Morning Brief: Kyiv Hit by Barrage, Canada Boosts Ukraine Aid, Ceasefire Holds in Southeast Asia, and Power Shifts in the Horn of Africa and Yemen

Russian Missile and Drone Barrage Hits Kyiv, Kills Civilian as Winter Pressure Intensifies

Russia hit Kyiv with a major missile and drone barrage early Saturday, December 27, 2025, killing at least one civilian and injuring 27 others, including children, according to Ukrainian officials. Air raid alerts lasted for nearly ten hours as air defenses engaged repeated waves over the capital.

Ukrainian authorities said the victim was a 47-year-old woman. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported the injury count and said multiple districts took damage, with fires and debris reported at several sites. Ukrainian emergency services reported ongoing rescue work through the morning, including searches at a damaged high-rise apartment building.

Ukrainian officials and international reporting described a mixed strike package that included missiles and large numbers of one-way attack drones. Officials said the attack targeted energy infrastructure alongside residential areas. Kyiv authorities reported that roughly one-third of the city temporarily lost heating during freezing conditions, with localized disruptions to power and water services.

A second wave of drones struck later in the day, underscoring the sustained nature of the operation rather than a single, discrete strike. Damage was also reported outside the capital, with Ukrainian officials describing impacts in surrounding areas as the broader strike pattern played out across multiple regions.

Russia’s Defense Ministry described the operation as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory and said it targeted military-industrial facilities and energy infrastructure supporting Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian officials reject that framing and say the strikes once again demonstrate Moscow’s willingness to hit civilian infrastructure during winter.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the barrage as Russia’s answer to renewed discussion of peace proposals and again urged partners to accelerate delivery of air defense systems.

The strike came one day before Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on December 28 in Florida, adding pressure to an already sensitive diplomatic moment.

The attack fits a broader pattern seen throughout December, with Russia combining missiles and drones to strain Ukrainian air defenses while targeting energy systems during cold weather. The repeated use of long-duration alerts and follow-on waves continues to test Ukraine’s ability to protect major cities while sustaining defenses along the front.

Thai soldiers ride in a Toyota pickup during clashes with Cambodian forces in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, proving once again that Toyota remains the truck of choice when you need a regime change on a budget. Image credit: AP.

Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Ceasefire After Renewed Border Clashes

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to a new ceasefire on December 27, 2025, following renewed fighting along disputed sections of their shared border earlier in the month.

According to Reuters, the agreement was signed by the defense ministers of both countries and took effect at noon local time the same day.

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The ceasefire came after a sharp escalation that broke months of relative calm. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that the December clashes involved artillery and small-arms fire near contested border areas, prompting civilian evacuations on both sides. Neither government released comprehensive casualty figures, but officials acknowledged military losses and significant displacement among border communities. Cambodian defense officials described the agreement as an immediate halt to hostilities, while Thai officials emphasized de-escalation and the reopening of military-to-military communication channels. Both sides publicly accused the other of initiating the fighting, a familiar pattern in Thailand-Cambodia border crises. The December agreement follows a separate ceasefire reached in late July 2025 after several days of fighting in the same border region. Reuters reported that the July ceasefire was brokered with regional involvement and temporarily stabilized the situation, though it did not resolve the underlying dispute. Analysts have long noted that ceasefires along the Thai-Cambodian border tend to pause violence rather than settle core issues tied to contested boundaries and historic claims. The border dispute itself dates back decades and has flared periodically, most notably during clashes near the Preah Vihear temple complex in 2008–2011. While the December 2025 fighting was smaller in scale than those earlier confrontations, regional diplomats warned it carried escalation risks due to proximity to populated areas and the absence of international monitoring mechanisms. Reuters quoted regional officials as saying enforcement of the ceasefire relies largely on local commanders adhering to stand-down orders rather than third-party oversight. ASEAN states, including Malaysia, have quietly encouraged restraint, but no formal monitoring mission has been announced. As of December 27, both governments said the ceasefire was holding. Whether it proves durable remains an open question. Past experience suggests the agreement reduces immediate risk but leaves the fundamental border dispute unresolved, making future flare-ups likely once political or military pressure builds again. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hands over Billions of Canadian dollars to efforts in the Ukraine. Image Credit: Devdiscourse Canada Announces C$2.5 Billion Aid Package for Ukraine Ahead of Zelenskyy–Trump Talks Canada announced a new C$2.5 billion economic aid package for Ukraine on December 27, 2025, as Prime Minister Mark Carney met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The announcement came days after a major Russian missile and drone barrage on Kyiv and just ahead of Zelenskyy’s planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida. According to Canadian government statements reported by Reuters and the Associated Press, the package is structured to unlock broader international financing rather than function as a standalone cash transfer. Ottawa said the funds are designed to support Ukraine’s reconstruction, stabilize energy systems, and help manage sovereign debt pressures as the war continues. Canadian officials said up to C$1.5 billion of the package will be available in the 2025–2026 fiscal period to support debt relief mechanisms and loan guarantees tied to international financial institutions. The package includes Canadian backing for roughly C$1.3 billion in World Bank guarantees and about C$322 million in European Bank for Reconstruction and Development financing, largely aimed at securing natural gas imports and maintaining energy security through the winter. Carney described the aid as necessary to support a “just peace,” accusing Russia of continued attacks on civilian infrastructure. Zelenskyy, speaking alongside him, said the timing was deliberate and meant to reinforce international resolve ahead of high-level talks in Florida. The Halifax meeting was a brief stop for Zelenskyy en route to the United States. Both leaders framed the announcement as part of a broader effort to deter further Russian escalation by signaling that Western financial support remains durable despite political transitions elsewhere. Canada has committed roughly C$22 billion in total aid to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, according to figures cited by the Kiel Institute and Canadian officials. That includes more than C$12 billion in financial assistance and over C$7 billion in military support, placing Canada among the top contributors globally when measured as a share of GDP. The new economic package follows recent Canadian military commitments, including roughly C$200 million in NATO-coordinated drone and munitions support and an additional C$50 million to allied capability coalitions. While the latest announcement focuses on financial tools, it may indirectly free allied resources for continued military aid as the war grinds on. A map showing the Horn of Africa, including Somalia and Somaliland. Image credit: The Hindu. Why Somalia Is Furious and Somaliland Is Celebrating Israeli Recognition Think of this like a messy divorce that never got finalized on paper. Somaliland and Somalia share the same Somali ethnic roots, language, and religion. The split is about history and power, not bloodlines. Back in 1960, two colonies became independent and then quickly merged into one country called Somalia. The north was British Somaliland. The south was Italian Somaliland. On paper, it was a happy marriage. In practice, many people in the north felt like the south ran the show, controlled the money, and called the shots. Then came dictator Siad Barre. In the late 1980s, his forces crushed a northern uprising and hammered cities like Hargeisa. Human rights groups and historians describe mass killings and large-scale destruction, especially among the Isaaq clan. When Barre’s regime collapsed and Somalia fell into civil war, the north said, “We’re done,” and in 1991 declared itself the Republic of Somaliland. Here’s the key part: Somaliland has operated like a country ever since. It has its own government in Hargeisa, its own currency, security forces, elections, and border controls. It has also been more stable than southern Somalia, which has battled insurgency, clan conflict, and weak central control in Mogadishu for decades. But Somaliland has had one giant problem: almost nobody officially recognizes it as a country. It has been “de facto” independent, but not “de jure” on the world’s paperwork. What’s going on now is that the recognition wall is starting to crack. Reuters and The Guardian reported that Israel formally recognized Somaliland on December 26, 2025, the first state to do so, and both sides announced plans for full diplomatic relations. Reuters also reported Somalia’s federal government condemned the move as an attack on its sovereignty and said it would fight it through diplomatic and legal channels. That’s why Somalia is furious. If Somaliland gets recognized, Somalia risks losing territory on the map and political leverage in the region. For Somaliland, recognition is the whole prize. It means legitimacy, investment, security partnerships, and a stronger argument that it is not a “region” but a state. Bottom line: this is not a new fight. It’s an old breakup, and outside recognition is now turning it into a live regional crisis. Houthi fighters demonstrating in San’a, Yemen. Image Credit: Osamah Yahya/Zuma Press Yemen’s War, Broken Down: Houthis in the North, Secession in the South Yemen looks like one country on a map, but in late 2025, it is really several armed camps, each with its own territory, sponsors, and goals. Start with the north. The Houthis control Sanaa and most of northwest Yemen. They are aligned with Iran and have built a state-like system of taxes, courts, and security forces. They also keep attacking Red Sea shipping with drones and missiles, which is why the United States and Britain have carried out repeated strikes, according to Western and regional reporting. On paper, the internationally recognized Yemeni government represents the country. In reality, the government operates through the Presidential Leadership Council based in Aden and holds limited ground. It relies heavily on Saudi support and has struggled to keep its own allied factions pointed in the same direction. The third big player is the Southern Transitional Council, or STC. The STC is backed by the United Arab Emirates and wants an independent South, basically a return of South Yemen. That idea is old. Yemen unified in 1990, but many southern leaders still argue the merger became southern subordination. What changed in December was the STC pushed hard east in a fast-moving grab for territory and resources. Reuters and the Associated Press reported the STC launched an operation on December 2 and moved into key southern provinces, including Hadramaut and al-Mahra. Those provinces matter because they hold coastline, border access near Oman, and major oil and gas infrastructure. Multiple outlets reported that by roughly December 9, the STC controlled most populated southern areas and a large share of Yemen’s oil-producing zones, sharply reducing the Aden-based government’s practical leverage outside the city. Saudi Arabia reacted as if the STC crossed a red line. Reuters reported Riyadh demanded the STC withdraw and hand control to local authorities, warning the move was a unilateral escalation. STC sources and regional coverage said Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck STC positions in Hadramaut on December 26, framing it as pressure to roll back the advance. The UAE has generally supported the STC, which puts Riyadh and Abu Dhabi on different pages inside what is supposed to be the same anti-Houthi camp. Meanwhile, civilians keep getting crushed. The United Nations says around 21 million Yemenis currently need humanitarian aid, while UN planning estimates for 2025 place the figure at about 19.5 million. UN statements reported in late 2025 also said Houthi authorities detained additional UN staff, bringing the total detained to 69. Barney style bottom line: Houthis hold the north, the recognized government is weak, and the STC is trying to lock down the south for a future breakaway state. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now pulling in different directions, and that split can reignite the wider war even if the front lines look frozen today.