Ukraine war latest: 76% of Ukrainians reject recognizing occupied territories as Russian to end war, poll finds
Hello, this is Yuliia Taradiuk reporting from Ukraine on day 1,405 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today's top story:
A new poll published Dec. 29 found 76% of Ukrainians consider it unacceptable to recognize Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia in exchange for ending the war.
The opinion poll, conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF), found that 76% of the 2,000 adults surveyed nationwide consider it unacceptable to recognize occupied Ukrainian territories as part of Russia.
Among respondents, 11% said the question was difficult to answer, and only 13% considered it acceptable.
The largest percentage of Ukrainians who agree that Ukraine should recognize the occupied territories as part of Russia are in Ukraine's central (22%) and eastern regions (21%). In southern regions, such respondents made up 12%, and in western regions, less than 2%.
The survey was conducted between Dec. 5 and 16, 2025, in Ukrainian government-controlled areas where there was no active fighting.
Moscow illegally declared the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts in 2022 and insists Ukraine withdraw fully from them as part of a peace deal, even though it does not control them completely.
The poll comes amid the ongoing peace talks among the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia.
Russia has signaled it wants control over all occupied Ukrainian territory. A recent peace proposal included language that Ukraine would hold positions where its forces are currently deployed. Moscow, by contrast, is demanding Ukraine withdraw troops from parts of Donetsk Oblast that Russian forces have not captured.
'They are looking for a pretext' — Zelensky denies drone attack on Putin's residence
Last updated at 8:16 p.m. Kyiv time.
President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russia's claims that Ukrainian drones attempted to attack a state residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin as "another lie," warning that Moscow is using the allegation to justify potential strikes, "most likely on Kyiv."
"With this statement about an alleged attack on some residence, they are preparing the ground to strike, most likely the capital and government buildings. We've already seen this before, when they attacked the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," Zelensky said while speaking to Ukrainian media on Dec. 29.
Ukraine convicted two Russian soldiers in absentia for torturing civilians in occupation
Last updated 6:15 p.m. Kyiv time.
A court in Mykolaiv Oblast has convicted two Russian soldiers in absentia for torturing civilians during Russia’s occupation of the region in 2022, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) reported Nov. 29.
HUR said the men were among three Russian officers it identified in connection with alleged war crimes in the village of Novopetrivka, which was under Russian occupation for nearly eight months.
According to HUR, Araltan Manzhiev, Konstantin Makin, and Viktor Klimienko unlawfully detained civilians, caused serious bodily injuries, simulated executions, and used various forms of torture.
In March 2022, HUR said, Manzhiev and Klimienko detained two unarmed local men in Novopetrivka and beat them "inhumanely." One of the men was tortured with "particular cruelty" and shot and killed after several days of torture, HUR said.
The Snigurivka Regional Court of Mykolaiv Oblast examined evidence in the case and issued a verdict in absentia. Manzhiev was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Klimienko to 12 years in prison.
The soldiers could not be reached for comment, and the Russia Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
'A continuous field of battle' — Huliaipole becomes gray zone as fighting intensifies in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Southern Command says
Last updated 5:47 p.m. Kyiv time.
Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions across most of Huliaipole, but defending the city is becoming increasingly difficult as heavy fighting turns it into a nearly continuous battlefield, according to a recent assessment by DeepState monitoring group, published on Dec. 29.
The report's findings were confirmed to the Kyiv Independent by Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command. Spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn described the fighting as intense and ongoing.
"There is no clear front line anymore — it's a continuous field of battle," Voloshyn said on Dec. 29.
DeepState said the city is a gray zone, with Russia's numerical advantage letting its forces carry out propaganda stunts — including filming video in the city center — despite lacking full control.
Read the full story.
Russia hold ʼlesson of courageʼ for children in occupied Skadovsk, Suspilne reported
Last updated 3:50 p.m. Kyiv time.
Russian occupation authorities organized a so-called "lesson of courage" for schoolchildren in the occupied city of Skadovsk in Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast, according to an investigation published by Suspilne on Dec. 29.
According to the investigation, the event was led by a former journalist from Mykolaiv who now cooperates with the occupation administration and heads the local branch of the Russian organization Boyevoye Bratstvo.
During the session, children were shown images related to the war and were given explanations presenting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a justified "special military operation," Suspilne reported.
The investigation found that Boyevoye Bratstvo has been systematically involved in the militarization of Ukrainian children in occupied territories and is part of Russia's broader efforts to consolidate control over these regions.
The full investigation is available on Suspilne.
Ukraine says it still holds parts of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad situation 'difficult'
Last updated 1:35 p.m. Kyiv time.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to control the northern part of Pokrovsk, while the situation in Myrnohrad "remains difficult," the 7th Rapid Response Corps said on Dec. 29.
Ukraine's 7th Rapid Response Corps said that the Russian army has been trying to break through Ukrainian defenses in Pokrovsk and has intensified operations west of the city, but has been stopped by Ukrainian troops.
Near Myrnohrad, the situation "remains difficult," the 7th Rapid Response Corps said. Units of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces and Marine Corps have been deployed there, and the army is reinforcing its forces to counter pressure from the northeast and south.
The 7th Rapid Response Corps said Russian forces carried out “demonstrative propaganda actions” on Myrnohrad’s southern outskirts aimed primarily at a domestic Russian audience, with little tactical military significance.
On Dec. 28 Ukrainian and Russian troops published conflicting claim and videos about who controls Myrnohrad.
Ukraine's Armed Forces issued a statement on Dec. 28, alleging they continue to hold key positions in Myrnohrad and the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a video of ongoing combat operations there.
Meanwhile, Russian state-controlled media circulated videos online that appeared to show Russian soldiers raising flags in several of the town's destroyed neighborhoods.
Pokrovsk, a key fortress city in Donetsk Oblast, has been one of the most fiercely contested areas of the front line, with Ukrainian forces holding off a major Russian assault for the past year. Myrnohrad is a satellite town of Pokrovsk, located less than 3 kilometers (2 miles) away.
Russian forces executed 2 Ukrainian POWs in Donetsk Oblast, prosecutors say
Last updated 1:35 p.m. Kyiv time.
Russian troops shot dead two unarmed Ukrainian prisoners of war on Dec. 27 in the village of Shakhove near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Dec. 29, in what appeared to be at least the third reported case this month of captured Ukrainian soldiers being killed after being taken prisoner.
According to the investigation, Russian soldiers forced one of the POWs to partially undress at gunpoint before executing both.
"Seeing that the prisoners of war were dead, they also took off the clothes of the second defender who had already been killed," the Prosecutor General's Office said.
A pretrial investigation has been launched under Article 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which covers war crimes resulting in death. The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office is overseeing the case.
At least 2 killed, 17 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
At least two people were killed and 17 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Dec. 29.
Russia launched 25 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 21 drones. Four drones made it through, striking two locations.
In Donetsk Oblast, one person was killed, five were injured in Russian attacks, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 46-year-old man was killed, two women were injured in Russian attacks against the oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.
In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks injured nine people over the past day, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.
In Kharkiv Oblast, three people were injured by Russian drone attacks, Governor Oleh Syniehybov said.
In Sumy Oblast, a 55-year-old woman was injured as a result of a Russian drone strike, Governor Oleh Hryhorov said.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,205,690 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost around 1,205,690 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Dec. 29.
The number includes 1,180 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,472 tanks, 23,837 armored fighting vehicles, 71,891 vehicles and fuel tanks, 35,570 artillery systems, 1,581 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,264 air defense systems, 434 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 96,532 drones, 28 ships and boats, and two submarines.
