAY 995

The current US administration plans to request additional funds from Congress for Ukraine in 2025. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced this during a briefing. The administration wants Ukraine to be in a solid position to negotiate and achieve its goals. The specific form of the funding request was not mentioned, but Sullivan emphasized the importance of seeking additional resources for Ukraine. 

The Biden administration also intends to fully utilize the funds already allocated for Ukraine, investing in the American defense industrial base. A significant portion of the aid is being used to create new types of weapons, which will, in turn, benefit the US military. 

The European Commission has approved the allocation of €4 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility program. This funding, which consists of grants and loans, is part of a more extensive program worth up to €50 billion. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the approval on Twitter, stating that the disbursement will help support Ukraine as it fights for survival. The allocation of funds will still need to be approved by the EU Council. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has expressed gratitude for the EU’s support and emphasized the importance of this assistance for Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability and ongoing reforms. 

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has approved using a remote-controlled module called Pernach in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Pernach turret is equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun and a control system unit that includes a battery and a camera. The operator can control the module safely using a remote control and first-person-view (FPV) glasses. The FPV glasses transmit the video feed from the camera, giving the operator a real-time view of the surroundings. 

This remote control module, developed domestically, provides an added layer of safety for the operator by allowing them to operate the module from a hidden position. The authorization of this Ukrainian-made module showcases the country’s efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities by utilizing domestically produced technology.

Rocket artillery, such as the Grad rockets used by the 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, is not only a weapon of physical destruction but also a powerful tool for psychological influence. The loud volleys of rockets effectively demoralize the enemy and reduce their morale, providing an additional advantage on the battlefield. The professionalism and unwavering determination of the artillerymen in the 42nd Brigade have allowed them to maintain unshakable positions in the Kharkiv region. 

The Kremlin is attempting to dictate the terms of any potential “peace” negotiations with Ukraine in advance of US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

How the Kremlin is trying to set its negotiation terms strongly signals that Russia’s objectives remain unchanged and still amount to full Ukrainian capitulation. The Kremlin does not appear any more willing to make concessions to the incoming Trump administration than it was to the current administration. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed on November 13 that Western officials are lying about their interest in peace in Ukraine and that “peace” can only be achieved when the West stops providing military assistance to Ukraine.

Zakharova’s statement indicates that Russia continues to assert that the West must end all provisions of military assistance to Ukraine as a prerequisite for peace negotiations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also claimed on November 13 that the start of Trump’s presidency would not fundamentally change the US position on Ukraine and that any proposals to freeze the frontline are “even worse” than the Russia-favorable Minsk Agreements that followed Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

Staff Sergeant Yakiv Sidletskyi, nicknamed Sviatyi, died as a result of an enemy mortar attack on February 23, 2024, in the village of Minkivka, Donetsk region. In two days, the defender would have turned 26 years old.

Yakiv was born in the village of Hrynivtsi, Zhytomyr region. In 2013, he graduated from the Hrynivtsi Educational Complex of I-II levels, then went to college. He served in the army until 2019. After that, he entered the Zhytomyr Agricultural College, majoring in agricultural engineering. He worked at Volcraft LLC. He lived with his family in the city of Zhytomyr.

During the full-scale war, he defended Ukraine as part of the 30th separate mechanized brigade. He was the commander of the unit.

For his service, the defender received several awards, including the Golden Cross and DEI GRATIA badges. Posthumously, Chief Sergeant Yakiv Sidletskyi was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree.

“Each story of our life has its value. We were always together in life, walking, coffee, fishing, and mushrooms. I knew neither troubles nor sorrows with him. And now I have experienced everything at once. He supported me even in hellish battles; he always knew what to say. There was so much love in his words. He was able to warm me from a distance. Together with my beloved, we dreamed of a happy future, of how we would raise our sons. His words were: “You don’t even have to doubt that everything will be the way we want it to be because we are both making every effort to make it work. And now you have to be strong,” said his wife, Maryna.

“Yakiv is a model of service and a worthy son of his country. His actions and conscientious attitude to service undoubtedly made an invaluable contribution to the victory over the enemy,” added Yakov’s fighter-in-arms.

“He was always positive, and I drew positivity from him. It was always fun with him, but now he has gone to cheer up those of us who are no longer with us,” said another fighter. The defender was buried in his native village. Yakov is survived by his wife, three sons and parents.

*Yakiv’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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