Ukraine returns 107 POWs from Russian captivity

5:19 AM

Trump names 5 picks for Pentagon jobs.

Trump's picks include Elbridge Colby, who opposes Ukraine's NATO membership but supports tougher sanctions on Moscow, and Michael Duffey, who froze military aid to Kyiv in 2019.

3:30 AM

Putin threatens 'more destruction' for Ukraine after Kazan drone strike.

"Whoever, and however much they try to destroy, they will face many times more destruction themselves and will regret what they are trying to do in our country," Putin said on Dec. 22.

2:13 AM

Putin, Slovak PM discuss gas transit, standardizing 'mutual relations,' Fico says after Kremlin meeting.

"In a long conversation ... Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibilities of an early peaceful end to the war, and on mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation, which I intend to standardize."

12:44 AM

Trump claims Putin wants to meet with him 'as soon as possible.'

"President Putin said that he wants to meet with me as soon as possible. So we have to wait for this. But we need to end that horrible, horrible war."

11:28 PM

More than 1,000 applications submitted to join Ukrainian Legion in Poland, ambassador says.

Over a thousand applications have been submitted to the Ukrainian Legion in Poland, Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said in an interview with Suspilne on Dec. 22.

10:21 PM

New IMF forecast predicts war in Ukraine ending in late 2025 or 2026.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) updated projections for Ukraine outline two scenarios regarding Russia’s ongoing war.

9:34 PM

Ukraine war latest: For the first time, Ukraine attacks Russian positions using solely ground, FPV drones.

8:11 PM

Slovak PM Robert Fico meets with Putin in Moscow.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on December 22, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

6:58 PM

Ombudsman reacts to alleged Russian execution of Ukrainian POWs.

"The video shows how Russian soldiers shot five captured Ukrainian defenders," Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said, referring to drone footage released by the 110th Mechanized Brigade earlier on Dec. 22 that appears to have captured Russian troops shooting surrendered Ukrainian soldiers from behind.

4:52 PM

Full restoration of state registries expected within weeks, Justice Ministry says after major cyberattack.

In comments to the Kyiv Independent, the first deputy justice minister said that the precise date of the full restoration of the registries would be more clear in the coming days.

3:34 PM

At least one killed, 10 wounded by Russian attacks over past day, local authorities say.

The reports of casualties come as Ukraine's Air Force reported shooting down 52 attack drones, including the Shahed type, that Russia launched against the country overnight.

3:57 AM  (Updated:  December 22, 2024 1:08 pm)

Oil depot in Russia’s Oryol Oblast targeted by ‘massive’ Ukrainian drone strike, governor says.

Oryol Oblast Governor Andrey Klychkov claimed that Russian forces downed 20 drones over Oryol Oblast targeting fuel and energy infrastructure facilities.

12:40 PM

Air Force reports downing 52 Russian drones overnight.

The Air Force added that it lost track of 44 decoy drones that Russia launched alongside the real attack drones.

10:08 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 774,100 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,820 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 22.

5:15 AM

Media identifies nearly 85,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine.

According to the outlets' conclusions for the year, 2024 will likely mark the "war's deadliest year," with a current count of over 20,000 deaths confirmed over the past 12 months — although final conclusions cannot yet be made as data on casualties continues to emerge.

2:19 AM

Ukrainian boxer Usyk defeats Fury to retain heavyweight championship belt.

Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk defeated U.K.-born Tyson Fury by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 22 to retain his unified heavyweight championship title.

12:49 AM

Russian attack on cancer treatment center in Kherson 'heinous act of cruelty against civilians,' Zelensky says.

The oncology center, which has operated in a limited capacity since the start of the full-scale invasion, housed the only linear accelerator offering radiotherapy treatment in the city.

12:00 AM

Ukrainian woman in serious condition following Germany's Christmas market attack.

A Ukrainian woman is in serious condition after a car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on the evening of Dec. 20. The incident has claimed five lives and left over 200 people injured, many of them critically.

11:17 PM

Zelensky meets with CIA director in Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 21 that he met with CIA Director William Burns in Ukraine, marking a rare public acknowledgment of their discussions during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

8:25 PM

Russian embassy condemns UK plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid.

The Russian embassy in London criticized the U.K.'s plan to transfer more than two billion pounds ($2.5 billion) to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, calling it a "fraudulent scheme."

5:34 PM

Ukraine's General Staff denies Guardian report about air defense personnel being transferred to infantry units.

A source told the Guardian the situation was reaching a critical level, expressing doubts about the air defense's ability to function effectively.

5:14 PM

Slovak PM Robert Fico to visit Putin in Russia next week, Serbian president says.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he had "learned unofficially" of the upcoming visit.

2:34 PM

Orban says Hungary proposing ‘trick’ to keep Russian gas shipments via Ukraine.

Ukraine has said it will not extend the transit agreement for Russian gas through its territory, set to expire on Dec. 31.

12:08 PM

'If Putin attacks, we need to be able to wage war,' German Defense Minister says.

Boris Pistorius has come out in favor of a reform of the debt brake in order to increase funding for military defense.

11:30 AM

Two Russian airports suspend flights after Ukrainian drones target Kazan, media, officials report.

Russian state media Kommersant reported that the airports of both Kazan and the neighboring city of Izhevsk had suspended flights.