Here are the key developments on the 1,018th day of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Here is the situation on Sunday, December 8:
Fighting:
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Ukraine’s air force said its air defence units shot down 28 of 74 drones launched by Russia overnight targeting Ukraine. In a statement on Telegram, it also said 46 of the Russian drones were “lost”, likely neutralised by electronic warfare.
- Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Telegram that its air defence destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones overnight over five Russian regions.
- The ministry also said its forces had taken Berestky, a small village close to the embattled town of Kurakhove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Weapons:
Politics and diplomacy:
- United States President-elect Donald Trump said Zelenskyy was keen for a deal to end the war with Russia after the pair met in Paris in a meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that there should be an immediate ceasefire to be followed by negotiations.
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Zelenskyy said he had “a good and productive” meeting with Trump and Macron in Paris, and added, “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the Biden administration will provide $988m in additional military aid to Ukraine. The package is separate from the $725m in military assistance announced on December 2.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Funke group of newspapers that he is confident he would be able to agree with Trump on a joint strategy for Ukraine after speaking to him on the phone.