French presidential office: Macron, Draghi, Scholz arrive in Kyiv by train.

6:57 AM

UK sanctions illicit gold trade, says it funds Russia's war.

The latest round of sanctions imposes asset freezes on five individuals involved in the illicit gold trade, including the CEO of Paloma Precious, which has purchased more than $300 million of Russian gold.

4:53 AM

Ukraine approves Droid TW robotics system for combat operation.

The system was approved after performing reliably in combat testing, the Defense Ministry said on Dec. 9.

3:50 AM

Ukraine won't trade young soldiers' lives for better weapons, Zelensky says.

"The priority should be providing missiles and lowering Russia's military potential, not Ukraine's draft age. The goal should be to preserve as many lives as possible, not to preserve weapons in storage."

2:45 AM

5 Ukrainian children return home from Russia, Russian-occupied territories.

Ukraine successfully returned five children from Russia and Russian-occupied territories as part of the "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced early on Dec. 10.

1:58 AM

German opposition leader vows Ukraine won't fight one-handed.

During his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Friedrich Merz, the leading contender to become Germany's next chancellor, condemned the German government's hesitance to provide long-range weaponry like Taurus cruise missiles.

12:29 AM

Syria

Assad's downfall shows Kremlin is not invincible, undermines trust in Russian-led alliances

11:30 PM

US says it's ready to train, arm new soldiers if Ukraine changes conscription policy.

"We have made clear is that if (Ukraine) produces additional forces to join the fight, we and our allies will be ready to acquit those forces and train those forces to enter battle," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Dec. 9.

11:12 PM

Winter Holidays

Ukrainian gift guide 2024

10:35 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky 'may consider' deployment of foreign peacekeepers to ensure ceasefire

10:20 PM

Ukraine assembling coalition for united stance on ending war, President's Office reports.

Ukraine is assembling a coalition of partners to create a working group aimed at bolstering its defense and forming a united diplomatic stance on ending the war, the president's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said on Dec. 9.

9:46 PM

Russian military suppliers exploit loophole to source US microchips.

Russian distributors allegedly integrated Texas Instruments' online store into their trading platforms, enabling customers in Russia to access semiconductor inventories and prices, and place orders.

9:06 PM

Russia’s defense spending surges to record levels, media reports.

Russia’s spending on “national defense” reached an unprecedented $43 billion in the third quarter of 2024, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 9.

8:48 PM

Transnistria declares economic emergency over Russian gas supply threat.

Leader of Moldova's Russian-occupied Transnistria region, Vadim Krasnoselsky, signed a decree on Dec. 9 introducing a 30-day economic state of emergency due to the risk of Russian gas supply disruptions, Newsmaker media reported.

7:10 PM

NATO jets intercept Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

The F-35s, deployed under NATO’s eastern airspace monitoring mission, intercepted a Russian An-72 transport aircraft and an SU-24 reconnaissance aircraft.

6:32 PM

Company news

The Kyiv Independent’s film about Ukrainian military medics will be screened in 10 European capitals

6:25 PM

Russia seeks Turkey’s help to withdraw troops from Syria, CNN Turk reports.

According to the outlet’s correspondent in Ankara, Russia has proposed relocating its forces to Turkish-controlled areas of Syria before transporting them to Russia by air.

5:55 PM

Russian court sentences Crimean resident to 15 years for alleged state treason.

A Russian-controlled court in occupied Crimea sentenced a 33-year-old local resident to 15 years in a strict regime colony on charges of state treason, Russia's prosecutor's office reported on Dec. 9. The man was accused of transmitting information about the movement of Russian military equipment to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.

5:00 PM

Zelensky plans to call Biden to discuss NATO invitation for Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 9 his intention to call U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss Ukraine’s invitation to NATO.

3:51 PM

German opposition leader proposes European contact group to unify Ukraine peace strategy.

Speaking to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the German politician said that this united vision should be then presented to the U.S. leadership. Zelensky voiced his support for the proposal, Ukrinform reported.

3:23 PM

Pope Francis calls for Christmas ceasefire 'on all war fronts.'

"Let us continue to pray for peace, in tormented Ukraine, in the Middle East — Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and now Syria — in Myanmar, in Sudan, and wherever people suffer from war and violence," Pope Francis said on Dec. 8.

2:52 PM

Russia claims bodies of Il-76 crash victims given to Ukraine, Kyiv says examinations ongoing.

Russia has transferred the bodies of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) who died in a plane crash over Russia’s Belgorod Oblast in January, Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova claimed in an interview with state-run RIA Novosti published on Dec. 9.

2:19 PM

Zelensky 'may consider' deployment of foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine to ensure ceasefire.

Ukraine "may consider" French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to deploy European peacekeepers on its territory but only after getting a clear understanding of the NATO membership timeline, President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting German opposition leader Friedrich Merz on Dec. 9.

1:54 PM

Opinion

EU Ambassador to Ukraine: Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts mark a decade of transformation

1:29 PM

Trump 'formulating a concept' to end Russia-Ukraine war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin should seek an end to the war as he lost 700,000 people to hostilities, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said in comments for the New York Post published on Dec. 8.

1:04 PM

Opinion

10 reforms that defined the decade for Ukraine