Zelensky pushes back on army request for 500,000 more soldiers
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Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday night pushed back on a military request to mobilise 500,000 men to join the fight against Russia amid reports of a mounting spat between Ukraine’s generals and politicians.
During a rare question and answer session, the Ukrainian president told journalists that the military leadership had proposed mobilising “450,000 to 500,000 people”.
“This is a serious number. I need some serious arguments to support this direction,” the Ukrainian president continued.
“I need concrete information on what will then happen with the million-strong military of Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s top general Valerii Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s top general, and defence minister Rustem Umerov were in November ordered to present fresh mobilisation plans after a long-heralded counter-offensive failed to expel Russian forces from the country.
Gen Zaluzhny infuriated the presidential administration in November when he said the war was at a stalemate, a claim slapped down by Mr Zelensky.
In recent days the pair have also grappled over the president’s decision to dismiss regional draft office chiefs over corruption.
At the same time, Ukraine’s army recruiters have faced criticism about their aggressive efforts to replenish their forces as the military faces mounting casualties.
‘Not about mobilisation numbers’
Political and military officials are due to discuss a fresh wave of mobilisation, which Mr Zelensky described as a “very sensitive issue”.
He insisted his initial opposition to the current plan was “not about mobilisation numbers” or any personal spat with his top general, but the estimated cost of 500 billion Ukrainian Hryvnia for the additional troops.
“To pay for one Ukrainian soldier, we need six Ukrainian taxpayers,” Mr Zelensky argued.
“That’s the maths that we have here, when we plan the future of our military action during the war against Russia.
“It’s not about personal things, all things personal are discussed with my wife,” he added.
Mr Zelensky used the press conference to dismiss talks of a feud between him and Gen Zaluzhny.
He said both men’s jobs were “great honours” and he “won’t go into personalities”.
“I have working relations with Zaluzhny,” he added. “It’s not about personal things, it’s about responsibility before 40 million-plus people.”
The men have been pitted against one another, with the general considered a potential replacement for the president one day.
Although Mr Zelensky enjoys broad support, his trust levels have fallen from 84 per cent to 62 per cent, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology published on Tuesday.
The same poll suggests Gen Zaluzhny enjoys the trust of 88 per cent of Ukrainians.
Any conscription plans agreed between the pair will also have to be voted on by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, where questions have been raised over whether women could be called up.
Asked about plans to change the parameters for conscription, Mr Zelensky said: “As for the women, no I’m not going to sign this. As for the age of 25, if all the substantiations are provided and I see this as necessary I will agree to that.”
The issue of mobilisation has become prominent as Kyiv faces an increasingly difficult situation, with billions in financial aid from the European Union and United States stalled and frequent reports of shortages of weapons and troops.
‘He doesn’t want to be a dictator’
Critics have accused Mr Zelensky of only “pretending to mobilise”, while allies of the president insist he wants to protect Ukrainians from the bloodshed of war.
“Zelensky wants to do the right thing by Ukrainians. He doesn’t want to be a dictator,” a government source recently told The Economist, after Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko accused the Ukrainian leader of turning into an autocrat.
But still tough decisions must be made, according to Colonel Viktor Kevlyuk, who oversaw mobilisation in Western Ukraine when Russia initially invaded the Donbas in 2014.
“We have no choice other than to be bloodthirsty,” he said.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin is expected to order another round of mobilisation after the upcoming presidential elections in March 2024.
But despite the mounting difficulties, Mr Zelensky was bullish about his country’s prospects. He insisted that Russia had failed to make any advances on the battlefield in 2023.
‘I’m sure the USA won’t betray us’
“Russia hasn’t gotten any results from this year,” he said, in response to a series of questions over the prospect of a military defeat.
“Not one of their goals,” he added, “despite the fact that the message from the Kremlin hasn’t changed.”
Mr Zelensky celebrated the EU’s decision last week to open formal membership talks for Ukraine to join the bloc by sitting in front of its yellow and blue-starred flag.
He brushed off concerns that US aid would remain deadlocked after a recent trip to Washington failed to convince Congress to drop opposition to the White House’s proposed $60 billion support package.
“We’re working very hard on this. I’m sure that the USA won’t betray us,” Mr Zelensky told reporters. “I have come to an understanding with Biden.”
Mr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine and Britain were in talks over a deal, which was first reported by The Telegraph earlier this week, to bolster Kyiv’s maritime capabilities.
“We have to revisit the topic of our homework that we are yet to deliver,” he said on the hold up for the pact’s completion.
In his show of defiance, Mr Zelensky insisted he would not drop his war aims to restore Ukraine’s pre-1991 borders, which include the occupied Crimea peninsula.
06:15 PM GMT
Blog is now closed
Thank you for joining us for our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Here is a recap of today’s headlines:
Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian army had requested 450-500,000 more troops to fight Russia next year
Vladimir Putin was accused of attempting to “recruit cannon fodder” for the war in Ukraine by Moldovan prime minister Dorin Recean.
Ukrainian recruitment chiefs sacked for corruption by Zelensky were described as “professionals” by general Valerii Zaluzhny.
Shortages of Western-supplied artillery shells have forced Ukraine to scale back re-plan frontline attacks, a Ukrainian general said.
Lord Cameron declared that Britain would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
The EU will ban imports of Russian diamonds at the start of next as part of a new round of sanctions.
Russian air defences shot down a Ukrainian drone over Moscow.
A senior US official expressed concern that Ukraine could lose the war by summer of 2024.
A Ukrainian police chief resigned after being accused of having links with Russia.
Russia vowed not to let a new defence pact between Finland and the United States go “unanswered”.
Mr Putin declared that Russia “is not going to abandon the goals of the special military operation.”Russian defence minister Sergey Shoigu claimed the Russian army to be “the best prepared and most capable in the world.”
Join us again tomorrow for the latest updates.
06:07 PM GMT
Press conference has finished
Mr Zelensky answered questions from journalists in Kyiv for around two hours.
06:05 PM GMT
Zelensky 'happy' his family is in Ukraine
Mr Zelensky says even if countries are separated in Ukraine “it still means your together”.
“If the soldier is on the front line… the soldier feels the person he loves and defends is here in Ukraine”, he said.
Mr Zelensky said he is “proud” of his wife. He said his son is in school and his daughter is at university.
“I’m happy they’re here”, he said.
05:59 PM GMT
Ukraine will produce one million drones next year
Mr Zelensky said Ukraine will produce one million drones in 2024.
Ukraine has been working to increase its domestic weapon production since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
05:57 PM GMT
President Milei ‘stands with’ Ukraine
Asked about recent trip to Argentina, Mr Zelensky said the election of Javier Milei “reshapes the political direction in Latin America”.
He said Mr Milei “stands with us, he’s on our side” and had “spoken to parliament about his total support of Ukraine.”
He said the pair had made a “strong” connection during their first personal meeting.
He said there was “a lot to be desired” for economic relations between Ukraine and the continent.
05:50 PM GMT
Zelensky dismisses rift with army chief
Mr Zelensky said he maintains a working relationship with top general Valery Zaluzhny.
His remarks come amid weeks of speculation about tensions between the two men after Kyiv’s vaunted counteroffensive failed to retake significant parts of Russian-occupied territory.
“Why should I help someone by developing this theme? I have a working relationship with Zaluzhny,” Mr Zelensky said.
He described the military operation as a “very complicated story” involving the collective input of Ukraine’s military leadership.
05:46 PM GMT
Zelensky hopes for faster prisoner exchanges
The Ukrainian President said on Tuesday that prisoner exchanges had been happening more slowly for specific reasons on the Russian side, but he hoped they would soon happen more actively.
He also said peace talks with Russia are “not currently feasible”.
“We have a peace formula,” he said, adding that the next meeting will be in Davos, Switzerland.
“When all the countries of the world are united on this document, we may hand it over to Russia,” he said.
05:42 PM GMT
Senate leaders: No Ukraine aid deal until January
US Senate leaders said a Ukraine aid deal is likely to come together soon, with one senior Democrat saying that action would probably be postponed until January.
Republican and Democratic negotiators have been working to pass a funding package before leaving town for a year-end holiday break.
Senator Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, said: ”I hope that they’re going to prepare the text and sit down and roll up their sleeves and finish up as soon as we get back in January”.
“Everyone understands that we have more work to do, and that’s going to take more time,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said those involved were “making slow and steady progress.”
05:30 PM GMT
Zelensky: Nato fighting for Ukraine is a ‘fantasy’
Mr Zelensky said Ukraine is not being invited to join NATO.
“This is nonsense,” he said. “We have never been given any such proposal.”
He added that if part of Ukraine was in NATO it would “bring great risks”.
Mr Zelensky said Vladimir Putin “doesn’t want peace”, adding: “Will NATO countries fight for a bit of Ukraine? This is fantasy.”
05:24 PM GMT
Six Ukrainians’ taxes pays for one soldier
Again highlighting the cost of expanding the Ukrainian army, Mr Zelsnky said “when speaking about this or that mobilisation numbers we need to understand that one serviceman equals six” people paying taxes.
He joked: “It’s not about personal things, all things personal I discuss with my wife.”
05:22 PM GMT
Zelensky: I hope Poland will help lift blockade
The Ukrainian President said he hopes the new Polish government would help lift the border blockade.
Polish truckers have been blocking several border crossings with Ukraine since early November, demanding that the EU reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies require permits to operate in the bloc.
05:08 PM GMT
Zelensky: next US president could be ‘colder’ on Ukraine
When questioned on what a victory for Donald Trump in the US election would mean for Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said he “will have a different policy, he’s a different person.”
“If the policy of the next president, whoever he or she is, to Ukraine would be colder … then I think this signal would have a very significant impact on the course of the war”, he said.
“If one powerful detail is left behind then the mechanism starts breaking.
“It will have an impact and surely not a positive one on the assistance from Europe.”
05:04 PM GMT
Zelensky: Israel war having negative impact on Ukraine
Mr Zelenksy said the “war in Middle East … has [had] an impact on support to Ukraine.”
He claimed “some countries are starting to balance, who should they prioritise support for, either Ukraine or Israel”, adding: “This is definitely not having a positive impact on Ukraine.”
04:55 PM GMT
Zelensky: support from US will come 'very soon'
Asked about continued support from the US, the Ukrainian President said he as “happy” with his conversations with and support from the EU.
“As for the US and their support, I believe it that it will be very soon”, he said.
04:50 PM GMT
No Ukrainian elections amid war
Mr Zelensky said parliamentary elections could not be held amid the ongoing war with Russia.
The idea of holding elections has been widely discussed in Ukraine despite them being prohibited under martial law.
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly said that conducting elections could undermine unity and be exploited by Russia.
04:47 PM GMT
Ukraine to receive more Patriot air defence systems
The equipment will help bolster its forces this winter in the face of increasing aerial attacks from Moscow, Mr Zelensky said.
“Several new Patriot systems will be in Ukraine to protect our country in the winter,” he told reports.
“I promised I wouldn’t disclose the number,” Mr Zelensky added, saying that the weapons were a “very important result” of meetings with allies during recent trips abroad.
04:41 PM GMT
Zelensky: I’ve never discussed ceasefire with Orban
Mr Zelensky said he had never spoken with Viktor Orban about a potential ceasefire with Russia.
He suggested the Hungarian Prime Minister could have been “raising these topics” with “his friends abroad”.
He said it was “strange” and said “sometimes his policies are not very friendly to us”.
He added: “I have a lot of questions for him.”
04:37 PM GMT
Zelensky: Ukraine won ‘a big victory’ on the Black Sea
Kyiv has launched successful strikes on Russian warships and secured martime trading routes.
Everyone can appreciate that the Russian fleet was deprived of their almost total dominance in the Ukrainian Black Sea,” Mr Zelensky said, adding that Moscow had tried to impose controls over “what we should do, what we should export, and so on.”
04:34 PM GMT
Zelensky certain US won't 'betray' Ukraine
Mr Zelensky said he was sure that crucial US military and financial aid would continue.
“We are working very hard on this, and I am certain the United States will not betray us,” he said during a televised press briefing in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian president’s comments come after he visited Washington DC last week to try and shore up bipartisan support.
He added that no one knows when the war with Russia will end, but that Ukraine could win more quickly if it remains resilient.
04:25 PM GMT
Zelensky: army wants another 500,000 soldiers
Mr Zelensky has been asked about mobilising Ukrainians to fight Russia.
“This issue is very sensitive,” Mr Zelensky said the army had suggested mobilising another 450,000-500,000 soldiers to join the war.
Mr Zelensky said it cost about 500bn Ukrainian hryvna (£10.5billion) and asked where they would get the money.
03:43 PM GMT
Pictured: Cathedral repaired in Odesa
03:37 PM GMT
UN verifies 142 Russian summary executions of civilians
The United Nations (UN) has verified 142 summary executions of civilians by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the real figure was likely to be higher.
“On occupied territory, we have documented widespread torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including sexual violence, as well as large numbers of enforced disappearances,” he said at a human rights council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
03:08 PM GMT
Prigozhin's companies replace dead ex-leader with private detective
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s companies have appointed a St Petersburg private detective as his replacement, it has been reported.
Vladislav Pisarenko, 53, is the new chief executive of Concord Catering and Concord Management and Consulting, independent Russian outlet Meduza reported.
It said the Russian was deputy general detective of the ‘Your Detective’ private investigator company until 2021.
Mr Pisarenko’s connections to Mr Prigozhin, who died when his plane crashed in August in a suspected assassination, are as yet unclear.
02:48 PM GMT
Russian army 'most combat-effective in the world,' says Shoigu
Sergey Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, has claimed that the Russian army is the “best prepared and most capable in the world.”
He said the Russian military is “armed with advanced weapons that have been tested in combat” and that “despite the sanctions, we produce more high-tech weapons than Nato countries.”
Mr Shoigu added that the military has received more than 1,500 new and modernised tanks, more than 2,500 armoured infantry vehicles and 237 new planes and helicopters.
He spoke at a meeting of the Russian defence ministry alongside other high-ranking military officers and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
02:41 PM GMT
Poland finds 14 Russian spies guilty
A Polish court has found 14 people guilty of spying for Russia.
Judge Jarsolav Kowalski ruled that the spy ring – which included citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine – had plotted to derail trains carrying aid to Ukraine and monitored military facilities.
Investigators said the members of the ring received orders via the Telegram messaging app and were paid between $300 to $10,000 in cryptocurrency for every job.
The 14 did not appear in court after pleading guilty. Another two members will be tried separately after withdrawing initial guilty pleas.
02:32 PM GMT
Russia suspected of bugging Zaluzhny's office
Russia is suspected of planting the bug discovered in a room used by General Valerii Zaluzhny, Ukrainian military intelligence believes.
Andriy Yusov, its spokesperson, told BBC Russia that the listening device may have been an “attempt by the enemy” to acquire information on Ukraine’s battleplans.
“The war continues, and the enemy is trying in different ways to obtain information and study our plans,” he said.
02:14 PM GMT
'We will not give up what is ours,' Putin says
Russia is not going to give up on the goals of the war in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin stated as he claimed that Russian troops now have the initiative on the battlefield.
“We are not going to abandon the goals of the special military operation,” the Russian president said.
He added that Russia would be prepared to talk the West about the future of Ukraine, but that Moscow would defend its national interests.
Ukrainian Nato membership “is not acceptable for Russia in 10 years, and not in 20,” he said.
02:10 PM GMT
Russia will not let Finland-US defence pact go 'unanswered'
Russia will not let a new defence pact between Finland and the United States go “unanswered”, its foreign ministry has said.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Kremlin would “not leave unanswered the buildup of Nato military potential on our border, which threatens the security of the Russian Federation, and would take the necessary measures to counter the aggressive decisions of Finland and its Nato allies”.
The agreement between Helsinki and Washington established that the US would give aid and have quick access to Finnish military bases in the event of a war.
01:21 PM GMT
Ukrainian police chief resigns after Russia links 'exposed'
The deputy chief of Ukraine’s police force has resigned after being accused of having links with Russia.
Dmytro Tyshlek, a dual Russian-Ukrainian national, was said by Bihus.Info to have been driving cars and staying in houses owned by a Russian gangster.
An internal probe ruled on Friday that there was no reason to sack him.
But the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper has now confirmed he has resigned.
12:53 PM GMT
Ukraine could lose war by summer without more Western aid
A senior US military official has expressed concern that without Western aid there could be “a significant setback or even defeat” by the summer of 2024, according to CNN.
Western officials continue to look to the US Congress for leadership over Ukraine military aid.
“If looking at taking and holding further territory, it is hard to see how that could succeed without continued US support,” a European diplomat told CNN.
Unless additional US aid is granted, Ukraine is expected to first run out of long-range missiles, then air defence missiles, and then artillery ammunition and short-range missiles.
12:31 PM GMT
Pictured: Aftermath of recent shelling in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine
12:16 PM GMT
Putin declares upgrades to nuclear arsenal in ‘hybrid war’ with West
Russia is upgrading its nuclear arsenal and bolstering its frontlines to fight a “hybrid war” with the West, Vladimir Putin told a conference of senior defence officials on Tuesday.
The Russian president informed the defence ministry that the nuclear triad’s role has increased, referring to preparedness to launch weapons from land, sea and the air.
Putin said Russia’s defence industry was reacting faster than the West’s, all attempts to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia had crumbled and the United States was exploiting Europe for its own interests.
He said Ukrainian membership of NATO “is not acceptable for Russia in 10 years, and not in 20”.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed the same meeting that tank production had increased by 5.6 times since the start of the war and Russia had laid 7,000 sq km of minefields along the 2,000 km (1,250-mile) frontline.
The defence minister announced plans to expand the army to 1.5 million servicemen, while Putin pledged the deployment of 15 nuclear-capable Yars and Avangard missile systems by the end of the year.
11:51 AM GMT
Denmark signs defence agreement with the United States
Denmark has become the latest Scandinavian country to permit United States soldiers and military equipment to be based on its territory, the country’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday.
“This means that American soldiers and equipment can be permanently stationed on Danish soil,” Frederiksen confirmed.
The 10-year defence agreement was announced after the US signed similar agreements with Finland on Monday and Sweden earlier in December.
Both Finland and Sweden share a border with Russia, as does Norway which has authorised US military activity on its soil since 2021.
11:05 AM GMT
Ukrainian drone shot down over Moscow
Russian air defences intercepted a Ukrainian drone near Moscow on Tuesday, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin has confirmed.
No casualties were reported at the debris site in the Odintsovo district, but two Moscow airports, Vnukovo and Domodedovo, said they had restricted flights, a measure often taken during drone attacks.
Russian news agencies also reported the nearby airports of Zhukovsky and Kaluga had placed restrictions on take-offs and landings.
The defence ministry said: “The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed by the air defence forces on duty over the territory of the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region.”
10:42 AM GMT
EU to ban Russian diamonds
The European Union will ban imports of Russian diamonds and diamond jewellery at the start of next year as part of a new round of sanctions against Moscow, Brussels Correspondent Joe Barnes reports.
By next March, an existing embargo will be expanded to cover all Russian-origin diamonds and jewellery that have been cut and polished in other countries.
And in a further six months the measures will be once again enlarged to include lab-grown diamonds and watches containing diamonds.
The industry is believed to be worth an estimated €4 billion per year, according to the European Commission, and comes as part of a G7 effort to crackdown on Russian diamond exports.
The EU’s package was largely held up by Belgium, the main entry point for Russian diamonds into the bloc.
Authorities in the country will use a blockchain-based system to identify, trace and verify the origin of imported diamonds.
10:20 AM GMT
Zelensky to give end-of-year press conference
Volodymyr Zelensky will give an end-of-year press conference at 2pm GMT.
He will take questions from Ukrainian press and foreign journalists.
09:54 AM GMT
Britain will support Ukraine for 'as long as it takes', says Cameron
Britain will support Ukraine for “as long as it takes”, Lord Cameron has said.
The Foreign Secretary met French counterpart Catherine Colonna for talks in Paris on Tuesday.
“Britain and France have been staunch supporters of Ukraine and we will continue to be for as long as it takes,” he said.
“I have no doubt that we can make sure Putin loses and it is essential he does lose.”
09:37 AM GMT
Shell shortages force Ukraine to 're-plan' front-line attacks
Shortages of Western-supplied artillery shells have forced Ukraine to scale back re-plan frontline attacks, a general has said.
“There’s a problem with ammunition, especially post-Soviet (shells) – that’s 122 mm, 152 mm – and today these problems exist across the entire front line,” Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the southern Tavria army group.
“The volumes that we have today are not sufficient for us today, given our needs. So, we’re redistributing it. We’re replanning tasks that we had set for ourselves and making them smaller because we need to provide for them.”
Western support for Ukraine has faltered in recent months. Republicans in Congress are holding up a $60 billion (£48bn) US aid package and Hungary last week blocked €50 billion (£43bn) in European Union funding.
The White House said on Sunday that it only has enough current funding to give Ukraine one additional military aid package.
09:19 AM GMT
Russia has failed to protect civilians in Ukraine, says UN
Russia has failed to protect civilians in Ukraine, the United Nations (UN) human rights chief has said.
Volker Turk said his office had evidence of “gross violations of international human rights law, serious violations of international humanitarian law, and war crimes”.
“There has been extensive failure by the Russian Federation to take adequate measures to protect civilians and protect civilian objects against the effects of their attacks,” he told the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
The remarks came after increasing rhetoric from Vladimir Putin criticising Israel for the number of civilian casualties in its war in Gaza.
09:00 AM GMT
Ukraine ups drone production as Western aid falters
Ukraine is increasing its production of drones as donations of Western artillery shells dwindle.
“As for artillery ammunition, this issue will keep popping up,” said Ivan Havryliuk, the deputy defence minister.
“Therefore, Ukraine has decided to address these challenges by creating a powerful UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) production system.”
Mr Havryliuk added that Ukraine would also work with Western arms companies to increase domestic production of Nato-standard 155mm shells.
08:41 AM GMT
Recruitment chiefs sacked for corruption were 'professionals', says Zaluzhny
General Valerii Zaluzhny has described the regional army recruitment chiefs who were sacked by Volodymyr Zelensky for corruption as “professionals”.
The Ukrainian army’s commander-in-chief said “they were professionals, they knew how to do it, but [they’re] not [working there] anymore” in remarks reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
All regional recruitment chiefs were sacked by Mr Zelensky in August after an inquiry found they had accepted bribes to exempt men or place them in units not fighting at the front.
Tensions between Mr Zelensky and Gen Zaluzhny have become increasingly public following the underwhelming progress of Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
08:15 AM GMT
In pictures: Camouflaged artillery in action
07:55 AM GMT
Russia superior in weapons and manpower, says Ukrainian general
Russia has superiority in manpower and weaponry on three fronts, a Ukrainian general has said.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the ground forces commander, said Russian forces were advancing on the Kupiansk, Lyman and Bakhmut fronts.
“The situation is difficult,” he said. “We have to fight in the face of enemy superiority in both weapons and personnel.”
Col Gen Syrskyi added that Ukrainian soldiers were inflicting heavy casualties on their enemy.
07:40 AM GMT
Putin accused of recruiting ‘cannon fodder’
Vladimir Putin has been accused of attempting to “recruit cannon fodder” for the war in Ukraine.
Moldovan prime minister Dorin Recean made the remarks after the Russian president made it easier for citizens of Moldova, Belarus and Kazakhstan to become Russian citizens.
Mr Recean condemned what he said was an “attempt to recruit cannon fodder for this brutal and incomprehensible war launched by Russia in the neighbouring country of Ukraine”.
The decree means citizens of Moldova, Belarus and Kazakhstan can now become citizens by obtaining a permit and passing a test on Russian history. Previously they have also had to prove they reside permanently in Russia.
07:30 AM GMT
Good morning
Welcome to the Telegraph’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine today.
