Weekend in Kyiv

11:23 AM

Ukraine, EU sign agreement on up to 35 billion euro loan covered by Russian assets revenue.

Ukraine's Finance Ministry and the EU signed a memorandum and an agreement to attract up to 35 billion euros ($36.7 billion) as part of the G7 loan, the ministry said on Dec. 4.

11:01 AM

German FM doesn't rule out deploying troops to Ukraine in case of ceasefire.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told journalists that in order to achieve long term peace in Ukraine, security guarantees such as Ukraine’s NATO membership and deployment of international troops, including German ones, are conceivable.

10:39 AM

Russian attacks against Kherson, Donetsk oblasts kill 6, injure 16 over past day.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 29 of the 50 Russian drones overnight, the Air Force said. Eighteen drones were lost, and one flew to occupied territories, according to the statement.

10:05 AM

Chinese man arrested in US on suspicions of arms shipments to North Korea.

A Chinese man illegally residing in the U.S. was arrested for illegally shipping weapons to North Korea from the U.S., the Justice Department said in a statement on Dec. 3.

10:00 AM

Opinion

Opinion: What Ukraine can expect from the European Parliament’s new term

9:33 AM

Ukrainian drones allegedly strike Russia's Ryazan Oblast, explosions reported near airbase.

The Russian news channel Astra wrote that Ryazan residents heard explosions near the Dyagilevo airbase on the city's outskirts. There have been no official comments on the situation in the regional center or the airbase.

8:46 AM

200 mental health centers to be launched in Ukraine.

Ukraine plans to establish nearly 200 mental health facilities, the Health Ministry reported on Dec. 3.

8:44 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 747,370 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,670 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

8:39 AM

Tucker Carlson says he's back in Russia for interview with Lavrov.

U.S. far-right pundit Tucker Carlson said on Dec. 4 that he is in Moscow to interview Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, promising the discussion would be released "very soon."

6:08 AM

BBC includes 2 Ukrainians in list of 2024 most influential women.

The BBC's "100 Women 2024" list, which was published on Dec. 3, featured two Ukrainians, Olha Olefirenko and Olha Rudnieva.

4:43 AM

Slovenia assures continued assistance to Ukraine at NATO foreign ministers meeting.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon reaffirmed her country’s strong support for Ukraine during the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Ukrinform reported on Dec. 4.

1:47 AM

UNESCO adds Ukrainian egg decoration to intangible cultural heritage list.

"The aggressor is destroying our culture, monuments, theaters, libraries, and museums. ... We, however, are proving that even in the darkest times, we remain unbroken," Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi said.

12:43 AM

UK must help put Kyiv 'in strongest possible position' for peace talks, Starmer says.

"We must continue to back Ukraine ... To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so that they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their future."

11:23 PM

Yermak to visit US for talks with Trump's team, NV reports.

Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak will lead a Ukrainian delegation in meetings with U.S. officials, particularly "people from the entourage of ... Donald Trump," sources said.

11:06 PM

Syria

Fall of Aleppo deals blow to Russia's Middle East clout, may indirectly strengthen Ukraine's hand

10:50 PM

Putin at helm of 'systemic' program to Russify Ukrainian children, Yale study finds.

The study showed that Russian Aerospace Forces and military aircraft transported multiple groups of children in 2022 under Putin's orders.

9:38 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv won't accept security guarantees substituting NATO membership.

8:36 PM

Georgia protests

Protests in Georgia, explained

8:24 PM

Ukraine, US sign energy resilience memorandum worth $825 million.

The document, signed by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting, includes U.S. aid totaling up to $825 million.

7:41 PM

Ombudsman denies Russian claim that Kyiv is delaying prisoner exchanges.

"Ukraine is not delaying and did not delay the exchanges, but on the contrary, declared its readiness to repatriate seriously injured and seriously ill prisoners by creating a mixed medical commission," Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said.

6:22 PM

Abkhaz council votes against ratification of controversial agreement with Russia.

The council of Russian-occupied Abkhazia did not ratify a controversial investment agreement with Moscow, which sparked protests last month, Interfax reported on Dec. 3.

5:03 PM

Ukraine accelerating missile production, Zelensky says.

There is a "significant volume" of new and long-term orders for first-person-view (FPV) drones, reconnaissance drones, long-range drones, and missile-drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

3:56 PM

Russia to send mercenaries to Syria to reinforce its troops, Ukrainian intelligence claims.

Russia is sending private mercenaries to Syria to reinforce its troops, possibly its so-called Africa Corps, the Ukrainian military intelligence agency (HUR) claimed on Dec. 3.

3:37 PM

freedom of speech

Journalists, anti-corruption groups denounce Ukraine’s attempt to increase punishment for state leaks

3:26 PM

Ukraine asking NATO for 20 air defense systems to prevent blackouts.

The provision of HAWK, NASAMS, and IRIS-T batteries will help avert blackouts, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said as Ukraine braces for fresh attacks in the third winter of the full-scale war.