Lithuanian FM: EU should only issue humanitarian visas to Russians

11:15 AM

Google to suspend payments for Russian app developers, Russian IT portal claims.

Google Play will indefinitely halt processing payments to app developers with bank accounts in Russia starting Dec. 26, Habr, a Russian IT portal, reported on Dec. 12.

10:23 AM

Trump tells Macron, Zelensky he wants European troops monitoring Ukraine ceasefire, WSJ reports.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump wants European troops to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 12, citing undisclosed official sources.

9:24 AM

Russia jails 2 Ukrainian soldiers deployed in Kursk Oblast for 14, 15 years.

The court convicted the soldiers on terrorism charges, accusing them of "opening fire to kill both Russian servicemen and civilians." Russia often uses trumped-up charges to jail captured Ukrainian soldiers, activists, journalists, and regular civilians for lengthy terms.

9:03 AM

UNESCO grants enhanced protection to 2 Ukrainian cultural sites.

UNESCO has added Ukraine's Babyn Yar Memorial and the Odesa Literary Museum to its international list of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.

8:33 AM

US announces visa bans for individuals over undermining Georgian democracy.

The U.S. State Department announced visa bans for approximately 20 Georgian individuals for undermining democracy in the country, according to the department’s statement on Dec. 12.

8:14 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 760,120 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,390 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

8:09 AM

Russia launches one of largest attacks on Ukraine's energy grid.

Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack against Ukraine early on Dec. 13, firing missiles across multiple regions.

5:57 AM

IAEA Board condemns attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure without mention of Russia.

The 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution condemning attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure but did not explicitly name Russia as responsible, Reuters reported on Dec. 12.

4:21 AM

Ukrainian military instructors to undergo NATO-standard training in Lithuania.

Ukrainian military instructors will receive training in Lithuania in 2025 as part of NATO's Defense Education Enhancement Program (DEEP), the Ministry of Defense reported on Dec. 12.

10:58 PM  (Updated:  December 13, 2024 2:12 am)

White House announces new $500 million weapons package for Kyiv.

"This additional assistance, provided under previous drawdowns from Department of Defense stocks, is valued at $500 million," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Dec. 12.

1:34 AM

US announces over $440 million in economic aid for Ukraine.

The economic aid package is comprised of four key parts, including $223 million to rebuild transportation, infrastructure, and logistics.

12:39 AM

Russian guided bomb attacks fall sharply after ATACMS, Storm Shadow strikes, analysts say.

Russian attacks against Ukraine with guided aerial bombs have reportedly fallen by over 50% since Western partners allowed Kyiv to target Russia with long-range missiles.

11:52 PM

Ukraine's largest steelmaker suspends operations at Pokrovsk coal mine.

The closure comes amid an increasingly dangerous Russian advance towards Pokrovsk, where Ukraine has lost key positions in recent days.

10:31 PM

Video

Can You Hear Me? The invisible battles of Ukrainian military medics | Documentary

10:08 PM

Ukraine war latest: Trump hints he won't 'abandon' Kyiv but opposes Ukraine launching US missiles inside Russia

9:29 PM

Russian occupation court sentences Ukrainian to 11 years for alleged espionage.

A Russian-controlled court in occupied Donetsk Oblast sentenced 20-year-old Mikhail Karimov, a resident of Mariupol, to 11 years in a strict regime penal colony, Mariupol City Council reported on Dec. 12.

9:24 PM

301 Ukrainian women held in Russian captivity, rights group reports.

As of December 2024, 301 Ukrainian civilian women are in Russian captivity, with 25 detained before Russia's full-scale invasion and 276 taken since, according to Olha Skrypnyk, head of the Crimean Human Rights Group (CHRG), speaking on Dec. 11.

8:30 PM

Xi Jinping reaffirms China's stance on Ukraine war settlement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China's position on resolving the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, on Dec. 12, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

7:31 PM

NATO chief warns alliance 'unprepared' for Russian threats, calls for increased defense spending.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Dec. 12 that the alliance is not ready for the threats it will face from Russia in the coming years, urging a shift to a wartime mindset with significantly higher defense spending.

6:40 PM

Ukraine sentences Russian Duma chairman Volodin to 15 years in absentia.

Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of Russia’s State Duma, has been sentenced in absentia to 15 years by a Ukrainian court, Ukraine’s State Security Service (SBU) reported on Dec. 12.

5:36 PM

French ambassador to Ukraine assures continued support for Kyiv under new government.

French Ambassador to Ukraine Gael Veyssiere expressed confidence that France's policy of assistance to Ukraine would remain unchanged following the appointment of a new prime minister, Interfax-Ukraine reported on Dec. 12.

5:13 PM

EBRD co-launches $116 million guarantee for Ukraine war-risk insurance.

The EBRD's new Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Guarantee Facility will initially help reinsurance companies cover risks connected to land-based transport, focusing on small and medium businesses.

5:03 PM

Russia, India sign record oil supply deal, Reuters reports.

Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft and Indian refining giant Reliance Industries have finalized a landmark agreement to supply 500,000 barrels of oil daily for the next 10 years, Reuters reported on Dec. 12.

4:35 PM

Poland 'dismisses speculation' on peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, PM says.

During a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Dec. 12, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed speculation about a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, emphasizing that no such actions are currently planned.

4:17 PM

Hungary did not discuss any Christmas truce, prisoner swap with Ukraine, Presidential Office says.

The Hungarian side "did not discuss anything" with Ukraine and "did not warn about its contacts with Moscow," said Dmytro Lytvyn, the presidential communications adviser, referring to Viktor Orban’s recent phone call with Vladimir Putin.