Volodymyr Zelensky

9:06 PM

Russia’s defense spending surges to record levels, media reports.

Russia’s spending on “national defense” reached an unprecedented $43 billion in the third quarter of 2024, The Moscow Times reported on Dec. 9.

8:48 PM

Transnistria declares economic emergency over Russian gas supply threat.

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.

7:10 PM

NATO jets intercept Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

The F-35s, deployed under NATO’s eastern airspace monitoring mission, intercepted a Russian An-72 transport aircraft and an SU-24 reconnaissance aircraft.

6:32 PM

Company news

The Kyiv Independent’s film about Ukrainian military medics will be screened in 10 European capitals

6:25 PM

Russia seeks Turkey’s help to withdraw troops from Syria, CNN Turk reports.

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.

5:55 PM

Russian court sentences Crimean resident to 15 years for alleged state treason.

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.

5:00 PM

Zelensky plans to call Biden to discuss NATO invitation for Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 9 his intention to call U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss Ukraine’s invitation to NATO.

3:51 PM

German opposition leader proposes European contact group to unify Ukraine peace strategy.

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.

3:23 PM

Pope Francis calls for Christmas ceasefire 'on all war fronts.'

"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.

2:52 PM

Russia claims bodies of Il-76 crash victims given to Ukraine, Kyiv says examinations ongoing.

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.

2:19 PM

Zelensky 'may consider' deployment of foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine to ensure ceasefire.

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.

1:54 PM

Opinion

EU Ambassador to Ukraine: Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts mark a decade of transformation

1:29 PM

Trump 'formulating a concept' to end Russia-Ukraine war.

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.

1:04 PM

Opinion

10 reforms that defined the decade for Ukraine

12:53 PM

Syrian opposition takes full control of Latakia province hosting Russian bases, Russian media reports.

Syrian opposition fighters took control of the Latakia province, where Russian military facilities – the Kheimin airbase and the Tartus naval base – are based, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Dec. 9, citing a Syrian source.

12:13 PM

Ex-chief of Russian-run Olenivka prison allegedly killed in car bombing in occupied Donetsk.

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.

11:33 AM

Video

When Ukraine was the third-largest nuclear power.

For the 30th anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum, The Kyiv Independent’s Daria Shulzhenko visits a former Soviet-era nuclear missile silo in south Ukraine.

11:26 AM

Estonian PM arrives in Kyiv to meet Zelensky.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the PM said in a post on X on Dec. 9.

10:51 AM

Russian attacks kill 1, injure 9 civilians in Kherson, Donetsk oblasts over past day.

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.

10:34 AM

SBU releases video of Sea Baby naval drones repelling Russian helicopter attack.

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.

10:02 AM

German opposition leader Merz arrives in Kyiv.

"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."

9:16 AM

Russia has spent $200 billion on full-scale war in Ukraine, suffered 700,000 casualties, Austin says.

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.

8:45 AM

Russian losses in Ukraine prevented Moscow from saving Assad regime in Syria, Biden says.

"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.

8:17 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 754,590 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,220 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:10 AM

Georgian PM announces new law banning face-coverings at protests.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans to introduce a law banning participants in rallies and counter-rallies from covering their faces, Georgia Today reported on Dec. 8.