Following Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed government officials to speed up repairs and the delivery of necessary equipment.

Southern & Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford reports from Lithuania, where some of the released prisoners were taken.

In Przemyśl, Poland, nearly 500 passengers of a train bound for Kyiv were evacuated on Saturday afternoon following reports of a potential threat. Subsequent checks confirmed there was no danger.

At Junior Eurovision 2025, Ukraine’s representative, 10-year-old Sofiia Nersesian, took second place with her song ‘Motanka’.

The Ukrainian Season, which began on December 1 in France, is the largest program of bilateral cultural cooperation, with major events planned in French twin cities that Ukrainian cultural diplomacy has previously barely reached.

The strike killed Raed Saad, a senior commander in Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, the Israeli military said.

The Black Sea should not be seen as an arena of confrontation and must remain safe for navigation. Achieving peace is realistic, and efforts should stay focused in that direction.

In the Black Sea, Russia used a drone to attack a Turkish civilian vessel that was traveling to Egypt via the grain corridor carrying sunflower oil.

The town of Artsyz in Ukraine’s Odesa region may remain without electricity for up to a week due to a massive Russian attack.

In the northern part of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukrainian fighters have managed to regain control of about 16 square kilometers over the past several weeks.