Ukraine to recall men from abroad to fight

Soldiers of the artillery battery of the 59th Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian army fire artillery towards Russian positions – Ozge Elif Kizil/Anadolu via Getty Images

Ukraine will recall men from abroad to serve on the frontlines of its war with Russia, the country’s defence minister has announced.

Those between the ages of 25 and 60 will be expected to report for military service, Rustem Umerov said, adding there would be sanctions levelled against anyone who did not comply.

He told media outlets Die Welt, Bild and Politico the move was “not a punishment” but “an honour”, describing the call backs as “invitations”, despite the threat to penalise those who refused to return.

“We are still discussing what should happen if they don’t come voluntarily,” he said.

There are currently no recruitment centres outside Ukraine, and Ukrainian authorities appear to have no means to force anyone to attend any that may be created in the future.

Mr Umerov’s remarks came just days after President Volodomyr Zelensky the country’s military had requested 500,000 more men be mobilised to join the fight against Russia as they struggle to contain Moscow’s aggression amid faltering Western support.

03:13 PM GMT

That’s all for our coverage today

Thank you for following the latest updates of the Ukraine-Russia war. The key developments were:

• Ukraine will recall men from abroad to serve on the frontlines of its war with Russia, the country’s defence minister has announced.
• Russia’s foreign ministry said it regarded joint military exercises by Japan, the US and Australia near the island of Hokkaido as a “potential military threat.”
• Ukraine shot down 34 of 35 Russian drones launched in a major overnight attack, the air force said.
• The Kremlin has established “comprehensive” defence cooperation with North Korea, the chief of the Russian General Staff said.
• Hungary’s prime minister has said funding to Ukraine must not be granted from the European Union’s budget.
• There is no reason to start peace negotiations with Ukraine at this moment, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
• Russia has promised to respond in kind should the European Union go ahead with a plan to ring fence profits generated from the Kremlin’s frozen assets in the EU and hand them to Ukraine.

02:06 PM GMT

Russia sees US, Japan and Australia military exercises as ‘potentional threat’

Russia’s foreign ministry said it regarded joint military exercises by Japan, the US and Australia near the island of Hokkaido as a “potential military threat.”

“We regard such provocative activity involving non-regional states as a potential security threat,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

It added that it had issued a formal protest to the Japanese embassy in Russia, Reuters reports.

01:44 PM GMT

Hungary’s PM Orban criticises Ukraine’s move to stop ex-president at border

Ukraine’s decision to prevent its former president Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country earlier this month to meet Hungary’s prime minister raises questions over Kyiv’s European Union ambitions, Viktor Orban told a briefing on Thursday.

Ukraine’s security service said on Dec 2 that it had prevented Mr Poroshenko from leaving Ukraine on grounds that Russia planned to exploit a planned meeting with Mr Orban to hurt Ukrainian interests.

Mr Poroshenko’s political party, European Solidarity, said the former president had scheduled only meetings in Poland and the United States and warned the SBU security service against becoming involved in politics.

On Thursday, when asked about the Ukrainian decision, Mr Orban said the fact that the Ukrainians introduced special rules in wartime was “acceptable.”

“But a question arises, if a meeting between a Ukrainian citizen and a Hungarian prime minister carries a national security risk, then how do they want to become members of the EU? But let’s leave that for later.”

The SBU said Mr Poroshenko had planned to meet Mr Orban, who maintains ties with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

01:20 PM GMT

Ukraine receives 1.5bn euros from EU

Ukraine has received the last 1.5 billion euro ($1.65 billion) tranche from the 18 billion package from the European Union for 2023, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Thursday.

The country’s economy depends heavily on financial support from partners and Kyiv has been concerned whether it will continue as new packages have been blocked so far both in the EU and in the United States.

“Today we have received the last 1.5 billion euros of the 18 billion euro financial aid package. Hope for continued unwavering support from the EU,” Shmyhal said on the X social media platform.

This year the EU was the largest donor of direct budget support, covering more than 45 per cent of the external financing needs, according to Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko. For 2024, Ukraine hopes to receive 18.5 billion euros from the EU and more than $8 billion from a US package that also contains vital military assistance. Voting on both packages was moved to the beginning of the next year.

12:58 PM GMT

Ukraine shoots down dozens of Russian drones in major attack

Ukraine shot down 34 of 35 Russian drones launched in a major overnight attack, the air force said on Thursday.

“Russian occupiers attacked with ‘Shahed’ type UAVs from three directions: Chauda – occupied Crimea, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk,” it said, describing multiple waves of attacks coming throughout the night.

Air alerts in many Ukrainian regions in the centre, southeast and north lasted for hours. Two women were killed in Nikopol.

Firefighters work at a site of a warehouse heavily damaged during a Russian drone strike – Reuters

Moscow has stepped up night-time drone attacks, with Ukraine warning that the Kremlin is targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Kyiv has reinforced its air defences with sophisticated weapons from its allies in the US and Europe.

12:38 PM GMT

Watch: Rescuers pick through rubber after major overnight drone attack

12:26 PM GMT

Russia establishes ‘comprehensive cooperation’ with North Korea

The Kremlin has established “comprehensive” defence cooperation with North Korea, the chief of the Russian General Staff said on Thursday.

The US and its allies have grown increasingly worried about what impact the developing relationship could have on the war in Ukraine, voicing concern that North Korea could provide weapons and ammunition to Russia.

“The course towards developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China and India continues. Active, comprehensive cooperation has been established with the DPRK,” Mr Gerasimov said in a year-end address, using an official abbreviation for North Korea.

Mr Kim crossed the border into Russia for a meeting with Mr Putin in September, and Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea in July.

11:51 AM GMT

Russia a ‘real and constant threat’, says Starmer

Russia is a “real and constant threat” to Europe, Sir Keir Starmer said as he visited British troops deployed near the border with Vladimir Putin’s country.

The Labour leader visited soldiers stationed in Estonia to stress his party’s commitment to Nato and thank them for their service over Christmas.

As well as the military threat from Mr Putin’s actions, underlined by the war in Ukraine, there was also the risk of other forms of “interference” by the Russian state.

Sir Keir Starmer during his visit to meet British troops at Tapa forward operating Nato base – Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Sir Keir said the UK and its allies “need to be prepared, we need to deter” in response to Moscow’s actions.

The Labour leader said: “I think we have to be mindful of that threat from Russia to Europe, to ourselves in the UK and the interference that goes on.”

He said there was a “real and constant threat from Russia, measured in years, and measured back home in the UK as well”.

11:19 AM GMT

Hungary says funds to Ukraine must not come from EU budget

Hungary’s prime minister has said funding to Ukraine must not be granted from the European Union’s budget.

“I am convinced that to give Ukraine 50 billion euros ($54.70 billion) from the EU budget for five years… That’s a bad decision,” Viktor Orban said.

All 27 EU states except Hungary agreed last week to start accession talks with Ukraine despite its invasion by Russia, bypassing Mr Orban’s opposition by getting him to leave the room during the summit when the decision was made. Mr Orban confirmed it was German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who suggested this solution.

But leaders could not overcome the Hungarian prime minister’s resistance to revamping the EU budget to channel 50 billion euros to Kyiv and provide more cash for other tasks such as managing migration, Reuters reported.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds his annual press conference on Dec 21 – ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images

EU leaders, who would prefer a deal backed by all members but also have a plan B, are expected to revisit the issue at an emergency summit on Feb 1.

“They want to give the money to Ukraine from inside the EU budget, Hungary wants to give it outside the EU budget. They have the possibility – if we don’t agree on this – to resolve this outside the budget but don’t have the option of resolving this from the EU budget without Hungarian approval,” Mr Orban said.

11:02 AM GMT

In pictures: Ukrainian solders in Donetsk

Ukrainian servicemen prepare to shoot from a self-made multiple rocket launcher on a frontline in Donetsk – YAKIV LIASHENKO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ukrainian servicemen of 228 Separate Battalion of the 127th Separate Territorial Defence Brigade – YAKIV LIASHENKO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

10:58 AM GMT

Three in four drones launched by Russia are shot down by Ukraine, air force says

Ukraine claims to have downed more than three-quarters of the combat drones launched by Russia since September last year.

Some 3,700 Shahed drones have been hurled towards Ukrainian territory in the past 15 months, with 2,900 shot down, according to air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat.

Ukraine has become skilled at intercepting the Iranian-made drones which are deployed by Russia nearly every day.

The interception rate is lower for missiles, with Ukraine downing 1,600 of the roughly 7,400 launched by Russian forces since the start of the invasion, Mr Ihnat said.

10:44 AM GMT

Kremlin rules out peace negotiations with Ukraine

There is no reason to start peace negotiations with Ukraine at this moment, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said to reporters on Dec 20.

Mr Peskov said that “currently there are no prerequisites for peace negotiations with Ukraine.”

The Institute for the Study of War said Russia is giving up on “feigning interest” in peace talks.

“The Kremlin previously pushed information operations feigning interest in negotiations with Ukraine in order to cast itself as a responsible party and blame Ukraine for refusing ‘reasonable’ Russian negotiations,” the Institute for the Study of War said. “The Kremlin appears to be moving away from this information operation.”

The prospect of peace negotiations, including exchanging territory for peace or other significant concessions, is widely unpopular among the Ukrainian population.

A poll released this December found that 74 per cent of Ukrainians were against such territorial concessions with Russia in exchange for peace.

10:31 AM GMT

Ukrainian soldiers leave UK after ‘intense’ training

The British Ministry of Defence has said Ukrainian soldiers training in the UK are now heading to the frontline “in time for Christmas”.

It said it has helped to train 32,000 Ukrainian troops.

10:18 AM GMT

Japan expected to enable export of Patriot missiles to US

Japan is expected to modify its defence export rules, enabling it to export several dozen Patriot missiles to the United States.

Under Japan’s constitution, it is not permitted to send weapons to another country involved in a conflict. However, the amendment should allow the US to send Patriots to Ukraine.

Seoul has quietly pledged to provide hundreds of thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition for Ukraine over the past year – more than all European countries combined. A significant amount of that has been provided, officials told the Washington Post.

Japan was the first East Asian country to join Western sanctions against Moscow, and is concerned Russia’s invasion could embolden China to take similar action against Taiwan.

10:09 AM GMT

Shelling kills two in Ukraine after drone barrage

Two women were killed by Russian artillery in the southern Ukrainian city of Nikopol, authorities said, after another night of Russian drones attacks.

Russian forces have systematically shelled Ukrainian towns and villages near the frontline, and ramped up attacks over the winter.

“This morning, the Russian army shelled Nikopol with heavy artillery. The invaders killed two women, aged 60 and 46,” regional governor Serhiy Lysak wrote on social media.

He posted images of a destroyed apartment where a wall and ceiling had collapsed onto a sofa covered with debris.

A 86-year-old man was pulled out of the damaged building and hospitalised, Mr Lysak said.

09:57 AM GMT

Russia promises to respond in kind if EU uses its frozen assets

Russia has promised to respond in kind should the European Union go ahead with a plan to ring fence profits generated from the Kremlin’s frozen assets in the EU and hand them to Ukraine.

The EU is proposing using the income generated from around $300 billion of frozen funds from Russian central bank reserves – and could ultimately collect around $16 billion.

“We also have enough assets that are frozen here, in type-C accounts,” said Russia’s finance minister Anton Siluanov in a TV interview.

“The figures are not small, the income from using these funds is substantial and can certainly also be used if a decision is made by our unfriendly partners,” he said.

Western sanctions over Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Russian countermeasures have stranded billions of dollars’ worth of assets.

09:46 AM GMT

In pictures: Ukraine’s energy crisis

Hennadiy Batsak, 63, collects wood to heat his apartment that lacks heating, water and gas in the frontline town of Lyman, – REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Volodymyr Tkachenko, 78, fires up a wood stove in the kitchen which has no heating or gas – REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A driver delivers groceries to a woman who is one of the few remaining residents of Lyman – REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Viktor Ivanovich, 35, tries to keep warm in his apartment – REUTERS/Thomas Peter

09:34 AM GMT

Ukraine and Polish ministers meet over trucker border protest

The Ukrainian infrastructure minister has met with his counterpoint in Poland to discuss a cargo blockage on their shared border by Polish truckers.

Polish drivers have been blocking several crossings with Ukraine since Monday, demanding that the EU reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc and the same for European truckers to enter Ukraine.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said Thursday that he had met with his newly appointed counterpart in Poland to discuss the issue.

“We held the first meeting with the newly appointed minister of infrastructure of Poland Dariusz Klimczak in Warsaw,” the Ukrainian ministry said in a statement.

“We discussed several issues in the transport sector, but the main topic was the unblocking of the border.”

A truck driver from Ukraine waves from his truck roof while waiting in a long queue to cross the Polish-Ukrainian border on Dec 4 – KUBA STEZYCKI/REUTERS

Kubrakov said that the meeting had allowed for both parties to explain their positions and that the Ukrainian side had presented data that undermined Polish arguments.

Ukraine relies heavily on road transport with EU member Poland for its exports and imports, particularly since the Russian invasion nearly two years ago, which has crimped Black Sea shipping.

09:28 AM GMT

Germany to provide 88.5m euros in energy assistance for Ukraine

Germany will provide an additional 88.5 million euros to help strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian energy system as Russia targets its infrastructure, the foreign and economy ministries said in a joint statement on Thursday.

The economy ministry is contributing 54.3 million euros via the state-owned bank KfW and the foreign ministry 34.2 million euros to the Ukraine energy support fund, the statement said.

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