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Russia's battlefield gains successful Ukraine past twelvemonth were the highest since 2022, an AFP analysis showed, arsenic Kyiv was acceptable to big information advisers from allied states connected Saturday (January 3, 2026) contempt Moscow's unrelenting strikes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said astir 15 countries would be the talks, on with representatives from the European Union and NATO, with a US delegation joining the gathering via video link.
The talks — and a consequent acme of leaders from the alleged conjugation of the consenting planned for adjacent week successful France — are the latest successful a flurry of efforts to extremity the astir four-year war.
Mr. Zelenskyy said successful a New Year's Eve code that a US-brokered bid woody was "90 percent" ready, though the important contented of territory remains unresolved.
The diplomatic propulsion comes arsenic Russia presses its vantage against outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian troops connected the battlefield.
The Russian service captured much than 5,600 quadrate kilometres (2,160 quadrate miles), oregon astir 1 percent, of Ukrainian territory successful 2025, according to an investigation of information from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which works with the Critical Threats Project.
This includes areas that Kyiv and subject analysts accidental are controlled by Russia, arsenic good arsenic those claimed by Moscow's army.
The onshore captured is much than successful the erstwhile 2 years combined, though acold abbreviated of the much than 60,000 quadrate kilometres Russia took successful 2022, the archetypal twelvemonth of its all-out invasion.
'Heinous'
Moscow has kept up its aerial barrage of Ukraine, with the latest onslaught connected a residential country of the large metropolis of Kharkiv, reducing parts of multi-storey buildings to smouldering piles of rubble.
AFP images from the tract showed firefighters tackling the blaze and rescuers scrambling to evacuate radical to safety.
The section authorities said a three-year-old kid was killed and astatine slightest 19 radical were wounded successful the attack, which Mr. Zelenskyy slammed arsenic "heinous".
"Unfortunately, this is however the Russians dainty beingness and radical — they proceed killing, contempt each efforts by the world, and particularly by the United States, successful the diplomatic process," helium said connected societal media.
Russia's defence ministry rejected Ukraine's claim, saying successful a connection its forces "did not program oregon transportation retired strikes utilizing missiles oregon aerial strikes wrong the metropolis limits of Kharkiv".
Underlining the deadly risks for civilians, Ukrainian officials connected Friday ordered the evacuation of much than 3,000 children and their parents from 44 front-line settlements successful the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, wherever Russian troops person been advancing.
More than 150,000 radical person been evacuated from front-line areas since June 1, said Ukrainian Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba.
On Thursday, Russia accused Kyiv of a onslaught connected a edifice and a cafe successful Ukraine's occupied southbound that killed 28 people, and warned of "consequences" — but Ukraine said the onslaught targeted a subject gathering that was closed to civilians.
AFP was not capable to verify either account.
Zelenskyy names apical aide
On Friday, Mr. Zelenskyy named subject quality main Kyrylo Budanov arsenic his caller apical aide, aft the president's erstwhile main of unit resigned successful November implicit a corruption scandal.
Budanov has built up a legendary estimation successful Ukraine, credited with a bid of daring operations against Russia.
When formally appointed, helium volition win Andriy Yermak, who resigned successful November aft investigators raided his location arsenic portion of a sweeping corruption probe.
Mr. Zelenskyy besides said helium wanted to regenerate Defence Minister Denys Shymgal, who was lone appointed six months ago, with 34-year-old governmental novice Mykhailo Fedorov, who is presently curate of integer transformation.
"Mykhailo is profoundly progressive successful issues related to drones and is precise effectual successful the digitalisation of authorities services and processes," the president added.
Russia invaded Ukraine successful February 2022, describing it arsenic a "special subject operation" to forestall the enlargement of the NATO confederation -- a warfare purpose that Kyiv has called a lie.
Moscow has since captured ample swathes of eastbound and confederate Ukraine, portion firing connected Ukrainian towns and cities successful regular drone and rocket attacks.
