Ukraine and Russia carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war on Monday, with Kyiv bringing home 189 former captives.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United Arab Emirates and other partners for facilitating the swap.
“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of such days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home,” Mr Zelensky said.
It comes as Kyiv’s military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has claimed that Russian forces are “suffering record losses” in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
Vladimir Putin’s troops are attacking along multiple points of the frontline in Donetsk, ultimately advancing towards the city of Pokrovsk, a linchpin of the wider region’s defences. They have taken more than 400 square miles of territory since February this year in that area.
But their advances have come at a severe loss in personnel. “The enemy continues to carry out continuous meaty assaults, suffering record losses,” says Gen. Syrskyi.
Western intelligence estimates suggest that the Russian military’s daily casualties in the area number between 1,000 and 1,2000.
Key points
- Zelensky hails return of Ukrainian POWs as ‘very good news’
- Russia ‘suffering record losses’ in Donetsk, claims Ukraine military chief
- US sends final package to Ukraine under Joe Biden
- Azerbaijan's president says plane that crashed was shot at from Russia
- Russia condemns EU over blocking of state media on Telegram
Russian man arrested for running LGBTQ+ travel agency found dead
17:05
Tom Watling
Putin has ruled Russia for 25 years - but what can he show for it?
17:01
Tom Watling
Newly released Ukrainian POWs pictured for first time
16:31
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has posted the first pictures of Ukraine’s latest POWs to be released from Russia in an exchange.
The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for all of us. Today is one of those days – our team has managed to bring 189 Ukrainians back home.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 30, 2024
These are military personnel: defenders of Azovstal and Mariupol, Chornobyl NPP, Zmiinyi Island, and… pic.twitter.com/9z7WLIh5Iu
Finnish investigators find anchor drag mark on the Baltic seabed following cable damage
16:29
Tom Watling
Zelensky thanks US for latest aid package
15:58
Tom Watling
Ukraine deeply appreciates the United States’ steadfast support, especially as we approach the end of this challenging year. The nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance is a crucial contribution that will strengthen our defenders on the frontlines.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 30, 2024
This support comes at a…
Russia and Ukraine exchange 150 prisoners each in UAE-mediated swap, Moscow says
15:27
Tom Watling
Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner swap on Monday, with each side freeing 150 prisoners of war, Russia’s Defence Ministry said in a statement.
It said that the Russian captives had been released on Belarusian territory and would be transferred to Russia. The United Arab Emirates had served as a mediator in the swap, the statement added.
If the West gives an inch on Ukraine, Putin will take a mile
14:54
Tom Watling
First Ukrainian aid shipments to Syria to arrive tomorrow, says Zelensky
14:33
Tom Watling
The first Ukrainian aid package to Syria will arrive in the country tomorrow, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has announced.
The leader said 500 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat flour will arrive in Syria tomorrow. “And there will be more deliveries, as well as more mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas,” he added.
The support comes just weeks after a Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew the Russian-backed dictator Bashar al-Assad in a stunning offensive earlier this month. Mr al-Assad flew to Moscow upon invitation from the Kremlin, where he now lives in exile, to avoid the advancing HTS.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha recently led a delegation to the Syrian capital of Damascus to speak with the new administration.
“We support the Syrian people in overcoming decades of dictatorial rule and restoring stability, security, and normal life in Syria,” said Mr Zelensky.
Ukraine’s frontline mapped - ISW
14:05
Tom Watling
Below, you can see the latest updates on the frontline in Ukraine, according to The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank.
MORE: Russia reportedly continues to face labor shortages that Russian military recruitment and persistent demographic problems are likely exacerbating.
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) December 30, 2024
Russian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk and Vuhledar and in western Zaporizhia Oblast. (1/4) https://t.co/FtG4rYsmEC pic.twitter.com/fMZr2cuVra
Russia ‘suffering record losses’ in Donetsk, claims Ukraine military chief
13:45
Tom Watling
Russian forces are “suffering record losses” as they carry out constant assaults in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, Kyiv’s military chief has claimed.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi says the fighting in that region, where Russian forces are advancing along multiple points, “remains the hottest” of the roughly 650-mile frontline.
“He worked in units and subdivisions conducting a defensive operation in the Donetsk region,” read a statement issued on Gen. Syrskyi’s behalf “These areas remain the hottest. The enemy continues to carry out continuous meaty assaults, suffering record losses.”
Працював у частинах і підрозділах, які ведуть оборонну операцію на Донеччині. Ці напрямки залишаються найгарячішими. Ворог продовжує здійснювати безперервні м'ясні штурми, зазнаючи рекордних втрат. https://t.co/DcYdiAfjVF pic.twitter.com/HwIjNtK87d
— Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (@CinC_AFU) December 30, 2024
US sends final security package to Ukraine under Biden administration
13:21
Tom Watling
The United States has announced nearly $6 billion (£4.76bn) in additional military and budget assistance for Ukraine as president Joe Biden uses his final weeks in office to surge aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes power.
Biden announced $2.5 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States has made available $3.4 billion in additional budget aid to Ukraine, giving the war-torn country critical resources amid intensifying Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
“At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden’s announcement includes $1.25 billion in military aid drawn from US stockpiles and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package, the final USAI package of Biden’s time in office.
Under USAI, military equipment is procured from the defense industry or partners, rather than drawn from American stocks, meaning it can take months or years to arrive on the battlefield.
20 per cent of Ukraine’s arable land lost
12:50
Barney Davis
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the area of arable land available for harvest has decreased 20%, a minister said.
Vitalii Koval, Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, shared this information during a television broadcast.
“We are facing objective factors contributing to rising food prices. For instance, the area of arable land today is 20% smaller than before the war.
“This year, crops were harvested from 19.8 million hectares. Additionally, the price increase for each type of product depends on how integrated Ukraine is into the global market for that particular product,” Koval explained.
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the area of arable land available for harvest in Ukraine has decreased by 20%.
Six killed as Russian HQ destroyed in missile strike - Ukraine claims
11:50
Barney Davis
Footage shows the moment a Russian base is destroyed in a Ukrainian air strike killing six in occupied Zaporizhzhia.
Aerial reconnaissance by the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence force identified the headquarters’ location, according to their post on Facebook.
Working with the Tavria Group of Forces, they carried out a “precise missile strike” on the target.
The operation resulted in the destruction of the headquarters, with six Russian personnel eliminated and three others seriously injured.
Biden announces $2.5bn package for Ukraine
11:09
Barney Davis
President Joe Biden announced $2.5 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine on Monday as he uses his final weeks in office to surge military aid to Kyiv before Donald Trump takes power.
“At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden’s announcement includes $1.25 billion in military aid drawn from stockpiles and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package, the final USAI package of Biden’s time in office.
Black box from Azerbaijan crash sent to Brazil
10:49
Barney Davis
The black box from the Azerbaijan Airlines crash in Kazakhstan, believed to have been caused by shots from the ground in Russia, has been recovered and is being sent to Brazil for investigation
There were 67 people on board the aircraft, including 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russians, six Kazakhs, and three Kyrgyz citizens. 38 were killed.
The government in Astana explained that the decision to send the flight recorders to Brazil was based on the fact that the Azal aircraft was manufactured there and followed “consultations with Azerbaijan and Russia.”
“In accordance with the standards of Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, the state conducting the investigation ensures the reading of flight recorders and decides on the selection of a country to read and decode the black boxes,” the statement said, highlighting that Kazakhstan is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
No fires reported in Odesa as Ukraine thwarts drone assault
09:31
Barney Davis
Falling Russian strike drones damaged five buildings in the Rozdilna district of the Odesa region.
Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kipe said on Telegram: “At night, Russian terrorists attacked Odesa with attack drones. Our air defense forces destroyed most of the enemy targets.
“As a result of falling debris in the Rozdilnian district, window glazing, facades and roofs of five residential buildings were damaged without subsequent burning.
“There are currently no casualties or injuries.”
Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops suffer heavy battlefield losses
08:31
Barney Davis
Ukraine's air defence downs 21 Russian drones, Kyiv says
07:30
Namita Singh
Ukraine’s air defence downed 21 drones out of 43 launched by Russia in an overnight attack targeting six regions across the country, the Ukrainian air force said.
It said that 22 other drones were “lost”. Military analysts said Ukraine was increasingly using electronic warfare to redirect or spoof Russian drones.
Drone debris damaged residential houses in the eastern Kharkiv region and in the Odesa region in the south, regional officials said.
Ukraine to appoint first military ombudsman to address abuse in armed forces
06:54
Namita Singh
In his evening address on yesterday, Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that a candidate for the role had been selected and would be formally announced in a presidential decree today. The new position aims to address concerns of abuse within the military ranks, ensuring servicemen and women have an avenue to report rights violations.
The Defence Ministry outlined the ombudsman’s responsibilities earlier this year, stating the office would handle appeals, provide legal assistance, conduct investigations, and inspect claims of rights violations involving servicemen and their families.
Calls for the appointment have grown louder following allegations of abuse within Ukraine’s 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade. Senior Lieutenant Vladyslav Pastukh has been accused of abusing his authority, including beating and humiliating subordinates. Meanwhile, Colonel Oleh Poberezhniuk, his godfather, was detained yesterday for failing to address claims of torture and misconduct in his command.
“There was a request from our military, and it is an objective necessity — to create a special institution of a Military Ombudsman,” Mr Zelensky said. “We need a person who can effectively protect the rights of our warriors.”
One of the reported incidents included subordinates being tied to a wooden cross and left immobilised for hours under Pastukh’s orders.
With the new appointee, Mr Zelensky pledged to collaborate with the human rights community and the Defence Ministry to draft legislation establishing a robust institutional framework for the Military Ombudsman’s office.
Russia claims several Ukrainian plots to kill senior officers foiled
06:07
Barney Davis
Slovakia rejects Ukraine accusations of opening up second energy front
05:48
Namita Singh
Slovakia has rejected Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky’s accusation that prime minister Robert Fico had opened a “second energy front” against Kyiv on the orders of Russia as a gas transit dispute deepened between the countries.
Foreign minister Juraj Blanar said on Sunday Slovakia was closely monitoring communications from Ukraine regarding Mr Fico’s statements and said Mr Zelensky’s suggestion of an alliance with Russian president Vladimir Putin was “fabricated”.
“We fully understand that they are exposed to a long-term war conflict, but that is why they should not create new enemies and fabricate a formation of a second front because member states of the European Union, including Slovakia, support Ukraine and its people,” Mr Blanar said in a Facebook post.
Ukraine pumps Russian natural gas through its territory to several European countries including Slovakia but it is expected to halt the flow when the existing transit deal - signed before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine - expires at the end of the year.
Mr Fico, who visited Mr Putin in Moscow a week ago, said on Friday Slovakia would consider reciprocal measures against Ukraine such as halting electricity supplies if Kyiv stops the gas transit from 1 January - spurring Mr Zelensky’s accusation that Slovakia was opening up a second energy front.
The Slovak prime minister also posted on Facebook yesterday, calling on the European Commission to pay close attention to the matter and repeating his claims that the loss of gas transit across Ukraine would hit European consumers and businesses.
“We are coming to a conclusion that must be unacceptable for the European Union and its goals,” Mr Fico wrote in an open letter. “Unilateral stoppage of transit through Ukraine towards Slovakia will cost European citizens, businesses and infrastructure tens of billions.”
Former Russian national team member killed in Ukraine war
05:00
Namita Singh
Aleksei Bugayev, a former member of Russia’s national soccer team who played at Euro 2004, has been killed in the 34-month-old war in Ukraine, Russian media quoted his father and agent as saying yesterday.
“Unfortunately, the news about Aleksei’s death is true. It happened today,” Tass news agency quoted the player’s father Ivan Bugayev as telling the Sport24 news outlet.
RIA news agency quoted Bugayev’s agent, Anton Smirnov, as saying intense fighting had made it impossible to retrieve Bugayev’s body for burial.
Bugayev, dead at age 43, played two matches for the Russian national team in the 2004 European championship and also played for Moscow sides Torpedo and Lokomotiv as well as other provincial sides. He ended his career in 2010 at the age of 29.
In September, Bugayev was sentenced by a court in southern Russia to nine and a half years in prison on drug trafficking charges.
He later declared his intention to sign up to fight in the Ukraine war. Russian authorities actively recruit in prisons for the conflict.
Russia condemns EU over blocking of state media on Telegram
04:54
Namita Singh
Russia has accused the European Union of censorship after its state media channels were reportedly blocked on Telegram across several EU countries.
Yesterday, channels belonging to the Ria Novosti news agency, Rossiya 1, Pervyi Kanal, NTV television, and newspapers Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta became inaccessible in nations including France, Belgium, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands, and Italy, according to reports.
Neither Telegram nor EU officials have commented on the alleged disruptions, leaving the cause unclear.
Russia criticised the move, describing it as an “act of censorship. “The systematic cleansing of all undesirable sources of information from the information space continues,” said foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.
The EU has previously banned the distribution of Russian state media within its borders, accusing outlets like Ria Novosti, Izvestia, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta of spreading propaganda.
Moscow has vowed to respond to what it sees as an escalating act of suppression against its state-owned media platforms.
Azerbaijan president seeks investigation by international experts
04:30
Namita Singh
Azerbaijan was “in favor of a group of international experts” investigating the crash, president Ilham Aliyev said.Baku had “categorically refused” Russia’s suggestion that the Interstate Aviation Committee, which oversees civil aviation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, investigate it.
“It is no secret that this organisation consists mostly of Russian officials and is headed by Russian citizens. The factors of objectivity could not be fully ensured here,” Mr Aliyev said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media yesterday that Vladimir Putin had spoken to Mr Aliyev over the phone again but did not provide details of the conversation.
The Kremlin said a joint investigation by Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan was underway at the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.
The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned towards Kazakhstan, hundreds of kilometers across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while making an attempt to land.
Passengers and crew who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it was circling over Grozny.
Russia must admit its guilt in shooting down Azerbaijan plane, says Aliyev
04:00
Namita Singh
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan made three demands to Russia in connection with the crash that killed 38.
“First, the Russian side must apologise to Azerbaijan. Second, it must admit its guilt. Third, punish the guilty, bring them to criminal responsibility and pay compensation to the Azerbaijani state, the injured passengers and crew members,” he said.
Mr Aliyev noted that the first demand was “already fulfilled” when Russian president Vladimir Putin apologised to him on Saturday. Mr Putin called the crash a “tragic incident” though stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility.
He said that an investigation into the crash was ongoing, and that “the final version (of events) will be known after the black boxes are opened.”
Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally
03:30
Namita Singh
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said yesterday that the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticised Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days.
“We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot down by Russia. (...) We are not saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done,” he told Azerbaijani state television.
Mr Aliyev said that the airliner, which crashed Wednesday in Kazakhstan, was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and “rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare.”
Mr Aliyev accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days, saying he was “upset and surprised” by versions of events put forward by Russian officials.“Unfortunately, for the first three days we heard nothing from Russia except delirious versions,” he said.
The crash killed 38 of 67 people on board. The Kremlin said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, where the plane attempted to land, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike.
Christmas on the frontline with Ukraine’s drone brigade
03:05
Barney Davis
As Trump returns to the White House – what next for Ukraine in 2025?
01:02
Barney Davis
Plane unintentionally shot down by Russia - President
Sunday 29 December 2024 23:00
Barney Davis
Azerbaijan’s president has said the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally.
“We can say with complete clarity that the plane was shot down by Russia. We are not saying that it was done intentionally, but it was done,” Ilham Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television.
Mr Aliyev said the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare.
He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days, saying he was “upset and surprised” by versions of events put forward by Russian officials.
“Unfortunately, for the first three days we heard nothing from Russia except delirious versions,” he said.
The crash near Aktau airport on Wednesday December 25 killed 38 of the 67 people on board.
Russia says it will stop gas exports to Moldova from 1 January
Sunday 29 December 2024 22:02
Jabed Ahmed
Russian energy giant Gazprom said it would suspend gas exports to Moldova from 1 January due to unpaid debt by Moldova, which is bracing for severe power cuts.
It said the company reserved the right to take any action, including terminating the supply contract with Moldova.
Russia supplies Moldova with about 2 billion cubic metres of gas per year, which is piped via Ukraine to the breakaway region of Transdniestria where it is used to generate cheap power that is sold to government-controlled parts of Moldova.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned the Russian decision, which is a precursor to a total shutdown of Russian gas exports via Ukraine and to Europe, where it flows further to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and Italy, once a current transit deal with Ukraine expires on 31 December.
Moldova will be hit the hardest by the shutdown.
“This decision confirms once again the intention of the Kremlin to leave the inhabitants of the Transdniestrian region without light and heat in the middle of the winter,” Recean wrote on Facebook, accusing Russia of using energy as a political weapon.
Moscow has repeatedly dismissed those allegations.
Former Russian national football team player dies during war
Sunday 29 December 2024 21:51
Jabed Ahmed
Aleksei Bugayev, a former member of Russia's national soccer team who played at Euro 2004, has been killed in the 34-month-old war in Ukraine, Russian media quoted his father and agent as saying on Sunday.
"Unfortunately, the news about Aleksei's death is true. It happened today," TASS news agency quoted the player's father Ivan Bugayev as telling the Sport24 news outlet.
RIA news agency quoted Bugayev's agent, Anton Smirnov, as saying intense fighting had made it impossible to retrieve Bugayev's body for burial.
Bugayev, dead at age 43, played two matches for the Russian national team in the 2004 European championship and also played for Moscow sides Torpedo and Lokomotiv as well as other provincial sides. He ended his career in 2010 at the age of 29.
In September Bugayev was sentenced by a court in southern Russia to nine and a half years in prison on drug trafficking charges.
He later declared his intention to sign up to fight in the Ukraine war. Russian authorities actively recruit in prisons for the conflict.
Why have some experts blamed Russian air defences?
Sunday 29 December 2024 20:00
Barney Davis
Some aviation experts have said the holes seen in the plane’s tail section after the crash indicate that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems fending off a Ukrainian drone attack.
Mark Zee of OPSGroup, which monitors the world’s airspace and airports for risks, said that the analysis of the fragments of the crashed plane indicates a 90-99% probability that it was hit by a surface-to-air missile.
FlightRadar24 said in an online post that the aircraft had faced “strong GPS jamming” that interfered with flight tracking data allowing it to monitor the plane’s flight path. Russia has extensively used sophisticated jamming equipment to fend off drone attacks.
It’s unclear why the pilots decided to fly across the Caspian Sea instead of trying to land in Russia after the plane was hit, he said, adding that they probably faced restrictions on landing at a closer venue and may have thought that the damage was not critical.
In Azerbaijan, Caliber online newspaper also claimed that the airliner was fired upon by a Russian Pantsyr-S air defense system and also had its systems affected by jamming equipment as it was approaching Grozny.
Putin apologises for ‘tragic’ Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash but does not take responsibility
Sunday 29 December 2024 18:00
Barney Davis
Kremlin stops short of saying they brought down plane
Sunday 29 December 2024 17:06
Barney Davis
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media on Sunday that Putin had spoken to Aliyev over the phone again, but did not provide details of the conversation.
An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defence systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner “repeatedly” attempted to land there on Wednesday, but did not explicitly say if one of them brought the plane down.
According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev’s press office, the Azerbaijani leader Aliyev told Putin that the plane was subjected to “external physical and technical interference,” although he also stopped short of explicitly blaming Russian air defences.
Aliyev noted that the plane had multiple holes in its fuselage and that the occupants had sustained injuries “due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight.”
Crashed Azerbaijan Airlines plane was shot down by Russia, says country’s president
Sunday 29 December 2024 16:32
Jabed Ahmed
In pictures: People mourn victims of Azerbaijani air disaster
Sunday 29 December 2024 16:00
Barney Davis
Ukrainian forces film themselves setting fire to Russian infrastructure
Sunday 29 December 2024 14:05
Barney Davis
A fire in Russia’s Yaroslavl region destroyed three railway relay cabinets essential for traffic control, while cellular communications equipment in the Leningrad region also sustained damage, Ukraine has said.
Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate released footage of soldiers starting the blaze on Facebook.
They added: “In the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region, four objects with telecommunication equipment of the illegal communication operator ‘Phoenix’ used by Russia were destroyed.
“The fire also flooded the equipment for counter-communication in the territory of the Leningrad Oblast of Russia, and moreover ― destroyed three railway relay cabinets of railway traffic control in the Yaroslavl region of the aggressor state.”
Hero pilots lauded for saving lives in Azerbaijan Airlines disaster
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:59
Barney Davis
Azerbaijan paid tribute to the pilots and passengers of the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan killing 38 people after Russian air defences were used against Ukrainian drones.
Captain Igor Kshnyakin and co-pilot Alexander Kalyaninov, both ethnic Russians with Azerbaijan citizenship, and Hokuma Aliyeva, a flight attendant, were given full honours at a ceremony at the Alley of Honour in central Baku attended by President Ilham Aliyev and his wife, Mehriban.
The pilots have been lauded in Azerbaijan for landing in a way which allowed 29 people to survive but led to their own deaths.
“Only through the courage and professionalism of the pilots was an emergency landing successfully carried out,” Azerbaijan’s presidential office said.
Captain Kshnyakin’s daughter, Anastasia said:“My father always said: when I take off, I am responsible not only for my life, but also for the lives of all passengers and crew members,” Kshnyakina said.
“With his last flight, he proved what a true hero should be.”
UK gives Ukraine £4.5m to help Ukraine get justice for war crimes
Sunday 29 December 2024 12:30
Barney Davis
Britain has announced it is giving £4.5m to aid Ukraine’s efforts in seeking justice for war crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The funding is designed to support Ukraine’s documentation, investigation and prosecution of war crimes, and complements the UK’s work with US and EU partners via the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group.
The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said: “While in Kyiv, I saw first-hand the inspirational bravery of the Ukrainian people. I’m immensely proud of the support this government is providing them as they resist Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion.
“The atrocities we have witnessed in Ukraine are unspeakable - there can be no lasting peace without accountability, and UK support will help Ukraine as it pursues justice for the victims and survivors of these crimes.
“As we look ahead to 2025, our message is clear: we will stand with you in war, we will stand with you in peace, and we will stand with you as you fight for your security and that of all of Europe.”
Azerbaijan's president says plane that crashed was shot at from Russia
Sunday 29 December 2024 11:40
Barney Davis
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday that the passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan killing 38 people had been damaged due to shooting from the ground in Russia, Azerbaijan state television reported.
Aliyev said he regretted that “some circles” in Russia had tried to hush up the truth about the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines planes by sowing false narratives about the causes of the crash.
On Saturday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin apologised to Aliyev for what the Kremlin called a “tragic incident” over Russia in which the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed after Russian air defences were fired against Ukrainian drones.
Firefighters come under enemy shelling as they attempt to tackle
Sunday 29 December 2024 11:25
Barney Davis
Rescue teams in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region came under repeated shelling from Russian forces on Sunday while responding to a fire in a residential area of Pokrovsk.
“Earlier [on Sunday], Russian forces targeted a private residential area in the city, striking a residential building. The impact sparked a fire that spread across approximately 120 square meters, which rescuers managed to contain,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.
“However, due to repeated hostile fire and a threat to the lives of personnel, the fire extinguishing had to be suspended.
“Fortunately, there were no victims.”
Russia will abandon its unilateral missile moratorium, Lavrov says
Sunday 29 December 2024 10:20
Barney Davis
Russia will scrap a moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter range nuclear-capable missiles because the United States has deployed such weapons in various regions around the world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday.
Russia’s move, long signalled, will kill off all that remains from one of the most significant arms control treaties of the Cold War, amid fears that the world’s two biggest nuclear powers could be entering a new arms race together with China.
Asked by state news agency RIA if Russia could withdraw from the New START treaty before its expiry in February 2026, Lavrov said that there were currently “no conditions” for a strategic dialogue with Washington.
“Today it is clear that, for example, our moratorium on the deployment of short- and intermediate-range missiles is no longer practically viable and will have to be abandoned,” Lavrov said.
“The U.S. has arrogantly ignored the warnings of Russia and China and in practice has moved on to the deployment of weapons of this class in various regions of the world.”
US Teacher ‘wrongfully detained in Moscow’
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:35
Barney Davis
Marc Fogel, a history teacher from Pennsylvania, is serving a 14-year prison sentence after his arrest in August 2021 at a Russian airport for being in possession of drugs, which his family and supporters said were medically prescribed marijuana.
He was left out of a prisoner swap that freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and corporate security executive Paul Whelan in August.
“The United States has been working to secure Marc Fogel’s release for some time,” the State Department said in a statement.
“We have long called for his humanitarian release and tried to include him in the August 1 deal, but were unable to.
“The Secretary determined Marc is wrongfully detained in October.”
Fogel’s wife, Jane, and his sons, Ethan and Sam, said in a statement they were grateful that the State Department “has finally acknowledged what we have known all along — that our husband and father, Marc Fogel, has and continues to be wrongfully detained.”
Man killed in drone strike on village of Dvorichna, Kharkiv
Sunday 29 December 2024 09:17
Barney Davis
Oleh Syniehubov, Chief of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, said via Telegram, “At 6pm in Dvorichna village, a civilian man was killed as a result of a drone dropping an explosive device.”
Syniehubov said Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk had repelled three enemy attacks in 24 hours.
He added: “One battle in the area is ongoing.”
26 civilians have been evacuated from Kupiansk and Borivske as fighting ramps up.
After a massive Russian attack, over 500,000 consumers in Kharkiv region were left without heat.
