+++ 04:04 Price cap for Russian oil exports: EU wants to tighten conditions +++

One year after the introduction of the Western price cap on Russian oil exports to third countries, monitoring measures and documentation requirements are to be tightened. This could make it more difficult for shipping companies to circumvent Russia sanctions with impunity in future. Ideally, the tightening of the price cap instrument should be adopted by the end of the year as part of the twelfth EU sanctions package due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. This also includes the proposal to restrict trade in diamonds from Russia.

+++ 02:47 Russia intensifies shelling of Avdiivka +++Accordingto Ukrainian sources, theRussian armed forces are intensifying their attacks on the destroyed city of Avdiivka. "Yesterday and today we have seen a significant increase in artillery fire ... and a large number of mortar shells," said Vitali Barabash, head of the military administration of Avdiivka, on state television. "They are probably waiting for better weather to redeploy some of their equipment, as they used to do, only on a larger scale."

+++ 01:35 Baerbock: EU admission of the Balkan countries in our own interest +++Foreign MinisterAnnalena Baerbock sees the admission of the so-called Western Balkan countries to the EU as an important contribution to Europe's security in view of the Russian war in Ukraine, which has been going on for almost two years. "The countries of the Western Balkans belong fully and completely in our European Union. This is not just an empty phrase, but in our very own security interests," explained the Green politician before her departure for a one-day visit to Slovenia. She added: "In view of Russia's imperialism in the middle of Europe, the EU cannot afford any gray areas." The countries of the so-called Western Balkans include Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. All six countries are striving to join the EU, but are at different stages in the process.

+++ 00:57 Putin criticizes treatment of Russians in Latvia +++RussianPresident Vladimir Putin criticizes the treatment of the Baltic state of Latvia with part of the Russian population in threatening terms. "I do not believe that happiness will come to those who pursue such a policy," said the Kremlin leader in Moscow. Those who treat parts of their population - literally - "piggishly" should not be surprised if this turns against them. According to the Tass agency, Putin said this at a meeting of the Russian Human Rights Council. The Kremlin-controlled council discussed changes to the law on foreigners in Latvia. Of the approximately 1.8 million people in the small EU and NATO country, around one in four is of Russian origin. However, many Russians are not Latvian citizens, but have non-citizen status. In the wake of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Latvia has introduced language tests for these non-citizens to test their everyday knowledge of Latvian. They are threatened with the withdrawal of their residence permit.

+++ 23:47 Orban does not want a decision on Ukraine accession talks at the EU summit +++Accordingto Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the EU heads of state and government should not attempt to bring about a decision on EU accession talks with Ukraine at the upcoming EU summit. In a letter to EU Council President Charles Michel, Orban writes that "the obvious lack of consensus" would "inevitably lead to failure". The summit will take place on December 14 and 15 in Brussels. Germany is one of the EU states that want to push for the opening of accession talks. This is controversial among the 27 EU countries.

+++ 23:09 Zelensky praises mobile units in the fight against drone attacks +++Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expresses his gratitude to mobile units which, according to him, were very effective in repelling Russian drone attacks. "Last night alone, 18 drones were destroyed in the latest Shahed attack. That is the majority. And most of the destruction was the result of mobile firing groups. This is how it should be. I thank all those who train the warriors of such groups and are committed to providing them with everything they need," the Ukrainian head of state wrote on his evening video update on social media. Last night, the mobile firing squads in the Mykolaiv, Kherson, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kirovohrad oblasts worked well. "I am personally grateful to you, but also to everyone else who is working every day and every night in the various regions," Selensky continued.

+++ 22:23 Storm washes sea mine ashore in Odessa oblast +++Accordingto the Ukrainian Navy, a sea mine has been washed ashore near the town of Prymorske in Odessa oblast due to the recent stormy weather. The mine was defused by mine countermeasures units of the Ukrainian navy. This was reported by the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent" with reference to the navy.

+++ 22:03 Several fires break out after drone attack on Kharkiv +++AfterRussian drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, several fires have broken out in the Kharkiv oblast. This was announced by the head of the military administration of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, on Telegram, as reported by the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform. "The occupiers are launching Shahed drone attacks," Syniehubov wrote. The Izium and Chuhuiv districts were targeted and some civilian infrastructure objects were hit. "Several fires broke out. No casualties have been reported so far," Syniehubov continued.

+++ 21:46 NATO chief Stoltenberg underlines "unwavering support" for Ukraine +++Ata meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg underlined Ukraine's unwavering support. They discussed the latest developments on the front and Ukraine's urgent military needs in the fight against Russia.

+++ 21:28 General Staff: Ukrainian army repels 56 Russian attacks in 24 hours +++TheUkrainian army has repelled 56 attacks by the Russian military in the past 24 hours. In total, there were 61 battles between Ukrainian and Russian troops. The situation in the east and south of the country remains difficult, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced on Facebook. The Russian troops also attacked Ukraine with ten Shahed drones and a Ch-59 missile. Six drones and the missiles were shot down, according to the situation report.

+++ 21:02 Ukrainian secret service exposes FSB agent +++++Ukraine's domestic secret service (SBU) has taken an agent of the Russian secret service (FSB) into custody. He provided Russia with information about the positions of Ukraine's armed forces and coordinated missile attacks on Kyiv on New Year's Eve 2022, according to the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform, citing the SBU.

You can read all previous developments here.