EMPR

20/12/2025

Dialogue with a Dictator Is a Lie: Putin’s Threats Laid Bare

The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has held another so-called “year-end summary” press conference.

Putin’s threats, blackmail, and fake victimhood expose dialogue with Moscow as illusion, proving negotiations only enable aggression while Europe hesitates and Ukraine fights for survival.

And although there is no sense in trying to crawl into this man’s head or to understand his thinking, this time I decided to write about it anyway.

Read more: https://empr.media/opinion/analytics/there-is-no-point-talking-to-putin/

19/12/2025

Russia – Ukraine War Updates: Key Developments as of December 19, 2025

Today is the 1,395th day of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian defenders are steadfastly holding back the pressure of the occupiers, inflicting significant losses on the enemy.

In total, 193 combat engagements were recorded over the past day.
Yesterday, the enemy carried out 74 air strikes, dropping 154 guided aerial bombs. In addition, they conducted 4,281 shelling attacks, including 126 from multiple launch rocket systems, and used 5,836 kamikaze drones.

Over the past day, aircraft, missile forces, and artillery of the Defense Forces struck three areas of concentration of enemy personnel, three command posts, and one artillery system of the Russian invaders.

The aggressor carried out air strikes, in particular, on areas near the settlements of Oleksandrohrad in Donetsk Oblast; Havrylivka and Khrystoforivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; and Lisne, Orikhiv, Balabyne, and Malokaterynivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Read more:

Russia – Ukraine war updates latest from the General Staff of Ukraine as of December 19, 2025. ukraine war

19/12/2025

Reparations Loan for Ukraine: Kallas Rules Out Plan B

EU plans a €90 billion reparations loan for Ukraine over two years, funded by frozen Russian assets. Kaja Kallas stresses focus on plan A, dismissing alternative funding options.

A reparations loan of up to €90 billion for two years is planned to be financed from the revenues and cash balances of frozen Russian assets in Europe.

The EU is focused on preparing a reparations loan for Ukraine based on frozen Russian assets, and alternative funding scenarios are not currently being considered, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas stated.

Read more at the link in comment below.

18/12/2025

Ukrainian Drones Pounds Rostov and Beyond, Oil Tanker Suffers Damage

An overnight drone attack hit Russia’s Rostov region, damaging a tanker in Rostov port, killing two crew members, injuring three others, and sparking residential fires.

On the night of December 18, Russia’s Rostov region came under an aerial attack. Governor Slusar said a tanker carrying petroleum products was damaged and two crew members were killed at the Port of Rostov.

Read more:

An overnight drone attack hit Russia’s Rostov region, damaging a tanker in Rostov port, killing two crew members, injuring three others, and sparking

18/12/2025

Nighttime Attack on Kryvyi Rih: Consequences Reported

A Russian drone attack on Kryvyi Rih injured four people, damaged homes and public buildings, caused fires, while air defenses downed eight UAVs overnight.

Five two-story residential buildings, private homes, an administrative building, and a cultural institution were damaged.

Read more at the link in comment below.

18/12/2025

Poll: 75% of Ukrainians Reject “Peace Plan” Involving Troop Withdrawal from Donbas

Three-quarters of Ukrainians reject Russia’s “peace plan,” while most cautiously support a Europe-Ukraine alternative.

This data was presented according to a KIIS survey conducted from November 26 to December 13, 2025.

Read more: https://empr.media/news/ukraine/poll-75-of-ukrainians-reject-peace-plan-involving-troop-withdrawal-from-donbas/

18/12/2025

EU to Sanction 40 More Russian “Shadow Fleet” Vessels

EU plans sanctions on 40 more Russian shadow fleet vessels, aiming to cut war financing, as Ukraine says hundreds of tankers still evade oil restrictions.

This was stated by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.

“We will adopt a decision today regarding vessels of the ‘shadow fleet.’ We have 40 additional ships, as well as their facilitators,” she said.

Kallas added that these measures are being taken “to deprive Russia of the means to finance this war.”

Read more at the link in comment below.

The European Union plans to impose sanctions on 40 additional Russian “shadow fleet” vessels used to bypass oil and maritime restrictions.

18/12/2025

Russia Strikes Infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk Region, Rail Delays Reported

The aggressor country Russia attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones, damaging infrastructure facilities and a transport company; train delays have been reported.

The head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Vladyslav Haivanenko, said that the Russians attacked the Mykolaivka community in the Synelnykove district, injuring two men aged 29 and 42. Fires broke out at the site, and infrastructure was damaged.

Read more:

Russian forces struck infrastructure in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, causing rail delays and transport disruptions, according to official reports.

18/12/2025

Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Oil Platforms in the Caspian for Third Time This Week

SBU long-range drones struck Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft oil platforms in the Caspian Sea for the third time this week, damaging critical equipment and halting production at key oil fields.

Long-range drones of the Special Operations Center “A” of the Security Service of Ukraine struck a Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft facility in the Caspian Sea for the third time in the past week, Ukrainska Pravda reports.

Read more:

SBU drones struck Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea for the third time this week, targeting strategic energy infrastructure amid escalating drone warfare.

18/12/2025

Zelenskyy Does Not Consider the Creation of a Demilitarized Economic Zone in Donbas Fair

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he does not consider the creation of a demilitarized economic zone in Donbas to be fair, because first of all it would be unclear who would govern it.

“Russia wants to avoid expending forces and to occupy the east of our country through diplomatic and political means. And then the United States of America said: ‘Let’s have such a compromise. The Russian army will not enter part of our east, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine will withdraw.’ I do not consider this fair, because this economic zone… who will govern it?” Zelenskyy said.

Read more at the link in comment below.

18/12/2025

Russia – Ukraine War Updates: Key Developments as of December 18, 2025

Today is the 1,394th day of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

According to updated information, yesterday the invaders carried out 42 air strikes across Ukrainian territory, dropping 136 guided aerial bombs. In addition, they used 4,855 kamikaze drones and conducted 3,869 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas, including 118 strikes from multiple launch rocket systems.

The aggressor carried out air strikes using guided bombs on populated areas, including Pokrovske, Pidhavrylivka, and Bratske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; Sviatopetrivka, Kushuhum, and Zaporizhzhia in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Over the past day, missile forces and artillery of the Defense Forces struck an enemy manpower concentration area, a command post, and two other important enemy targets.

The Pokrovsk remains the hottest front direction. Ukrainian defenders stopped 38 assault and offensive actions by the russian aggressor in the areas of Shakhove, Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Dachne, and toward Novopavlivka.

Read more:

Russia – Ukraine war updates latest from the General Staff of Ukraine as of December 18, 2025. ukraine war

18/12/2025

Kateryna Kotsar Wins Historic Silver for Ukraine at Big Air World Cup

Ukrainian skier Kateryna Kotsar won silver in the Women’s Big Air World Cup in Steamboat, USA, marking Ukraine’s first-ever medal at this level. The final stage is in March.

The final stage of the Women’s World Cup in big air will take place in March on the Tignes big air hill in France.

Ukrainian athlete Kateryna Kotsar took second place in the Women’s Big Air World Cup, held in Steamboat, USA.

Read more at the link in comment.