The US is sending an advisor to Ukraine to help modernize the armed forces, fight corruption, and attract investment, and has formed a Ukrainian Defense Industry Group to support defense deals.
Japan has expanded export restrictions to include 36 companies from Russia, China, North Korea, and Pakistan that require special permission to supply products.
The U. S. and Ukraine are stepping up defense cooperation, planning joint production of weapons, including air defense systems and ammunition, to strengthen Ukraine's long-term self-sufficiency and defense capabilities.
The United States has charged four Russian soldiers with war crimes for abducting and torturing an American in Ukraine, the first application of the law to prosecute war crimes against US citizens.
Ukrainian customs officers have exposed a group that, using the leadership of a charity organization, illegally imported freon gas worth more than UAH 14 million as humanitarian aid, thus avoiding customs duties. The director of a charity organization was previously brought to criminal responsibility for illegal use of humanitarian aid.
russia plans to open military training centers for minors in occupied Luhansk, where children over the age of 14 will be trained for military service.
Two russian officers received a four-year sentence for failing to prevent a missile strike by Ukraine in April 2022, which killed seven people and destroyed military equipment. They may soon apply for parole because they have already served part of their sentence.
Hungary's Fidesz party has submitted a resolution to parliament opposing the start of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations on the eve of an important EU summit. They argue that this process should be based on consensus and a thorough assessment of Ukraine's potential impact on the EU.
Police in Dnipro have busted an organized crime group involved in arms trafficking and money laundering, seizing weapons, ammunition and nearly $6 million in a two-day operation involving about 100 police officers.
The UK has signed an agreement with Rwanda on the deportation of asylum seekers, an attempt to resolve legal issues after a court ruled the previous plan unconstitutional. The agreement provides for security guarantees and the creation of an international oversight committee.
Ukraine has fulfilled more than 90% of the European Commission's recommendations necessary for negotiations on accession to the European Union, said Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva. Ukraine is counting on the EU's decision to start negotiations based on these achievements.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, warned that a delay in US aid could jeopardize Ukraine's position in the war with Russia, emphasizing the need for military and direct budget support.
According to the National Resistance Center, Russia is bribing residents of the occupied territories to make videos praising life under Russian control, promising money and jobs in their media.
In Kyiv region, a woman sustained a penetrating wound to her right thigh after slipping on a metal fence post; rescuers freed her and handed her over to paramedics.
The police exposed a group accused of producing counterfeit goods under well-known brands with a profit of about one million hryvnias per month. The operation resulted in the seizure of goods worth about UAH nine million.
In 2023, the United States experienced its 37th and 38th mass shootings, the highest annual total since 2006, with recent incidents in Dallas, Texas, and Vancouver, Washington.
Odesa police detained the organizer of a scheme that allowed men of military age to leave Ukraine through fictitious employment in key private firms. At least 5 men left under this scheme. The cost of fictitious employment with subsequent travel abroad was 4500 USD.
In the Rivne region, a Skoda Octavia drove into the oncoming lane and collided with a minibus, causing the driver of the car to be injured and hospitalized. Both drivers were sober at the time of the incident.
In Kharkiv, a 72-year-old man was sentenced to 8. 5 years in prison for hacking his friend to death with an axe during an argument while intoxicated and then dismembering his body. He was arrested after his daughter found the remains and called the police.
Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan will not attend the CSTO meeting in Moscow on December 19.
An American tourist from Boston died as a result of a shark attack while paddleboarding near a resort in the Bahamas. The woman was seriously injured, and despite medical attempts to resuscitate her, they failed to save her.
PlayStation users have reported unexplained account blocking and loss of access to purchased games. Sony has not publicly commented on the issue.
The meteorological winter in Kyiv began ten days earlier than usual, with the average daily temperature dropping below 0°C on November 19. Despite the early winter, autumn was warmer than usual, with a deviation of +2.7°C, and was the second warmest since 1881.
In 2024, the Ukrainian government plans to support small and medium-sized enterprises with 15,000 development grants, First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has announced. The programs include affordable lending, microgrants for business, and assistance in the production of agricultural machinery.
Three people, including two children, died in a fire in a private house in Solotvyno, Tyachiv district, Zakarpattia region. The cause of the fire is likely to be a violation of fire safety rules during the operation of stove heating.
Human rights groups have filed a lawsuit against the Dutch government for supplying spare parts for F-35 aircraft to Israel, accusing it of complicity in military violations in Gaza. The Dutch Ministry of Defense denies that the F-35s are associated with serious violations of humanitarian law.
Starting January 6, kindergartens for older preschool children will open at five metro stations in Kharkiv, an initiative of the city council aimed at continuing education in the face of constant shelling.
Due to significant losses, the Russian military is building a new hospital in occupied Crimea with 150 beds, but it will not be enough to treat the wounded. Local residents face limited access to medical care amid growing military needs.
A 400-year-old sculpture of the Sorrowful Christ, restored in Poland, has returned to Lviv and will be presented at a museum exhibition in January 2024.
Police in Kyiv's Obolon district detained a man who attacked a customer and brandished a gun in a restaurant. The police secured the scene and called investigators to clarify the situation.
