Ukraine rejects Russia's demand to surrender Mariupol.

12:21 PM

Cargo vessel sent to transport Russian military equipment from Syria breaks down in open sea, Ukraine's intel claims.

Concurrently, marine traffic monitors show a Vladivostok-bound cargo ship, Ursa Major, previously registered as Sparta III and visually matching the picture published by HUR, moving at a very low speed of little over 1 knot in the open sea between Spain and Algeria.

11:49 AM

NATO chief defends Scholz, calls Zelensky's criticism 'unfair'.

In the interview, Rutte said that Scholz's contributions to Ukraine are commendable. The chancellor ensured that Germany ranks second after the U.S. in military support for Ukraine, something Kyiv could express its gratitude for, Rutte noted.

11:09 AM

Moscow begins providing energy aid to Georgia's Russian-occupied Abkhazia region.

The press service of the Abkhaz energy company Chernomorenergo reported that a schedule from Nov. 1, under which electricity will be unavailable for four hours per day, is in effect.

10:40 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 3, injure 3 over past day.

The Russian military attacked Ukraine with 72 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles overnight on Dec. 23, Ukraine's Air Force reported on Telegram.

10:01 AM

Australian citizen fighting for Ukraine allegedly captured by Russia.

The man, who identifies himself as 32-year-old Australian citizen Oscar Jenkins, is seen in military fatigues, apparently tied up, and violently interrogated in a video shared on Russian Telegram channels.

9:30 AM

Russia's threat to Europe 'much wider than we imagine,' Italian PM warns.

"It's about our democracy, it's about influencing our public opinion, it's about what happens in Africa, it's about raw materials, it's about the instrumentalization of migration. We need to know it's a very wide idea of security," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.

8:48 AM

'Mysterious' fire engulfs Russian Shahed warehouse, Ukrainian intelligence claims.

A large-scale fire broke out at a Shahed drone warehouse at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Russia's Tatarstan, destroying drone parts worth $16 million, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Dec. 23.

8:12 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 776,090 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,990 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:49 AM

North Korea preparing to ship more troops, drones to Russia, Seoul says.

North Korea is preparing to deploy additional troops and weapons, including kamikaze drones, to aid Russia in its full-scale war against Ukraine, the South Korean military said on Dec. 23.

6:38 AM

BMW dismisses employees involved in scheme to illegally deliver cars to Russia.

BMW discovered irregularities that allowed cars to be transferred to Russia from its branch in Hanover, the German automaker said on Dec. 22.

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.