Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia ‘drafts 180,000 convicts’ as Zelensky says decisive Trump can stop Putin
Trump ‘capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin’, says Zelensky
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Your support makes all the difference.Russia has enlisted between 140,000 and 180,000 prison inmates to fight in the war against Ukraine, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) said, according to the Kyiv Independent.
A Russian government decree abolishing the one-time payment of £2,842 to prisoners for signing a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry to participate in the war against Ukraine came into effect on 1 January.
“The legislative abolition of the one-time payment is evidence of the deepening crisis in the Russian economy and the shortage of financial resources,” Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service claimed.
The Independent could not verify these claims.
It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky auded incoming US president Donald Trump saying he could be decisive in the outcome of the 34-month-old war with Russia and help stop Vladimir Putin.
“He can be decisive in this war,” the Ukrainian president said. “He is capable of stopping Putin or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin. He is able to do this.”
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Putin makes pledge to Russia’s soldiers in New Year address
Watch: Putin makes three-word pledge to Russia’s soldiers in New Year address
Vladimir Putin made a three-word pledge to Russia’s soldiers in his pre-recorded New Year address.
In his address to the nation on Tuesday, the Russian president praised his country’s military in its war against Ukraine, telling soldiers, “We believe in you.”
Mr Putin ensured Russians that everything will be fine as the country enters the third year of fighting in Ukraine.
He directly addressed Russia’s armed forces saying the country is proud of their courage and bravery.
Millions of people were expected to watch the new address when it aired on TV as each Russian time zone region counted down the final minutes of 2024.
Putin makes pledge to Russia’s soldiers in New Year address
Vladimir Putin made a pledge to Russia’s soldiers in his pre-recorded New Year address. In his address to the nation on Tuesday (31 December), the Russian President praised his country’s military in its war against Ukraine, telling soldiers, “We believe in you.” Putin ensured Russians that everything will be fine as the country enters the third year of fighting in Ukraine. He directly addressed Russia’s armed forces saying the country is proud of their courage and bravery. Millions of people were expected to watch the new address when it aired on TV as each Russian time zone region counted down the final minutes of 2024.
Ukraine navy says it destroyed over 37,000 Russian drones last year
Ukraine’s navy has destroyed more than 37,000 Russian drones in the year 2024, it reported yesterday.
The downed platforms include Russian strike drones, operational and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, first-person-view drones, and Shahed-type attack drones, the navy said in a Facebook post. Ukrainian naval forces also destroyed five Russian ships and 458 watercraft, it added.
Russia’s drone losses included 35,670 destroyed FPV drones and 1,140 strike drones, the navy said. Ukraine’s naval units also eliminated 192 operational and tactical drones and another 164 Shahed-136/131 drones.
Zelensky backs Moldova over energy disruption
The breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria cut heating and hot water supplies to households yesterday after Russia stopped supplying gas to central and eastern Europe via Ukraine.
The severing of the gas flow was felt immediately in the mainly Russian-speaking territory of about 450,000 people, which split from Moldova in the early 1990s as the Soviet Union collapsed. Russia has about 1,500 troops stationed there.
Halt of gas Ukraine gas transit will have 'drastic' impact on EU, Slovak PM says
The stoppage of gas transit through Ukraine will have “drastic” impact on European Union countries but not on Russia, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico said yesterday.
The pro-Russian Slovak leader has repeatedly warned that the end of transit would cost Slovakia hundreds of millions of euros in lost transit revenue and higher fees for the import of other gas, and argued it would also lead to a rise in gas and electricity prices in Europe.
Ukraine ends Russian gas pipeline to Europe – but how much will it cost Moscow?
Russian gas is no longer flowing to EU states through Ukraine following the expiration of a five-year deal, closing an energy route that has existed since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the move means Russia can no longer “earn billions on our blood”.
His energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, confirmed on Wednesday morning that Kyiv had stopped the gas flows “in the interest of national security”.
“This is a historic event,” he wrote on the social media platform Telegram. “Russia is losing markets and will incur financial losses.”
The deal had allowed for Russian gas to travel through Ukraine’s pipeline networks into European countries, primarily Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.
Ukraine ends Russian gas pipeline to Europe – but how much will it cost Moscow?
Russia will no longer transport gas to Europe via Ukraine’s pipelines, further limiting its ability to raise capital
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Crisis has aided the Russian strongman’s regime stability far more than any index of economic success, writes Mark Almond
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Crisis has aided the Russian strongman’s regime stability far more than any index of economic success, writes Mark Almond
Photos: Moscow welcomes 2025 amid Ukraine invasion
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