In Bakhmut, 'there is no place that is not covered with blood. Now only a few civilians are left there,' Zelensky said on Facebook.įollowing months of humiliating defeats Russian forces are now seeking to wrest control of the eastern region of Donetsk where Bakhmut has become the epicentre of fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that 'only a few civilians' were left in the eastern frontline town of Bakhmut that has endured months of fierce fighting. 3:03pm: 'Only a few civilians' left in Ukraine's Bakhmut, says Zelensky Russia is thought to hold thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war, but the exact figures are not known. Zelensky has said the release of prisoners of war is a priority. Kyiv and Moscow have held a series of prisoner swaps throughout the war which is now in its eleventh month. Ukraine has secured the release of 1,456 prisoners of war since Russia invaded on February 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky told parliament in an annual address held behind closed doors on Wednesday. The majority is provided by the United States.Ġ1:19 © France 24 4:48pm: More than 1,450 Ukrainian POWs freed since Russian invasion, Zelensky says In mid-December, an international conference in support of Ukraine in Paris raised more than €1 billion in donations.Ī ranking by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in December places France in 10th position for its military support to Kyiv, behind the United Kingdom, Poland and Germany. Lecornu also met Ukrainian President Zelensky during a working meeting at midday. He said he discussed the 'tactical and strategic situation' on the ground and 'the needs of the Ukrainian army in the weeks to come' with Reznikov.

Presidents Zelensky and Macron have requested proposals for a “common agenda on French military support” for the month of January, Lecornu said at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov. 6:24pm: France and Ukraine to agree 'common' approach for military support, defence minister saysįrench Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Wednesday on his first trip to Kyiv that Paris wants to work with Ukraine to find a “common agenda” on how France can support the war effort. For more of our coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. This live page is no longer being updated.

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