Ukraine-Russia war – live: Musk ‘joins Trump’s Zelensky call’ as Putin hails ‘courageous’ US election win
Elon Musk promised to support Volodymyr Zelensky with his Starlink satellites
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Your support makes all the difference.Elon Musk reportedly jumped on Donald Trump’s first call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The move potentially reveals how high Trump values the Tesla billionaire and foreshadows a possible role in his administration.
Axios reported that the president-elect told Zelensky he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details on a 25 minute phonecall.
Musk also weighed in to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites - that have become pivotal to Ukraine forces communications on the frontline.
Musk had previously mocked Zelensky on social media for his attempts to fundraise for his nation’s war effort.
It came as Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on winning the US election and said Moscow was ready for dialogue with him.
In his first remarks since Mr Trump’s win, Mr Putin said the president-elect had acted “like a real man” during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July.
Mr Trump’s win has caused concern in Ukraine, where the Russian forces have made swift advances of late, over fears that he would curtail US support for Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes killed at least one person and injured 34 injured in Odesa and Kharkiv early this morning.
Mapped: Where has Russia made advances on the frontline in Ukraine?
What funds could Biden send to Ukraine before Trump takes office?
Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
Europe cannot rely on Trump’s protection – it must take the lead on defence
A Trump presidency won’t necessarily be the gift for Putin that Moscow thinks it is...
Russia bombards Kharkiv, injuring 25 in strike on residential building
Early this morning, Russian forces struck the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, with a guided KAB aerial bomb severely damaging a 12-storey residential building in the Saltivskyi district and injuring at least 25 people.
The blast caused a fire, destroyed multiple floors, and left residents trapped, according to Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov. Search and rescue teams are working to locate anyone still beneath the rubble.
Five of the injured were taken to hospital, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. The attack, launched from Russian-controlled Donetsk Oblast, also damaged nearby buildings, metro entrances, and vehicles.
A separate strike targeted Kharkiv’s city centre, hitting administrative and historic structures as well as residential areas. Another hit impacted a nearby neighbourhood, damaging shops, multistorey buildings, and cars. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in these additional attacks, Mr Syniehubov confirmed.
Russia’s troop losses in Ukraine near 706,000, Ukrainian military claims
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Russia has reportedly lost 705,880 troops, according to data shared by Ukraine’s Armed Forces on its Facebook page. This tally includes 1,580 soldiers killed within the last 24 hours alone.
In addition to personnel losses, Ukraine’s General Staff reports that Russia has sustained heavy equipment losses, listing 9,233 tanks, 18,661 armoured fighting vehicles, 28,495 transport and fuel vehicles, and 20,226 artillery systems. Russian forces have also lost 1,245 multiple launch rocket systems, 996 air defence systems, 369 aircraft, 329 helicopters, and 18,526 drones, along with 28 naval vessels and a single submarine.
Russian drone strikes Odesa region, leaving one dead and nine injured
Russian forces conducted a large-scale drone assault on Ukraine’s southern Odesa Oblast early this morning, leaving one person dead and injuring at least nine others, reported Kyiv Independent, citing local officials.
The attack caused significant damage to residential buildings, with Ukraine’s State Emergency Service confirming casualties. Odesa’s regional governor, Oleh Kiper, reported that shockwaves shattered windows at a city school, while shrapnel punctured and ignited two gas pipelines in another district, heightening the risk to nearby areas.
Could South Korea send troops to fight for Ukraine?
The alleged deployment of North Korean soldiers to aid Russia’s war effort in Ukraine has prompted South Korea to warn that it could send military monitors as well as weapons to Kyiv.
South Korean foreign minister Cho Tae Yul said earlier this week that all options were on the table, but experts noted that Seoul was more likely to send a variety of military support short of soldiers.
The alleged presence of around 12,000 North Korean troops in Russia, reportedly under a defence treaty that Russian president Vladimir Putin signed with Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this year, has set off alarm bells on the Korean peninsula.
Report:
Europe must take more responsibilty for defence and support for Ukraine, says EU chief
In the wake of Donald Trump’s re-election in the US, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has called on the European Union to take more responsibilty for it’s defence and for support of Ukraine.
EU officials have reportedly expressed concern privately that a second Trump administration could see the US withdraw at least some of it’s support from the continent.
Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
The Pentagon has responded to claims that North Korean troops sent to Russia to bolster Vladimir Putin’s forces are consuming online pornography as they now have less restricted internet access.
US department of defence spokesperson Major Charlie Dietz said he couldn’t verify “any North Korean internet habits or virtual ‘extracurriculars’” taking place in Russia.
He continued: “As for internet access, that’s a question best directed to Moscow. Right now, our attention remains on supporting Ukraine and addressing the more significant regional security concerns”.
Report:
Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
Internet access in Russia is not unrestricted, but is far more open than in the closed off North Korea
Starmer says allies must ‘step up’ Ukraine support in meeting with Zelensky
Sir Keir Starmer said allies must “step up” support for Ukraine, as he met the country’s president amid uncertainty about the future of US backing for Kyiv after Donald Trump’s election victory.
The prime minister told Volodymyr Zelensky the UK had an “unwavering” commitment to help the country defend itself against Russia’s invasion during bilateral talks at a European Political Community summit in Hungary.
Sir Keir also said the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia was “proof of Putin’s increasing desperation” and that the UK would stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes for Russia to withdraw”.
The gathering of European leaders on Thursday was largely overshadowed by Mr Trump’s historic win at the US polls which puts him on course for a second term in the White House.
But figures including Sir Keir used the summit to insist international partners “see this through” and strengthen their resolve to offer continued support for Ukraine.
Europe must make clear to US its continued backing for Ukraine, Finnish PM says
European countries need to send a clear message to the United States and the incoming Trump administration that they will support Ukraine as much as needed, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Thursday.
“Our message needs to be clear and strong,” Orpo told reporters ahead of a meeting of European leaders in Budapest.
Orpo added that Ukraine was fighting for a “model” that included membership of the European Union and NATO. Finland, which is an EU member, joined NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine had ‘good conversations’ with Donald Trump, says Zelensky
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky revealed his country has had “good conversations” with Donald Trump, following the latter’s election victory in the US.
Mr Zelensky congratulated Trump on his victory over Kamala Harris in a new video address on Wednesday evening.
The Ukrainian president said: “I congratulate him on this victory. In general, it was extremely important for us in Ukraine and for all of Europe to consistently hear the words of the then-45th President of the United States about “peace through strength.”
“And if this becomes the policy principle of the 47th President of the United States, America and the whole world will undoubtedly benefit from it.”
During his election campaign, Trump has threatened both a withdrawal of NATO commitments and a fundamental shift of support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Zelensky rejects ceasefire proposal as ‘nonsense,’ citing security concerns for Ukraine
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict without firm security guarantees for Kyiv, arguing that such proposals ultimately serve Russian interests. At a recent summit, Mr Zelensky sharply criticised the notion of halting hostilities without measures to prevent a future Russian escalation, calling it a “very scary challenge” for Ukrainians.
“A ceasefire is being proposed, for instance, by a leader who is against having Ukraine in Nato. Imagine... this is nonsense and disharmony,” Mr Zelensky said.
He also noted that similar appeals for a ceasefire have been voiced by other countries, including Brazil and China, and argued that such suggestions align with Moscow’s objectives rather than prioritising Ukraine’s security needs.
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