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6:33 AM

North Korean soldiers 'legitimate targets' for Ukrainian military, US official says.

U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller warned that if North Korean troops crossed the border into Ukraine to fight for Russia, that would mark a serious "escalation" in the war.

5:23 AM

Russia to mass-produce Oreshnik ballistic missiles, Putin claims.

Large-scale production of Russia's nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile is a goal for "the near future," Putin alleged at a defense ministry board meeting on Dec. 16.

3:54 AM

Russia trying to hide North Korean losses in Ukraine war, Zelensky claims.

"Russia is not only involving North Korean soldiers in assaults on Ukrainian positions, but is also trying to hide the losses of these people," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 16.

2:55 AM

Russian gas transit deal ends on December 31, won't be renewed, PM Shmyhal says.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 16 that the deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine will not be extended beyond the end of the year. His statement comes as several European countries intensify efforts to secure alternative energy supplies.

1:42 AM

EU imposes sanctions on Chinese companies, North Korean minister over Ukraine war.

The EU imposed fully fledged sanctions on Dec. 16, including asset freezes and visa bans, on Chinese firms for supplying Russia's military for the war against Ukraine.

11:30 PM

Estonia urges NATO allies to boost defense spending to counter Russian threat, Reuters reports.

"Everybody in NATO and in the EU right now has the feeling in their backbone that you should increase defense expenditure because of what is happening all over the world and with Russia," Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters.

Ukraine war latest: Russia sets goal to fully occupy 4 Ukrainian regions in 2025

10:14 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia sets goal to fully occupy 4 Ukrainian regions in 2025

Key developments on Dec. 16: * Russia sets 2025 goal to fully occupy 4 Ukrainian regions, Defense Minister says * 'It's a tough one,' Trump says following questions on how he plans to stop Russia's war against Ukraine * Ukraine possesses laser weapons, advanced drone technologies, commander says * North Korean troops suffer

9:52 PM

Ukraine condemns Hungary’s ‘peacekeeping’ proposals, calls them manipulative.

Hungary, which maintains close ties with Moscow despite Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has consistently criticized EU sanctions against Russia and blocked initiatives to provide military aid to Kyiv.

9:22 PM

North Korean troops suffer casualties in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Pentagon says.

North Korean troops have joined combat operations in the Kursk Oblast, marking the first confirmed engagement of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian military, Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder said on Dec. 16.

8:44 PM

'It's a tough one,' Trump says following questions on how he plans to stop Russia's war against Ukraine.

President-elect Donald Trump confirmed he had not invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to his January inauguration but noted that Zelensky would be “welcome” if he chose to attend.

8:03 PM

EU will train 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers by early 2025, chief diplomat says.

Launched in October 2022, the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM) has already trained approximately 60,000 Ukrainian troops as of August 2024, primarily in Germany and Poland.

7:28 PM

Bundestag votes no confidence in Scholz government, elections set for February.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz failed a confidence vote in the Bundestag on Dec. 16, paving the way for early parliamentary elections scheduled for Feb. 23.

6:34 PM

Ukraine possesses laser weapons, advanced drone technologies, commander says.

Speaking on Dec. 16, Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi said Ukraine’s laser system, called Tryzub, can down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometers.

6:01 PM

EU imposes new sanctions on Belarusian officials and companies supporting Lukashenko regime.

The sanctions target judges who sentenced opposition figures, law enforcement officials involved in persecuting dissidents, and heads of penitentiaries where political prisoners are held.

5:05 PM

Russia sets 2025 goal to fully occupy 4 Ukrainian regions, Defense Minister says.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said during a Defense Ministry meeting on Dec. 16 that Moscow aims to seize the entirety of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in 2025.

4:14 PM

Ukraine charges Russian general over use of banned chemical weapons.

According to the SBU's investigation, chemical weapons have been used in more than 4,800 cases since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

4:01 PM

Assad releases first statement since fleeing to Russia, claims he never considered 'seeking refuge'.

In a post on the official Facebook page of the Syrian presidency, Assad said he was releasing the statement to address "misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth" in the wake of his overthrow.

3:00 PM

Russia must be ready for potential conflict with NATO 'within 10 years,' defense minister says.

Russia should prepare for multiple scenarios, including a war with NATO, in the next 10 years, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said.

2:20 PM

Assad airlifted $250m in cash from Syria to Russia over two years, FT reports.

The FT said Syria's central bank flew nearly two tonnes of $100 bills and €500 notes into the country, which were then deposited in sanctioned Russian banks.

1:41 PM

Norway to provide $242 million for Ukrainian naval defense against Russian Black Sea threats.

The money will be channeled through the Nansen Support Program, Norway's civil and military support program for Ukraine.

12:55 PM

Ukraine produces almost 100 new Peklo missile-drones, media reports.

Almost 100 of Ukraine's new Peklo missile-drone hybrids have been produced as the weapon entered serial production, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Dec. 16.

12:19 PM

30 North Korean soldiers killed, injured in Kursk Oblast assaults, Ukraine's intelligence claims.

North Korean losses have to be replenished by fresh soldiers from North Korea's 94th Separate Brigade, HUR claimed.

12:07 PM

EU adopts 15th package of sanctions against Russia.

The new listings include 54 persons and 30 entities "responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."

11:59 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine injure 6 over past day.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 27 of the 49 drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force said. Nineteen drones were reportedly lost across the country thanks to electronic warfare countermeasures.

10:50 AM

Russian ex-Defense Ministry official suspected of embezzling $5.8 million.

According to the charges, Vladimir Shishov embezzled 600 million rubles with the help of other businessmen, such as second defendant Dmitry Levchenko, manager of RNGS Capital. Shishov was arrested on suspicion of fraud in October 2023. The embezzled money was allocated for a "special infrastructure project."

10:23 AM

Ukrainian drones destroy Russian ammunition depot in Donetsk Oblast, SBU source claims.

"There were thousands of ammunition rounds for armored personnel carriers, tanks, anti-tank guided missiles, mines, grenades, and millions of rounds of ammunition of various calibers," the SBU source said.

9:58 AM

South Africa will not invite Putin to next G20 summit over ICC arrest warrant.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be invited to the next G20 summit due to his pending arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), a spokesperson of the South African president told Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency on Dec. 15.

9:21 AM

Trump's team seeks 'permanent end' to Russia-Ukraine war, national security advisor nominee says.

When asked whether the upcoming Trump administration plans to restrict how Ukraine can use U.S. arms, Mike Waltz said that a "blank check... just isn't a strategy... This just, kind of, forever war that we seem to be backing into."

8:12 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 763,510 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,070 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

6:31 AM

Sinking of two Russian oil tankers may cause 'significant environmental impacts,' Greenpeace warns.

The two tankers, which reportedly sank on Dec. 15 due to severe weather conditions, were carrying approximately 4,000 tons of fuel oil on board each.

4:14 AM

Peace cannot be achieved without territorial loss for Ukraine, Slovak president says.

"When it comes to peace, I believe that realism must be maintained. Today, probably no sensible person in Europe believes that peace can be achieved without some partial territorial losses for Ukraine," Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said.

2:48 AM

Scholz's Social Democratic Party rejects sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine in election program, media reports.

"We stand by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision not to deliver the Taurus cruise missile from the Bundeswehr's stocks," the SPD program reportedly reads, adding that weapons deliveries should come with "prudence and a sense of proportion."

News Feed

10:18 PM

ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders as Russia recognizes their legitimacy.

In a statement, the ICC named Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Afghanistan's top judge Abdul Hakim Haqqani as suspects in a campaign of systematic oppression targeting women, girls, and others who do not conform to the group's rigid gender ideology.

10:17 PM

US only has 25% of Patriot missiles needed for war plans, Guardian reports.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the Pentagon's munitions tracker showed Patriot interceptor stocks had dipped below acceptable levels. That prompted concerns that sending more to Ukraine could put U.S. defense readiness at risk.

10:03 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Trump reportedly pledges to send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, asks Germany to send battery.

9:04 PM

Putin throws 'a lot of b*llshit', Trump says as he 'looks strongly' at Russia sanctions bill.

Trump also addressed U.S. legislation on sanctions, saying the Senate's Russia sanctions bill was "totally optional" for him to implement or terminate. "I'm looking at it very strongly," Trump said.

8:38 PM

Ukrainian businesses outraged as government blocks economic crimes bureau chief nominee.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers rejected a nominee to lead the economic crimes agency, drawing swift criticism from lawmakers and businesses over alleged interference in the selection process.

7:17 PM

Russia's crude exports fall to lowest level since February.

Seaborne crude flows averaged 3.12 million barrels a day over the four weeks to July 6, a 3% decline from the previous period ending June 29, according to tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. That's the lowest level recorded since the four-week period ending Feb. 23.

7:02 PM

War analysis

Dnipropetrovsk village likely contested despite Russia's claim of its capture

6:19 PM

Three men convicted in London arson plot tied to Russia's Wagner Group.

The ringleader, Dylan Earl, 21, had already pleaded guilty to aggravated arson over the 2024 blaze targeting companies that were supplying Elon Musk's Starlink satellite equipment to Ukraine.

5:15 PM

Trump reportedly pledges to send 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, asks Germany to send battery.

During the call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, U.S. President Donald Trump proposed that Germany sell one of its own Patriot batteries to Ukraine.

4:28 PM

Business

Ukraine’s minerals fund focus of private investment ahead of major recovery conference

4:17 PM

Opinion

Seeing war through the lens of narcissism

3:58 PM

Ukraine sanctions 5 Chinese firms for supplying components used in Russian drones.

The decree follows a publication by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), which said it recovered Chinese-made parts from downed Shahed drones during a July 4 air assault on Kyiv.

3:52 PM

Opinion

How to enter Ukraine’s defense market: A short guide for foreign companies

3:27 PM

Interview

'Some are forged into poets during hostilities' — Medic, former POW, and poet on how war is shaping Ukraine's writers

3:16 PM

Putin signs decree allowing foreigners to serve in Russian army during mobilization.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's partial mobilization decree from Sept. 21, 2022, remains in force and has never been formally rescinded.

3:12 PM

'Torture was not just cruel, it was inhuman' — Ukrainian soldier dies weeks after release from Russian captivity.

Soldier Valery Zelensky had spent 39 months in Russian captivity. Just 22 days later, on June 16, his heart stopped.

2:18 PM

(Updated: July 8, 2025 3:08 pm)

Europe's largest port prepares for NATO arms shipments, potential war with Russia.

Rotterdam has previously handled weapons shipments, but this marks the first time that it will designate a special berth for military use.

9:56 AM

(Updated: July 8, 2025 3:03 pm)

Russia's Black Sea Fleet shrinks presence in key Crimean bay, Ukrainian partisans say.

The remaining combat units are periodically rotated and redeployed in an apparent effort to avoid detection by Ukrainian reconnaissance, the Atesh partisan group said.

1:33 PM

(Updated: July 8, 2025 1:34 pm)

Ukraine's ambassador to the US to be dismissed, source says.

Oksana Markarova has held the post since April 2021.

7:45 PM

(Updated: July 8, 2025 1:30 pm)

Minerals

Exclusive: Ukraine pitches US modernizes its largest oil refinery as part of minerals deal

12:27 PM

Overcoming Slovakia, Hungary opposition, EU set to approve new Russia sanctions package this week, Ukrainian official says.

In late June, EU ambassadors did not approve the sanctions package because of objections from Budapest and Bratislava.

11:13 AM

9 killed, 81 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 54 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type attack drones, and fired four S-300/400 guided missiles.

11:02 AM

On 1-year anniversary, Ukraine names Russian officer linked to deadly strike on Kyiv Okhmatdyt children's hospital.

The strike, which killed two adults and injured at least 34 people, directly hit the country's largest pediatric medical center, where 627 children were receiving treatment at the time.

4:15 AM

(Updated: July 8, 2025 9:23 am)

'They have to be able to defend themselves' — Trump says US will send additional weapons shipments to Ukraine, criticizes Putin.

"They're getting hit very hard. We're gonna have to send more weapons, your defensive weapons primarily," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

9:19 AM

Trump reportedly told Zelensky he's not responsible for US arms halt to Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call on July 4 that he was not responsible for the suspension of U.S. arms shipments to Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

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