‘No military purpose’ — Russia strikes cargo ship in Odesa Oblast (8)

Hello, this is Tania Myronyshena reporting from Kyiv on day 1,388 of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today’s top story:

Russian forces launched a missile strike on the civilian port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast, damaging a cargo ship, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 12.

“Today’s Russian strike, like many others, had no military purpose. It proves once again that Russians are not taking diplomacy seriously and are continuing their war — a war aimed at destroying normal life in Ukraine,” Zelensky said on Telegram.

According to Suspilne sources, the ship caught fire following the explosions, and one person was injured. There is currently no evidence of chemical leaks or air pollution.

“The ship caught fire during an air raid alert that lasted from 15:21 to 16:22. During this period, at least four explosions were heard in Odesa,” Suspilne reported.

Russia last week threatened to “cut Ukraine off from the sea,” framing it as retaliation for Kyiv’s sea drone attacks on shadow fleet tankers.

Ukrainian forces encircle Russian troops in Kupiansk, recapture key areas, DeepState reports

Last updated 7:58 Kyiv time.

Ukrainian Defense Forces have encircled Russian troops in Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and cleared its northwestern outskirts, the open-source intelligence group DeepState reported on Dec. 12.

Later that day, the 2nd National Guard Corps “Khartia” confirmed it had led the operation, which was launched to stabilize the front following a renewed Russian offensive in the area in September.

Kupiansk, a key logistics hub located 104 kilometers east of Kharkiv, has been the focus of intensified Russian assaults in recent months. The city has remained closed to civilians since late September due to continuous shelling and the threat of Russian sabotage groups operating behind the lines.

“The operation remains difficult and prolonged, as Russian enclaves still exist in the central part of the city. There is already a significant amount of visual evidence online confirming the successful actions of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, which is why we are now publishing information that is safe to disclose,” DeepState said.

On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelensky visited troops in the area.

“Many Russians boasted about Kupiansk — now we see the real result. I was here today, I met the guys, and I thanked every unit fighting here,” Zelensky said in an official statement on Telegram.

In November, Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces had captured Kupiansk. Ukrainian officials dismissed the claim as a “cheap provocation.” The current Ukrainian counteroffensive appears to have disproven those claims.

Kupiansk was initially occupied by Russian forces during the early stages of the full-scale invasion, but was liberated by Ukraine in September 2022 as part of a broader counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast.

Ukraine world’s deadliest conflict in 2025 despite US-brokered peace talks, analysis finds

Last updated 7:11 p.m. Kyiv time.

Russia’s war in Ukraine was the world’s deadliest conflict in 2025, according to a new report that tracks conflicts globally, despite U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the nearly four-year invasion.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) new Conflict Index reports around 78,000 people killed — including soldiers on both sides and civilians — in Ukraine this year, the highest of any conflict.

Because troop casualty figures are state secrets in both Ukraine and Russia, ACLED relies on in-country researchers and open-source monitoring to collect and estimate figures that it says are conservative and could be higher.

By comparison, fatalities stand at roughly 18,350 in Palestine and 15,100 in Myanmar over the past 12 months — the two conflicts ACLED ranks as the most severe overall. Ukraine, while first for deadliness, ranks 11th on the index when all factors are considered.

The report comes at the close of a year dominated by diplomatic efforts, driven by the U.S. President Donald Trump administration, to broker a peace settlement in Ukraine. Several drafts of ceasefire and peace proposals circulated over the year, but failed to halt the fighting. Despite the efforts, ACLED writes in its report that the U.S.-led push “bore no fruit.”

Russia hits sport school in Sumy Oblast during training session

Last updated 4:55 p.m. Kyiv time.

Russian forces launched a drone strike on civilian infrastructure in Shostka, Sumy Oblast, targeting a local sports school where children were in the middle of a training session. The attack involved two strike drones, according to Sumy Oblast head Oleh Hryhorov.

“It was a deliberate strike on a location where children were present. Two drones were directed at the site,” Hryhorov reported.

All children and coaches were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.

Speaking to Suspilne, coach Liliya Trofymenko described the moment the drone hit: “We heard the Shahed and then immediately an explosion. There was no air raid alert. The kids were training in a ground-floor hall. Luckily, they were under the trampoline by the wall. We managed to evacuate everyone and even grabbed their belongings.”

The developing story is available on Suspilne.

One of Russia’s largest oil refineries ablaze amid reported Ukrainian drone strike on Yaroslavl

Last updated 4:31 p.m. Kyiv time.

Russia’s Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, one of the country’s five largest, is reportedly on fire after being struck in an overnight drone attack on Dec. 12, officials and local Telegram channels said.

Residents reported at least seven explosions over the city, followed by reports of a fire at the Slavneft-YANOS refinery, located more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) said the facility was struck, while Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev had earlier warned of a drone threat in the region.

Astra, an independent Telegram channel based in Russia, posted photos and video of an ongoing fire at the facility on the morning of Dec. 12.

The Slavneft-YANOS plant is a major producer of fuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, with a processing capacity of about 15 million tons of crude per year.

Multiple other regions were targeted throughout the night, including Tver, Smolensk, and Moscow. In Tver, a drone explosion damaged the lower floors of a residential building and injured seven people, according to local authorities.

Europe must prepare for war with Russia, NATO chief warns

Last updated 4:19 p.m. Kyiv time.

Europe must prepare itself for a full-scale armed conflict as it is “Russia’s next target,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 11.

“We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured,” Rutte said in a speech in Berlin, warning that Europe is “already in harm’s way.”

The NATO chief reiterated that Moscow could be ready for a war with the alliance within five years, echoing concerns of other Western officials voiced since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The worries were only further fueled by Russian warplanes and drones violating allied airspace and escalating cases of sabotage, cyberattacks, and espionage linked to Russian intelligence services over the past months.

Rutte said that “conflict is at our door” as “Russia has brought war back to Europe.” He also warned against complacency in the face of this growing threat, urging stronger support for Ukraine and a rapid increase in defense spending and production.

At least 3 killed, 16 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

At least three people have been killed and 16 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Dec. 12.

Russia launched 80 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 64 drones. 12 drones made it through, striking 8 locations, while debris from downed drones fell on three additional sites.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed two people and injured three others, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian drone attacks killed a 71-year-old man and injured four others, Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko reported. A 54-year-old woman with burns is in critical condition. The attack caused fires in five private houses, one of which was completely destroyed.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian attacks injured five people over the past day, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russia targeted five settlements, injuring a 73-year-old man and a 59-year-old man, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russia also struck energy infrastructure in Odesa overnight on Dec. 12, the Energy Ministry reported. Around 90, 000 consumers were left without electricity in the morning. Russia also attacked one of state-owned coal mines with drones for six hours. Eighteen strikes caused a fire and injured two workers.

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,186,480 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost around 1,186,480 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Dec. 12.

The number includes 1,400 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,406 tanks, 23,705 armored fighting vehicles, 69,614 vehicles and fuel tanks, 35,008 artillery systems, 1,566 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,256 air defense systems, 432 airplanes, 347 helicopters, 89,401 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.