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Ukraine War Live Updates: Brittney Griner Freed and on Way Home From Russia; Putin Says He's Prepared for a Long War in Ukraine

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This has been CNBC's live blog covering updates on the war in Ukraine. [Follow the latest updates here.]

Russian President Vladimir Putin set the stage for a protracted war in Ukraine, telling officials it "may be a lengthy process," while downplaying speculation that a new round of mobilization could take place in Russia.

He also reiterated Moscow's claim that the war is Ukraine's fault and that it started in 2014 as a result of what he described as a "coup," when then Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Russian government were ousted.

Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned a nightmare scenario could befall the capital if Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure continue.

"Kyiv might lose power, water, and heat supply. The apocalypse might happen, like in Hollywood films, when it's not possible to live in homes considering the low temperature," he told Reuters.

Meanwhile, the United States and Russia agreed to a prisoner exchange of detained U.S. WNBA star Brittney Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner, who was being held in Russia after her conviction on drug charges, was on a flight back to the U.S.

Ukraine claims Russia put rocket launchers at nuclear power plant

A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict outside the city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, November 24, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters
A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict outside the city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, November 24, 2022.

Russian forces have installed multiple rocket launchers at Ukraine's shut-down Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials claimed, raising fears Europe's largest atomic power station could be used as a base to fire on Ukrainian territory and heightening radiation dangers.

Ukraine's nuclear company Energoatom said in a statement that Russian forces occupying the plant have placed several Grad multiple rocket launchers near one of its six nuclear reactors. It said the offensive systems are located at new "protective structures" the Russians secretly built, "violating all conditions for nuclear and radiation safety."

The claim could not be independently verified.

The Soviet-built multiple rocket launchers are capable of firing rockets at ranges of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), and Energoatom said they could enable Russian forces to hit the opposite bank of the Dnieper River, where each side blames the other for almost daily shelling in the cities of Nikopol and Marhanets. The plant is in a southern Ukrainian region the Kremlin has illegally annexed.

— Associated Press

Zelenskyy says Ukraine is working with EU, U.S. to strengthen sanctions on Russia

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Kherson, Ukraine November 14, 2022.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service | Reuters
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Kherson, Ukraine November 14, 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country aims to bolster sanctions on Russia as Moscow shows no signs of ending its brutal war.

"We are actively working to support and strengthen the next sanctions against Russia – by European, American and other partners," he said, according to a translation of his nightly address posted to messaging platform Telegram.

He noted that a proposed ninth European Union sanctions package is "in progress."

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine is awaiting more steps its allies can take to crack down on efforts to circumvent sanctions in the financial and energy sectors.

— Jacob Pramuk

Blinken says he expects Finland and Sweden will become NATO members 'soon'

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken attends the Freedom of Expression Roundtable, in New York, U.S., September 19, 2022. 
Craig Ruttle | Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken attends the Freedom of Expression Roundtable, in New York, U.S., September 19, 2022. 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he expects Finland and Sweden will become NATO members soon.

Twenty-eight of 30 countries in the military alliance have ratified the two nations' entry into NATO, a process that started after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Only Turkey and Hungary have not approved it.

Finland and Sweden have worked to assuage Turkey's concerns about them joining NATO. Finland's Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen has said his country would consider limited arms exports to Turkey — which could resolve a sticking point for Ankara.

Speaking at a news conference with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom, Blinken said the nations have taken "concrete steps" to address Turkey's concerns.

"All of that is moving forward. And again, I have every expectation that both will formally become members soon," the top U.S. diplomat said.

— Jacob Pramuk

Pope Francis breaks down and cries while mentioning Ukraine at public prayer

Pope Francis cries while speaking about Ukraine as he attends the Immaculate Conception celebration prayer in Piazza di Spagna in Rome, Italy, December 8, 2022. 
Yara Nardi | Reuters
Pope Francis cries while speaking about Ukraine as he attends the Immaculate Conception celebration prayer in Piazza di Spagna in Rome, Italy, December 8, 2022. 

Pope Francis broke down and cried as he mentioned the suffering of Ukrainians during a traditional prayer in central Rome.

The pope's voice began to tremble as he mentioned the Ukrainians and he had to stop, unable to speak, for about 30 seconds. When he resumed the prayer, his voice was cracking.

The crowd, including Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri who was right next to the pope, applauded when they realized he was unable to talk and saw him crying.

Francis broke down during a traditional prayer to the Madonna at the foot of a statue on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a national holiday in Italy.

"Immaculate Virgin, today I would have wanted to bring you the thanks of the Ukrainian people (for peace)," he said before being overwhelmed by emotion and having to stop.

When he was able to, he continued: "Instead, once again I have to bring you the pleas of children, of the elderly, of fathers and mothers, of the young people of that martyred land, which is suffering so much."

— Reuters

Finland hopes Turkey will support NATO bid soon, considers arms exports

Finland's Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen and Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto attend a news conference on Finland's security policy decisions at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, May 15, 2022. 
Heikki Saukkomaa | Lehtikuva | Reuters
Finland's Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen and Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto attend a news conference on Finland's security policy decisions at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, May 15, 2022. 

Finland's defence minister Antti Kaikkonen said the sooner Turkey ratifies its NATO membership bid the better and it would consider granting arms export permits to Turkey on a case by case basis.

In an interview with Reuters after meeting his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in Ankara, Kaikkonen said he could not foresee a timetable for Turkey's ratification of his country's NATO membership application.

A leading Turkish politician from Turkey's ruling AK party said however the speed of ratification lay in Finland and Sweden's hands and how swiftly they met Turkey's requests.

The Nordic countries both asked to join NATO this year in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but longtime member Turkey refused to endorse their request until a number of demands were met, including taking a tougher stance against Kurdish militants and removing a ban on arms sales.

— Reuters

Biden administration vows to 'stay focused' on still-detained Paul Whelan after Griner release

The Biden administration said it will keep working to release Paul Whelan from detention in Russia, while insisting that the deal to free WNBA star Brittney Griner was not an either-or choice between her and Whelan.

"They have set up a separate set of expectations for Mr. Whelan," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports."

The Kremlin has held Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, since 2018, on espionage charges. He and the U.S. deny the charges.

The deal to free Griner in exchange for an infamous Russian arms dealer was "the only deal we could get and now was the only moment we could get it, so we took advantage of that," Kirby said.

"We're going to stay focused on Mr. Whelan," he said, adding that it was not "some choice between the two."

"There was only one way to get one American home," Kirby said.

He noted that the U.S. is in contact with Whelan and his family, and said that the negotiations over American prisoners in Russia are separate from the war in Ukraine.

U.S. officials will continue to engage with Russia about Whelan "for as long as they have to until we get a successful outcome," Kirby said.

Kevin Breuninger

Scrutiny of Ukraine church draws praise, fear of overreach

Metropolitan Oleksandr delivers a religious service with clerics inside the Transfiguration of Jesus Orthodox Cathedral during blackout caused by recent Russian rocket attacks, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022.
Efrem Lukatsky | AP
Metropolitan Oleksandr delivers a religious service with clerics inside the Transfiguration of Jesus Orthodox Cathedral during blackout caused by recent Russian rocket attacks, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022.

After its searches of holy sites belonging to Ukraine's historic Orthodox church, the nation's security agency posted photos of evidence it recovered — including rubles, Russian passports and leaflets with messages from the Moscow patriarch.

Supporters and detractors of the church debate whether such items are innocuous — or increase suspicions the church is a nest of pro-Russian propaganda and intelligence-gathering.

What's unambiguous are other photos shared by the agency, known as the SBU, posted as recently as Wednesday — some showing an armed Ukrainian officer standing outside a church building, others showing brawny, camouflaged officers questioning clerics in long beards and cassocks.

They illustrate the increased pressure the Ukrainian government is putting on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with its centuries-old ties to Moscow, as the brutal Russian invasion slogs into the 10th month of a war that has had religious dimensions from the start.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday announced measures primarily targeting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is one of two major Orthodox churches in Ukraine following a 2019 schism. Even though the UOC declared independence from Moscow in May, such a declaration is easier spoken than accomplished amid the complexities of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Besides, many Ukrainians don't believe it's really free from Moscow.

— Associated Press

'A collective wave of joy' in the WNBA over Griner's release, commissioner says

Brittney Griner of the United States gestures during a game against Australia at Saitama Super Arena in their Tokyo 2020 Olympic women's basketball quarterfinal game in Saitama, Japan August 4, 2021.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
Brittney Griner of the United States gestures during a game against Australia at Saitama Super Arena in their Tokyo 2020 Olympic women's basketball quarterfinal game in Saitama, Japan August 4, 2021.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that months of worry about Brittney Griner were transformed into a "collective wave of joy and relief" upon the news of her release.

Griner is recognized as one of the best basketball players in the world, having won two Olympic gold medals, a WNBA championship and an NCAA championship.

She has been absent from professional play since she was detained in Feb. 2022 by Russian customs officials and accused of smuggling drugs.

— Christina Wilkie

Brother of detained American Whelan says Biden administration made 'right decision' in securing Griner's release

Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained and accused of espionage, stands inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing in Moscow, Russia June 15, 2020.
Maxim Shemetov | Reuters
Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained and accused of espionage, stands inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing in Moscow, Russia June 15, 2020.

The brother of Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia, said the Biden administration made the "right decision" in securing the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

The U.S. earlier this year offered a prisoner exchange of Griner and Whelan in return for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was serving a prison sentence in the U.S. Moscow rejected the offer.

The Biden administration eventually exchanged only Griner for Bout.

"The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn't going to happen," Whelan's brother David Whelan said in a statement, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

David Whelan noted that Griner's and his brother's cases "were never really intertwined."

— Jacob Pramuk

Blinken: 'I wish we could have brought Paul home today'

U.S. President Joe Biden and Cherelle Griner speak on the phone with WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner after her release by Russia, in this White House handout photo taken in the Oval Office, as Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken look on, at the White House in Washington, U.S. December 8, 2022.
White House | Reuters
U.S. President Joe Biden and Cherelle Griner speak on the phone with WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner after her release by Russia, in this White House handout photo taken in the Oval Office, as Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken look on, at the White House in Washington, U.S. December 8, 2022.

In a statement hailing American Brittney Griner's release from Russian detention, Secretary of State Antony Blinken sounded a note of remorse over the Biden administration's failure so far to secure the release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

"While we celebrate Brittney's release, Paul Whelan and his family continue to suffer needlessly," Blinken said in a statement.

"I wholeheartedly wish we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane with Brittney. Nevertheless, we will not relent in our efforts to bring Paul and all other U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad home to their loved ones where they belong," said Blinken

Whelan was arrested in 2018 on charges of acting as a spy for the United States and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

In July of this year, the Biden administration offered to swap convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for both Griner and Whelan. Moscow refused.

Ultimately, Bout was released in exchange for just Griner.

— Christina Wilkie

Neither Russia nor Ukraine can afford to pause the war for winter

Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline in Donbass, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on November 22, 2022.
Diego Herrera Carcedo | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline in Donbass, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on November 22, 2022.

As the Russia-Ukraine war heads into winter, there has been some expectation that freezing temperatures on the battlefield could bring a lull in the conflict.

Last weekend, a top U.S. intelligence official even said they expected to see a "reduced tempo" in the fighting and that this was likely to continue over the "coming months" with both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries expected to regroup and resupply, and to prepare for counter-offensives in the spring.

There appears to be no signs in a let-up, however — with extremely intense fighting in eastern Ukraine, with the devastation in parts of the region reminiscent of World War I — and both Russia and Ukraine sending out smoke signals that there is no time, and no desire, for a cessation of hostilities.

Read more on the story here: Russia's Ukraine onslaught shows zero signs of a winter lull as conflict rages

Here's what Russia's Foreign Ministry is saying about the Griner-Bout exchange

Viktor Bout is escorted by members of a special police unit after a hearing at a criminal court in Bangkok October 5, 2010.
Sukree Sukplang | Reuters
Viktor Bout is escorted by members of a special police unit after a hearing at a criminal court in Bangkok October 5, 2010.

Here's what Russia's Foreign Ministry has put out as a statement on the release of Brittney Griner, and the deal that saw Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout exchanged for the U.S. basketball star.

"On December 8, 2022, the procedure for exchanging Russian citizen Viktor Bout for U.S. citizen Brittney Griner, who served their sentences in correctional institutions of the United States of America and the Russian Federation, respectively, was successfully completed at Abu Dhabi Airport.

For a long time, the Russian Federation has been negotiating with the United States on the release of V.A. Bout.

Washington categorically refused to engage in dialogue on the inclusion of the Russian in the exchange scheme. Nevertheless, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot. 

As a result of the efforts made, it was possible to agree with the American side on the organization of the exchange of V.A. Bout for B.Griner.

The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland."

— Holly Ellyatt

Brittney Griner released from custody

US' Women's National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, stands inside a defendants' cage before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, on August 4, 2022. 
Kirill Kudryavtsev | AFP | Getty Images
US' Women's National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, stands inside a defendants' cage before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, on August 4, 2022. 

U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been released from Russian custody in a high-profile prisoner swap.

Griner, who was given a nine-year sentence for drug possession in August, has spent the last month spent in one of Russia's notoriously harsh penal colonies. She was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout who was 11 years into a 25-year sentence.

President Joe Biden signed off on the exchange, which reportedly took place in the UAE. However, the swap did not include businessman Paul Whelan, the other American wrongfully detained in Russia. Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence on spying charges that he and the U.S. deny.

Biden tweeted Thursday that Griner was already on a plane home to the States, saying, "moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home."

— Holly Ellyatt

Construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv

Construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. More than a thousand people who fled Russian attacks on Ukraine will be able to live in the two-story city. It will have all the communication facilities necessary for a comfortable winter stay.

A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 
Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
A view of the construction of Ukraine's largest modular town for refugees in Lviv on December 7, 2022. 

- Pavlo Palamarchuk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Russia 'preparing another provocation' near nuclear plant, agency believes

Ukraine's state nuclear agency, Energoatom, claimed Thursday that Russia is planning "another provocation" near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant its forces occupy in southern Ukraine.

Energoatom said on Telegram that Russian forces "stationed several Grad multiple rocket launchers on the territory of the captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," or ZNPP, on Wednesday.

 "The invaders placed this weapon near power unit No. 6, right next to the territory of the station's dry storage of spent nuclear fuel, where they had previously built some 'defensive structures', in violation of all the requirements of nuclear and radiation safety," the agency said.

A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict outside the city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, November 24, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters
A view shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict outside the city of Enerhodar in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, November 24, 2022.

Energoatom added that "most likely, the provocation is being prepared," noting that Russia could be planning to shell the opposite bank of the Dnieper River, in particular the Nikopol and Marhanets bridges, "using these Grad launchers directly from the ZNPP site."

The Zaporizhzhia NPP has been the source of constant tension between Russia and Ukraine during the war, and a source of worry for international nuclear energy experts who have called on both sides to desist from shelling near the plant, fearing a nuclear catastrophe. Power to the plant has repeatedly been knocked out, meaning it has to resort to using diesel generators to power vital cooling functions.

Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of shelling the site. Energoatom and international experts have called for the creation of a security zone inside and around the station "for its complete demilitarization and deoccupation."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova refused to comment earlier Thursday when asked about the possible setting up of a safety zone at the power plant but claimed the "Russian side continues to work" on the idea, news agency Tass reported.

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine detains couple suspected of spying for Russia in Odesa

The Black Sea Ukrainian city of Odesa on May 19, 2022.
Oleksandr Gimanov | AFP | Getty Images
The Black Sea Ukrainian city of Odesa on May 19, 2022.

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has detained a married couple suspected of spying for Russia in the Black Sea city of Odesa, one of Ukraine's largest ports.

An SBU statement issued on Thursday did not name the couple but accused them of collecting intelligence for Russia on locations for possible military deployments and the movement of air defence units.

It said the couple were believed to be Russian military intelligence officers who had planned to create a network of agents in southern Ukraine.

SBU officers found mobile phones and computer equipment with evidence of "hidden correspondence with the aggressor", it said.

"The SBU detained both spies when they attempted to transfer classified information to Russia," the SBU said.

The couple could not be reached for comment.

Odesa has frequently come under fire since Russia invaded Ukraine in February but it remains under Ukrainian control.

The SBU said both the man and woman detained had arrived in Ukraine in 2018 and received residence permits, and that the man had served in the Russian army.

It said the detainees had sent the information they collected to a former Russian special forces officer in Crimea who cooperated with military intelligence. The Crimea peninsula was seized by Russia in 2014.

The SBU also published a series of photos of the couple's arrest, the military documents of the detained man showing his military rank as colonel, as well as Russian passports of the detainees.

— Reuters

Ukraine facing 'significant' power shortages, grid operator says

Emergency power shutdowns have been implemented in Ukraine on Thursday as the national power operator struggles following repeated Russian bombardment on the country's energy network.

"As of 11:00 a.m. on December 8, because of damage caused by missile strikes to power plants and the high-voltage network, the system has a significant shortage of electricity," grid operator Ukrenergo said on Telegram.

Consumption limits had already been exceeded in several regions and emergency shutdowns were applied this morning, Ukrenergo said. Earlier this week, Russia launched a new wave of missile attacks once again targeted at its energy infrastructure, a move designed to add inflict more hardship and discomfort on Ukrainian people as freezing temperatures set in.

"The situation is complicated by weather conditions: in many regions in the west of the country, frost, rain with snow and strong gusts of wind cause icing of wires and their damage," the company said.

Local residents charge their devices, use internet connection and warm up after critical civil infrastructure was hit by Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 24, 2022.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Local residents charge their devices, use internet connection and warm up after critical civil infrastructure was hit by Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 24, 2022.

Eastern Ukraine, where fighting is at its most intense, is facing the most difficult situation after Russian forces "subjected several districts to massive artillery shelling." 

"Where the situation allows, an examination of the state of the power grid is carried out. After receiving permission from the military, repair work will begin," Ukrenego said. Emergency repair work continued around the clock in the regions of Kyiv and Odesa, it said.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russia says war could 'end tomorrow' if Ukraine wishes

Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images News | Getty Images
"Zelensky knows when all this can end, it can all end tomorrow if [Kyiv] wishes," Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday.

The Kremlin claimed the war in Ukraine could end immediately if Kyiv has the political will to do so.

"Zelensky knows when all this can end, it can all end tomorrow if [Kyiv] wishes," Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday.

Ukraine has said it will no conduct cease-fire operations with Russian while Russian troops remain on its territory and while President Vladimir Putin is in power.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russian ship shoots down drone over Black Sea, Sevastopol chief says

Russian warships are seen ahead of the Navy Day parade in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea July 23, 2021.
Alexey Pavlishak | Reuters
Russian warships are seen ahead of the Navy Day parade in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea July 23, 2021.

Russia's fleet shot down a Ukrainian drone over the Black Sea, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, the largest city in the annexed Crimean peninsular, said on Thursday.

"This morning, a ship of the Black Sea Fleet shot down a UAV over the sea," Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said on Telegram.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield reports from either side.

Reuters

'Fierce confrontation' continues around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday night that intense fighting continues in the area around Bakhmut in Donetsk. 

"First of all, regarding the Donetsk region, Bakhmut districts and other hottest spots. A very fierce confrontation is ongoing there, every meter counts. I thank all our guys who destroy the enemy right there – every day, every night, every hour," Zelenskyy posted on Telegram Wednesday after meeting with the military's leadership. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy visited troops on the front line in Donetsk.

He said fighting in the neighboring Luhansk region, as well as the northeastern Kharkiv region, was discussed, as well as the acute crisis Ukraine's energy system faces.

"We are constantly increasing the generation and supply of electricity – we are adding more volume almost every day," Zelenskyy said, although the country's armed forces warned Thursday that "the threat of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine's energy system and critical infrastructure remains."

Smoke and flames rise after many missiles and artillery shells fell in the area, in the Voroshylovskyi district of Donetsk, Ukraine, on Dec. 6, 2022. According to initial reports, there were people killed and injured in the attack that severely damaged civilian settlements.
Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Smoke and flames rise after many missiles and artillery shells fell in the area, in the Voroshylovskyi district of Donetsk, Ukraine, on Dec. 6, 2022. According to initial reports, there were people killed and injured in the attack that severely damaged civilian settlements.

The General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces noted on Facebook that while other regions in Ukraine are coming under attack, Russian forces continue to concentrate their assaults on Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

"Over the past 24 hours, units of the defense forces have repelled attacks by Russian invaders outside the settlements of Ternova, Kharkiv Region; Stelmakhivka, Ploshchanka, Chervonopopivka and Bilohorivka, Luhansk region, and Bilohorivka, Berestove, Yakovlivka, Bakhmutske, Bakhmut, Opytne, Kurdiumivka, Maiorsk, Marinka, and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region," the report said.

Russia launched seven missile strikes and 16 airstrikes, as well as more than 40 attacks using multiple launch rocket systems, the military update noted. CNBC was unable to immediately verify the information.

— Holly Ellyatt

Kyiv mayor says winter 'apocalypse' scenario is possible, but urges calm

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko attends an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 7, 2022. 
Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko attends an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine December 7, 2022. 

Kyiv's mayor on Wednesday warned of an "apocalypse" scenario for the Ukrainian capital this winter if Russian air strikes on infrastructure continue and said although there was no need for people to evacuate now, they should be ready to do so.

"Kyiv might lose power, water, and heat supply. The apocalypse might happen, like in Hollywood films, when it's not possible to live in homes considering the low temperature," Mayor Vitali Klitschko told Reuters in an interview.

"But we are fighting and doing everything we can to make sure that this does not happen," the former world heavyweight boxing champion said, raising his booming voice to drive the point home.

According to Klitschko, 152 civilian residents of Kyiv have been killed and 678 buildings destroyed since the beginning of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, but the city faces fresh tribulations this winter as Russia regularly pounds Ukraine's power grid with missiles.

— Reuters

EU eyes Russian officials, banks, industry for sanctions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference at the EU-Western Balkans Summit, in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. EU leaders and their Western Balkans counterparts gathered Tuesday for talks aimed at boosting their partnership as Russia's war in Ukraine threatens to reshape the geopolitical balance in the region.
Andreea Alexandru | AP
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a media conference at the EU-Western Balkans Summit, in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. EU leaders and their Western Balkans counterparts gathered Tuesday for talks aimed at boosting their partnership as Russia's war in Ukraine threatens to reshape the geopolitical balance in the region.

The European Union proposed travel bans and asset freezes on almost 200 more Russian officials and military officers as part of a new round of sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

The proposals were made by the EU's executive branch, the European Commission. They must still be debated and endorsed by the 27 member countries, a process that routinely results in the commission's suggestions getting watered down.

The targets of the latest recommended sanctions include government ministers, lawmakers, regional governors and political parties.

"This list covers key figures in Russia's brutal and deliberate missile strikes against civilians, in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children to Russia, and in the theft of Ukrainian agricultural products," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

With a fresh raft of sanctions, the commission also intends to target the Russian defense industry and more Russian banks, and to impose export controls and restrictions on products like chemicals, nerve agents, electronics and IT components that could be used by the armed forces.

— Associated Press

Putin says Russia's war could be a 'lengthy' process, downplays the need to mobilize more troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Young Scientists Congress in Sochi, Russia December 1, 2022. 
Mikhail Metzel | Sputnik | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Young Scientists Congress in Sochi, Russia December 1, 2022. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his invasion of Ukraine could be "lengthy," as the brutal conflict drags into its 10th month.

As Russia struggles to hold ground it gained this year in Ukraine, Putin downplayed the need to mobilize more troops. Considering another round of conscription "simply does not make sense," Putin said, according to an NBC News translation of his remarks at a meeting of his human rights council.

Of the 300,000 reservists called up during Putin's partial mobilization earlier this year, 150,000 are now in Ukraine, the Russian president said.

He added that "there is no mass withdrawal" from Russian positions in Ukraine.

— Jacob Pramuk

Ukrainians brace for a long winter ahead

Kyiv residents brace for a cold, dark winter as Russia continues its missile strikes that have caused widespread power outages across the country.

Citizens are seen making their way through snow on December 07, 2022 in Borodyanka, Ukraine.
Jeff J Mitchell | Getty Images
Citizens are seen making their way through snow on December 07, 2022 in Borodyanka, Ukraine.
A resident collects water from a pump in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Ukrainians have been no strangers to hardship over the past century, but their dogged resilience and solidarity in the face of Russian bombardment has been an enduring image of a war that started at the tail end of last winter. Photographer: Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Andrew Kravchenko | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A resident collects water from a pump in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Ukrainians have been no strangers to hardship over the past century, but their dogged resilience and solidarity in the face of Russian bombardment has been an enduring image of a war that started at the tail end of last winter. Photographer: Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Woman seen near an artwork by British street artist Banksy on December 07, 2022 in Borodyanka, Ukraine.
Jeff J Mitchell | Getty Images
Woman seen near an artwork by British street artist Banksy on December 07, 2022 in Borodyanka, Ukraine.
People walk down a street amid a snowfall as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in central Kyiv, Ukraine December 7, 2022. 
Gleb Garanich | Reuters
People walk down a street amid a snowfall as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in central Kyiv, Ukraine December 7, 2022. 
Civilians take shelter in a metro station during an airstrike alert in the centre of Kyiv on December 5, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Dimitar Dilkoff | AFP | Getty Images
Civilians take shelter in a metro station during an airstrike alert in the centre of Kyiv on December 5, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A resident lights a camping stove at home during a power outage in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.
Andrew Kravchenko | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A resident lights a camping stove at home during a power outage in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.

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