Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and French leader Emmanuel Macron have discussed the possibility of France sending troops to Ukraine.
Mr Macron became the first European leader to discuss the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine earlier this year.
“We continued working on President Macron’s initiative regarding the presence of forces in Ukraine that could contribute to stabilising the path to peace,” Mr Zelensky said.
It comes as South Korea suggested there were indications that North Korea is preparing to send more troops to Russia. Around 100 have been killed while fighting in Russia, according to South Korean intelligence, with roughly 1,000 more injured.
Member of the South Korean parliament Lee Seong-kweun said there was also intelligence that North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un was overseeing the training.
Ukraine and its allies estimate that North Korea has deployed between 10,000 and 12,000 troops so far to aid Russia’s war effort. The Pentagon said the soldiers were largely deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces were battling a Ukrainian ground incursion since August.
Key points
- Ukrainian forces ‘do not have strength’ to recover land from Russia, says Zelensky
- At least 100 North Korean troops killed fighting in Ukraine, South Korea says
- Defence secretary claims Putin is showing signs of weakness
- UK pledges fresh £225 million package for Ukraine
- Government criticises Russia’s ‘gangster threat’ against Times journalists
Russia should have sent troops to Ukraine earlier, says Putin
04:55
Namita Singh
Russia should have invaded Ukraine earlier, said Russian president Vladimir Putin as he claimed the war had strengthened Russia’s military and economic power.
Mr Putin made the comments during his annual press conference, a tightly choreographed event which lasted about four and half hours and spanned everything from consumer prices to military hardware.
A number of questioned covered the invasion of Ukraine, and Mr Putin said that if he could do it over, “such a decision should have been made earlier” and Russia could have “prepared for it in advance and more thoroughly”.
“Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country,” he said. “We are standing firm in terms of economy, we are strengthening our defence potential and our military capability now is the strongest in the world.”
Pictures: Uzbek man charged for Russian Lieutenant General's killing
04:10
Namita Singh
Russia will remain a threat to Europe even after Ukraine war, Finland says
04:03
Alex Croft
Russia and countries that support it will remain a danger to Europe even after the war in Ukraine has ended, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said on Thursday.
“Russia, together with its allies, will remain a dangerous actor in Europe even after the war in Ukraine and we cannot exclude the possibility of threatening European countries with the use of military force,” Hakkanen told a press conference.
Finland on Thursday published its first defence policy review since it last year joined the NATO military alliance in a historic policy shift brought on by neighbouring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow charges Uzbek man for killing of Russian general
03:50
Namita Singh
An Uzbek citizen accused of acting on behalf of Ukraine has been charged by Russian authorities with this week’s assassination of a senior Russian general and his assistant in a bombing claimed by Ukraine’s security services, state media reported yesterday.
Akhmadzhon Kurbonov was ordered detained by a Moscow court until at least 17 February in Tuesday’s bombing that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the chief of Russia’s Radiation, Biological and Chemical Protection Forces, the Tass state news agency reported.
Mr Kurbonov was charged with the killings, carrying out a terrorist act and illegally manufacturing explosives, the Russian news agency said.
Kirillov was killed by a bomb hidden on an electric scooter outside his apartment building in Moscow, a day after Ukraine’s security service leveled criminal charges against him. His assistant, Ilya Polikarpov, also was killed.
Five killed in Russian missile attack in Kryvyi Rih
03:40
Namita Singh
A Russian missile struck and badly damaged a two-storey residence in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, injuring five people, including two pulled alive from under the rubble, officials said.
Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, wrote on Telegram that a man and a teenage girl had been rescued in Kryvyi Rih, president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown. Windows were shattered in a nearby 10-storey apartment building.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s military administration, said three other people were injured. He said rescue operations had been completed.
Russia conducted mass cyberattack on Ukraine’s state registries, deputy PM says
03:29
Namita Singh
Russia has carried out a mass cyberattack on Ukraine’s state registries leading to a temporary suspension of services, Ukrainian deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna said late yesterday.
The registries contain vital information about Ukrainian citizens such as births, deaths, marriages and property ownership.
“Today the largest external cyberattack in recent times occurred with Ukraine’s state registries,” Ms Stefanishyna wrote on Facebook.
“As a result of this targeted attack, the work of the unified and state registries, which are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, was temporarily suspended.”
Ms Stefanishyna said it was clear the attack was “carried out by the Russians to disrupt the work of the country’s critically important infrastructure”.
She said work to restore operations would require about two weeks, but offices would be providing some services already on Friday. An initial assessment, she said, showed other state services were unaffected.
“After restoration is completed, a thorough analysis of the attack will be conducted to increase protection against similar attacks in the future,” she wrote.
UK considering sending British troops to Ukraine
03:00
Alex Croft
Amid reports Britain is considering sending more UK troops to Ukraine to train soldiers in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s invasion, Downing Street confirmed those already stationed in the country are protecting British diplomats and assisting Ukrainian counterparts.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We have a small number of trainers and British troops in Ukraine that support the armed forces of Ukraine and our diplomatic presence.
“We are clear we stand ready and continue to support Ukrainians with training... but we are very clear we are not sending any British troops to fight alongside Ukrainians.
“Our focus remains putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into the winter.”
Putin says Russia-China relations have reached a level never seen before
02:00
Alex Croft
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that relations between Russia and China had reached a level never seen before, lauding their positive nature.
Russia and China were coordinating their actions on the international stage and would continue to do so, he added.
Kim Jong Un ‘personally overseeing’ North Korean training for Ukraine amid reports of heavy losses
01:02
Alex Croft
Putin says Russia is moving closer to achieving goals in Ukraine
00:01
Alex Croft
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield in Ukraine and touted what he said was the invincibility of Russia’s new hypersonic missile.
Fielding questions on state TV during his annual question and answer session with Russians, Putin said Moscow’s forces were advancing along the whole of the battle front.
“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically... There is movement along the entire front line. Every day,” he said.
Western and Russian military analysts say Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since 2022, taking village after village and threatening strategically important cities such as Pokrovsk, a major road and rail hub. Those gains, however, have been measured in just tens of miles worth of advance.
“Our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day,” Putin said.
He said the fighting was complex, so it was “difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead... (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation.”
“Everyone is fighting, literally heroically. And they are fighting right now. Let us wish them all...good luck, victory and to return home,” he said.
Putin says he cannot say when Russia will retake Kursk
Thursday 19 December 2024 23:00
Alex Croft
Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced he cannot say when his forces will retake the border region of Kursk partially controlled by Ukraine.
“We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can’t be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I cannot say right now,” he said.
Ukraine and UK military chiefs hold phone call
Thursday 19 December 2024 22:15
Alex Croft
Ukraine and the UK’s military chiefs have spoken over the phone about continued coordination, Kyiv has said.
Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, posting on X, formerly Twitter, said he had spoken to his UK counterpart Admiral Sir Tony Radakin about future British support.
“Admiral Radakin assured of continued support for Ukraine, some aspects of which will be significantly increased in 2025,” he wrote.
Провів телефонну розмову з начальником Штабу оборони Великої Британії адміралом Тоні РАДАКІНИМ.
— Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (@CinC_AFU) December 19, 2024
Ознайомив британського колегу з оперативною обстановкою на лінії фронту, яка продовжує залишатися надзвичайно складною. pic.twitter.com/nFLTo0iLey
Russian missile attack damages apartment buildings, infrastructure, Ukrainian officials say
Thursday 19 December 2024 21:38
Alex Croft
A Russian missile attack damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in Ukraine‘s Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the Ukrainian military said on Thursday.
Russia used two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and a Kh-59/69 guided missile in its attack, the air force said.
The attack damaged infrastructure, two apartment buildings, a hospital, and a school in Dnipropetrovsk region, its governor Serhiy Lysak said. He said there were no casualties.
A missile attack on the northeastern Sumy region damaged nine private residences, regional authorities said without reporting any casualties.
Russia also used 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down, the air force added.
ICYMI: Ukraine’s air force says it shot down 45 Russian drones launched overnight
Thursday 19 December 2024 20:56
Alex Croft
The Ukrainian air force said on Thursday that Russia launched 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down.
Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said.
The missile attack damaged apartment buildings and municipal property in Sumy and Dnirpopetrovsk regions, according to the statement.
Government criticises Russia’s ‘gangster threat’ against Times journalists
Thursday 19 December 2024 20:14
Alex Croft
The UK government has criticised Moscow’s “desperate rhetoric” after a senior ally of Vladimir Putin threatened The Times newspaper over its coverage of the assassination of a Russian general.
Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy security council chair, said journalists at The Times were “legitimate military targets” and should “be careful” as “anything goes in London”.
His comments followed a Times editorial in which the newspaper described the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov as “a legitimate act of defence” by Ukraine, which has claimed responsibility for the killing.
General Kirillov, who was in charge of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defence troops, was killed by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his Moscow apartment on Tuesday.
Asked about Mr Medvedev’s comments, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said they were “simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric coming out of Putin’s government”.
He added: “Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously.
“It’s the first duty of government to protect its citizens. That’s why we have world-leading intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies in the UK and we have made clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect the British public and defend the freedom of the press.”
Russian police reportedly detain two suspects in murder of Igor Kirillov
Thursday 19 December 2024 19:36
Alex Croft
Police in Russia have detained two suspects in the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov on Tuesday, reported Russian language independent newspaper Meduza relying on local news outlets.
Law enforcement agencies tracked down the suspects directly from the crime scene, where surveillance cameras recorded a couple of suspicious cars, reported Kommersant citing an unnamed official.
The reports do not mention the suspects identity, meaning it is unclear if they include the 29-year-old Uzbek national Russian authorities said they arrested on Wednesday.
According to the publication, the organisers of the crime recruited the perpetrators via instant messengers, providing them with a contact from the security service of Ukraine – which later claimed responsibility for the killing.
Russian Telegram channel 112 claims the suspects have already given testimony and told investigators about the organisers of the murder.
UK announces new funding for Ukraine amid ‘critical’ situation
Thursday 19 December 2024 19:01
Alex Croft
The UK has pledged a new £225m package of support for Ukraine after the defence secretary said the situation in the country is “critical”.
On a trip to Kyiv, John Healey said that the UK will “step up” on international leadership on Ukraine in 2025, after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer urged allies to maintain their support.
The package announced this morning involves £186m for military equipment through the International Fund for Ukraine, including £92m for Ukraine’s navy and £68m for air defence equipment.
The announcement comes after Mr Healey met with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and also includes £39m for counter-drone systems and protective equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Announcing the new funding, Mr Healey said: “Nearly three years after (Russian President Vladimir) Putin launched his illegal full-scale invasion, the depths of his miscalculation are clearer than ever, as the brave people of Ukraine continue to defy all expectations with their unbreakable spirit.
“But they cannot go it alone - which is why the UK will step up our international leadership on Ukraine throughout 2025.
“We will enhance our offer of training to Ukraine and provide battle-winning capabilities, such as the drones and munitions included in our new £225 million package today.”
Ukrainian forces ‘do not have strength’ to recover land from Russia, says Zelensky
Thursday 19 December 2024 18:21
Alex Croft
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday admitted that his forces “do not have the strength” to remove Russian troops occupying their territory in the east of the country or Crimea.
The comments came as he sought more support from allies.
Speaking to the French paper Le Parisien, he said: “We cannot give up our territories. The Ukrainian constitution forbids us to do so,” he said.
“De facto, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We do not have the strength to recover them.
“We can only count on diplomatic pressure from the international community to force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.”
Oil refinery in Rostov catches fire after Ukrainian drone attack, governor says
Thursday 19 December 2024 17:50
Alex Croft
An oil refinery in the Rostov region of southern Russia has caught fire after being attacked by Ukrainian drones, confirmed local governor Yuri Slyusar.
Emergency crews have been dispatched to the fire at the Novoshakhtinsk refinery and details on casualties were being clarified, he said.
It came as Russian air defence systems repelled 10 Ukrainian missiles targetting the region, he said on Telegram.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s official Centre Against Disinformation, wrote on Telegram that the missile attack focused on the Kamensky chemical plant “which produces rocket fuel specialising in solid fuel components for rocket engines”.
The plant, he said, also produced explosive materials and components for ammunition.
Mr Kovalenko posted a brief video showing a fire and smoke outside a fenced compound.
Mr Slyusar said fragments from one missile triggered a fire in a house in the village of Malenkaya Kamenka and smashed windows in others, adding that there were no casualties and emergency services were at the scene. He made no mention of any industrial target.
Thursday 19 December 2024 17:22
Alex Croft
Ukraine’s military intelligence has said it is behind the killing of a senior Russian general in Moscow - the latest in a string of assassinations claimed by Kyiv’s security forces.
Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of nuclear, chemical and biological protection of Russian troops, was killed outside an apartment building in Moscow along with his assistant, when a bomb hidden in an electric scooter went off, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
Sources say the Ukrainian security service, known as the SBU, was responsible. The killing came just a day after the SBU officially accused Kirillov of war crimes and issued a warrant in absentia for him over alleged use of banned chemical weapons against Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline.
The intelligence network, which often draws comparisons to Israel’s prized Mossad spy agency, has reportedly carried out dozens of assassinations, though they are never officially claimed.
Tom Watling reports:
North Korea can produce ballistic missiles for Russia to use against Ukraine in months
Thursday 19 December 2024 16:59
Alex Croft
North Korea demonstrated this year that it could produce ballistic missiles and supply them to Russia for use against Ukraine in a matter of months, the head of a research organisation that traces weapons used in the war said yesterday.
Jonah Leff told the UN Security Council that researchers on the ground examined remnants of four missiles from North Korea recovered in Ukraine in July and August, including one that had marks indicating it was produced in 2024.
“This is the first public evidence of missiles having been produced in North Korea and then used in Ukraine within a matter of months, not years,” he said.
Mr Leff also had briefed the Security Council in late June, telling members that the organisation he heads, Conflict Armament Research, had “irrefutably” established that ballistic missile remnants found in Ukraine early this year were from a missile manufactured in North Korea.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia objected to the second appearance of Mr Leff at the council meeting, chaired by ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council’s rotating presidency this month.
He claimed Mr Leff represents Nato and the European Union, and questioned whether his organisation could provide impartial assessments. And he accused Ms Thomas-Greenfield of violating Security Council practices and transforming its meetings “into a politicized act of buffoonery.”
The US ambassador retorted that Russia had vetoed a resolution that ended the monitoring of sanctions against North Korea by UN experts, which she said makes organisations like Conflict Armament Research and its independent, well-regarded experts all the more critical.
ICYMI: At least 100 North Korean troops killed fighting in Ukraine, South Korea says
Thursday 19 December 2024 16:36
Alex Croft
At least 100 North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been killed and another 1,000 have been injured in combat against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, a South Korean lawmaker said this morning, citing the country’s spy agency.
The heavy losses are attributed to the lack of experience of North Korean troops in drone warfare and unfamiliarity with the open terrain where they are taking part in the battle, member of parliament Lee Seong-kweun told reporters.
Mr Lee was speaking after a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to parliament.
The discrepancy in the estimate of the troops killed from that made by a US military official, who earlier cited “several hundred” casualties, is because of the relatively conservative analysis by the NIS, Mr Lee said.
“There was a report that there have been at least 100 deaths and the injured are approaching 1,000,” he said.
In pictures: Zelensky in Brussels for European Council meeting
Thursday 19 December 2024 16:16
Alex Croft
Three killed in Russian strike on Kharkiv region, says Ukraine
Thursday 19 December 2024 15:55
Alex Croft
Three people were killed and three have been injured in a Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine’s national police.
More than 10 private houses were damaged, it added on Telegram messenger.
Ukraine hits Russia with 10 longer-range Western missiles, says Russia
Thursday 19 December 2024 15:36
Alex Croft
Ukraine struck Russia with 10 longer-range Western missiles on Wednesday, the Russian defence ministry has claimed.
The Rostov region was hit with six US-made ATACMS missiles and four British Storm Shadow missiles on Wednesday.
No Istanbul agreements between Ukraine and Russia, says Zelensky
Thursday 19 December 2024 15:15
Alex Croft
There were no agreements reached in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Speaking during a press conference at the European Council meeting in Brussels, Mr Zelensky said: "Ukraine did not agree to the ultimatum from the Russian Federation. Ukraine did not sign anything, no agreements existed. There was a response to the ultimatum from the Russian Federation."
Putin had earlier claimed a preliminary agreement had been reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators during the early weeks of the war at talks in Istanbul, adding that it had not been implemented but could be a basis for future discussions.
Behind enemy lines: Ukraine’s deadly assassins have terrorised Russia
Thursday 19 December 2024 14:51
Tom Watling
Russia will remain a threat to Europe even after Ukraine war, Finland says
Thursday 19 December 2024 14:31
Tom Watling
Russia and countries that support it will remain a danger to Europe even after the war in Ukraine has ended, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said on Thursday.
“Russia, together with its allies, will remain a dangerous actor in Europe even after the war in Ukraine and we cannot exclude the possibility of threatening European countries with the use of military force,” Hakkanen told a press conference.
Finland on Thursday published its first defence policy review since it last year joined the NATO military alliance in a historic policy shift brought on by neighbouring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky asks allies for coordinated effort for lasting peace in Ukraine
Thursday 19 December 2024 14:02
Tom Watling
President Volodymyr Zelensky made a fresh appeal to European allies to coordinate work to reach lasting peace in Ukraine which is battling Russia’s almost three-year full-scale invasion.
“We need coordinated work for lasting peace, not just the suspension of hostilities that Putin seeks to buy time. We must push Moscow towards genuine, sustainable and guaranteed peace,” Mr Zelensky said in his address to the European Council.
Ukraine posts picture of British missiles heading towards Russian forces
Thursday 19 December 2024 13:41
Tom Watling
The Ukrainian defence ministry has posted a photo purporting to show a British-made Storm Shadow missile being fired towards Russian forces.
Restrictions on the use of missiles to strike inside of Russia were lifted recently, prompting the Kremlin to accuse Ukraine’s western backers of trying to escalate the war. Those concerns were dismissed on the basis that the move was still defensive in nature, intended to blunt Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine.
The Storm Shadow missile is heading toward the occupiers!
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) December 19, 2024
Thank you to and for strengthening Ukraine's long-range capabilities!
: @KpsZSU pic.twitter.com/hA5yVIryKS
UK considering sending British troops to Ukraine
Thursday 19 December 2024 13:14
Tom Watling
Amid reports Britain is considering sending more UK troops to Ukraine to train soldiers in the fight against Vladimir Putin's invasion, Downing Street confirmed those already stationed in the country are protecting British diplomats and assisting Ukrainian counterparts.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "We have a small number of trainers and British troops in Ukraine that support the armed forces of Ukraine and our diplomatic presence.
"We are clear we stand ready and continue to support Ukrainians with training... but we are very clear we are not sending any British troops to fight alongside Ukrainians.
"Our focus remains putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into the winter."
North Korea can produce ballistic missiles for Russia ‘in months’
Thursday 19 December 2024 12:51
Tom Watling
Blinken will avoid Ukraine and the Middle East at a divided UN Security Council
Thursday 19 December 2024 12:25
Tom Watling
Zelensky and European leaders, including Lammy, meet in private in Brussels
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:53
Tom Watling
A group of European leaders got together late last night at Nato chief Mark Rutte’s house in Brussels to discuss future plans for the continent’s support for Ukraine, pictures have revealed.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reposted a photo originally shared by Mr Rutte of the meeting. UK foreign secretary David Lammy was present.
Had a long meeting that lasted almost until 1 a.m. We are doing everything to ensure Europe has a united and strong position to bring peace closer. Peace is possible if we stand united against Russian madness.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 19, 2024
We are working on outlining security guarantees. Together with… pic.twitter.com/4QgTaigDQH
Putin says Russia-China relations have reached a level never seen before
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:35
Tom Watling
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that relations between Russia and China had reached a level never seen before, lauding their positive nature.
Russia and China were coordinating their actions on the international stage and would continue to do so, he added.
The huge spike in gun range openings in a country that borders Russia
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:19
Tom Watling
Russian oil refinery engulfed in flames after ‘Ukrainian drone strike’
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:00
Tom Watling
Putin says Russia is moving closer to achieving goals in Ukraine
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:49
Tom Watling
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield in Ukraine and touted what he said was the invincibility of Russia’s new hypersonic missile.
Fielding questions on state TV during his annual question and answer session with Russians, Putin said Moscow’s forces were advancing along the whole of the battle front.
“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically... There is movement along the entire front line. Every day,” he said.
Western and Russian military analysts say Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since 2022, taking village after village and threatening strategically important cities such as Pokrovsk, a major road and rail hub. Those gains, however, have been measured in just tens of miles worth of advance.
“Our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day,” Putin said.
He said the fighting was complex, so it was “difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead... (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation.”
“Everyone is fighting, literally heroically. And they are fighting right now. Let us wish them all...good luck, victory and to return home,” he said.
Putin says he cannot say when Russia will retake Kursk
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:43
Tom Watling
Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced he cannot say when his forces will retake the border region of Kursk partially controlled by Ukraine.
“We will absolutely kick them out. Absolutely. It can’t be any other way. But the question of a specific date, I’m sorry, I cannot say right now,” he said.
Kim Jong Un ‘personally overseeing’ North Korean training for Ukraine amid reports of heavy losses
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:31
Tom Watling
Watch live: Putin takes questions from Russian people in end-of-year phone-in
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:09
Tom Watling
Zelensky says unity between US and EU needed to achieve peace in Ukraine
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:53
Tom Watling
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said unity between the US and European Union is needed to achieve peace in Ukraine as he arrived at the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Protection of Ukraine‘s energy sector, an increase in Ukraine‘s arms production and urgent help for the education system will be on the agenda during the visit, Mr Zelensky added.
Early push for peace in Ukraine would lead to bad deal, EU's Kallas says
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:45
Tom Watling
Europe should focus its efforts on supporting Ukraine and not engage in premature calls for peace negotiations, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday.
“We have to talk how we can support Ukraine more. Any push for negotiations too soon will actually be a bad deal for Ukraine,” Kallas said before a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
Early push for peace in Ukraine would lead to bad deal, EU's Kallas says
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:45
Tom Watling
Europe should focus its efforts on supporting Ukraine and not engage in premature calls for peace negotiations, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday.
“We have to talk how we can support Ukraine more. Any push for negotiations too soon will actually be a bad deal for Ukraine,” Kallas said before a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
UK may send British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers, defence secretary suggests
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:26
Tom Watling
At least 100 North Korean troops killed in Ukraine war, South Korean MP says
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:03
Tom Watling
At least 100 North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been killed in combat in the Ukraine war and around 1,000 have been wounded, a South Korean member of parliament told reporters on Thursday, citing the country’s intelligence agency.
Mapped: Russia advances in Donetsk
Thursday 19 December 2024 08:32
Tom Watling
Russian missile attack damages apartment buildings, infrastructure, Ukrainian officials say
Thursday 19 December 2024 08:04
Tom Watling
A Russian missile attack damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in Ukraine‘s Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the Ukrainian military said on Thursday.
Russia used two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and a Kh-59/69 guided missile in its attack, the air force said.
The attack damaged infrastructure, two apartment buildings, a hospital, and a school in Dnipropetrovsk region, its governor Serhiy Lysak said. He said there were no casualties.
A missile attack on the northeastern Sumy region damaged nine private residences, regional authorities said without reporting any casualties.
Russia also used 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down, the air force added.
Ukraine's air force says it shot down 45 Russian drones launched overnight
Thursday 19 December 2024 07:43
Tom Watling
The Ukrainian air force said on Thursday that Russia launched 85 drones to attack Ukraine overnight of which 40 “imitator drones” did not reach their targets and 45 other drones were shot down.
Russia also launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and an Kh-59/69 guided missile during the attack, the air force said.
The missile attack damaged apartment buildings and municipal property in Sumy and Dnirpopetrovsk regions, according to the statement.
Ukraine and UK military chiefs hold phone call
Thursday 19 December 2024 07:37
Tom Watling
Ukraine and the UK’s military chiefs have spoken over the phone about continued coordination, Kyiv has said.
Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, posting on X, formerly Twitter, said he had spoken to his UK counterpart Admiral Sir Tony Radakin about future British support.
“Admiral Radakin assured of continued support for Ukraine, some aspects of which will be significantly increased in 2025,” he wrote.
Провів телефонну розмову з начальником Штабу оборони Великої Британії адміралом Тоні РАДАКІНИМ.
— Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (@CinC_AFU) December 19, 2024
Ознайомив британського колегу з оперативною обстановкою на лінії фронту, яка продовжує залишатися надзвичайно складною. pic.twitter.com/nFLTo0iLey
Russian police reportedly detain two suspects in murder of Igor Kirillov
Thursday 19 December 2024 07:16
Namita Singh
Police in Russia have detained two suspects in the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of the radiation, chemical and biological defense forces, and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov on Tuesday, reported Russian language independent newspaper Meduza relying on local news outlets.
Law enforcement agencies tracked down the suspects directly from the crime scene, where surveillance cameras recorded a couple of suspicious cars, reported Kommersant citing an unnamed official.
The reports do not mention the suspects identity, meaning it is unclear if they include the 29-year-old Uzbek national Russian authorities said they arrested on Wednesday.
According to the publication, the organisers of the crime recruited the perpetrators via instant messengers, providing them with a contact from the security service of Ukraine – which later claimed responsibility for the killing.
Russian Telegram channel 112 claims the suspects have already given testimony and told investigators about the organisers of the murder.
Government criticises Russia’s ‘gangster threat’ against Times journalists
Thursday 19 December 2024 06:57
Namita Singh
The UK government has criticised Moscow’s “desperate rhetoric” after a senior ally of Vladimir Putin threatened The Times newspaper over its coverage of the assassination of a Russian general.
Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy security council chair, said journalists at The Times were “legitimate military targets” and should “be careful” as “anything goes in London”.
His comments followed a Times editorial in which the newspaper described the assassination of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov as “a legitimate act of defence” by Ukraine, which has claimed responsibility for the killing.
General Kirillov, who was in charge of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defence troops, was killed by a bomb hidden in a scooter outside his Moscow apartment on Tuesday.
Asked about Mr Medvedev’s comments, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said they were “simply the latest in a stream of desperate rhetoric coming out of Putin’s government”.
He added: “Unlike in Russia, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we take any threats made by Russia incredibly seriously.
“It’s the first duty of government to protect its citizens. That’s why we have world-leading intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies in the UK and we have made clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect the British public and defend the freedom of the press.”