A residential building in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, was hit by a Russian strike overnight from Thursday to Friday. At least 25 people were injured.
Military aid to Ukraine was on the agenda of a meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky this Thursday. The two presidents notably discussed “the training of the Ukrainian Anne de kyiv brigade”, which has been training since the beginning of October in eastern France.
After the election of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin indicated that he was willing to resume contact with the Republican. The latter had previously declared in an interview that he would soon speak with his Russian counterpart.
We take stock of the events that have marked recent hours.
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At least 25 injured after Russian strike in Kharkiv
At least 25 people were injured overnight in a Russian strike on an apartment building in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, in the northeast of the country, the mayor announced. “A 12-story building was hit by a guided bomb attack. A section of the first and third floors was partially destroyed. Buildings were destroyed nearby,” said Igor Terekhov, the mayor of Kharkiv on his Telegram account. “The number of injured continues to increase. Now there are 25,” he later clarified.
The mayor previously reported “people stuck on the third floor of the apartment building”, specifying that rescue operations were underway.
“In Kharkiv the Russians intentionally hit a block of apartments. The Russians are also attacking kyiv with missiles,” declared Andriï Iermak, chief of staff of President Zelensky, on the same social network. The military administration of the city of kyiv clarified that air defense had come into action in the capital, on its Telegram account.
A drone attack also targeted the port city of Odessa, in the south of the country, and its suburbs overnight, causing at least two injuries, announced Oleg Kiper, the governor of the region.
Zelensky and Macron discussed military aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that he had spoken in Budapest with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron about military aid for kyiv and the training of Ukrainian soldiers in France.
“We discussed military assistance, including the training of the Ukrainian Anne Brigade from kyiv, as well as our long-range capabilities,” a indiqué Volodymyr Zelensky.
The French presidency, for its part, indicated that Emmanuel Macron had “kept to reaffirm that France would continue to support Ukraine as long and intensely as necessary”, with a view to “ achieve a just and lasting peace.
Emmanuel Macron also condemned the alleged deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia to support the Russian army, as accused by kyiv, Seoul and the West. He denounced a “unacceptable escalation and a particularly serious new internationalization of this conflict on European soil”.
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Putin and Trump are ready to talk
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump both signaled on Thursday that they were ready to reconnect, following the Republican's victory in the US presidential election.
“If anyone wants to get back in touch, I don’t mind. I'm ready”, declared Vladimir Putin during a forum, regarding Donald Trump. “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election to the presidency of the United States.”
“I think we’re going to talk,” said Donald Trump about Vladimir Putin on Thursday, during an interview with NBC. The president-elect clarified that he had already ” probably “ spoken to 70 foreign leaders since winning Tuesday's election.
Before the American election, Vladimir Putin publicly declared that he would prefer to see Joe Biden, then Kamala Harris, in the White House, judging them more “predictable” for Moscow than the Republican candidate.
According to a book published by famous journalist Bob Woodward, Donald Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin in secret up to seven times since he left the White House in 2021.
Venezuela and Russia sign military and oil agreements
Venezuela and Russia signed military agreements on Thursday, particularly in the field of intelligence, and oil which, according to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, seal “the path of cooperation” between the two countries.
Among the 17 agreements signed, the two countries notably signed a cooperation document concerning “the use of drones” et “intelligence and counter-espionage issues”.
The parties also signed agreements “training and technical advice” in the field of energy and “provision of petroleum services and technology for the recovery of extra-heavy crude oil”, said the moderator of the meeting between delegates from the two countries in Caracas.
