hromadske

‘Russians are just lying there, no one picks them up. They're only good for crows and foxes’ — Drone pilot working on contact line "I was told you're the most effective pilot in the 59th Brigade. 700 confirmed hits. Is that true?" I ask Oleksandr Vovchenko, call sign Fly. "Maybe. We have specially trained peo...

A Ukrainian drone pilot shares what success feels like: "When our soldiers thank us: 'Guys, thanks, you're awesome—I didn't see a single [Russian] during my shift.'" Here is our story about the vital, unseen work of drone operators on the front line.

The understanding that Ukraine will not be able to join NATO existed even before Russian President Vladimir Putin issued such an ultimatum, US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Politico.

"I am always ready," the Ukrainian president replied when asked to comment on the American leader's words.

Journalists met Zelenskyy as he was leaving a hotel in Rome, where he was visiting. At that very moment, Trump's statements about the need for elections in Ukraine appeared in the media.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to hold elections, he told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, after US President Donald Trump's remarks.

The command emphasized that the Defense Forces are blocking these Russian attempts and destroying the enemy.

According to the military, search and assault operations are continuing in Pokrovsk, and the Russians are being eliminated in the city's buildings. The enemy is attempting to infiltrate the northern part of the city, taking advantage of the fog.

Russian troops are attempting to advance into the northern part of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, taking advantage of fog and poor visibility, as reported by Operational Command "East."

ANO espouses a populist, anti-immigration agenda. The leader of the populist party echoes the rhetoric of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, insisting that diplomacy, rather than sending additional weapons to Ukraine, is the only way to end the war.

"I promise all citizens that I will fight for their interests not only at home but also around the world. I will do everything possible to implement the government's program and everything possible to make the Czech Republic the best place to live on our planet," said the Babiš.

Czech President Petr Pavel has appointed ANO party leader Andrej Babiš as the country's prime minister, as reported by Radio Prague International and CT24.

Babiš was already the Czech premier from 2017 to 2021. He is returning to the post of prime minister less than four years later.

Kyiv bid farewell to Ukrainian actor and soldier Ivan Kononenko, according to hromadske's correspondent.

According to the State Film Agency, Ivan Kononenko died on the Kursk axis and had been missing since February of this year.

The soldier was laid to rest on December 9 in Kyiv.

On Tuesday, a memorial service was held in Izyum for locals and Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers who were killed and tortured by Russian troops during the occupation in 2022. The Russians buried the bodies of the victims in a forest belt near the cemetery on Shakespeare Street.

In Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast, 449 bodies of people who died during the occupation of the city in 2022 were identified and reburied, the press service of the Izyum Military Administration reported.

Among all the identified people, 23 are soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy meets Pope Leo XIV in Rome to discuss peace efforts, POW return Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on a visit where he met with the Pope, Sky News reports .

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on a visit, during which he met with the Pope, according to Sky News.

The G7 countries are willing to consider confiscating all frozen Russian assets, according to their statement. They will also develop a "wide range of options" for Ukraine's financing and support its reforms, with a specific focus on the informal sector, corruption, and governance, especially in SOE

Russian strikes wound 16 in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, damage fire and rescue unit Russian forces launched 642 strikes on 26 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast throughout Monday, injuring at least 16 people, regional military administration reported .

Russian forces launched 642 strikes on 26 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast throughout Monday, injuring at least 16 people, according to the regional military administration.

According to the Ministry of Energy, as of the morning of December 9, consumers in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy oblasts remain without electricity due to Russian attacks.

"We are working to reduce their duration. We are preparing a series of government decisions to redistribute consumption and direct electricity to domestic consumers," the premier said.

Three rounds of hourly power cuts are currently in effect across Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on social media.

Temryuk port in Russia's Krasnodar Krai attacked by SBU drones. Fire lasted three days The Security Service of Ukraine is behind the attack on Temryuk port in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, hromadske learned from its own sources.

The Security Service of Ukraine is behind the attack on Temryuk port in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, according to information obtained by hromadske from its own sources.

By decision of the command, the Defense Forces units "carried out an organized maneuver" near the settlements of Lysivka and Sukhyi Yar.

Ukrainian troops have retreated to "more advantageous positions" near Lysivka and Sukhyi Yar, not far from Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast, the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces reported.

Death toll from Ternopil airstrike rises to 38: Two more missing persons found Bodies of two people were discovered at the site of the Russian strike in Ternopil on November 19, raising the death toll to 38, according to regional police.

The bodies of two people were discovered at the site of the Russian strike in Ternopil on November 19, raising the death toll to 38, according to regional police.

Ukrainian forces hit Russian warehouses in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts Ukrainian troops hit several Russian targets in the temporarily occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts overnight into Monday, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops hit several Russian targets in the temporarily occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts overnight into Monday, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Su-27 pilot Yevheniy Ivanov dies during combat mission A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Yevheniy Ivanov, was killed on the eastern front, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Yevheniy Ivanov, was killed on the eastern front, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In addition to Kyiv, Russia also wants to organize "peaceful protests" in Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv.

According to him, Russian special services mainly plan to recruit women, incl. mothers of captured and missing Ukrainian soldiers, by offering financial incentives.

Russian special services are planning to organize a series of protests in Kyiv and major cities in southern and eastern Ukraine under the tentative name "Against the War," according to Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.

"He reads all the documents, especially such [a] crucial, important document as this peace proposal by President Trump, and I'm absolutely certain that he has acquainted himself with this plan [and] has read it," the lawmaker said.

Merezhko said he was "surprised to say the least" by Trump's statement and added that the White House chief knows that Zelenskyy is "very careful."