Amidst ongoing international efforts to de-escalate the conflict,diplomatic pathways are shifting as russia has rejected a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Ukraine, but signaled openness to talks with France. The developments follow recent discussions in Miami involving U.S. and Russian officials, and also a series of escalating incidents within both Russia and Ukraine, including the reported death of a high-ranking Russian general in Moscow and the alleged destruction of Russian fighter jets at an airfield near Lipetsk. These events underscore the complex and volatile nature of the conflict as it approaches its second anniversary.
Moscow has ruled out a trilateral meeting involving the United States, Ukraine, and Russia, but indicated a willingness to engage in talks with France. The development comes as international efforts to de-escalate the conflict continue, and highlights the shifting dynamics in potential diplomatic pathways.
According to the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin is prepared to discuss the situation with French President Emmanuel Macron. This openness follows a weekend of discussions in Miami involving U.S. and Russian officials, aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing war. The Élysée Palace stated that, with the possibility of a ceasefire emerging, renewed dialogue with Moscow is now considered beneficial.
“Russia remains fully committed to achieving peace in Ukraine,” said Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy who led the talks in Miami, following the meetings. However, no details were released regarding specific progress made during the discussions.
Meanwhile, reports emerged on December 22nd of an explosion in Moscow that resulted in the death of General Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Department of the Russian General Staff. Russian authorities suspect Ukrainian involvement in the incident, according to the TASS news agency.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian intelligence reported that two Russian fighter jets – a Su-30 and a Su-27 – were destroyed in a fire at an airbase near Lipetsk overnight on December 20-21. The agency claims the operation was carried out by a member of a Russian resistance movement, and estimates the value of the destroyed aircraft at $100 million.
In other developments, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized the importance of a unified European approach to any communication with Putin, stating that dialogue should not be limited to individual countries.
Attacks were also reported in several Ukrainian regions overnight. An infrastructure facility in Odesa was struck, leaving parts of the city without power, and a man was injured. The Dnipropetrovsk region was also targeted by drones, causing damage to buildings and sparking fires.
Additionally, Russian authorities reported that 41 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over various regions of Russia since the previous evening. They also reported damage to docks and vessels in the Krasnodar region following a drone attack.
On December 22nd, U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the war in Ukraine and the need for a just and lasting peace, according to a statement from the British government.
Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO and special envoy for President Putin, hinted at the possibility of future talks being held in Moscow, posting a photo on X with the caption “Thank you, Miami. Next time: Moscow.”
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Sarvarov, the general promoted by Putin from Chechnya to Ukraine
Fanil Sarvarov, born in 1969 in the Perm region of the Urals, received his training at military academies specializing in armored forces and the General Staff. He was recently appointed head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general by President Vladimir Putin in 2024. Sarvarov participated in combat operations during the Ossetian-Ingush conflict and the counter-terrorism operation in Chechnya between 1992 and 2003. He also took part in the Russian armed forces’ intervention in Syria from 2015 to 2016. Following his involvement in the special military operation in Ukraine, he was added to the “criminals of war” list on the Ukrainian website “Mirotvorets” (Peacemaker). Throughout his career, he has been awarded the Order of Courage, the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” and the Order “For Military Merit.”
Kyiv: “Two Russian fighter jets destroyed in an operation in Lipetsk”
An overnight fire at a Russian military airfield near Lipetsk on December 20-21 destroyed two Russian fighter jets, a Su-30 and a Su-27, according to Ukrainian military intelligence (Gur), as reported by Rbc-Ukraine. “As a result of an operation by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, conducted directly by a representative of the resistance movement against the criminal Russian regime, both of the aggressor’s military aircraft were destroyed,” Gur stated in a press release. The estimated total value of the two aircraft used by Russia in its war against Ukraine could reach $100 million. “The study of patrol routes and guard shifts made it possible to secretly penetrate the aggressor state’s military facility, hit the Su-30s directly inside a protective aircraft hangar, and then leave the airfield without obstacles,” Gur added.
Moscow: General Staff chief assassinated, suspects Kyiv
“An explosive device placed under the chassis of a car was detonated this morning (…) in Moscow, and Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Department of the Russian General Staff, died as a result of his injuries.” This was reported by the Russian Investigative Committee spokesperson, Svetlana Petrenko, according to the TASS news agency, adding that authorities suspect the involvement of Ukrainian intelligence services in the attack. Earlier, an explosion of a car in the courtyard of a building in the southern part of Moscow had been reported.
