North Korean troops suffer heavy casualties in Russia, Ukraine says
North Korean troops, deployed to bolster Russian forces in their war on Ukraine, have suffered “significant losses” in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities said Monday.
As many as 30 have been “killed or wounded,” Ukrainian military intelligence said, among the heaviest losses for North Korean forces yet reported by Ukraine.
North Korea has joined Russia as Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine grinds toward a fourth year. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov last month reported the first clashes between North Korean and Ukrainian forces, but he did not detail casualties. U.S. officials say Russia has deployed some 8,000 North Koreans in the Kursk region, the border area where Ukrainian forces seized Russian territory in a surprise attack over the summer.
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North Korean troops, deployed to bolster Russian forces in their war on Ukraine, have suffered “significant losses” in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukrainian authorities said Monday.
As many as 30 have been “killed or wounded,” Ukrainian military intelligence said, among the heaviest losses for North Korean forces yet reported by Ukraine.
North Korea has joined Russia as Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine grinds toward a fourth year. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov last month reported the first clashes between North Korean and Ukrainian forces, but he did not detail casualties. U.S. officials say Russia has deployed some 8,000 North Koreans in the Kursk region, the border area where Ukrainian forces seized Russian territory in a surprise attack over the summer.
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Kyiv behind killing of Russian general in Moscow, Ukrainian official says
The head of Russia’s nuclear defense forces was killed in Moscow on Tuesday morning in a “special operation” by Ukraine’s domestic security service, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defense forces, is the highest-ranking Russian military official to be killed outside of combat since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said Tuesday that Kirillov, 54, was killed alongside his assistant when an explosive device on a parked scooter detonated near the entrance of a residential building in the capital. Investigators did not specify who they believed was responsible but said a criminal investigation had been launched into the deaths of two military officials.
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The head of Russia’s nuclear defense forces was killed in Moscow on Tuesday morning in a “special operation” by Ukraine’s domestic security service, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, chief of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defense forces, is the highest-ranking Russian military official to be killed outside of combat since the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said Tuesday that Kirillov, 54, was killed alongside his assistant when an explosive device on a parked scooter detonated near the entrance of a residential building in the capital. Investigators did not specify who they believed was responsible but said a criminal investigation had been launched into the deaths of two military officials.
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European allies consider deploying troops to Ukraine after the war
BRUSSELS — Kyiv’s European allies are seriously weighing the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine in the event of a deal with Russia to stop the war, as they lay the groundwork for negotiations and adjust to Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The prospect of boots on the ground was discussed when NATO chief Mark Rutte hosted European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on Wednesday night, and it was floated to President-elect Trump when he met with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron this month in Paris.
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BRUSSELS — Kyiv’s European allies are seriously weighing the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine in the event of a deal with Russia to stop the war, as they lay the groundwork for negotiations and adjust to Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The prospect of boots on the ground was discussed when NATO chief Mark Rutte hosted European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels on Wednesday night, and it was floated to President-elect Trump when he met with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron this month in Paris.
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As Ukraine marks Christmas, exhausted soldiers wonder if Trump can end the war
DNIPROPETROVSK REGION, Ukraine — Christmas on Ukraine’s front line started, fittingly, in an old barn filled with hay. Soldiers filed in as Lt. Mykola Bagirov, the brigade’s chaplain, began chanting prayers in a setting straight out of a Nativity scene — never mind the M113 armored personnel carriers parked beside him.
Bagirov spent the rest of the day dressed in a colorful jacket and carrying a painted spinning star while merrily singing traditional Ukrainian carols and banging a tambourine against his thigh.
His audience, though thankful for the attempt at holiday cheer, was noticeably less enthused.
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DNIPROPETROVSK REGION, Ukraine — Christmas on Ukraine’s front line started, fittingly, in an old barn filled with hay. Soldiers filed in as Lt. Mykola Bagirov, the brigade’s chaplain, began chanting prayers in a setting straight out of a Nativity scene — never mind the M113 armored personnel carriers parked beside him.
Bagirov spent the rest of the day dressed in a colorful jacket and carrying a painted spinning star while merrily singing traditional Ukrainian carols and banging a tambourine against his thigh.
His audience, though thankful for the attempt at holiday cheer, was noticeably less enthused.
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Russia’s gas supply to Europe halted after Ukraine transit deal expires
The flow of natural gas from Russia to Europe was suspended Wednesday after Ukraine said it would not renew a deal allowing Russian gas to transit its territory, ending an energy supply route that dates back some 60 years.
Despite the ongoing Russian invasion, which has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and laid waste to swaths of the country since 2022, Ukraine had continued to allow Russian oil and gas to cross its territory to serve its European neighbors — generating revenue for Kyiv and Moscow and illustrating how hard it is for the bitter enemies to cut ties.
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The flow of natural gas from Russia to Europe was suspended Wednesday after Ukraine said it would not renew a deal allowing Russian gas to transit its territory, ending an energy supply route that dates back some 60 years.
Despite the ongoing Russian invasion, which has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and laid waste to swaths of the country since 2022, Ukraine had continued to allow Russian oil and gas to cross its territory to serve its European neighbors — generating revenue for Kyiv and Moscow and illustrating how hard it is for the bitter enemies to cut ties.
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Russian strike on southeastern Ukrainian city kills at least 13
KYIV — A Russian bomb strike killed at least 13 people Wednesday in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, marking the deadliest single attack on a Ukrainian city in months.
Local officials said 18 others, including a 13-year-old girl, were injured in the bombing that hit a residential building and an industrial facility. Authorities never disclose whether military facilities are targeted in attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on social media that “there is nothing more cruel than bombing a city, knowing that ordinary civilians will suffer.”
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KYIV — A Russian bomb strike killed at least 13 people Wednesday in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, marking the deadliest single attack on a Ukrainian city in months.
Local officials said 18 others, including a 13-year-old girl, were injured in the bombing that hit a residential building and an industrial facility. Authorities never disclose whether military facilities are targeted in attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on social media that “there is nothing more cruel than bombing a city, knowing that ordinary civilians will suffer.”
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Ukraine’s future unclear as Pentagon chief holds his final support meeting
On Thursday, President Joe Biden’s Pentagon chief, Lloyd Austin, chaired his final meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an assemblage of more than 30 nations providing military aid to Ukraine. It has been a core part of Austin’s record as defense chief during a tumultuous period including Biden’s calamitous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the renewal of major conflict in Europe and the Middle East.
During that time, allied countries have pledged more than $126 billion in military aid, facilitating a surge of tanks, mortars and other arms that has enabled Ukraine’s survival after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion. But as Biden prepares to hand off to President-elect Donald Trump, the course ahead is shrouded in uncertainty as Kyiv struggles to sustain adequate fighters and firepower and steadily loses ground to Russia’s far larger military.
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On Thursday, President Joe Biden’s Pentagon chief, Lloyd Austin, chaired his final meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an assemblage of more than 30 nations providing military aid to Ukraine. It has been a core part of Austin’s record as defense chief during a tumultuous period including Biden’s calamitous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the renewal of major conflict in Europe and the Middle East.
During that time, allied countries have pledged more than $126 billion in military aid, facilitating a surge of tanks, mortars and other arms that has enabled Ukraine’s survival after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2022 invasion. But as Biden prepares to hand off to President-elect Donald Trump, the course ahead is shrouded in uncertainty as Kyiv struggles to sustain adequate fighters and firepower and steadily loses ground to Russia’s far larger military.
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Ahead of Trump’s return to office, Ukraine and Russia battle for Kursk
KYIV — With nine days to go before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Russia and Ukraine are locked in an intense battle to control a patch of Russia’s Kursk region that is expected to be a key negotiating point in the peace talks Trump has pledged to hold.
Ukrainian troops launched a counterattack in the region last weekend, attempting to retake some of the territory it first seized last summer and then lost — with the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office boasting on social media that Russia was “getting what it deserves.” The assault came after Russia started sending thousands of North Korean troops into battle in Kursk last month, using them in what Ukrainian troops have described as waves of cannon fodder.
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KYIV — With nine days to go before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, Russia and Ukraine are locked in an intense battle to control a patch of Russia’s Kursk region that is expected to be a key negotiating point in the peace talks Trump has pledged to hold.
Ukrainian troops launched a counterattack in the region last weekend, attempting to retake some of the territory it first seized last summer and then lost — with the head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office boasting on social media that Russia was “getting what it deserves.” The assault came after Russia started sending thousands of North Korean troops into battle in Kursk last month, using them in what Ukrainian troops have described as waves of cannon fodder.
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Zelensky ready to hand North Korea back its captured troops
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to exchange North Korean soldiers captured by Kyiv’s forces for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Moscow, adding that it was “just a matter of time” before more of Pyongyang’s troops were taken prisoner.
“Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our fighters who are being held captive in Russia,” Zelensky said in a social media post late Sunday, referring to the North Korean leader.
Zelensky added that “for those soldiers who do not wish to return” to North Korea, “there may be other options available.” He did not provide further details, other than to say that “those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth” about the war in Ukraine “will be given that opportunity.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to exchange North Korean soldiers captured by Kyiv’s forces for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Moscow, adding that it was “just a matter of time” before more of Pyongyang’s troops were taken prisoner.
“Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un’s soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our fighters who are being held captive in Russia,” Zelensky said in a social media post late Sunday, referring to the North Korean leader.
Zelensky added that “for those soldiers who do not wish to return” to North Korea, “there may be other options available.” He did not provide further details, other than to say that “those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth” about the war in Ukraine “will be given that opportunity.”
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U.K.’s Starmer visits Ukraine to pledge support amid Russian air raid
The arrival of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Kyiv on Thursday morning to sign a “100 year” security and trade agreement was accompanied by the sound of explosions as air defenses fended off an apparent Russian attack.
Shortly after noon local time, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, warning of an attack from an incoming drone. A few minutes later, blasts could be heard from the city’s air defense systems, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram. Debris from the damaged drone struck a car, but there were no casualties.
The attack was part of a larger assault by Russian attack drones, Ukraine’s air force wrote on Telegram.
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The arrival of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Kyiv on Thursday morning to sign a “100 year” security and trade agreement was accompanied by the sound of explosions as air defenses fended off an apparent Russian attack.
Shortly after noon local time, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, warning of an attack from an incoming drone. A few minutes later, blasts could be heard from the city’s air defense systems, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram. Debris from the damaged drone struck a car, but there were no casualties.
The attack was part of a larger assault by Russian attack drones, Ukraine’s air force wrote on Telegram.
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Ukraine intel chief says North Korean weapons are flooding into Russia
The head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate said in an interview published Wednesday that North Korea has sent hundreds of artillery and rocket systems to help Russia’s ongoing fight against Ukraine, with more on the way.
North Korea troops have been helping Russian forces as they seek to push Ukrainian soldiers out of Russia’s Kursk region, where they have controlled a small salient for the last six months. Multiple clashes between Ukrainian armed forces and North Korean troops have been reported, though neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed their presence.
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The head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate said in an interview published Wednesday that North Korea has sent hundreds of artillery and rocket systems to help Russia’s ongoing fight against Ukraine, with more on the way.
North Korea troops have been helping Russian forces as they seek to push Ukrainian soldiers out of Russia’s Kursk region, where they have controlled a small salient for the last six months. Multiple clashes between Ukrainian armed forces and North Korean troops have been reported, though neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed their presence.
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With Trump, Ukraine renews appeal to seize Russia’s frozen billions
Ukrainian officials have renewed their push to gain access to hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets in hopes of convincing newly arrived President Donald Trump to overcome opposition in Europe to the move.
The idea is that the use of an alternative source of funding to buy Ukraine weapons and pay for reconstruction will appeal to Trump as he seeks to cut foreign aid. The proposal has gained renewed urgency amid increased uncertainty over U.S. military support for the country.
Kyiv has long sought the outright confiscation of nearly $300 billion in Russian central bank assets — held mostly in Europe and frozen after Russia’s 2022 invasion — and Trump’s return, with his focus on ending the conflict, has revived conversation.
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Ukrainian officials have renewed their push to gain access to hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets in hopes of convincing newly arrived President Donald Trump to overcome opposition in Europe to the move.
The idea is that the use of an alternative source of funding to buy Ukraine weapons and pay for reconstruction will appeal to Trump as he seeks to cut foreign aid. The proposal has gained renewed urgency amid increased uncertainty over U.S. military support for the country.
Kyiv has long sought the outright confiscation of nearly $300 billion in Russian central bank assets — held mostly in Europe and frozen after Russia’s 2022 invasion — and Trump’s return, with his focus on ending the conflict, has revived conversation.
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Power cuts in Ukraine as Russia pounds natural gas sector in major strike
Russian forces pummeled Ukraine overnight Tuesday with missiles and drones, damaging gas facilities and causing temporary electricity cutoffs, Kyiv officials said — the latest mass aerial attack on the country, as U.S. officials travel to Europe this week to discuss possible plans to bring the war to an end.
As the bombardment was ongoing, Ukraine’s state energy distributor Ukrenergo introduced emergency electricity outages in some of the country’s regions, which it lifted once the attacks ended and “the situation in the power system stabilized,” the company said on Telegram.
Ukraine’s state-owned energy company Naftogaz said the nation’s energy infrastructure sustained a major attack and production facilities in the Poltava region were damaged. The company said there were no casualties, and it was “implementing measures to stabilize gas supplies in Poltava region,” without providing further details.
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Russian forces pummeled Ukraine overnight Tuesday with missiles and drones, damaging gas facilities and causing temporary electricity cutoffs, Kyiv officials said — the latest mass aerial attack on the country, as U.S. officials travel to Europe this week to discuss possible plans to bring the war to an end.
As the bombardment was ongoing, Ukraine’s state energy distributor Ukrenergo introduced emergency electricity outages in some of the country’s regions, which it lifted once the attacks ended and “the situation in the power system stabilized,” the company said on Telegram.
Ukraine’s state-owned energy company Naftogaz said the nation’s energy infrastructure sustained a major attack and production facilities in the Poltava region were damaged. The company said there were no casualties, and it was “implementing measures to stabilize gas supplies in Poltava region,” without providing further details.
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Trump talks to Putin in first announced call since taking office
President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first publicized call since Trump returned to the White House, breaking a years-long silence between the Oval Office and the Kremlin as the U.S. leader kicked off a bid to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump had warm words for the Russian leader — who has ruled Russia for 25 years and has repeatedly invaded neighboring nations and killed, imprisoned or exiled his most formidable opposition — as he declared that the two men would visit each other’s countries and “agreed to work together, very closely.”
The call, which the Kremlin said lasted nearly 90 minutes, came the same day that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that Ukraine’s stated goal of reclaiming its full internationally recognized territory was “unrealistic.”
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President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first publicized call since Trump returned to the White House, breaking a years-long silence between the Oval Office and the Kremlin as the U.S. leader kicked off a bid to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump had warm words for the Russian leader — who has ruled Russia for 25 years and has repeatedly invaded neighboring nations and killed, imprisoned or exiled his most formidable opposition — as he declared that the two men would visit each other’s countries and “agreed to work together, very closely.”
The call, which the Kremlin said lasted nearly 90 minutes, came the same day that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO allies that Ukraine’s stated goal of reclaiming its full internationally recognized territory was “unrealistic.”
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Russians evacuated to Ukraine after Kursk shelter bombed
More than 100 Russian civilians, several of them severely wounded, have been evacuated to Ukraine in recent days as President Vladimir Putin intensifies efforts to retake Russian territory ahead of any potential peace talks.
Most of the civilians moved over the border in dramatic nighttime evacuations after a Feb. 1 strike on the main bomb shelter in the town of Sudzha killed at least five people and left an unknown number buried under rubble. Many were elderly and left Russia with only the clothes on their backs, piling into civilian and Ukrainian military vehicles that moved without headlights through treacherous backroads, hoping to avoid detection by armed Russian drones circling overhead.
Aid workers from the local Red Cross, waited just inside Ukraine, where they moved the civilians into vans and ambulances and rushed them away from the frequently bombed border villages to hospitals and a temporary shelter.
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More than 100 Russian civilians, several of them severely wounded, have been evacuated to Ukraine in recent days as President Vladimir Putin intensifies efforts to retake Russian territory ahead of any potential peace talks.
Most of the civilians moved over the border in dramatic nighttime evacuations after a Feb. 1 strike on the main bomb shelter in the town of Sudzha killed at least five people and left an unknown number buried under rubble. Many were elderly and left Russia with only the clothes on their backs, piling into civilian and Ukrainian military vehicles that moved without headlights through treacherous backroads, hoping to avoid detection by armed Russian drones circling overhead.
Aid workers from the local Red Cross, waited just inside Ukraine, where they moved the civilians into vans and ambulances and rushed them away from the frequently bombed border villages to hospitals and a temporary shelter.
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Europe, sidelined by U.S. and Russia, seeks influence in Ukraine talks
As the Trump administration moves toward direct talks with Russian officials over the war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron has called European leaders to an emergency meeting to discuss how they might influence the talks.
Leaders will meet in Paris on Monday as they scramble for a role in negotiations that could determine the future of Ukraine and of Europe’s security landscape — and that are advancing quickly without them. President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, and U.S. plans to hold talks with Russian officials this week, have fueled European concerns that their defense interests will be sidelined.
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As the Trump administration moves toward direct talks with Russian officials over the war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron has called European leaders to an emergency meeting to discuss how they might influence the talks.
Leaders will meet in Paris on Monday as they scramble for a role in negotiations that could determine the future of Ukraine and of Europe’s security landscape — and that are advancing quickly without them. President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, and U.S. plans to hold talks with Russian officials this week, have fueled European concerns that their defense interests will be sidelined.
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Top Russian and U.S. officials to meet in Riyadh over Ukraine war
Top U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, officials said, as Washington and Moscow race to advance President Donald Trump’s bid to broker an end to the conflict and, potentially, conclude a long period of frigid relations.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will lead Russia’s delegation for talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top American officials, said the time had come for the United States and Russia to put an “absolutely abnormal period” of estrangement behind them. “We want to listen to our partners,” Lavrov told reporters Monday in Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks in Saudi Arabia would lay the groundwork for a planned summit between Trump and President Vladimir Putin.
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Top U.S. and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, officials said, as Washington and Moscow race to advance President Donald Trump’s bid to broker an end to the conflict and, potentially, conclude a long period of frigid relations.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who will lead Russia’s delegation for talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top American officials, said the time had come for the United States and Russia to put an “absolutely abnormal period” of estrangement behind them. “We want to listen to our partners,” Lavrov told reporters Monday in Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks in Saudi Arabia would lay the groundwork for a planned summit between Trump and President Vladimir Putin.
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Europeans plan for troops to back Ukraine ceasefire — but want U.S. support
As European leaders strategize on sending troops to Ukraine under a ceasefire deal, they are also sounding out the Trump team about what kind of U.S. military support they would get. Washington is seeking answers, too, on the weaponry and forces European countries could commit.
Ukraine’s European backers are scrambling for a role in the negotiations to end the conflict from which they have been excluded even as the talks could reshape the continent’s security landscape. The prospect of troops in Ukraine has gained traction among European leaders as the Trump administration moves fast toward direct negotiations with Moscow, with U.S. and Russian officials expected to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
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As European leaders strategize on sending troops to Ukraine under a ceasefire deal, they are also sounding out the Trump team about what kind of U.S. military support they would get. Washington is seeking answers, too, on the weaponry and forces European countries could commit.
Ukraine’s European backers are scrambling for a role in the negotiations to end the conflict from which they have been excluded even as the talks could reshape the continent’s security landscape. The prospect of troops in Ukraine has gained traction among European leaders as the Trump administration moves fast toward direct negotiations with Moscow, with U.S. and Russian officials expected to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
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