Key developments on Dec. 9: * Zelensky 'may consider' deployment of foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine to ensure ceasefire * Ex-chief of Russian-run Olenivka prison allegedly killed in car bombing in occupied Donetsk * Trump 'formulating a concept' to end Russia-Ukraine war * Russia claims bodies of Il-76 crash victims given to Ukraine, Kyiv says
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.
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.
Russia’s spending on “national defense” reached an unprecedented $43 billion in the third quarter of 2024, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 9.
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.
The Kyiv Independent’s upcoming documentary about Ukrainian military medics who save lives on the front line of Russia’s full-scale war will be screened in 10 European capitals. “Can You Hear Me? The Invisible Battles of Ukrainian Military Medics” will premiere in Kyiv on Dec. 12, followed by screenings
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.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 9 his intention to call U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss Ukraine’s invitation to NATO.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. A decade ago, thousands of Ukrainians united to protest a government that sidelined the will of the people to serve its own interests. This revolution ignited a transformative journey toward a European future and a Ukrainian society where the
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.
Ukraine is a nation of reforms, constantly striving for improvement through roadmaps and input from domestic and international partners. These efforts have not been in vain. As we mark International Anti-Corruption Day, it’s crucial to reflect on our achievements and build on the progress made. The past decade, shaped
Serhii Yevsiukov, the former head of Russia's Olenivka prisoner of war (POW) camp in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast, was allegedly killed in a car bombing in occupied Donetsk, the Russian media reported on Dec. 9.
Overnight on Dec. 9, the Russian military attacked Ukraine with two Kh-59/69 cruise missiles from the Black Sea. During the night attack, Russia also launched 37 Shaheds and other unidentified drones, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.
The skirmish took place overnight on Dec. 6 in Kerch Bay, east of the occupied peninsula, when Russian helicopters, planes, and Raptor-class patrol boats attempted to intercept the drones, the SBU said in a statement.
"The purpose of my visit is to learn about the current state of defense in the country," Friedrich Merz said upon arrival. "I am looking forward to a meeting with President (Volodymyr Zelensky) again."
Russia has spent at least $200 billion on its war with Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a conference on Dec. 7 in California.
"Additionally, Russia's support for Assad also failed. And that's because Ukraine, backed by our American allies, has put up a wall of resistance against invading Russian forces, inflicting massive damage on the Russian forces," U.S. President Joe Biden said.
This number includes 1,220 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina was posthumously honored with the Special Prix Voltaire Award at the 34th International Publishers Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, PEN Ukraine reported on Dec. 6.
European Union Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, has proposed allocating 100 billion euros ($105 billion) for defense in the next seven-year EU budget, Politico reported on Dec. 8.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action toward negotiating a truce, saying on Dec. 8: "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!"
A 73-year-old man in a town of Kindiika close to Kherson died after explosives were dropped from the drone on Dec. 8.
Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Dec. 9 to Dec. 15. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday. Romania's newly elected Parliament to set
Key developments on Dec. 7-8: * Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers in action since start of invasion, Zelensky says * Russia claims control of village in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine has not confirmed capture * Situation in Zaporizhzhia Oblast 'difficult,' but 'predicted,' Freedom of Russia Legion spokesperson says * Ukrainian sea drones
This figure contrasts a claim made earlier the same day on Dec. 8 by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who wrote on his Truth Social platform that Ukrainian military losses had reached "400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians."
Trump and Zelensky met in Paris as world leaders gathered in the city for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
The drones targeted multiple oblasts, with debris from downed drones causing damage to residential buildings.
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