Merry Christmas! It’s Wednesday, December 25, and here’s your defense and global affairs update. While the holiday is here, the world doesn’t stop—let’s dive into today’s headlines.
Christmas Market Attack Shakes Germany’s Holiday Spirit
Germany is reeling after a tragic car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, leaving five people dead and over 200 injured just days before the holidays.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier acknowledged the nation’s pain in his Christmas address, calling it a “dark shadow” over the celebrations but urged unity, saying, “Hatred and violence must not have the final word.”
The attack, carried out by 50-year-old Saudi doctor Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, has reignited debates over security and immigration policies.
Abdulmohsen, who had a history of mental illness and expressed anti-Islam and far-right views online, plowed a rented SUV through the festive crowd. His motives remain unclear, though investigators found his will in the vehicle, leaving everything to the German Red Cross.
The tragedy has sparked political tensions, with far-right parties like the Alternative for Germany holding rallies demanding border closures while anti-extremist groups called for solidarity under the slogan, “Don’t Give Hate a Chance.”
Security at Christmas markets had already been increased after the 2016 Berlin truck attack, but the perpetrator in Magdeburg exploited a gap in the barricades to drive into the crowd.
The attack adds to mounting pressure on German authorities, who had reportedly been warned about Abdulmohsen by Saudi officials.
Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the country to stand strong, with Steinmeier telling affected families, “You are not alone in your pain. The people throughout our country feel for you and mourn with you.”
As Germany grapples with grief, political divides, and questions over security, the focus remains on healing and resilience during the holiday season.
Russian Cargo Ship Sinks After Explosion, Two Crew Missing
A Russian cargo ship, the Ursa Major, sank in the Mediterranean after an explosion in its engine room, leaving two crew members missing, according to Russia’s foreign ministry via Telegram on Tuesday.
The ship, owned by a defense-related company, had 16 crew members on board.
Fourteen were rescued by Spanish authorities and brought to Cartagena, but bad weather and worsening conditions led to the ship sinking overnight.
The Ursa Major was reportedly carrying empty containers and heavy cranes, part of a larger effort to transport equipment for Russian ports and Arctic projects.
The vessel had been traveling from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok, and its sinking has raised questions, especially as Ukrainian intelligence claims Russia has been moving military equipment from Syria’s Tartus naval base to Libya.
This incident comes shortly after another Russian vessel, a tanker, partially sank earlier this month, causing an oil spill near Crimea.
While investigations are ongoing, the Ursa Major’s mysterious explosion has added to the challenges facing Russia’s shipping and logistics operations.
Ukrainian Drones Destroy Russian Warehouse of Shahed Parts
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) reported that a fire destroyed a warehouse in Russia’s Alabuga special economic zone, taking out critical parts for Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukraine.
The warehouse housed fuselages, engines, navigation systems, and thermal cameras meant for producing 400 Shahed-136 drones, with losses estimated at $16 million.
While DIU didn’t specify the fire’s cause, they emphasized that this is part of Russia’s reckoning for its aggression against Ukraine.
The incident follows a string of Ukrainian drone strikes, including one on April 2, targeting facilities in Tatarstan involved in assembling Iranian Shahed drones rebranded as Geran-2.
Local Russian authorities downplayed the damage, but sources suggest it was a Ukrainian special operation.
This strike underscores Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Russia’s drone capabilities, sending a clear message about the cost of continued aggression.
Ukraine Reports Heavy Losses for North Korean Troops Fighting in Russia
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed Monday that over 3,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting for Russia in the western Kursk region.
The update follows months of fierce battles after Ukraine’s surprise cross-border operation in August.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) claimed to have inflicted over 100 casualties on North Korean forces in recent operations, sharing photos of purportedly fake Russian ID cards used to conceal the soldiers’ true origins.
According to Kyiv, these documents, written partially in Korean, are meant to obscure North Korea’s involvement.
The presence of North Korean troops marks an escalation in Pyongyang’s support for Moscow, with up to 12,000 soldiers believed to be deployed in Russia. This comes in addition to North Korea supplying weapons, ammunition, and even ballistic missiles since the war began in 2022.
South Korea’s military warned that Pyongyang is preparing to send more troops and equipment, including artillery and suicide drones.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy vowed “tangible responses” to any further troop reinforcements, highlighting the growing risks of North Korea’s deepening involvement in Russia’s war.
War Overshadows Bethlehem’s Somber Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, was marked by an air of sadness this year, with the ongoing war in Gaza casting a heavy shadow.
The usual festive decorations, like the towering Christmas tree in Manger Square, were absent, and the bustling crowds of tourists that typically fill the streets stayed away.
Even the usual lively Palestinian scout parade was replaced with a silent march.
Bethlehem relies on Christmas tourism for about 70 percent of its income, but visitor numbers have plummeted due to ongoing violence and restrictions.
Before the COVID pandemic, the town welcomed around two million visitors a year, but that figure dropped to fewer than 100,000 in 2024.
Israeli military checkpoints and restricted access have further disrupted life in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, displaced Palestinian Christians in Gaza prayed for peace, hoping they’d celebrate next Christmas in their own homes.
With the golden walls of the Church of the Nativity softly lit, only a handful of people roamed the square, underscoring how deeply the conflict has affected this cherished holiday season.
For Bethlehem and its people, the hope for peace remains central, even in such difficult times.
Syria Integrates Rebel Groups Into National Forces
Big changes are happening in Syria as the country’s new leadership announced on Tuesday a deal to dissolve rebel groups and bring them under the regular defense forces.
Photos from state media showed Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, meeting with leaders of various armed factions, though notably absent were representatives from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The agreement aims to centralize control under the Ministry of Defense, with Sharaa emphasizing that no weapons will be allowed outside state authority—this includes the SDF.
Last week, Sharaa’s military chief said Kurdish-held areas would also come under the new government’s control, promising that “Syria will not be divided.”
After 13 years of civil war that killed over half a million people and fractured the country into zones controlled by various groups, this move could mark a major step toward unifying Syria under a single authority.
However, challenges remain, especially with the Kurdish-led forces left out of the initial talks.
Ethiopian Troops Attack Somali Forces in Border Clash
Tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia are heating up again after a deadly clash in the border town of Doolow on Monday.
According to Somalia’s foreign ministry, Ethiopian troops attacked Somali forces stationed at the airstrip, hitting three bases and causing casualties. The incident comes just days after the two countries signed a peace deal to resolve months of tension.
The clash reportedly began when Somali federal forces were ordered to shoot at a plane carrying a Jubaland state delegation, sparking a firefight.
Ethiopian troops, stationed at the airstrip as part of their mission against insurgents, intervened to support Jubaland forces, according to local officials.
This skirmish threatens to unravel a recent agreement brokered by Turkey.
The deal aimed to settle a year-long dispute over Ethiopia’s controversial agreement with Somaliland to lease the coastline for a port and military base. Somalia had seen that as a violation of its sovereignty.
Somalia’s foreign ministry called Monday’s attack a breach of the Ankara Declaration and warned that it would not tolerate further violations of its sovereignty.
The clash underscores the fragile relations between Somalia’s federal government, its semi-autonomous states, and neighboring Ethiopia, making stability in the region more uncertain than ever.
Sources: News Agencies
