An “almost naked” party at a Moscow nightclub held on Dec. 21 is facing fierce backlash amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian forces continue to attack Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast but are trying to bypass the city, Ukraine’s military said. Russia intensified its attacks against Avdiivka in early October, reportedly suffering heavy losses in an attempt to encircle the frontline town. A civilian cargo vessel hit a Russian mine in the Black Sea, leading to two sailors being injured, as per Ukraine’s Southern Defence Forces. Russian troops are intensifying their efforts on four different fronts in the Eastern direction, said Ukraine commander Oleksander Syrsky. Russia’s Foreign Ministry claims that Ukraine could stage an “anti-Russian provocation involving Western-made toxic agents”. Vladimir Putin allegedly told Xi Jinping that it plans to fight Ukraine for “at least five years”, Nikkei Asia reported. The US announced a $250 million military assistance package for Ukraine, exhausting the last remaining funds it will provide.