General Staff: Russia has lost 409,010 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

8:47 AM

'Couple hundred' North Korean troops lost fighting for Russia against Ukraine, AP reports.

A senior U.S. military official did not give an exact figure but said the high casualty rate was in part due to the soldiers' lack of battle experience.

8:25 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 766,690 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

This number includes 1,580 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:30 AM

Gazprom shares fall to 16-year low.

Shares of Russian gas giant Gazprom fell to their lowest level since January 2009, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 17.

5:53 AM

Oscars shortlist includes two Ukrainian documentaries.

The Ukrainian documentaries “The Porcelain War” and “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine” have been shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards, the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Dec. 17.

3:47 AM

Rheinmetall to provide Ukraine with 20 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles.

German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has received an order to supply Ukraine with 20 additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles, the company announced on Dec. 17.

1:54 AM

Trump's Ukraine peace envoy plans January trip to Kyiv, European capitals, Reuters reports.

The Trump administration's incoming Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, plans to visit Kyiv and several European capitals in early January as part of the new administration’s effort to address the Russia-Ukraine war.

11:57 PM

Poland-Ukraine relations show progress on historical issues, defense cooperation, Tusk says.

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Lviv on Dec. 17 to discuss bilateral cooperation, historical reconciliation, and coordination with Western partners.

11:51 PM

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine's SBU assassinates Russian general charged with chemical weapons crimes.

11:13 PM

MP Boyko calls Putin 'war criminal,' apologizes for pro-Russian statement after interrogation.

“I do not want my words to be used by the Russian Federation or war criminal Putin to justify their aggression against our country,” Boyko said. "If my words insulted some Ukrainians who are fighting on the front line or working on the home front to achieve victory, I want to apologize."

10:30 PM

NATO takes lead in coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.

NATO has assumed responsibility for coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine through the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine center, Reuters reported on Dec. 17, citing its sources.

10:14 PM

Russia may encircle Ukrainian forces near Velyka Novosilka, monitoring group says.

According to DeepState's map, Ukrainian troops in Makarivka south of Velyka Novosilka have been almost surrounded. Analysts warn that the situation around Makarivka is becoming more critical as Russian troops continue their advances.

8:59 PM

Most Poles favor Ukraine peace deal with territorial concessions, poll finds.

The survey found that 55% of respondents prioritized ending the conflict over Ukraine’s territorial integrity, up from 39% in September 2024 and 26% in April 2022.

8:36 PM

Ukraine state-owned enterprises weekly — Issue 158

8:11 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 5

7:56 PM

Assassination

Who was Russian General Igor Kirillov, Ukraine’s latest assassination target?

7:40 PM

Zelensky rejects Orban's mediation, says he has no leverage over Putin.

“Ukraine is a strong country and has proven it on the battlefield throughout Putin's aggression. Does anyone else in Europe have this experience now? No. Does Orban have such an army? No. How will he put pressure on Putin? With a joke, a smile? Let him keep it,” Zelensky said, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

6:27 PM

Ukraine sets goal to open all EU negotiation clusters in 2025, Zelensky says.

“During Poland’s EU presidency, we expect to open at least two clusters and six in total. To be honest, our goal is very ambitious — to open all the clusters next year,” Zelensky said at the All-Ukrainian Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

5:18 PM

MP expelled from Zelensky's party faces trial on charges of assaulting war veteran.

The bureau said it had completed the investigation against Tyshchenko on charges of illegally detaining and assaulting a war veteran in Dnipro.

4:35 PM

Book review

Deals over ideals — Anne Applebaum explains the playbook of autocracies in new book, and how to undermine them

3:58 PM

UK sanctions 20 Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers, announces financial aid to Ukraine.

The United Kingdom sanctioned 20 vessels of Russia’s "shadow fleet" and pledged 35 million pounds ($44 million) in aid to repair Ukraine’s energy grid, the British government said on Dec. 17.

3:30 PM

Russia heavily attacking in Kursk Oblast for 3rd day, 'actively' using North Korean troops, Syrskyi says.

"For the third day, Russian forces have been conducting intensive offensive operations in Kursk Oblast, actively using North Korean units," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

2:40 PM

Ukraine's parliament supports bill on multiple citizenship in first reading.

The legislation lists permissible cases for holding multiple citizenship and simplifies procedures for foreigners to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.

2:00 PM

Slovak energy company, partners call for continued gas transit via Ukraine.

Slovakia's state-owned energy company SPP and its partners in Hungary, Italy, and Austria called for continued gas transit through Ukraine in a declearation published on Dec. 17.

9:29 AM  (Updated:  December 17, 2024 1:12 pm)

Updated: Defense Ministry to investigate alleged abuse of service members in engineering brigade.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Dec. 16 ordered an investigation into the alleged abuse, extortion, and humiliation of soldiers in the 211th Pontoon Bridge Brigade by their commanders.

12:57 PM

Latvia announces surprise combat readiness check of its military.

While the Latvian Defense Ministry said that the drills are "not related to changes in the security environment," the exercises take place amid surging tensions between NATO and Russia.