14:36 Russia and Ukraine exchange war prisoners
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war according to Russian statements, with each side releasing 95 soldiers. The Russian Defense Ministry and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have both confirmed this on the platform X. The United Arab Emirates facilitated the exchange. The returning Russian soldiers will first undergo medical checks in Moscow.
13:55 Sharma: Ukraine must give up symbolic village
Ukraine is taking a series of setbacks at the front, as reported by NTV reporter Kavita Sharma in Kiev. Following the Russian missile attack on a children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital, the military has reported withdrawals in the Dnipro and Donetsk regions.
13:24 Kremlin denies doubts about offensive success
The Kremlin has dismissed speculation about the failure of the Russian offensive in the northeastern Ukraine. "The operation is ongoing and will continue until it is successfully completed," Kreml spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said today. Yesterday, the governor of Belgorod announced access restrictions to 14 villages on the Russian side near the border to protect the population from Ukrainian attacks. Regarding the access restrictions indicating that the offensive in the northeast had failed, Peskov replied: "No, that's not the case."
12:48 Study: Social benefits have little impact on employment of Ukrainian refugees
Social benefits such as welfare have little influence on the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees. Instead, factors such as social networks in the respective countries, the level of English language skills of the population, and childcare are significant. This is according to a Europe-wide study by the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB). In Germany, the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees is 27%, which is in the middle range. The highest rate is in Lithuania with 57%, Denmark with 53%, and Poland with 48%.
11:53 Protection from rockets: Charkiw pupils to learn under ground
Children in the city of Charkiw, which has been under nearly daily Russian shelling since the start of the war in the northeastern Ukraine, will reportedly be taught more frequently in underground schools according to official reports. An underground school project has already been implemented. The construction of three more such facilities has begun. The children will be better protected from Russian air raids in this way.
11:22 Media: Ukraine to receive 32 outdated F-16s from Greece
Greece plans to retire 32 outdated F-16 fighter jets and hand them over to the USA. According to a report by the portal "New Voice of Ukraine," these planes will then be delivered to Ukraine after modernization. Kiev already has 60 F-16 jets from Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, but according to its own statements, it needs at least 150 fighter jets to launch rockets and missiles against Russia and defend against aerial attacks on a broad front. There have been devastating air raids, the latest being on a children's hospital in Kiev with at least seven fatalities.
10:35 Ukraine reports 112 front clashes since yesterdayIn the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Army General Staff recorded 112 battles at the front. Among them were reportedly four rocket attacks on Ukrainian unit positions and populated areas, as well as 71 air raids with 119 guided air bombs. Furthermore, Russia conducted over 4,300 artillery attacks, including 121 with multiple rocket launchers, according to the update.
09:54 Russia and China begin joint drillsRussia and China have started a naval exercise in the South China Sea. The drills are scheduled to last three days, according to Russian and Chinese state media today. They will reportedly practice air and underwater defense. Sharp ammunition is also expected to be used. A few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries announced a strengthening of their partnership and described it as "boundless."
08:43 Ministry reports 42,000 missing UkrainiansApproximately 42,000 people are currently missing in Ukraine, including soldiers and civilians, according to the Interior Ministry. The number was previously higher, at around 51,000, the ministry stated. However, the remains of about 4,000 soldiers who went missing in battle have been found and identified. Around 3,000 missing persons were found alive, many of whom were prisoners of war. Identifying the dead is reportedly difficult because the Defense Ministry does not take DNA samples from soldiers it sends into the field.
08:15 Hungary lobbies for Russia's attendance at peace summitHungary is lobbying for Russia's participation in the planned second Ukraine peace conference. There are efforts to hold another peace conference this year, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. "I believe that if we want to hope for the success of a future peace conference, we must ensure that both sides are represented." Hungary currently holds the EU presidency. The first peace conference took place in June at the request of Ukraine, with representatives from over 90 countries attending in Switzerland. Russia declared its disinterest in the conference and was therefore not invited, while China declined an invitation.
07:46 Russia and Ukraine to exchange prisoners todayRussia and Ukraine plan to exchange 90 prisoners today. This was reported by the news agency Bloomberg, citing a source. Ukrainian media reported last week that the parliament's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinez, had announced that the Ukrainian government was planning, with the help of the United Arab Emirates, a large prisoner exchange with Russia. The two warring parties have already exchanged prisoners on multiple occasions.
06:55 Ukrainian startups develop robots for the front linesUkrainian startups are developing affordable robots for mine clearance, evacuation of battlefields, transportation of equipment, and delivery of ammunition. This was reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. An "ecosystem of laboratories in hundreds of secret workshops" is using innovations to create a robot army. The Ukraine hopes that this robot army will be able to kill Russian troops and save its own wounded soldiers and civilians, according to Ukrinform.
06:20 States and Governments of 47 Countries Discuss Ukraine
At the invitation of the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the States and Governments of 47 Countries will speak about Ukraine tomorrow. The 27 EU Member States plus 19 Third States will discuss amongst other things further aid for Ukraine in the defense war against Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also registered. There will be several round tables on security policy and defense, but other topics will also be discussed. Ukraine is represented at the conference.
04:37 Japan Grants Ukraine a Credit of 3.3 Billion Dollars from Frozen Russian Assets
Japan is reportedly granting Ukraine a credit of 3.3 billion Dollars from the interest on frozen Russian assets, according to Kyodo News, citing informed sources. The breakdown of the credit package shows that the USA and the European Union (EU) each contribute 20 billion Dollars. Japan, Great Britain, and Canada contribute a total of ten billion Dollars. The package is expected to be approved at a G7 meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Summit at the end of the month in Brazil.
03:26 Federal Government Grants Kiev Ten Million Euros for the Reconstruction of a Children's Clinic
Following the rocket attack on the children's hospital in Kiev, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is granting the Ukrainian government ten million Euros for the reconstruction. The funds will be used together with contributions and donations from other donors to quickly make the hospital operational and winter-proof again, reports the "Rheinische Post" based on ministry information. This includes repairs and maintenance work on facades, treatment rooms, and the power and heating supply.
02:10 Medvedev Warns NATO of a "Point of No Return"
After the NATO summit's promise to offer Ukraine membership, former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev renewed his threats against the Alliance. In an article for the Russian news portal Argumenty I Fakty, he called a potential Ukrainian membership a declaration of war against Russia. "This would essentially be a declaration of war - if only with a delay. The measures that Russia's adversaries have been taking against us for years, by expanding the Alliance, ... bring the NATO to a point of no return." Russia does not threaten the NATO but will react to attempts by the Alliance to advance its interests. "The harder these attempts are, the harsher our responses will be," Medvedev says. "Whether this tears the whole planet apart depends only on the wisdom of the (NATO) side."
01:00 Ukrainian Soldiers Use Expired Munition
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has returned a "considerable amount" of old ammunition to the military, which should have been disposed of before the first Russian attack on Ukrainian territory in 2014, according to the ministry's own statements. The ammunition is already being used on the battlefield. "We are looking for internal reserves to supply Ukrainian soldiers with ammunition. We know that every shot, every rocket, and every grenade on the battlefield is a matter of life and death," says Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Dyzhjar. Everything that can be repaired and reused is given a second life.
23:37 Ukrainian troops give up positions in the southeast
According to unofficial reports, Ukrainian troops have had to give up positions in the southeast of the country, at Krynky in the Cherson region and Uroschajne in the Donezk region, under Russian pressure. "In both settlements, it no longer made sense to hold the positions due to the extensive damage," Ukrainian media quote sources in the General Staff. The fighting for the settlement of Krynky on the southern bank of the Dnipro River in the Cherson region was criticized from the outset due to its futility. It is unclear whether Ukrainian soldiers are still present in the underbank of the Dnipro.
Read more here.
22:07 New aid for Ukraine
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced a new aid package of $100 million (around 93 million Euros) during a visit to Ukraine. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will support the preparation for winter and continue to assist the Ukrainian government in Kiev, helping displaced or otherwise affected Ukrainians, Grandi said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. The agency also plans to mobilize future funds to support the attacked land. Zelenskyy thanked for the help, which is urgently needed due to the damage to the energy infrastructure from Russian attacks. At the same time, Zelenskyy, according to a statement from the Presidential Administration, emphasized that the country still needs help to rebuild destroyed houses and set up bomb shelters in schools and hospitals. This will give displaced Ukrainians the security to return home.
21:27 Ukraine reports destruction of Russian S-300 air defense system
Ukraine claims to have destroyed a Russian S-300 air defense system in the occupied Donetsk oblast. This was announced by Ukrainian General Staff Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Twitter. In a video spread by the Ukrainian military, several hits from alleged ATACMS rockets with cluster munitions can be seen. According to Syrskyi, several launchers and a radar station of the system were destroyed.
20:49 Report: Ukrainian government may be on the verge of resignation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly on the verge of reshuffling his cabinet and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. This was reported by the "Kyiv Post" citing an unnamed source in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian parliament was instructed to prepare for a discussion and vote on a new cabinet on Tuesday in the coming week, the newspaper reported. Zelenskyy himself also spoke about the possibility of changes in the government on Monday. "Could there be changes in the government? Yes, probably," so the Ukrainian President. One is in the process.
20:02 The Baltic States disconnect from the Russian power grid
According to their own statements, the Baltic States have informed Russia and its ally Belarus about their exit from the power grid of the former Soviet Union. "We will cut the last energy connections with Russia," declares the CEO of the Lithuanian state power grid operator Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. This step is supposed to take place in February 2025. Shortly thereafter, the three countries will connect to the European power grid. "In half a year, we will not only disconnect from the Russian and Belarusian power grids, but also dismantle the last power lines," Masiulis explains.
19:20 Lindner criticizes Orbán's "Solitariness"
Following the controversy over Viktor Orbán's Moscow trip, Germany and other EU partners are increasing the pressure on Budapest. During a finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, most EU members called on Hungary to prioritize Ukraine aid. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner accused Orbán of "Solitariness". "Hungary should know that the peace and freedom order of Europe as a whole is being defended in Ukraine," Lindner said in the public debate. This must remain a "Top-Priority" during Hungary's EU presidency until the end of the year. Hungary's Finance Minister Mihaly Varga had previously presented seven priorities from the fight against illegal migration to competitiveness, but did not mention Ukraine.
You can read about all previous developments [here].**
- Despite the prisoner exchange, the conflict in Ukraine continues with regular battles at the front, as reported by the Ukrainian Army General Staff.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern about potential military deployments by NATO, stating that it could escalate the situation further.
- Russia has been accused of conducting cyberwarfare against Ukraine, with attacks reported on critical infrastructure and government systems.
- The government in Ukraine has called for international support in the form of advanced military equipment, citing the need to defend against Russian air raids and missile attacks.
- Russia has denied allegations of limiting access to 14 villages near the border, stating that it is necessary to protect its population from Ukrainian attacks.
