Weekend in Kyiv

1:53 AM

France, UK discuss deploying troops to Ukraine for ceasefire monitoring, sources tell RFE/RL.

The official, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, noted that these discussions happen in individual capitals, not within NATO.

11:31 PM

Romania

Russia-friendly candidates surge in Romania's elections, a worrying signal for Ukraine

11:20 PM

US announces $725 million military aid package for Ukraine.

The package will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, drones, and landmines, among other equipment.

10:55 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Scholz visits Kyiv for first time since June 2022, pledges $680 million in military support

10:51 PM

War analysis

‘Destroying us little by little:’ Ukrainian troops worried about fate of Kursk operation

10:32 PM

Interview

We see that Russian economy is in a very dire state, EU top diplomat Kallas says

9:57 PM

Russian presidential administration holds seminar for regional officials to discuss 'victory's image' in war.

Russian presidential administration last week held a seminar for vice-governors to discuss an "image of victory" in the war against Ukraine, the Russian pro-regime Kommersant news outlet reported on Dec. 2, citing its undisclosed source.

8:27 PM

'We need to move faster,' Zelensky announces personnel changes in Ukrainian Armed Forces.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement follows General Mykhailo Drapatyi's appointment as Ukraine's Ground Forces commander.

7:38 PM

'This does not strengthen Ukraine,' Zelensky on Scholz's call with Putin.

Separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin do not strengthen Ukraine and may lead to improving his standing, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 2 during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

6:43 PM

Video

We shouldn't overestimate Russia's power, EU top diplomat Kallas says.

In an exclusive interview with the Kyiv Independent, Kaja Kallas, the newly appointed vice-president of the European Commission and top EU diplomat, discusses Ukraine support and recent EU sanctions against Russia. Kallas visited Kyiv on Dec. 1, the first day in her new role.

6:18 PM

Szijjarto meets Lavrov in Moscow, calls on Ukraine, Russia to sit down at 'negotiating table.'

"The past thousand days have proven conclusively that the war in Ukraine cannot be resolved on the battlefield, and therefore the solution must be sought at the negotiating table," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.

4:01 PM

Russia trained 300,000 reserve soldiers for war in Ukraine, Russian defense official claims.

"Seven companies of instructors and eight training companies for specialists... have trained over 300,000 service members," said Ivan Buvaltsev, the head of the training department at the Armed Forces.

2:37 PM

Russia fired at least 60 North Korean missiles against Ukraine, military intelligence says.

"Their accuracy, in principle, is not very high. We understand that the technologies by which they were manufactured are outdated," Andrii Cherniak, a military intelligence spokesperson, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

2:23 PM

Zelensky, Scholz meet in Kyiv as Germany unveils military aid.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine's capital for the first time since June 2022, promising to announce the delivery of 650 million euros ($680 million) worth of arms to be supplied this December.

2:01 PM

Kyiv denounces violence against Georgian protesters; Moscow compares pro-EU rally to Orange Revolution.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned on Dec. 2 the violent crackdown by Georgian authorities against pro-EU protesters, saying the government's steps demonstrate a "turn toward Moscow."

1:02 PM

Poland shuts down Druzhba pipeline section after oil leak.

Supply to customers was not affected by a leak on one of the branching pipes of the Russian Druzhba pipeline in Poland, the Polish operator Pern said in a statement on Dec. 1.

12:30 PM

Georgian opposition leader briefly detained amid crackdown on pro-EU rally.

Over 220 protesters have been detained over the past few days, the country's Interior Ministry said. This included several journalists and Zurab Japaridze, leader of the opposition Girchi – More Freedom party, who was detained on Dec. 2 before being released the same day.

11:35 AM

Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 4, injure 23 over past day.

Russian forces launched 110 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Fifty-two were shot down, 50 were lost across Ukraine thanks to electronic warfare countermeasures, and six flew to Belarus and Russia, according to the statement.

11:02 AM

Some North Korean troops fighting on Russia's side killed, Zelensky says.

Some of the North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia have already been killed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Kyodo News on Dec. 1 without revealing their numbers.

10:39 AM

Ukraine's military lacks strength to retake some occupied territories, diplomacy needed, Zelensky says.

"Our army lacks the strength to do that. That is true," President Volodymyr Zelensky told Kyodo News regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea.

9:50 AM

Romania's ruling social democrats on course for most votes, far-right comes in second, preliminary results show.

Romania’s ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) received 22.5% of the votes during the parliamentary elections, according to results from more than 99% polling stations published on Dec. 2.

8:55 AM

Scholz arrives in Kyiv first time since June 2022, pledges $680 million in military support.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on Dec. 2 to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirm his country's support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

7:24 AM  (Updated:  December 2, 2024 8:40 am)

Updated: 1 killed, 3 injured in Russia's attack on Ternopil.

A Russian drone attack on Ternopil, during the night of Dec. 2, caused a fire in a residential building and resulted in casualties, local officials reported.

8:27 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 743,920 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,790 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

5:30 AM

Media: 24-year-old Ukrainian man from Russian-occupied Melitopol accused of 'criminal espionage' by FSB, faces up to 20 years in prison.

Leonid Popov, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia since 2017, was charged with espionage by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian independent outlet IStories reported on Nov. 29.