Here is the situation as it stands on Thursday, December 15.
Fighting
- Russia says no “Christmas ceasefire” is on the cards after nearly 10 months of war in Ukraine, rejecting a call by Kyiv to start withdrawing troops by Christmas as a step to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.
- Multiple Russian rocket launchers hit the regional administration building on the central square of the recently liberated southern city of Kherson.
- The Kremlin has said the Patriot missile defence systems would be a legitimate target for Russian attacks against Ukraine should the United States authorise them to be delivered to support Kyiv.
Rescuers and police experts examine the remains of a drone following an attack on an administrative building in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv [Sergei Supinsky/AFP]
Diplomacy
- Ukraine has said it secured the release of 64 Ukrainian members of the military in its latest prisoner swap with Russian forces, as well as a US citizen.
- Echoing a comment by the Kremlin, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia needs to accept the “new reality” that Ukrainian land will not remain part of Russian territory.
- A European Union speaker said the Ukrainian parliament has passed all the reforms needed before talks on joining the bloc.
Economy
- The German parliament’s budget committee has approved a 10bn-euro ($10.50bn) purchase of F-35 fighter jets produced by the US, two committee members told Reuters news agency.
- The US is moving to impose sanctions on Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s wealthiest men.