Merkel believes she made the right decision to block Ukraine's NATO membership in 2008.

9:52 PM

Zelensky imposes new sanctions against Russians, including Chechen battalion’s commander.

President Volodymyr Zelensky implemented on Dec. 7 the decision by the National Security and Defense Council to sanction over 300 Russian and Moscow-linked individuals and companies.

8:41 PM

Ukrainian Railways transports record amount of cargo since start of full-scale war.

Throughout November, Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) transported 14 million tons of cargo, a 33.8% increase compared to the same period last year, the Infrastructure Ministry reported on Dec. 7.

8:17 PM

Ukraine prepared to begin transporting trucks stuck at Polish border by train.

"As soon as this test train passes and everything is fine, we will launch it en masse," said Valerii Tkachov, deputy director of commercial work for Ukraine's state-owned railway, Ukrzaliznytsia.

7:39 PM

Prosecutors: Russian soldier who kidnapped teenager sentenced to 12 years in prison.

According to the prosecutors, the soldier kidnapped the boy during the Russian offensive near Chernihiv and held him hostage for four days to try and force his mother, a Ukrainian soldier, to divulge the location of Ukrainian troops in the area.

7:14 PM

US, UK sanction Russian FSB agent, accomplice involved in multi-year cyber attacks.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions in coordination with the U.K. on Dec. 7 against two Russian nationals for their role in a wide-ranging cyber campaign against the U.S., U.K., and other Western countries.

6:56 PM

Energy Ministry: Russian attack on front-line power plant causes energy deficit.

Russian troops struck a thermal power plant in one of Ukraine's front-line regions on Dec. 7, causing a shutdown of two power units, the Energy Ministry reported.

6:50 PM

Media: Zelensky to attend inauguration of incoming Argentine President Milei.

Javier Milei, a far-right libertarian lawmaker, won Argentina's presidential election on Nov. 19 after a campaign in which he said he would seek to reduce ties to Russia and China, among other policy views that represented a break from the outgoing President Alberto Fernandez.

6:11 PM

Russian occupation authorities in Nova Kakhovka announce 'evacuation' of civilians.

"The evacuation is being carried out because the settlements of the Nova Kakhovka district are located within the 15-kilometer combat zone on the east bank of the Dnipro River," the occupation administration said on Telegram.

6:02 PM

Media: Medvedchuk's pro-Russian movement opens branch in Serbia.

The Serbian branch of exiled Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk's organization is headed by Dragan Stanojevic, a Serbian politician and public figure known for his pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian views. Stanojevic was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2021 and banned from entering the country.

5:17 PM

Study: Aid for Ukraine drops to lowest level since January 2022.

Between August and October, the amount of newly committed aid to Ukraine decreased by 87% compared to the same period last year, according to a new study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

4:39 PM

Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast wound 3, cause ammonia leak at factory.

Roman Mrochko, head of Kherson city's military administration, said that Russian attacks had damaged the connection to a refrigeration unit at an industrial food factory, causing an ammonia leak, which was reported as being minor and under control.

4:11 PM

Lithuania investigating how Abramovich's children received citizenship, plans to amend law.

Lithuania is investigating the circumstances around how relatives of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich were given Lithuanian citizenship between 2011 and 2013, the Lithuanian Interior Ministry announced on Dec. 7.

3:52 PM

UK accuses Russian FSB of multi-year campaign of cyber-attacks.

The U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) identified a likely Russian-controlled hacking group called Star Blizzard, whose cyber activities included phishing attacks on U.K. lawmakers, leaking of secret U.K.-U.S. trade documents, and hacking into the accounts of institutions and individuals from the U.K.'s civil society.

3:33 PM

US domestic political turmoil threatens to undermine support for Ukraine.

The Republican party has increasingly soured on continuing to support Ukraine, often citing economic reasons. However, what ultimately doomed the Dec. 6 vote was the mixing of U.S. aid to Ukraine with other political issues, namely domestic border security and the U.S. aid for longtime ally Israel.

2:57 PM

Russia detains Belarusian over alleged Ukraine-orchestrated train sabotage.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a Belarusian national they claim was involved in Ukraine-orchestrated attacks on a key railway line in Russia's far eastern republic of Buryatia the previous week, state news agency TASS reported on Dec. 7.

2:38 PM

Georgia says Hungary would back its EU candidacy in December EU talks.

The leader of Georgia's ruling party said that Budapest backs Tbilisi's EU candidacy, stressing that European aspirations of Georgia and Ukraine are separate issues, Gruzia Online reported on Dec. 7.

1:43 PM

Energy Ministry reports blackouts in 408 settlements.

Power cuts have left 408 settlements across Ukraine without access to electricity over the past day, the Energy Ministry reported on Dec. 7.

1:37 PM

Health Ministry: Ukraine restores almost 850 medical facilities damaged by Russia.

Of the 1,474 medical facilities damaged by Russia since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine had completely or partially restored 847, the Health Ministry said on Dec. 7.

1:14 PM

Governor: 18 Sumy Oblast settlements abandoned by residents due to Russian attacks.

Governor Volodymyr Artiukh noted that even though civilians had left the villages, the Ukrainian military is maintaining a presence there and controls entry and exit.

12:35 PM

Australia sanctions 13 Russians over poisoning, jailing of dissident Kara-Murza.

Australia had imposed sanctions on 13 Russian individuals in connection to the poisoning and the unlawful arrest and sentencing of the prominent Russian opposition figure, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Dec. 7.

12:07 PM

Vehicle crash in Kharkiv Oblast kills 6, injures 5.

A serious collision between three vehicles in Kharkiv Oblast killed six people and injured five others, the State Emergency Service reported on Dec. 7.

11:33 AM

School shooting in Russia's Bryansk results in 2 dead, 5 injured.

A student of a school in Russia's Bryansk shot one of her fellow students dead and injured five others before committing suicide, Russian media reported on Dec. 7.

10:58 AM

Russian media: Authorities seek to tighten security for public figures following Kyva's assassination.

The committees of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, have been "instructed to prepare proposals to protect political and public figures" from Ukrainian attacks, Senator Konstantin Kosachev told Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti on Dec. 7.

10:33 AM

Russia to hold presidential elections on March 17.

Vladimir Putin, in power since 1999 as either president or prime minister, has not yet officially announced his candidacy but is broadly expected to run.

10:05 AM

Norway, UK to launch coalition for Ukraine.

Norway and the U.K. will launch a joint coalition for support for Ukraine on Dec. 11, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said on Dec. 6.