Summary

  • Our correspondents in Kyiv, Moscow, London and Washington are answering your questions on the war in Ukraine

  • Earlier, the Ukrainian military said it was "holding back the enemy" in the battle for the town of Avdiivka

  • The town, in eastern Ukraine, has been subject to a major Russian attack since October, with Russian troops gaining ground

  • But in an update on Thursday morning, Ukraine says it's inflicting "major losses on the invaders"

  • On Tuesday, Ukraine's President Zelensky insisted his country was not losing the war

  • But with Russia's full-scale invasion almost two years old, Ukraine has appealed for more Western help

Live Reporting

Edited by Owen Amos

  1. Our correspondents are standing by, send your questions in now

    Get in touch

    Our team of correspondents in Kyiv, Moscow, London, and Washington DC are about to start answering your questions. Here's how you can ask yours:

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  2. Ukraine distances itself from overseas conscription

    A Ukrainian soldier on the front line near Bakhmut, pictured last weekReuters

    A Ukrainian soldier on the front line near Bakhmut, pictured last week

    Earlier we reported Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov saying Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 living abroad would be expected to report for military service.

    "We are still discussing what should happen if they don't come voluntarily," Umerov said.

    But now the defence ministry's spokesman has denied that any obligation is involved.

    "There is no discussion on the agenda of a call-up from abroad," Illarion Pavlyuk said, quoted by Ukrainian media.

    "If citizens of Ukraine want to join [the army], they come to Ukraine to join."

  3. Analysis

    Why the Mexican border is crucial in Ukraine

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from Washington

    Migrants are gathered at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass TexasEPA

    Migrants gathering on the US side of the border at Shelby Park, Eagle Pass, Texas

    While US lawmakers are, for the most part, in favour of helping Ukraine, further aid has so far been held up.

    That's because Republican lawmakers have tied the issue together with domestic ones: immigration reform and security on the US-Mexico border.

    Faced with mounting numbers of migrant detentions and growing concern from constituents, Republicans have demanded a number of changes - including changes to asylum policies, expanded deportations and additional border security measures.

    In an effort to achieve that, they’ve clubbed the issue together with Ukraine aid.

    Essentially, a border package is needed to “unlock” the Republican votes necessary to pass Joe Biden’s $110bn aid policy, which includes $61bn for Ukraine.

    The Senate had delayed its holiday break to try to negotiate the matter - but there is no possibility of a deal before the year ends.

    Some observers, as well as National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, have publicly likened the Republican strategy to legislative “hostage taking”.

  4. Russian trenches rife with 'mouse fever', says Ukraine

    A newly dug Ukrainian trench, pictured this monthReuters

    A newly dug Ukrainian trench, pictured this month

    An outbreak of so-called "mouse fever" (viral hemorrhagic fever) has hit Russian troops, says the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry (HUR).

    The fever was recorded in Russian units in Kupyansk in Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region, the HUR says.

    In its first stages, the fever resembles a common flu. Symptoms can include severe headache, high fever, rash, low blood pressure, bleeding eyes, nausea, vomiting, and severe lower back pain, since the disease affects the kidneys.

    Mice are known to be a major problem in both Ukrainian and Russian trenches - and videos of infestations have been posted by soldiers.

  5. Analysis

    What do ordinary Russians think about the war?

    Steve Rosenberg
    Russia editor, reporting from Moscow

    The Z symbol is less common in Moscow but still seen in the city - including alongside this Christmas treeYURI KOCHETKOV/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

    The Z symbol is less common in Moscow but still seen in the city - including alongside this Christmas tree

    Russian state media continue to portray the fighting in Ukraine as the West waging war on Russia - even though in February 2022 it was Russia that launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    Many Russians are willing to accept, if not embrace, the official narrative. Why? Some believe that, however the war began, it’s their duty to rally round the flag.

    For others it’s a case of life’s easier if you believe your country is in the right. But I’ve also met many Russians who try not to think too much about what’s happening, and try to get on with their lives.

    My impression is that active supporters of the war – those 100% behind it – are in the minority. Certainly, going around Moscow today there are fewer letter Zs on display than in 2022 (Z being one of the symbols of Russia’s so-called "special military operation".)

    Active opponents of the war are in a minority, too - though the threat of arrest and prosecution is a factor in restricting public protest.

    Recent surveys suggest that more than half the Russian population wants peace talks. But there is no public pressure to pull out the troops.

    As for the Russian authorities, they insist that any peace should be on Moscow’s terms.

  6. In Kherson, residents listen for Russian shells - then have seconds to prepare

    Vitaliy Shevchenko
    BBC Monitoring

    Damage from a Russian attack on a hospital in the Kherson region on 16 DecemberKherson Regional State Administration

    Damage from a Russian attack on a hospital in the Kherson region on 16 December

    Artillery shells fired across the river from the Russia-occupied bank of the Dnipro are the worst threat to residents of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, a local official says.

    "People here don't worry about air raid alerts so much," Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, a spokesman for the Kherson regional administration, told Ukrainian TV this morning.

    "Primarily we listen out for shells fired from the left bank. That's how we know that shells are on the way towards Kherson. People have 5-10 seconds to take cover."

    He said Russia continues attacking energy infrastructure, such as power supply lines. Wood and wood-burners are being supplied to affected areas.

    According to him, another target is public transport, particularly bus garages - this is similar to the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, where a tram and bus depot was hit yesterday.

    Map of southern Ukraine

  7. Ukraine claims more Russian losses - but numbers are hard to verify

    A Ukrainian soldier near Avdiivka, pictured last monthReuters

    A Ukrainian soldier near Avdiivka, pictured last month

    As we've reported, Ukraine's military is releasing defiant updates, saying it is "holding back the enemy" in Avdiivka, a town on the eastern front line.

    In a separate update, spokesman Andriy Kovalov says Russia has suffered "1,080 losses" in the past day.

    He says Ukraine also destroyed 14 Russian tanks, 31 combat armoured vehicles, 20 artillery systems, 48 cars, five special equipment units and other military units.

    The BBC cannot immediately verify these figures from the front line.

  8. Hypothermia looms on the Ukrainian front line

    Abdujalil Abdurasulov
    Who recently reported from the front line in eastern Ukraine

    Ukrainian front lineGetty Images

    On the front line in eastern Ukraine, the bleak mood among soldiers is in striking contrast to the last year’s elated atmosphere when the Kharkiv region and city of Kherson were liberated.

    A company commander from the 93rd brigade told me Russian troops attack their positions at least twice a day. However, units that try to stop such attacks are running low on ammunition.

    Some soldiers told me that they have to limit fire due to the lack of artillery shells.

    Ukrainian troops on the front line have received new Western weapons, such as Swedish howitzer Archer and US-made M109 Paladin artillery systems. But soldiers say that those expensive guns will turn into scrap metal if they have no rounds to fire.

    Winter creates new challenges for soldiers. Hypothermia is a new enemy. Low temperatures affect the hardware too – engine oil solidifies and some gun components can freeze.

    Access to front line positions is now far more difficult, since roads are covered with snow or completely frozen.

    Small cars struggle to reach remote posts. And, due to the constant threat of drones, it is too risky to deliver supplies on big trucks or armoured vehicles.

  9. In Kyiv, an adamant belief in victory remains

    Jessica Parker
    Europe correspondent, reporting from Kyiv

    A Christmas tree made from used ammuniation, pictured in Kyiv this weekEPA

    A Christmas tree made from used ammuniation, pictured in Kyiv this week

    Every Ukrainian I’ve met is firm: the country must not and will not give up in fighting off the Russian invaders.

    There is no choice, they feel, to do anything other than defend themselves, their way of life and the country’s very existence.

    Even when the news from the battlefield – or world of international diplomacy – is gloomy, an adamant belief in eventual victory appears to remain.

    But alongside that fierce defiance, there can also be a searing sense of grief.

    So many people have friends or family members serving on the frontline. Others have fled Russian-occupied areas and dream of one day being able to return to their homes.

    This nation may have shown, time and again, its determination and resilience. But this war is inflicting a heavy cost that grows, every day.

    As one woman, whose son is a serving soldier, said: "Our children are dying."

  10. Russia does not say how many troops have died - but it's at least 40,000

    Olga Ivshina
    BBC Russian Service

    This cemetery in Russia, pictured earlier this year, was used to bury fighters from the Wagner private military companySupplied

    This cemetery in Russia, pictured earlier this year, was used to bury fighters from the Wagner private military company, who fought alongside regular Russian troops

    The Kremlin last provided figures of its war losses back in September 2022.

    But the BBC Russian service - together with independent website Mediazona and a team of volunteers - have confirmed the names of more than 40,000 individuals who died fighting in Ukraine on the Russian side.

    Assessments by Western intelligence services give much higher numbers - but they always include not only killed, but wounded and missing in action.

    We are daily verifying and counting as many deaths as possible using information from official reports, newspapers, social media, and new memorials and graves.

    This sets a bare minimum for Russia's total losses.

    Our research shows that, this year, Russia has lost 50% more people than during the first year of the invasion. Also, the face of the Russian forces has changed completely.

    When the war began, the typical Russian fighter whose death was recorded in the BBC's count was 21-years-old and a low-ranking professional soldier.

    In recent months, the typical Russian soldier killed in Ukraine is a 34-year-old convict recruited from prison.

  11. Two women killed in Russian attack on Nikopol - governor

    A destroyed apartment in Nikopol where a wall and ceiling had collapsed onto on sofa covered with debris.Telegram/Serhiy Lysak

    Serhiy Lysak posted an image of a destroyed apartment

    Two women were killed by Russian artillery in the southern Ukrainian city of Nikopol, local authorities say.

    Four residential buildings, three farm houses and a power line were damaged, Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Serhiy Lysak says.

    "The Russian army shelled Nikopol with heavy artillery. The invaders killed two women, aged 60 and 46."

    Nikopol

    Nikopol is on the north bank of the Dnipro river, west of Zaporizhzhia

  12. As war grinds on, Ukraine looks to men living abroad

    Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem UmerovReuters

    Ukrainian men between the ages of 25 and 60 living abroad will be expected to report for military service, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov says.

    He describes this as an "invitation" - but suggests there would be sanctions against anyone who did not comply.

    "We are still discussing what should happen if they don't come voluntarily," he says in an interview with German media.

    President Zelensky said in his end-of-year news conference on Tuesday that 450,000 - 500,000 new soldiers were needed - but how this could be achieved was a "sensitive issue".

    In November, the Austrian newspaper Express quoted EU agency Eurostat as saying some 650,000 Ukrainian men of military age had left the country for the EU since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion - of whom nearly 200,000 were in Germany.

  13. If US military aid dried up, Ukraine would suffer

    Jonathan Beale
    Defence correspondent, reporting from London

    Aid to US

    President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington last week, to spell out that without vital US miltary support, there’s a real danger that Ukraine could end up losing this war - not immediately, but in the longer term.

    Western officials have told the BBC they remain confident the US administration will find a way out of the current impasse.

    But even if President Biden succeeds, the worries about where the US stands won't go away.

    Europe is now on track to overtake the US in terms of economic support to Ukraine - but the US is well ahead in terms of military support.

    According to the Kiel Institute the US has donated €44bn worth of military equipment. Germany, the largest European donor, has contributed €18bn.

    And the US has not just been critical to supporting Ukraine's war effort, it's also been largely responsible for coordinating that support.

  14. Get your questions on the Ukraine war answered

    Get in touch

    Our team of correspondents in Kyiv, Moscow, London, and Washington DC will answer your questions later today. Here's how to ask a question:

    A selection of comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.

  15. Analysis

    What would Donald Trump's Ukraine policy be?

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from Washington DC

    Donald Trump in Iowa on WednesdayReuters

    Donald Trump in Iowa on Wednesday

    As my colleague Steve Rosenberg reported earlier, Vladimir Putin thinks the US would be less committed to Ukraine's security, if Donald Trump wins this year's election.

    And earlier this week, President Zelensky said he believes a new Trump administration could have a “strong impact” on the war.

    The former US president, however, has offered few details on what his Ukraine policy would be - although he has made vague claims that he would end the war in 24 hours.

    But it’s very likely that Zelensky is at least partly right, and that we would see much more reluctance to provide no-strings-attached assistance to Ukraine.

    Trump has, for example, so far avoided providing any clarity on whether he wants Ukraine to win, and has complained about what help for Ukraine means for the US.

    “We don’t have ammunition for ourselves,” he said in May. “We’re giving away so much.”

    Notably, some of the most vocal opponents of Ukraine aid in Congress - from the isolationist wing of the Republican Party - appear to be motivated by a perception that Trump is against it.

    In July, Trump also called on Congress to withhold aid to Ukraine until the Justice Department and FBI "had over every scrap of evidence" about any alleged Biden family misdeeds.

  16. Another day, another 99 fights with Russian forces, says Ukraine

    This picture from Wednesday shows the aftermath of a Russian missile strike on the grounds of a transport depot in KharkivEPA

    This picture from Wednesday shows the aftermath of a Russian missile strike on the grounds of a transport depot in Kharkiv

    In its daily update, Ukraine's military says Russia is using "terror tactics, launching missile and air strikes, and firing multiple launch rocket systems not only at the military, but also at numerous civilian targets across Ukraine".

    Yesterday, the military says there were "99 combat engagements" with Russian forces. Russia launched five missile and 68 air strikes, plus 88 rocket attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops.

    Civilians were killed and wounded in the attacks, the update says, and residential buildings and "other civilian infrastructure" destroyed and damaged.

  17. Analysis

    The view from Moscow: Putin sounding increasingly confident

    Steve Rosenberg
    Russia editor, reporting from Moscow

    PutinEPA

    President Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine didn’t go at all to plan.

    His military has suffered major losses; he’s had to draft hundreds of thousands of men into the army. He’s also had to deal with a mutiny by Wagner paramilitaries who were marching on Moscow.

    But nearly two years into this war, Vladimir Putin is sounding increasingly confident.

    The Kremlin leader claims that Ukraine’s counter-offensive “has failed completely” and that Russian troops now have the initiative along the front line.

    Away from the battlefield, the Kremlin senses growing war fatigue in Europe and America and can see the problems Ukraine is having securing ongoing military assistance.

    With the US presidential elections less than a year away, the prospect of a Donald Trump victory is giving the Kremlin even more cause for confidence.

    The expectation in Moscow is that a Trump presidency would be far less committed to Ukraine’s security than Joe Biden’s administration has been.

  18. Ukraine shoots down overnight Russian drone attack - but some damage reported

    A picture from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, showing a damaged warehouse in Kyiv on Thursday morningState Emergency Service of Ukraine

    A picture from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, showing a damaged warehouse in Kyiv region on Thursday morning

    As we mentioned earlier, Ukraine's air force says it thwarted a major overnight attack by Russia which targeted 12 Ukrainian regions.

    The air force said the assault came over several hours, with air defences shooting down 34 out of 35 Iranian-made drones, including over Kyiv.

    But there was damage reported at a warehouse near the capital - pictured above.

    Moscow has been stepping up its night-time attacks and Ukraine has urged its allies to provide more air defence systems.

  19. BBC Verify

    How Avdiivka went from coking plant to 'meatgrinder'

    As we've been reporting, Ukraine says it's "holding back the enemy" in Avdiivka.

    Once known as the home of Ukraine’s largest coking plant, the town has now been described as a "meatgrinder".

    The UK Ministry of Defence said this week that Russia’s recent attempts to encircle and capture the town have resulted in a 90% increase in its casualties.

    BBC Verify has been analysing social media footage and satellite images from Avdiivka and nearby areas.

    Verified video reveals images of devastation and destruction not only in the town itself but also in its surroundings, like the village of Stepove – just north of Avdiivka.

    It has seen heavy fighting in the past few months, as is evident from satellite images. The top photo above was taken in early August – before the latest fighting began.

    It shows both fields surrounding the village and buildings in it intact. By contrast, the picture below, taken earlier this month shows the village pretty much obliterated and fields showing signs of shelling.

    Stepove is just one of the three locations - along with the village of Vodyane in the south and southeast of Avdiivka itself - that have seen repeated Russian assaults in the past months.

    Satellite images near Avdiivka

  20. Get your questions on the Ukraine war answered

    Get in touch

    Our team of correspondents in Kyiv, Moscow, London, and Washington DC will answer your questions later today. Here's how to ask a question:

    A selection of comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.