What happened in the last few hours

On the 295th day of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, here are the key data at 8:00 p.m. this Thursday, December 15:

Zelenski says the next six months will be “decisive” for the war. Ukrainian President Volodímir Zelenski assured that the next six months will be “decisive” for the war against Russia. In an online address to the European Council, the president said the people and troops of Ukraine will have to make “even greater efforts than in recent times.” “This is an aggression against Ukraine and against all of you,” he said, referring to EU member countries. “Because Russia’s ultimate goal is far beyond our border and Ukrainian sovereignty. The next six months will require even greater efforts from us than we have made so far.”

Poland lifts its reservations on corporate tax reform and releases aid to Ukraine. Poland on Thursday lifted the reservations it maintained on the minimum corporate tax rate of 15% for multinationals, thus releasing the 18 billion aid to Ukraine that the bloc wants to transfer to Kyiv in 2024 , confirmed several diplomatic sources to Efe . The ambassadors of the 27 to the EU will now be responsible for formally confirming the agreement during a meeting which will take place throughout the afternoon of this Thursday, in parallel with the meeting of Heads of State and government.

Putin expects Russian GDP to fall by 2.5% in 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin predicted a 2.5% drop in GDP this year, which went into recession in the third quarter amid the difficult situation caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. “By the end of the year, a reduction in GDP (…) of around 2.5% is expected. In fact, I had said recently that it would be 2.9%, but the latest forecasts indicate that the decline will be minor,” he said during a meeting with members of the government devoted to the country’s strategic development.

The export deal allows Ukraine to release 14 million tons of grain. The Black Sea export agreement has allowed the evacuation of 14 million tonnes of grain from Ukraine, according to United Nations estimates on Thursday. Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Rebeca Grynspan, stressed at a press conference in Geneva that the agreement has led to a reduction in world food prices.

Russian shelling leaves Kherson city without power, regional governor says. The city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, has been completely deprived of electricity due to Russian bombing, according to the governor of the province of the same name, Yaroslav Yanukovych. “Kherson is completely out of power due to enemy shelling!!,” the governor wrote on his Telegram channel, which also announced that emergency crews will attempt to repair the damage and restore networks as soon as possible.

Gazprom has cut its gas exports to Europe by 45% so far this year. Russian gas giant Gazprom exported 45.1% less gas between January and mid-December to countries outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), mainly in Europe, a statement reported on Thursday. On the other hand, the gas company assured that gas exports to China are increasing thanks to the Siberia Power gas pipeline.

In the photo by Alexander Ermoshenko, for Reuters, an injured woman in a hospital in Donetsk, occupied by Russian forces.