Russia
Russia needs soldiers. The Global South has desperate people. The rest is exploitation
After mobilization in September 2022 sent over 261,000 Russians fleeing the country, Putin found a third option: build a global trafficking infrastructure that spans from North Korea to Cuba, Nepal to Kenya, exploiting economic desperation to fuel a war that distant populations have no stake in, explained Munira Mustaffa, Senior Fellow at Verve Research
From Nairobi to the Donbas: Nearly 300 deceived Kenyans trapped on Russian front lines
Wellington Nyongesa, intake editor at Standard Group PLC, stated at the Third International Conference Crimea Global that nearly 300 young Kenyan men are trapped on the Russian front lines in Ukraine, lured by false promises of jobs in supermarkets, logistics, and construction
From Venezuela to Ukraine, behind every repressed person stands a woman who becomes their voice
Tamara Sujú Roa addressed the audience during a panel discussion "Girl Power. Women against violence and oppression worldwide", which provided a glimpse into the position and the role of women in various parts of the world seized by authoritarian and other destructive forces
Drone arms race intensifies in Asia-Pacific while international law falls by the wayside
Myanmar has become the third-deadliest drone war zone globally, trailing only Russia and Ukraine — yet the world barely notices
Ukraine urges IAEA and countries to stop Russia’s planned strikes on nuclear plant substations
Ukraine is sharing relevant intelligence with its partners and warning of potentially catastrophic repercussions, Sybiha reported
Majority of Ukrainians oppose trading Donbas for Western security guarantees
The majority of Ukrainians – 54% – consider it categorically unacceptable to transfer the entire Donbas to Russia in exchange for security guarantees. At the same time, 39% are ready for such a concession, though most admit it is a difficult condition. Another 5% could not decide on their opinion
Video showing Russian mistreatment of African mercenary spreads among Kenyan social media users
In the video, a Russian serviceman humiliates an African fighter by strapping an anti-tank mine to him in what the narration frames as a cruel prank or punishment, labeling him with a racist expression as "coal"
Sybiha invites Ghana’s FM to Ukraine amid appeal over captured Ghanaian fighter on Ukrainian soil
Andrii Sybiha stated that Ghanaian diplomats will be granted access to prisoners of war upon their request, in accordance with international humanitarian law
Russia deliberately attacked U.S.-owned Bunge facility in Dnipro — Ukraine’s Foreign Minister
The foreign minister recalled that last year, Russian strikes damaged Boeing offices in Kyiv, a major American electronics manufacturer in Zakarpattia, and other sites
Russia struck Ukraine with missiles and drones overnight: There are casualties, injured people and destruction (updated)
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched more than 170 missiles and drones overnight, with strikes recorded in at least 26 locations
Russian shelling on December 24 killed at least three civilians and injured 32
Local Oblast Military Administrations and the National Police of Ukraine reported that on December 24, Russian troops conducted massive shelling of the Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kherson, and Sumy regions. As a result of the attacks, at least three people were killed, and another 32 were injured
China helps Russia strike on Ukraine’s energy sector — Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy stated that there have been correlations between Chinese satellite imaging of Ukrainian territory and Russian strikes on the corresponding energy infrastructure facilities
In Denmark, sculptures about the war by Ukrainian artist Maria Kulikovska were destroyed at exhibition
Commenting on the events in Copenhagen, Kulikovska explained that she sees the same logic in them – the destruction of art as a form of political pressure and an attack on a defenseless body. She understands that the sculptures were intentionally broken and views their destruction as the beginning of a period of mourning and a shift toward a more radical artistic language
Russian attacks kill civilian in Donetsk region, injure 11 in Donetsk and Kherson Oblasts on December 20
Russians killed one civilian in the Donetsk region and injured four in the Donetsk Oblast and seven in the Kherson Oblast in Russian attacks on December 20, 2025
United States pressed Ukraine to give up Kyiv-controlled Donbas areas during Berlin talks — AFP
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that "a lot of progress" was made during the December 14 meeting, which also involved Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Ukraine, which has been fighting a "grinding war" since Russia invaded in February 2022, hopes to persuade the United States that any ceasefire must be agreed upon without prior territorial concessions to Russia
Majority of Ukrainians are against elections during the war – poll
The survey shows that only 9% of Ukrainians believe that elections should be held before a ceasefire; in September, this figure was 11%
Ukraine ready for elections only under full ceasefire negotiated by U.S. — Zelenskyy
During an online meeting with international partners, the Head of State outlined the vision for future security arrangements. According to the President, the Ukrainian side is working on a framework document intended to serve as the basis for Ukraine's security
Zelenskyy reveals U.S. ‘compromise’: Ukraine leaves Donetsk Oblast, Russia doesn’t enter
The Ukrainian President noted that the territorial issue remains unresolved within the peace negotiations, and it is currently difficult to predict "how it will look in the final documents"
Columns
Russia needs soldiers. The Global South has desperate people. The rest is exploitation
From Nairobi to the Donbas: Nearly 300 deceived Kenyans trapped on Russian front lines
From Venezuela to Ukraine, behind every repressed person stands a woman who becomes their voice
Drone arms race intensifies in Asia-Pacific while international law falls by the wayside
