Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky says Patriot missiles could ‘close our skies’ but are just gathering dust
Ukrainian president’s plea comes after Russian missile killed at least four people in Zaporizhzhia
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Your support makes all the difference.Ukraine would be able to completely defend its skies if it received around a dozen more Patriot air defence systems from Western allies, Volodymyr Zelensky has said, urging them not to let the systems “gather dust”.
Signalling his frustration, the Ukrainian president said: “I sometimes do not get it... Everyone understands that an additional 10-12 Patriot systems for Ukraine will ensure life for us and make the war for (Russian president Vladimir) Putin meaningless.
“We repeat again and again that air defences should save lives, not gather dust at storage bases,” he said.
His plea came after a Russian missile killed at least four people and injured 20 more, including a child, in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
Also in the Zaporizhzhia region, a drone hit and severely damaged an official vehicle from the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, on the road to the Russian-held nuclear power plant there yesterday.
While the UN team is safe, the agency’s chief Rafael Grossi repeated his calls for “utmost restraint” from both sides.
In Russia, an overnight missile attack has damaged an industrial facility and set ablaze at least 14 of cars in Taganrog in Rostov.
EU envoys to discuss first sanctions targeting Russian hybrid threats
EU envoys are set to discuss on Wednesday the first potential sanctions targeting Russian hybrid threats such as undermining elections, cyber attacks and economic sabotage, EU diplomats said, as the bloc is struggling to contain Russian influence.
A list of 16 individuals and 3 entities could be added to a new sanctions framework agreed in October in response to a rise in such attacks across the 27-member bloc since Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
Most of the sanctions targets proposed by the EU Commission are Russian. The listing also identifies three people from Moldova, Ivory Coast and Georgia and one entity based in Togo.
Belarus has dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and is ready for its newest missile
Belarus’ president Alexander Lukashenko has said his country is hosting dozens of Russian nuclear weapons and will prepare facilities for the planned deployment of Moscow’s newest hypersonic ballistic missile.
“I have warned all my enemies, ‘friends’ and adversaries: If you step on the border, the answer will be momentary,” Mr Lukashenko said. His remarks came after he and Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a treaty last week that gave security guarantees to Belarus, Moscow’s closest ally, including the possible use of Russian nuclear weapons to help repel any aggression.
Russian troops sabotage boats to avoid Dnipro crossing, Ukraine partisans claim
Russian troops sabotage their boats and equipment to storming the Dnipro River islands on the southern front, Ukrainian resistance group Atesh has claimed.
“There are increasing cases of sabotage among Russian soldiers to avoid being sent to storm the islands in the Dnipro delta,” Atesh said on their Telegram channel, without providing evidence.
The post follows reports of Russia amassing 300 boats for an assault on strategic islands across the Dnipro.
Ukraine hikes railway freight tariffs in fresh blow to farmers
Ukraine‘s national railway has said it will hike freight tariffs by 37 per cent to meet significant price rises for fuel, electricity and equipment repairs in a fresh blow to farmers.
The hike comes as the embattled country tries to cope with the effects of Russian attacks.
Railways transport half of all Ukrainian goods and are vital for exports of grain and metallurgical products.
Earlier this year, the agrarian lobby UCAB said an increase in freight tariffs would hurt struggling farmers and damage production and export volumes.
The traders’ union UGA said it could only worsen the situation for farmers already suffering from falling global food prices.
Ukraine MoD shows losses since Russia’s invasion
"Always desire to learn something useful."
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) December 10, 2024
Sophocles
The combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to December 10, 2024. pic.twitter.com/cxAIXNIrpc
Pictures show Syrian diaspora raising opposition flags at embassy in Russia
Photos show members of the Syrian community in Moscow gathering outside the Syrian embassy on Monday to celebrate the toppling of former president Bashar al-Assad and to hoist the opposition flag over the building.
Assad and his family fled to Russia, where they received asylum from his longtime ally, after a lightning rebel advance ended his family’s 50 years of iron rule.
Russian missile strike kills three in Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, governor says
Three people were killed and 11 hurt in a Russian missile strike that destroyed a private clinic in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday, the regional governor said.
Rescuers were searching for people trapped under the rubble, he said on the Telegram messenger. One person was in a severe condition, and two medics were among the injured,
Explosions heard in occupied Donetsk
Russian occupation officials announced evacuations in Yenakiieve city in the occupied Donetsk region as reports of explosions spread on social media.
Local Telegram channels speculated about a possible missile attack in footage they posted allegedly showing explosions in Yenakiieve .
Ukraine has not commented on the incident, and Russian authorities did not clarify the reasons for evacuation.
China restricting drone supplies key to Ukrainian defence
China has started restricting exports to the United States and Europe of drone components vital to Ukraine’s defence, amid an escalating China-US trade war, Bloomberg reports.
The parts are used to build unmanned aerial vehicles, according to sources with knowledge of the developments.
Beijing is expected to impose broader restrictions on drone parts in the new year, the sources added.
Poland says Ukraine peace talks possible this winter
Peace talks on the war in Ukraine could possibly start this winter, Poland’s prime minister said as he outlined a series of planned meetings with Warsaw seeking to play a leading role in ending the conflict.
Poland has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest supporters since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“As you can imagine, our delegation will be co-responsible for, among other things, what the political calendar will look like, perhaps what the situation will be like during the negotiations, which may, although there is still a question mark, start in the winter of this year,” Donald Tusk told a government meeting.
Mr Tusk’s comments come after he announced French president Emmanuel Macron will Warsaw on Thursday to give a rundown on talks with US president-elect Trump and Ukrainian president Zelensky in Paris last weekend.
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