Russia recruited young South African gamers to fight in Ukraine via Discord.

Two men in their 20s met a recruiter known as “Dash” while playing Arma 3, then traveled to Russia in mid-2024 and signed one-year military contracts near St. Petersburg.

One was killed in action in Ukraine’s Luhansk in October 2024; the other’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Source: Bloomberg

Reporter: Was Maduro offered the option to go to Türkiye?

Erdogan: We have not received any such information.

NEW: European allies including France and Germany are coordinating a response in case the United States moves to take control of Greenland.

Source: Reuters

Syrian Army is preparing launch a limited military operation against SDF/YPG positions in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts.

John Bolton:

I don’t think they care if NATO breaks up.

For many in the Trump administration, taking Greenland and breaking up NATO would be what we call a “two-for-one.”

NEW: An assault team is attempting to board the tanker Marinera, which is being pursued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

It is assumed that the personnel involved are U.S. servicemembers.

UK PM Starmer:

Can I begin by saying I hope all colleagues had a happy Christmas.

It probably feels quite a long time ago now, but not for Reform, of course, because today is the day that they celebrate Christmas in Russia.

Kai Trump, the eldest grandchild of Trump:

It can be really awkward when you’re sitting at a restaurant on a date and you realize there are two security tables watching you. It’s a bit strange.

The first few months were tough.

Colombian President Petro:

The armed mafia of Colombia is made up of different cartels with foreign command. Trump is wrong—he thinks they are Colombians.

Some are Colombian, but they do not live in Colombia. They live in Spain; they used to live in Dubai but moved because of the war in Palestine and Iran, with permission from the United States.

They keep trafficking to Europe and Australia, and they keep killing us here. We are left with the dead, while the profits stay with the owners of the mafia.

Colombian President Petro:

Drug trafficking profits, for the most part, stay in international banks, in buildings in the United States, where they put illegal gold in real estate companies in the United States.

That doesn’t come here. So we are left with the dead.

Trump Wags The Dog Next In Greenland

🗣 If Trump moves to take Greenland against the will of Denmark, then NATO is dead.

Opinion by Timothy Ash

READ MORE

NEW: U.S. forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker near Iceland before Russian warships and a submarine could reach it.

The ship, formerly Bella 1, had recently reflagged as Russian.

Source: Fox News

Zelensky:

There is no discussion of nuclear weapons within the framework of security guarantees.

Anders Vistisen, Danish member of the European Parliament, on Trump’s Greenland remarks:

It is appalling and, frankly, stupid to continue to talk about capturing a NATO country.

We don’t see it as very realistic that U.S. troops would enter Nuuk anytime soon.

Anders Vistisen, Danish member of the European Parliament:

What has America done? They have closed over 30 bases in Greenland because they didn't find it militarily significant to be there, to the point where there was only one American base left.

Anders Vistisen, Danish member of the European Parliament:

To taunt the Danish special forces who protect Greenland is very easy. But I would like to see how many American soldiers who can cope with these Arctic temperatures in this very harsh environment.

I don't think it's something that you get many soldiers to do from the American continent.

Zelensky:

Let the United States do the same to Kadyrov as it did to Maduro.

Maybe then Putin will see and think about it.

Chinese Foreign Ministry:

The United States has violated Venezuela’s sovereignty through force and illegal sanctions. China strongly condemns these actions.