Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow detains suspect in killing of Putin’s general as North Korea faces heavy losses
Uzbek citizen held by Russia in connection with chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov’s killing
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Your support makes all the difference.Russia has detained an Uzbek citizen who investigators believe placed the bomb inside an electric scooter which killed General Igor Kirillov on the instructions of Ukraine’s security service, the Investigative Committee said today.
The senior Russian general was killed yesterday in Moscow and Ukraine claimed responsibility of the attack, calling Kirillov a “legitimate target”.
In response, Russia threatened the Ukrainian leadership with imminent revenge for what it described as a “cowardly and despicable strike”.
On the battlefront, North Korea suffered big casualties while fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine in the Kursk border region, a senior US military official said, a much higher toll than one given by Kyiv earlier this week.
“Several hundred casualties is our latest estimate that the DPRK has suffered,” the official said on condition of anonymity. This “would include everything from… light wounds up to being KIA (killed in action)”, the official said, with soldiers of “all ranks” among the casualties.
The North Korean forces don’t appear to be battle-hardened, the official said, suggesting this would in part explain the high rate of casualties.
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Trump's Ukraine envoy plans January trip to Kyiv
President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy will travel to Kyiv and several other European capitals in early January, sources said.
Retired lieutenant-general Keith Kellogg, who is set to serve as Mr Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, is not planning to visit Moscow during this trip, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private matters.
The incoming Trump administration is aiming to bring a swift end to the Russia-Ukraine war, according to two sources with knowledge of the trip’s planning.
Mr Kellogg will visit senior leaders in Kyiv, and his team is working to set up meetings with leaders in other European capitals, such as Rome and Paris, said the sources.
Planning for the trip is still being finalied and the itinerary could change, one of the sources warned.
Ukraine’s Zelensky tells allies Russia’s shadow fleet must be stopped
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to allies on Tuesday to ensure the so-called shadow fleet of vessels used by Russia to circumvent sanctions no longer operated in the European waters.
Zelenskiy posted on X that the fleet should be limited “not just with sanctions, but in other ways too”. “This fleet is one of the biggest threats. Putin uses these tankers to finance his war, and most of these vessels are old, poorly maintained, and operate without any oversight,” the Ukrainian leader said.
On Monday, the European Union adopted sanctions targeting 52 more vessels from Moscow’s shadow fleet that try to circumvent Western restrictions to move oil, arms and grains. It brings the total listed to 79.
Britain on Tuesday also sanctioned 20 ships that it said were using illicit practices to avoid sanctions on Russian oil.
Nato takes over coordination of military aid to Kyiv from US
Nato has taken over coordination of Western military aid to Ukraine from the US as planned, a source said yesterday.
The move will allow Nato a more direct role in the war against Russia’s invasion and safeguard the support mechanism against the incoming Donald Trump administration.
The headquarters of Nato’s new Ukraine mission, dubbed Nato Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), is located at Clay Barracks, a US base in the German town of Wiesbaden. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters it was now fully operational.
Nato’s military headquarters SHAPE said its Ukraine mission was beginning to assume responsibilities from the US and international organisations.
“The work of NSATU... is designed to place Ukraine in a position of strength, which puts Nato in a position of strength to keep safe and prosperous its one billion people in both Europe and North America,” said US army general Christopher G Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
“This is a good day for Ukraine and a good day for Nato,” he said.
Defence expert warns of major Russian retaliation after general’s death in Moscow
A defence expert has warned of major Russian retaliation after a senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces died in Moscow yesterday. Igor Kirillov was killed outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt.
His assistant was also killed, a Russian investigative committee said.
Ukrainian prosecutors had charged Kirillov with the use of banned chemical weapons in the Ukraine war the day before he died.
Tobias Ellwood, an army reservist and former defence minister, told Sky News on Tuesday: “This will be an embarrassment for Putin. He cannot hide this from the Russian people.
“I would expect a major retaliation on the Russian side.”
Defence expert warns of major Russian retaliation after general’s death in Moscow
A defence expert has warned of major Russian retaliation after a senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces died in Moscow on Tuesday (17 December). Igor Kirillov was killed outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt. His assistant was also killed, a Russian investigative committee said. Ukrainian prosecutors had charged Kirillov with the use of banned chemical weapons in the Ukraine war the day before he died. Tobias Ellwood, an army reservist and former defence minister, told Sky News on Tuesday: "This will be an embarrassment for Putin. He cannot hide this from the Russian people. "I would expect a major retaliation on the Russian side."
'Several hundred' North Korean troops killed and wounded in Ukraine war, claims US official
North Korea has suffered “several hundred” casualties while fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine in the Kursk border region, a senior US military official said yesterday, a much higher toll than one given by Kyiv earlier this week.
The official didn’t provide details on exactly how many have been killed, but said the North Korean forces don’t appear to be battle-hardened, which contributes to the number of casualties they’ve had.
“Several hundred casualties is our latest estimate that the DPRK has suffered,” the official said on condition of anonymity. This “would include everything from… light wounds up to being KIA (killed in action)”, the official said, with soldiers of “all ranks” among the casualties.
The estimate of North Korean casualties comes several weeks after Ukraine announced that North Korea had sent between 10,000 and 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war.
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