Ukraine-Russia latest: Putin hails ‘courageous’ Trump after election win as Zelensky rejects ceasefire
Biden administration reaffirms commitment to ramping up support for Ukraine
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald 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.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, though, commended Mr Trump on his victory and described a recent phone conversation with him as “excellent”. He denounced calls for a ceasefire without security guarantees, calling them “nonsense”.
The Biden administration committed to supporting Ukraine ahead of the presidential election, ensuring Kyiv would continue getting aid even after Mr Trump assumed office in January.
“That’s not going to change,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “We are going to surge and get that out there to Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Russian drone strikes killed at least one person and injured 34 injured in Odesa and Kharkiv early this morning.
Putin describes Trump in one word as he breaks silence on Republican’s election victory
Vladimir Putin has described Donald Trump in one word as he spoke publicly for the first time about the Republican’s election victory, my colleague Lucy Leeson reports.
Putin said he had been “impressed” by Trump, before describing him as “courageous” concerning the assassination attempt on the president-elect at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, Putin said: “In his first term as president he was dubbed mostly a businessman, but his behavior when there was an attempt on his life, I was impressed, he is a courageous person.
Russian city of Saratov targeted by Ukrainian drone, says regional governor
The Russian city of Saratov was targeted by a Ukrainian drone overnight, the regional governor said on Friday, saying drone debris had fallen in an industrial zone after it had been destroyed.
The governor, Roman Busargin, made the comments on his official Telegram channel and said that nobody appeared to have been hurt.
Saratov, about 730km southeast of Moscow, hosts an oil refinery.
A major airbase housing long-range strategic bombers is also located less than 16km out of the city and has been targeted by Ukraine in the past.
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.
Pentagon responds to claims North Korean troops in Russia ‘gorging on pornography’
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
What funds could Biden send to Ukraine before Trump takes office?
What funds could Biden send to Ukraine before Trump takes office?
A senior White House official says they are rushing to send a significant support package to Ukraine before Donald Trump is inaugurated in January
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
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments