Russia using more glide bombs as artillery advantage slips, Western officials say
Russia's artillery advantage against Ukraine has dropped to 1.5 rounds per Ukrainian shell, down from a previous ratio of five to one, officials told Sky News.
Ukraine
EU announces 25 million euros in funding for Ukrainian NGOs, civil society
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova announced 25 million euros ($26.5 million) in funding on Dec. 5 for Ukrainian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations that will advance work related to Ukraine's eventual EU integration.
Trial begins in Finland for Russian neo-Nazi fighter accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine
A Finnish court began trial on Dec. 5 for Yan Petrovsky, a Russian neo-Nazi mercenary, for war crimes he allegedly committed while leading a Russian neo-Nazi unit in eastern Ukraine between 2014 and 2015.
Owners, top managers of popular online casino in Ukraine suspected of collaborating with Russia
The beneficial owners and top managers of one of the most popular online casinos in Ukraine, Pin-Up, are suspected of collaborating with Russia, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Prosecutor General's Office announced on Dec. 5.
From Pyongyang to Kyiv: North Korea’s Growing Role in the Russo-Ukrainian War
New format at KI Insights — Q&A with experts! The first one is already next week. Join our exclusive Q&A session with Dr. Edward Howell to gain unique insights into Koreas' growing role in the Russo-Ukrainian War. This closed-door event is tailored for subscribers seeking an in-depth understanding of
'Not a single day did this document work' — Zelensky on 30th anniversary of Budapest Memorandum
Zelensky added that effective guarantees are currently needed for Ukraine's security, namely "real alliances and a real security foundation within the country," as well as "weapons that enable defense and deterrence of the enemy."
Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian forces regain control of Novyi Komar village in Donetsk Oblast
Key developments on Dec. 5: * Ukrainian forces regain control of Novyi Komar village in Donetsk Oblast * At least 6 Ukrainian mayors held captive by Russia, Zelensky says * Ukrainian forces to receive 30,000 DeepStrike drones in 2025 as part of Zelensky's resilience plan, minister says * 'There will be no Yalta-2
Ukrainian publishing house Osnovy wants to 'fill gap caused by 70 years of Soviet rule'
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series of profiles highlighting successful Ukrainian startups and businesses. The series is funded by the regional investment fund Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF) and created in partnership with Spend With Ukraine, a non-profit organization that launched a platform to showcase businesses
On a forgotten part of Ukraine's front line, Russian forces mass for assault on Dnipro islands
With attention focused on Moscow's grinding advances in Donbas, and Ukraine's efforts to hold onto Russian territory in Kursk Oblast, one area of the front lines continues to see daily battles but little coverage. Ukrainian and Russian forces are locked in an ongoing fight over a series of small islands
Coffin prices in Russia have soared by 74% since start of full-scale invasion, media reports
The price of coffins in Russia has soared by 74% since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Moscow Times reported on Dec. 5, citing Russia's Federal State Statistics Service (RosStat).
Ukrainian forces regain control of Novyi Komar village in Donetsk Oblast
Novyi Komar, a village with a pre-war population of less than 500 people, is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of the Russian-occupied town of Vuhledar.
Carol of the Bells — the classic, and Ukrainian, Christmas song
Editor's note: For the holiday season, the Kyiv Independent has created a unique collection dedicated to Carol of the Bells. Shop now on our e-store. Concertgoers filled Carnegie Hall on a rainy Thursday in October 1922 for a 35-piece performance by the Ukrainian National Choir. It was the first stop
Ukrainian forces to receive 30,000 DeepStrike drones in 2025 as part of Zelensky's resilience plan, minister says
The new generation of DeepStrike drones can "operate autonomously over long distances, hitting targets with high accuracy," according to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
30 years ago today, Ukraine traded nuclear arms for security assurances, a decision that still haunts Kyiv today
On Dec. 5, 1994, Ukraine had signed a set of political agreements that would guarantee the country's sovereignty and independence in return for accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Signed in Budapest, the memorandum would lay grounds for Ukraine to dispose of its nuclear arsenal
Russia illegally drafted 5,500 residents of occupied Crimea in 2024, Kyiv says
Nearly 5,500 residents of Russian-occupied Crimea were mobilized into the Russian army in 2024, according to the report of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, published on Dec. 4.
EU prepared to step in if Trump withdraws from $50 billion Ukraine loan, official says
Polish Deputy Finance Minister Pawel Karbownik said on Dec. 4 that the European Union is prepared to compensate if the U.S. withdraws from a $50 billion multilateral loan agreement for Ukraine.
At least 6 Ukrainian mayors held captive by Russia, Zelensky says
Zelensky confirmed that Yevhenii Matvieiev, the mayor of occupied Dniprorudne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, was tortured to death in Russian captivity.
Discussions about German peacekeepers in Ukraine 'irresponsible,' opposition leader says
Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz said on Dec. 4 that any speculations about deploying German troops to ensure a ceasefire are irresponsible at this time.
Ukrainian intelligence hackers disrupt Russia's Gazprombank, source says
The cyberattack, described as a powerful distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) assault, disrupted Gazprombank's online and mobile banking services.
'There will be no Yalta-2 or Minsk-3,' Ukrainian FM says at OSCE meeting
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Malta on Dec. 5, strongly opposed any agreements resembling past Yalta or Minsk deals that could legitimize Russian aggression.
Russia's losses may begin to outpace enlistment rates, media's analysis says
Basing the conclusions on expenditures on sign-on bonuses and earlier research, Meduza estimates that the Russian military signed between 500-600 new contracts per day. This would be less or barely enough to cover Russia's irreversible battlefield losses, estimated by Meduza at 600-750 per day.
Ukraine sees no signs Russia is ready for peace talks, Zelensky's top aide says
"They only want to dictate and speak the language of ultimatums," Andriy Yermak said in an interview for The Telegraph. He emphasized that no leader of the democratic world, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, would allow such ultimatums.
48,000 Russian soldiers may be MIA in Ukraine, Putin's relative reveals
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Tsivilyova let slip on Nov. 26 that the ministry had received 48,000 applications for DNA tests from relatives seeking information about soldiers missing in action during the war against Ukraine.
Ukraine sanctions Georgian oligarch Ivanishvili, PM, other officials amid pro-EU protests
The sanctions target oligarch and de facto leader of Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili and 18 other individuals.
Updated: Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 4, injure 16 over past day
Ukraine’s Air Force intercepted 30 of 44 Russian drones launched overnight. Russia also fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles during the assault, the Air Force reported.
Russia keeps North Korean soldiers away from direct combat, Ukraine's National Resistance Center claims
North Korean soldiers have been stationed at observation posts and checkpoints in Russia's Kursk Oblast as a "second echelon" not involved in direct combat, the Ukrainian military-run National Resistance Center reported on Dec. 4.
Netherlands announces $23 million for Ukraine's air defense, cyber resilience
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp emphasized the need for NATO and its allies to address third countries aiding Russia’s war effort. "This demands a more robust and coordinated response from NATO and its Allies," he wrote.
Oreshnik strike planned before long-range strikes permission, Gerasimov reportedly told US military chief
Russian General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, held a rare phone call with U.S. General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Nov. 27, The New York Times reported on Dec. 4, citing official sources.
General Staff: Russia has lost 748,950 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,580 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past da
Yermak-led delegation meets with VP-elect Vance, members of Trump's team in Washington, media reports
A Ukrainian delegation, led by Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, met with top incoming government officials as well as aides to President-elect Donald Trump in Washington on Dec. 4, various media outlets reported.
Blinken confirms Ukraine to receive $50 billion transfer from frozen Russian assets
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed during a briefing that the transfer is part of a coordinated effort between the U.S. and EU to support Ukraine.
US enforces visa restrictions on Russian officials linked to Ukrainian child deportations
Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself.
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