Ukraine war - live: Putin’s spokesman says Russia not planning ‘Christmas ceasefire’

Russian drone strikes on Kyiv and the region around the Ukrainian capital on Wednesday did not damage any energy facilities, national power grid operator Ukrenergo said.

Since October, Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with big waves of missile and drone strikes.

“Thanks to the brilliant work of the air defence forces, the energy infrastructure facilities were not damaged (on Wednesday) - all 13 drones were shot down,” Ukrenergo said on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it had not received any proposals about a “Christmas ceasefire” in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called earlier this week on Russia to start withdrawing its troops from his country by Christmas as the first step towards a peace deal in the conflict, which has been raging for almost 10 months.

Pope Francis called Wednesday for a “humble” Christmas this year, with savings from reduced spending on gifts donated to help the “suffering people of Ukraine.”

Francis called for “concrete gestures” of charity for Ukrainians this holiday season during his weekly general audience.

“It’s nice to celebrate Christmas and have parties, but let’s lower the level of Christmas spending a bit,” he said. “Let’s make a more humble Christmas, with more humble gifts, and let’s send what we save to the people of Ukraine who need it.”

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Japan has chosen the word “war” as the best description for the year 2022 in annual voting as part of a contest.

The Kanji character “sen”, meaning war or battle, was picked as the single most representative Japanese character in public voting held this week by a Kyoto-based organisation.

This was the 28th annual poll run by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, where public votes select a Kanji character that describes the year.

Stuti Mishra reports:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and top military officials discussed moves to ensure border security at a meeting of the supreme command on Wednesday, the president’s office said.

The office placed particular emphasis on the moves to secure the border in a statement issued after the meeting, without saying which part of the border was focused on.

The statement followed a flurry of military activity in neighbouring Belarus, an ally of Moscow. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, it used Belarus as a launch pad.

“The recent activities of the enemy and the way to confront it were ... analysed. Particular attention was given to ensuring the security of Ukraine’s state border,” it said.

Russian drone strikes hit the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Wedensday morning.

Kyiv and the surrounding area were targeted in the latest wave of Russian strikes. Thirteen Russian drones targeted energy infrastructure in the region but no energy facilities were actually damaged.

“Thanks to the brilliant work of the air defence forces, the energy infrastructure facilities were not damaged (on Wednesday) – all 13 drones were shot down,” Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian national power grid operator, said on the Telegram messaging app.

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Moscow is not planning a “Christmas ceasefire” in Ukraine and has not received any proposals about it, top spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, outlining the war’s trajectory through the harsh winter.

“No, no such offers have been received from anybody. This topic is not on the agenda,” the Kremlin spokesperson said on being asked if Russia has seen any proposals for a Christmas ceasefire to stop the military offensive during the holiday.

The war in Ukraine will enter its 11th month on Christmas eve for millions in the European country under Russian siege.

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The head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukraine had secured the release of 64 Ukrainian members of the military, adding that a US citizen was also part of its latest prisoner swap with Russian forces.

The American was as 35-year-old Suedi Mureksezi.

Mr Yermak said: “Sixty-four soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who fought in Donetsk and Lugansk - in particular participated in the defence of the city of Bakhmut - are going home.

Families who host Ukrainian refugees for more than a year are to receive increased payments in recognition of their ongoing support during the cost-of-living crisis, the government has said.

Hosts under the Homes for Ukraine scheme will get £500 a month after their first 12 months of sponsorship, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said.

Councils will also be given money to help prevent homelessness among arrivals and to acquire more homes for people fleeing conflict in places such as Ukraine and Afghanistan.

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The Kremlin has suggested that US Patriot missile batteries would be a legitimate target for Russian missiles.

This comes as the United States finalises plans to send the systems to Ukraine in the near future.

They would be used to defend Ukraine from Russian shelling and to shoot down incoming Russian missiles.