Travel, property, and local info for Ukraine

18+ min ago (925+ words) Trade, energy, defense and labor mobility are expected to dominate the talks, with each side looking for practical gains. India rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a rare personal appearance at New Delhi airport " a diplomatic gesture India reserves for only its closest partners. A troupe of women in traditional dress performing classical Indian dance added a symbolic flourish to Putin's first visit to India in four years, and his first since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite an active arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Putin can travel to India, which " like several major countries " is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that underpins the ICC. After an exchange of firm handshakes and warm embraces, Modi and Putin shared a car…...

32+ min ago (299+ words) The 2026 State Budget does not provide for an increase in the financial support of military personnel, but new contracts with improved financial conditions will be introduced, said Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal. No general pay hike for military in 2026 budget, but new contracts offer improved terms " Shmyhal The 2026 State Budget does not provide for an increase in the financial support of military personnel, but new contracts with improved financial conditions will be introduced, said Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal. "The draft budget does not allow for an increase in financial support in 2026. However, we are introducing a new contract form that will offer improved conditions for all servicemen. Those in service will be able to sign these new contracts and receive more funds," Shmyhal said during the "question hour" for the government in the Verkhovna Rada…...

1+ hour, 7+ min ago (225+ words) The United States has appealed to European countries not to approve the allocation of a "reparation loan" to Ukraine at the expense of frozen Russian assets, Washington believes that these funds should be a lever for reaching a peace agreement, and not a tool for continuing the war, Bloomberg reports, citing European diplomats familiar with the situation. "The US lobbied several countries in the European Union in an effort to block EU plans to use frozen Russian central bank assets to back a massive loan to Ukraine," Bloomberg reported on Friday. US officials argued to member states that the assets are needed to help "secure a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow and should not be used to prolong the war," said the diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The US State Department press service did not respond…...

1+ hour, 31+ min ago (350+ words) Ukrainian drones struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region " one of the largest in the Rosneft network " early Friday, sparking a large fire, local residents and monitoring channels reported. The Syzran plant has been repeatedly targeted as part of Ukraine's campaign against Russia's oil industry, which funds and fuels Moscow's war machine. Ukraine often employs domestically built long-range drones in these attacks. Ukrainian officials have described such strikes as Kyiv's "long-range sanctions." The attack, which began around 2 a.m., was accompanied by multiple explosions and the sounds of air defenses in the southern and western parts of the city. Video from the scene shows flames lighting up the night sky. Syzran Mayor Sergei Volodchenkov confirmed the strike but gave no further details. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it intercepted nine Ukrainian drones over Samara. Regional authorities have not commented. The Syzran…...

1+ hour, 44+ min ago (318+ words) A total of 21 countries are currently participating in the initiative to purchase American weapons for Ukraine called PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) with a total commitment of $4.18 billion, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said. "If the Russians planned to disrupt new contributions to Ukraine's defense capabilities and sanctions, they failed. The visit to the NATO headquarters alone resulted in an additional billion dollars in contributions to the PURL. Five additional countries. There were eight additional contributions from countries that were already participating," the minister wrote on Facebook. He noted that, for the first time, the PURL program, which covers most of our air defense needs, expanded to include countries outside the Alliance " thanks to Australia and New Zealand's accession. "To date, 21 countries are participating in PURL, with a total commitment of $4.18 billion. We are very grateful to each of them,…...

1+ hour, 52+ min ago (398+ words) The faction of the European Solidarity party in the Verkhovna Rada calls on President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to veto the 2026 state budget approved by the parliament because it does not provide for payments to military personnel, said co-chair of the faction Iryna Gerashchenko. European Solidarity calls on Zelenskyy to veto 2026 state budget to increase payments to military The faction of the European Solidarity party in the Verkhovna Rada calls on President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to veto the 2026 state budget approved by the parliament because it does not provide for payments to military personnel, said co-chair of the faction Iryna Gerashchenko. "The Supreme Commander-in-Chief must listen to the army, which is outraged by this budget, and veto it! We have a few weeks until the start of 2026 to review the budget and do right for the army by increasing…...

1+ hour, 59+ min ago (183+ words) Both sides agreed to keep quiet about the results of the'negotiations. Europe's media see this as treading water. US emissaries'Steve Witkoff'and Jared Kushner spent five hours on Monday trying to negotiate a peace deal with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, agreement was reached only "on a few points', and Washington and Moscow "still have a lot of work to do'. Both sides agreed to keep quiet about the results of the'negotiations. Europe's media see this as treading water. Back at square one By comparison, the Minsk Agreement - which is no longer in effect - was a roaring diplomatic success, curses Corriere della Sera (Italy): Europe on the sidelines Europe is being excluded from fateful global political issues, Jutarnji list notes (Croatia): Russia won't move a millimetre Moscow is not only continuing to block progress, it is…...

2+ hour, 19+ min ago (372+ words) On Thursday night, Ukrainian Defense Forces troops struck one of Russia's largest chemical plants, Nevinnomyssk Azot, in Russia's Stavropol Krai. Fire was detected in one of the facility's workshops, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. AFU General Staff: Nevinnomyssk Azot, producing basic components for explosives, damaged On Thursday night, Ukrainian Defense Forces troops struck one of Russia's largest chemical plants, Nevinnomyssk Azot, in Russia's Stavropol Krai. Fire was detected in one of the facility's workshops, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "As part of reducing the enemy's offensive potential and missile and bombing capabilities, on the night of December 4, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck one of the aggressor's largest chemical plants, Nevinnomyssk Azot, in Russia's Stavropol Krai," the General Staff said on its Telegram channel on Thursday evening. It is…...

2+ hour, 54+ min ago (582+ words) On Friday night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized 80 out of 137 enemy UAVs that attacked Ukraine, and recorded hits from 57 attack UAVs at 13 locations, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. AFU Air Force: 57 enemy UAV hits recorded at 13 locations last night On Friday night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized 80 out of 137 enemy UAVs that attacked Ukraine, and recorded hits from 57 attack UAVs at 13 locations, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. "On the night of December 5 (from 19:00 on December 4), the enemy attacked with 137 Shaheds, Gerberas and other types of attack UAVs from the following directions: Kursk, Orel, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk of the Russian Federation, Chauda of the TOT Autonomous Republic of Crimea, about 90 of them were Shaheds," the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on their Telegram channel. According to preliminary data, as of 8:30 a.m., air defense forces have shot down or suppressed 80 enemy Shaheds, Gerberas and other…...

2+ hour, 55+ min ago (471+ words) A Ukrainian drone slammed into the Grozny-City skyscraper in central Chechnya early on Friday, Dec. 5, triggering a powerful explosion that tore apart several floors of one of the region's most iconic high-rises. The first reports came from the opposition Chechen Telegram channel NYISO, later backed by Ukrainian monitoring group Exilenova+ and the Russian pro-Kremlin outlet Readovka. Images from the scene show the strike hitting around the 28th floor and blowing out the facade across multiple levels. Chechen officials have yet to comment. The tower houses some of the most sensitive offices in the republic " including the Chechen Security Council, the Tourism Ministry, the Audit Chamber, the regional election commission, the Justice Ministry's local branch, United Russia's reception office, and the state company Chechenneftekhimprom. Exilenova+ noted the building sits next to the FSB's Chechnya headquarters, which may have been the intended target…...