Travel, property, and local info for Ukraine

6+ min ago (446+ words) A wave of Russian drone and missile attacks hit Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, and Kharkiv, causing fires, widespread damage, and multiple injuries, including a young child. Russian forces struck Odesa with drones early Thursday, Dec. 4, damaging an administrative building and several high-rise apartment blocks and injuring multiple people. "A fire broke out at an energy infrastructure facility, damaging an administrative building and nearby high-rise buildings and cars," the State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported. Two people were trapped in separate apartments due to the blast wave; rescuers and police unblocked them and handed them over to medics. DSNS noted that despite repeated air alerts, the fire was quickly contained. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper said doors and windows in seven apartment buildings and one administrative building were damaged by falling debris and the shock wave. "Preliminarily, six people were injured, two of…...

22+ min ago (152+ words) The Synevo network of medical laboratories has expanded the coverage of free laboratory diagnostics under the Medical Guarantees Program (MGP) to five more regional centers. As Synevo reports in a press release, from December 1, free tests under the MGP will be available to residents of Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Kryvy Rih and Sumy. As of December 1, 35 settlements " covering all regional centers of Ukraine " have free Synevo branches providing services under the medical guarantees program of the National Health Service of Ukraine. Synevo is a European network of medical laboratories that is part of the Swedish medical holding company Medicover. Medicover provides diagnostic services in 15 European countries. In Ukraine, Synevo has over 360 locations in 160 cities and towns, as well as eight laboratories. Two of the laboratories are temporarily closed due to the war. In 2024 alone, the laboratory served nearly 4 million clients and…...

26+ min ago (281+ words) Ukraine expects the coming months to bring greater progress on its path to the European Union, and Cyprus' presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026 could be historic in terms of the opening of clusters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. "We expect the coming months to bring greater progress on Ukraine's path to the EU. And the Cypriot presidency could be historic in terms of opening clusters for Ukraine and other necessary decisions," Zelenskyy said during media statements with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Kyiv. He also briefed Christodoulides on the situation in Ukraine, on the frontline, and on the Ukrainian team's priorities and work in negotiations with its partners. The leaders also discussed in detail the common European agenda. "Ukraine has given Europe a significant unifying impetus, and this energy is contributing to European…...

34+ min ago (112+ words) The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) Psychosocial Support Centre opened in Chernivtsi. "The Centre will provide a safe and welcoming environment where adults and children can access quality psychosocial support. It will host activities aimed at strengthening mental health, preventing mental health conditions, and promoting the well-being of individuals and families," the Ukrainian Red Cross Society said on Facebook on Thursday. The Centre's program includes creative workshops, family activities, psychoeducation sessions and other events aimed at helping people better understand their reactions and manage stress. The Centre also has a psychologist's office offering free consultations. The Psychosocial Support Centre was established with the support of the Danish Red Cross....

1+ hour, 9+ min ago (256+ words) Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and member of the delegation in negotiations with the US Oleksandr Bevz has said Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov will meet with the American side in Florida on Thursday. "Today in Florida, Rustem Umerov and Andriy Hnatov will meet with the American side. The goal is to receive a briefing on the results of the visit of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow, as well as feedback after discussing this visit with President Trump and his team," he wrote on his Facebook page. Bevz reported that after that, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will determine further steps and instruct the negotiating team on the next steps....

1+ hour, 14+ min ago (209+ words) The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine intends to create conditions for involving specialists from foreign states and international organizations in the identification of unidentified bodies of the deceased. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine intends to create conditions for involving specialists from foreign states and international organizations in the identification of unidentified bodies of the deceased. The relevant draft law No. 14095 on amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) and other laws on optimizing the processes of searching for missing persons and identifying unidentified bodies (remains) during martial law was supported as a basis by 259 people's deputies at a plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday. The amendments to the law will create legal grounds for involving relevant international specialists in the selection of biological material from unidentified bodies (remains), which are systematically delivered to the territory of Ukraine as a…...

1+ hour, 20+ min ago (293+ words) The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine warns that Russian propaganda is actively spreading fakes that the occupiers allegedly control Dobropillia near Hulyaipole in Zaporizhia region. General Staff denies Russian fakes about alleged control over Dobropillia near Hulyaipole The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine warns that Russian propaganda is actively spreading fakes that the occupiers allegedly control Dobropillia near Hulyaipole in Zaporizhia region. "The informational inputs of the occupiers do not correspond to reality. In essence: an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group penetrated the outskirts of the village, taking advantage of the weather conditions. At the moment, this group has been destroyed, and the settlement is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the message on social networks says. The Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasize that during counter-sabotage measures, 3 enemy servicemen were destroyed…...

1+ hour, 44+ min ago (330+ words) Britain and Norway announced a new defense pact on Thursday that will see their navies jointly operate a fleet of warships to track Russian submarines and protect vulnerable undersea cables in the North Atlantic. The move comes amid a sharp rise in Russian naval activity. The UK's Ministry of Defence says sightings of Russian vessels in British waters have jumped 30% in the past two years. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St're met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street, calling the pact "a very important agreement on defence cooperation and integration." "This is about acknowledging where Europe stands and what we need to protect our security for the future," St're said, noting the two countries "share waters" and a "strategic environment." Under the deal, both countries will jointly operate 13 British-built Type 26 frigates on an "interchangeable" basis. The ships will…...

1+ hour, 48+ min ago (469+ words) Deputy Director of Sheriff Demining LLC, Dmytro Riaby, speaking at the press conference "Sapper Assistant: a new innovative level of safety for sappers" at the press center of Interfax-Ukraine, said that the Training and Qualification Center SHERIFF Demining actively uses robotic "sapper assistant" systems to prepare specialists in humanitarian demining. Sheriff Demining trains sappers to work with robotic "sap'per assistants" Deputy Director of Sheriff Demining LLC, Dmytro Riaby, speaking at the press conference "Sapper Assistant: a new innovative level of safety for sappers" at the press center of Interfax-Ukraine, said that the Training and Qualification Center SHERIFF Demining actively uses robotic "sapper assistant" systems to prepare specialists in humanitarian demining. According to him, the "sapper assistant" is an innovative and effective product that helps save the lives of specialists in conditions where Ukraine remains one of the most heavily mined…...

1+ hour, 53+ min ago (104+ words) The investment holding EFI Group (Effective Investments) is considering locating some of its production capacity in EU countries as a risk diversification tool, its founder, Ihor Liski, said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine. The investment holding EFI Group (Effective Investments) is considering locating some of its production capacity in EU countries as a risk diversification tool, its founder, Ihor Liski, said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine. "Everything that can be produced in Ukraine, we manufacture here. In areas where logistics are distant and expensive, we are considering expansion; for example, for packaging, we are considering Lithuania or Italy," he said....