Trump hints he won't 'abandon' Kyiv but opposes Ukraine launching US missiles inside Russia
"I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that?" Donald Trump told Time.
Ukraine
Ukraine's intelligence kills senior Russian missile scientist near Moscow, source claims
Mikhail Shatsky, a Russian expert involved in modernizing missiles launched against Ukraine, was shot dead near Moscow, a Defense Forces source told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 12.
Macron, Tusk to discuss deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine after ceasefire, Bloomberg reports
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Warsaw on Dec. 12 to brief the Polish prime minister on his meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week and to discuss Europe's support for Ukraine and ways to end Russia's war.
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 1, injure 11 over past day
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least one civilian and injured at least 11 over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Dec. 12.
US lawmakers ask for intelligence report on impact of cutting Ukraine aid
Lawmakers from both chambers of the U.S. legislature requested the director of national intelligence, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to compile a report on different policy impacts on Ukraine and U.S. security, according to The Hill.
US House passes 2025 defense spending bill without Ukraine lend-lease extension
The $895 billion U.S. defense budget passed by the House of Representatives did not include a provision to extend the lend-lease act for Ukraine despite the efforts of Ukrainian diplomats, Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, said on Dec. 12.
General Staff: Russia has lost 758,730 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,390 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Tough battles, lost positions in Pokrovsk demand 'non-standard decisions,' Syrskyi says
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that "non-standard decisions" are needed near the embattled city of Pokrovsk, after the military reported that Russia had destroyed two Ukrainian positions in the area.
Tsikhanouskaya says Ukraine maintains relations with Belarusian opposition leaders
Svitlana Tsikhanouskaya, the most prominent Belarusian opposition leader, discussed efforts to maintain relations with Ukrainian authorities in a European Pravda interview on Dec. 10.
'We hope that at least he won't call Assad' — Zelensky slams Orban for phone call with Putin
President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Dec. 11 following his hour-long call to Russian President Vladimir Putin during which the two discussed the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine war latest: Russia continues to suffer record losses in December, Zelensky says
Key developments on Dec. 11: * Russia continues to suffer record losses in December, Zelensky says * Ukraine has arms to resist at least until mid-2025 if US cuts aid, finance minister says * Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison * Russia may launch new Oreshnik missile against
Russia may launch new Oreshnik missile against Ukraine in 'coming days,' US intelligence says
Washington still sees the experimental Oreshnik missile more as "an attempt at intimidation than a game-changer on the battlefield in Ukraine," a U.S. official said.
Ukrainian airline SkyUp launches flights from Moldova in April 2025
SkyUp chose the Chisinau Airport in Moldova as it is the closest international hub to Ukraine.
Looking to read Ukraine-related books? We picked the best of 2024
The year 2024 proved to be another landmark for books about Ukraine and Ukrainian literature in translation, with a continued trend in publishing in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Unsurprisingly, Russia’s ongoing full-scale war against Ukraine was the most common topic among these works. Whether through incisive on-the-ground reportage that
Ukraine's tax hike, G7 loan enough for planned defense expenses in 2025, Finance Ministry says
For the next year, Ukraine allocated 26.3% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defense and security expenditures, including Hr 740 billion ($17.7 billion) for arms purchases and Hr 50 billion ($1.2 billion) on the production and purchase of drones.
YouTuber Johnny Harris’ lens on Eastern Europe is distorted and irresponsible
Something is wrong with YouTuber Johnny Harris’ lens — not the one he uses to film himself, but his view of Eastern European history. Known for his unquenchable thirst for maps and archival documents, Harris has become a prominent voice on geopolitics and history. If you're unfamiliar with him, Harris developed
Russian proxies sentence 9 Azovstal defenders to 24 years, life in prison
Russian occupation authorities in Donetsk jailed nine Ukrainian soldiers captured after defending Mariupol to between 24 years and a life sentence, the city's exiled authorities reported on Dec. 11.
Russia continues to suffer record losses in December, Zelensky says
"As in November, the Russian military is using a record number of its men in December in battles and assaults," President Zelensky said.
Updated: Hungary's Orban calls Putin to discuss Ukraine
The Hungarian government has not yet commented on the call, which appears to have taken place after Orban's visit to Trump's Florida residence.
Ukraine Business Roundup — Ukraine moves to replace Chinese drone parts
The following is the Dec. 10, 2024 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. It’s a persistent problem with the drone supply to Ukrainian troops: Imported Chinese drones are often laden
Ukraine has arms to resist at least until mid-2025 if US cuts aid, finance minister says
"I believe that we have enough funds, enough weapons, missiles, and artillery shells to resist at least during the first half of 2025," Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said.
Zelensky emphasized security guarantees in talks with Trump, Reuters reports
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump did not discuss details of a possible peace plan when they met in Paris, with Trump calling for an immediate ceasefire, Reuters reported on Dec. 11, citing five undisclosed sources.
Police raid Ukrainian Railways over suspected criminal scheme
"The actions of the defendants led to significant losses and the creation of an artificial shortage of tickets for the most popular routes on the market," the police’s statement read.
Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 8, injure 57 over past day
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least eight civilians and injured at least 57 over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Dec. 11.
As military options dwindle, US support is key to Ukraine's peace talks
Ukraine is exhausted. Low on manpower, ammunition, and, most importantly, morale, the country is slowly reckoning with the fact that the ongoing war may be unwinnable on the battlefield — at least for now. According to a Gallup survey published on Nov. 19, 52% of Ukrainians now say they want their
Russia killed at least 109 Ukrainian POWs in 2024, ombudsman says
"In 2024 alone, we can confirm that Russian troops shot 109 Ukrainian prisoners of war," Lubinets said. Reports of murders, torture, and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war are received regularly by Ukrainian authorities.
Media identifies over 82,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine
Russia has made territorial gains in Eastern Ukraine, using brutal meat wave tactics to achieve minor tactical victories on the frontline at the cost of high casualties among its soldiers.
General Staff: Russia has lost 757,340 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,400 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Updated: Ukraine reportedly strikes industrial targets in Russia's Rostov, Bryansk oblasts
A Ukrainian missile struck a boiler plant in Russia's Rostov Oblast overnight on Dec. 11, damaging critical infrastructure in the city of Taganrog, Russian officials claimed.
US announces $266 million in sales to bolster Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets
The State Department approved a $266 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine on Dec. 10, enabling the sustainment of services as well as repairs necessary for the upkeep of the country's F-16 fighter jets.
Ukraine state-owned enterprises weekly — Issue 157
Editor’s Note: This is issue 157 of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly, covering events from Dec. 2-8, 2024. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Corporate governance of SOEs Parliament appoints Naftogaz’s CEO Chernyshov as national unity minister; CFO Chumak takes over as acting CEO. On Dec. 3,
Ukraine war latest: US announces $20 billion loan for Ukraine as part of G7 initiative
Key developments on Dec. 10: * US announces $20 billion loan for Ukraine as part of G7 initiative * Zelensky announces 'successful tests' of new Ukrainian missile * 70% of Ukrainians support 'West German' model for NATO accession, survey shows * Explosions heard in occupied Donetsk Oblast city, Russian proxies announce evacuation * Confusion over
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