Ukraine war news latest: Putin praises Russian Orthodox Church for supporting war

Finland’s defence minister, Mikko Savola, has announced the Finnish government is organising its ‘12th aid package’ for the Ukrainian war effort.

Details of the contents of the aid package have not been agreed, but the minister remarked that any aid package would not jeopardise Finland’s own defences.

Finland have supported Ukraine through €189.2m in funding for defence purposes, as well as €29m in additional development funds, aimed at improving energy security and education.

The country also joined NATO in July 2022 as a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s general staff has updated its numbers of Russian troops which it believes to have killed since the invasion began.

Russian deaths are up to 110,740, following an additional 490 deaths recorded.

In its daily update, also posted on social media, Ukraine’s general staff also recorded two tanks and three artillery systems destroyed.

Current numbers have not yet been independently verified and data collected by the Russian armed forces differ from that of Ukraine.

However, it is thought the number of recorded deaths in Russian records is far below the real number killed.

Vladimir Putin has praised the Russian Orthodox Church for its “selfless” support for Moscow’s forces fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin issued the Russian president’s message after he attended an Orthodox Christmas Eve service on his own inside a Kremlin cathedral – rather than joining other worshippers in a public celebration.

In his message, Mr Putin made clear that he saw the Russian Orthodox Church as an important stabilising force for society at a time he has cast as a historical clash between Russia and the West over Ukraine and other issues.

“It is deeply gratifying to note the enormous constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating youth and strengthening the institution of family,” said Mr Putin.

“Church organisations prioritise … supporting our warriors taking part in the special military operation. Such massive, complex and truly selfless work deserves sincere respect.”

President Vladimir Putin has praised the Russian Orthodox Church for supporting Russian forces fighting in Ukraine in an Orthodox Christmas message

Putin’s message came after the Russian leader attended an Orthodox Christmas Eve service alone inside a Kremlin cathedral rather than joining other worshippers in public celebrations.

In his message, Putin made it clear he saw the Russian Orthodox Church as an important stabilising force for society at a time he has cast as a historical clash between Russia and the West.

Putin said, “It is deeply gratifying to note the enormous constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating youth and strengthening the institution of family.”

“Church organisations prioritise … supporting our warriors taking part in the special military operation (in Ukraine). Such massive, complex and truly selfless work deserves sincere respect.”

The Russian defence ministry has responded to claims of its own forces breaching its self-declared ceasefire with allegations of Ukrainian forces shelling civilian areas.

Kyiv has not responded to these latest allegations. Ukrainian forces refused to recognise the Russian ceasefire, calling it ‘a banal trick’.

Accounts of artillery fire and fighting have been widely reported through the Christmas ‘ceasefire’, including across positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and in the southern region of Kherson.

Air raid sirens have also been sounding across Ukraine, including in the capital Kyiv.

In its daily briefing, the Russian defence ministry said its troops had only returned artillery fire when fired upon by Ukrainian forces.

Governor for the eastern Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said on Telegram that two civilians were killed in Bakhmut and the nearby town of Krasna Hora on Friday.

Seven others have been wounded, he added.

US armed forces will begin training Ukrainian forces on the Patriot missile system later this month, says the US Defense Department.

Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia told CNN that training Ukrainian forces will take ‘several months’.

The Pentagon also told reporters that the US is considering bringing Ukrainians to the US to train on the Patriot missile system, as well as considering training overseas “or a combination of both”.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday, “I think clearly we’re at a point in this battle where we’re going to be able to provide that kind of training to enable Ukraine to sustain those kind of systems so that they can focus on defending their country and taking back territory.”

The US has committed to sending armoured vehicles, including 50 tank-killing Bradleys, to Ukraine after long-standing appeals from the Ukrainian president Zelensky.

Services marking Orthodox Christmas have begun in Ukraine in the first celebrations to take place since Russia’s invasion.

A service performed by Metropolitan Epiphanius of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place at the Holy Dormition Cathedral at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

Other religious services will take place across the country.

The celebrations take place as long-running tensions between Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches grew following the Russian invasion in 2022.

Costs of hiring ships to transport goods and commodities have risen by ‘more than a fifth’, since new year, according to insurance industry sources.

With the new year renewing insurance policies, many reinsurers have revoked financial protection for shipping and transport companies operating in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

The Black Sea is a vital region for shipping grain, oil and oil products, as well as naval presence, with Russia’s Black Sea fleet based in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea.

Six insurance sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said reinsurers leaving the market had added to ‘unease’ over the risk of ship seizures by Russia and liabilities related to the war in Ukraine.

“The effect of [the exit of reinsurers] is reducing [underwriting] capacity in the market for war risk and will mean people will pay more this year,” said one marine insurance source.

Ukraine’s energy grid operator has issued an appeal to civilians to conserve electricity, amid dropping temperatures.

Strained by persistent Russian attacks on infrastructure, grid operator Ukrenergo warned “a significant drop in temperature is expected, which will lead to a rapid increase in consumption.”

In a statement posted on Telegram, Ukrenergo said “The energy system is currently unable to fully cover it due to the damage and the enemy’s occupation of a number of power plants that produce electricity, in particular, and the most powerful – the Zaporizhzhia NPP (nuclear power plant).”

Cities across Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, are experiencing regular blackouts to reduce strain on the electrical grid during peak hours.

Ukrenergo said it was working with electricity providers to repair any damages on the grid but urged patience due to the complexity and scale of the damage.