Ukraine-Russia war latest: Biden vows surge in weapons for Kyiv after Putin attack

Oleksii Bezpaltsev, a celebrated 34-year-old Ukrainian poet and prose writer from Kharkiv, was killed during a combat mission in Kharkiv Oblast, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Known for his modernist style and underground literary influence, Bezpaltsev published two collections of short stories and participated in literary slams, the outlet said.

PEN International reports that at least 102 cultural contributors, including writers and artists, have been killed since the war began.

Prior to his service in Kharkiv, Bezpaltsev had fought on the Pokrovsk front.

The Kremlin has sought to dismiss reports that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s wife is seeking a divorce, after the couple were forced to flee to Russia.

A Russian cargo ship that sank after an explosion ripped through its engine room was a victim of an “act of terrorism”, the vessel’s owner has said.

The Ursa Major cargo ship went down in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain on Tuesday, leaving two of its 16-person crew missing, according to Russia’s foreign ministry.

The vessel, built in 2009, had been placed under sanction by the United States for its ties to Russia’s military after the invasion of Ukraine.

The company, which is part of the Russian defence ministry‘s military construction operations, said the 14 crew members located had reported consecutive explosions on the ship at 10.50am.

Russia’s “bloody and brutal war machine” has shown no respite even at Christmas, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, as he condemned strikes against Ukraine’s energy grid.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports on the international reaction to yesterday’s attacks:

In his Christmas Day address, Pope Francis called for a dialogue to end the Ukraine-Russia war and urged a ceasefire in Gaza, alongside appeals for peace in other conflict zones like Lebanon and Syria.

The Pope condemned the ongoing violence in Ukraine following a massive Russian missile and drone attack, reiterating his plea for a “just and lasting peace”. He also highlighted the humanitarian crises in Gaza, where hostages remain, and the plight of Christian minorities in Syria after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

His remarks on Israel’s “cruelty” in Gaza drew sharp criticism from Israel which called which called the comments “particularly disappointing”.

A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack targeting Ukraine’s energy system on Christmas Day has been condemned as “inhumane” by president Volodymyr Zelensky.

At least one person was killed and six others wounded in the attack, described by one Ukrainian energy chief as Vladimir Putin’s “state-sponsored terrorism”.

The massive attack came as Ukraine officially celebrated Christmas on 25 December for only the second time, in a move to reduce the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrates on 7 January.

It provoked outrage from outgoing US President Joe Biden who vowed to deliver more weapons to Ukraine after sending hundreds of air defence missiles in recent months. “The Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety,” he said.

US president Joe Biden condemned Russia’s Christmas Day attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities, underscoring the US commitment to supporting Ukraine.

“The purpose of this outrageous attack was to cut off the Ukrainian people’s access to heat and electricity during winter and to jeopardize the safety of its grid,” Mr Biden said in a statement.

He instructed the defence department to continue accelerating arms shipments to Ukraine.

However, uncertainty looms over future aid as president-elect Donald Trump, who has voiced scepticism about the scale of US involvement in the conflict, prepares to take office.

Keith Kellogg, Trump’s pick for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, also criticised Wednesday’s attack.

“Christmas should be a time of peace, yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day,” Kellogg said. “The US is more resolved than ever to bring peace to the region.”

A Russian cargo ship that Kyiv says was intended to collect weapons from military bases in Syria has sunk on route in the Mediterranean Sea.

Officials in Moscow said two crew members are missing after an engine room explosion sank the Ursa Major between Spain and Algeria. Fourteen other crew were rescued and taken to Spain.

The vessel left the Russian port city of St Petersburg on 11 December, according to ship tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). It was last seen sending a signal at 10.04pm GMT on Monday between Algeria and Spain.

Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed on Monday that the ship had been sent to Syria to remove weapons and military materiel after the fall of Moscow-backed Bashar Al-Assad.

Ukraine’s president Zelensky and South Korean officials have provided different estimates of North Korean troops killed or injured as they fight alongside Russian forces.

Seoul’s top military officials say that around 1,100 North Korean troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine’s Kursk region. Meanwhile, Zelensky put the figure much higher, at over 3,000.

The Ukrainian president has warned that more North Korean troops will likely join the invading Russian forces, criticising world leaders for doing “almost nothing” to curb collaboration between the two nations.

South Korean military sources have corroborated his claim, saying there is evidence that North Korea is preparing to send more resources to Russia.