SOFREP Daily: Ukraine Hits Russian Fuel Train with HIMARS Strikes, Greece Boosts Defense Budget, Peace Talks Collapse as Congo Rejects M23 Dialogue

It’s Monday, December 16, and we’ve got your morning roundup of key defense and global headlines to keep you sharp and informed as the week begins.

Storm Sinks Russian Tanker, Spills Oil in Black Sea

A Russian oil tanker carrying over 4,000 tonnes of fuel sank in the Black Sea during a severe storm Sunday, raising fears of a major ecological disaster.

The Volgoneft-212, a 55-year-old vessel, snapped in half near Crimea, leaving one crew member dead and 12 others rescued. The tanker, reportedly loaded with heavy fuel oil, released a visible slick into the water, sparking environmental concerns.

Shortly after, a second Russian tanker, the Volgoneft-239, ran aground nearby, though its crew remained on board due to bad weather.

Both incidents highlight the risks of using aging vessels in harsh conditions, with Ukrainian officials accusing Moscow of negligence for allowing such outdated ships to operate during storms.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a task force to manage the rescue efforts and assess the environmental impact.

Critics warn the spills could severely harm marine life in the Black Sea, which is already suffering from pollution and the ongoing conflict.

These maritime disasters come as the region faces heightened tensions and ongoing military operations since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine Hits Russian Fuel Train with HIMARS Strikes

Ukraine’s SBU security service reported a bold operation in southern Ukraine Sunday, targeting a Russian fuel train in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

The mission aimed to disrupt Russia’s logistical supply lines from Crimea to Zaporizhzhia.

The operation involved multiple stages, including sabotage of a rail line near Oleksiivka, causing the train to halt.

As Russian forces tried to secure the train, Ukrainian forces hit the locomotive and the rear tanker cars with US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) missiles.

The attack destroyed the locomotive and all 40 tanker cars, leaving Russian troops unable to recover the fuel and taking the rail line out of service for the foreseeable future.

This strike underscores Ukraine’s strategy of targeting Russian supply chains as Moscow prepares for potential offensives in Zaporizhzhia.

Currently, Russian forces control about 70 percent of Zaporizhzhia and neighboring Kherson, as well as 80 percent of the Donbas, where intense fighting continues.

Ukrainian Drone Hits Chechen Base, Prompts Kadyrov’s Threats

Also on Sunday, a Ukrainian drone struck a facility used by Russia’s National Guard in Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, as Kyiv continues its counterstrikes following a massive Russian assault.

Footage showed the drone exploding on a campus belonging to the Akhmat Grozny riot police battalion.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov confirmed the attack, stating two additional drones were shot down by air defenses.

While no casualties were reported, Kadyrov vowed retaliation, claiming he had ordered missile strikes on Ukrainian military targets in Kharkiv—a claim yet to be verified.

This attack comes amidst a weekend of heightened strikes. Ukraine also targeted a major Russian oil terminal, and Russia launched a wave of drone attacks across Ukraine, with mixed success.

Ukrainian air defenses reportedly downed 56 of 108 drones. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue their slow push in eastern Ukraine, with advances in the settlement of Kurakhove.

The escalation casts uncertainty over the future of the conflict, particularly as US President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office next month, has expressed reservations about Ukraine targeting Russian territory with US-supplied weapons.

The next phase of the war remains unclear as both sides ramp up their attacks.

Israeli Strikes Hit Gaza, Kill One Journalist and Civilians: Reports

Israeli air and ground strikes in Gaza have killed at least 53 people, including a journalist, rescue workers, and several civilians, according to medics on Sunday.

One airstrike in the Nuseirat market area killed Ahmed Al-Louh, an Al Jazeera video journalist, along with five others.

Throughout Gaza, Israeli strikes killed at least 53 Palestinians, including a journalist and rescue workers, Reuters reported.

An airstrike hit the civil emergency center in the Nuseirat market area in the central Gaza Strip, killing Ahmed Al-Louh, a video journalist for Al… pic.twitter.com/GLhO8o5KGY

— TOLOnews English (@TOLONewsEnglish) December 16, 2024

Israel has reportedly claimed the site was used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants and alleges Al-Louh was linked to Islamic Jihad, though no evidence was provided.

Al Jazeera condemned the attack.

Other strikes hit homes, a shelter for displaced families, and groups protecting aid trucks, killing dozens more, including women and children.

Israeli forces also captured suspected militants in Beit Hanoun during ground operations.

Gaza Civil Defense: More than 40 civilians were killed in an Israeli attack on Khalil Oweida School in Beit Hanoun, where displaced Palestinians had taken shelter. Most of the families who sought refuge in the school were burned alive. pic.twitter.com/gUKCp1F2ne

— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) December 15, 2024

The military said its strikes are targeting Hamas while trying to minimize civilian harm, but Palestinian officials and medics report significant civilian casualties.

The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population, with the death toll surpassing 45,000, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials.

Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to negotiate a truce and hostage release continue but remain inconclusive.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized in a Sunday statement that the focus is on securing hostages and completing Israel’s military objectives.

“We (Netanyahu speaking with Trump) discussed the need to complete Israel’s victory and we spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages,” Netanyahu said, cited from Reuters.

Greece Boosts Defense Budget to Counter Regional Threats

Greece is set to nearly double its defense spending in 2025 after parliament approved Sunday the new state budget, with 6.1 billion euros ($6.5 billion) allocated to defense, up from 3.6 billion euros.

Defense Minister Nikos Dendias highlighted the need for increased spending due to regional challenges, particularly tensions with Turkey, which spends significantly more on armaments.

The additional funds will support modernizing Greece’s armed forces, including creating a nationwide anti-air and anti-drone defense dome.

The government aims to address a decade-long defense shortfall caused by the financial crisis, during which Greece had to cut military spending. Opposition parties PASOK and SYRIZA supported the defense hike, emphasizing the importance of national security.

Peace Talks Collapse as Congo Rejects M23 Dialogue

A highly anticipated summit over the weekend between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda was abruptly canceled after peace talks deadlocked over a key disagreement.

Rwanda demanded that the DRC engage in direct talks with the Kigali-backed M23 rebel group, which has been waging a deadly insurgency in eastern DRC since 2021. However, the DRC refused, labeling the M23 as “terrorists” and “enemies of the republic.”

The summit, hosted by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, was expected to finalize a peace deal between DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

But as negotiations faltered, Kagame opted not to attend.

Planned peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, intended to address the protracted conflict in eastern Congo, were unexpectedly canceled on Sunday, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi announced. https://t.co/0QqcRe88Clhttps://t.co/0QqcRe88Cl

— AGCNewsNet (@AGCNewsNet) December 16, 2024

Fighting resumed in the eastern DRC, where the M23 and Rwandan forces have nearly surrounded the regional capital of Goma, worsening a humanitarian crisis that has displaced millions.

This latest breakdown comes after multiple failed ceasefires and decades of violence in the mineral-rich region.

Both nations have accused each other of undermining peace, with the DRC blaming Rwanda for supporting the rebels, a claim Kigali denies.

While recent talks have sparked optimism, the unresolved M23 issue continues to block progress toward lasting stability.

Sources: News Agencies, Reuters, The Guardian