Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine 'destroys Wagner HQ in Luhansk'

The Luhansk headquarters of Russia's notorious Wagner mercenary group has been struck, causing significant losses, according to a Ukrainian official.

Ukrainian forces attacked a hotel that the group was using as its base in Kadiivka, Luhansk, which is currently occupied by Russia, the region's Ukrainian governor claimed.

Serhiy Haidai said the group had suffered major losses in the attack and that he expected there would be significant further losses among the casualties due to a lack of available medical care.

The Telegraph has not independently verified the claims.

The Wagner group is a private military contractor with close ties to the Kremlin and a brutal reputation.

Its recruitment drives, including from prisons, have helped to bolster Russia's manpower in Ukraine.

Ukraine claimed to have destroyed another of its bases in Luhansk in August.

05:44 PM

That's all for today

The live blog is now closed. Today's top stories included:

• An international team of legal experts has been in Kherson helping local prosecutors gather evidence of alleged sexual crimes by Russian forces

• Russian soldiers in Ukraine are openly criticising the war's poor leadership, according to an influential Russian war blogger

• UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned that Russia would use peace talks to buy time to rearm

• Russia's ex-president Dmitry Medvedev claimed the country is boosting its production of powerful new-generation weapons

• Russia is allocating a third of its budget next year to defence, security and law enforcement, according to an update from the UK Ministry of Defence

• Ukraine reportedly levelled a Russian base in Melitopol using Himars missiles

• Two people were killed and five wounded after Russia shelled a maternity ward, a cafe and an apartment block in Kherson

• Russia pounded Odesa's power network, leaving 1.5 million people without power

04:53 PM

In pictures: The latest from Ukraine

04:27 PM

International team helps Ukraine gather evidence of sexual crimes

An international team of legal advisers has been working with local Ukrainian prosecutors in Kherson as they begin gathering evidence of alleged sexual crimes by Russian forces.

The visit by a team from Global Rights Compliance, an international legal practice headquartered in The Hague, has not previously been reported.

Their efforts are part of a broader international effort to support overwhelmed Ukrainian authorities as they seek to hold Russians accountable for crimes they allegedly committed during the conflict.

There have been accusations of rape and other abuses by the Russian military in Ukraine, which the Kremlin denies.

03:59 PM

Watch: Aftermath of Ukrainian attack on Melitopol

A salvo of Ukrainian Himars missiles fired at a makeshift Russian barracks killed or wounded as many as 200 troops, Ukrainian officials claimed on Sunday.

Video said to come from the scene showed rescuers picking through the blazing ruins of a building.

03:51 PM

Europe 'switching energy dependency from Russia to US'

Europe is simply switching from dependency on Russian gas to dependency on liquefied natural gas from the United States, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov called the European desire to shake off dependency on Russian gas "absurd" and "frenzied", in quotes reported by the RIA news agency.

"They have changed dependency on Russia to dependency on American liquefied natural gas," Peskov reportedly said on state TV.

"And now, when the Europeans are losing billions of euros every day, Washington is already earning these billions of dollars".

03:15 PM

Erdogan and Putin discuss plans for regional gas hub in phone call

Presidents Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia discussed grain supplies and a potential regional gas hub in Turkey on Sunday.

Relations with Nato member Turkey are vital to Russia.

"President Erdogan expressed his sincere wish for the termination of the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible," the Turkish presidency said on Sunday.

The Kremlin said the two also discussed an initiative to create a base in Turkey for exports of Russian natural gas.

Putin proposed the idea in October as a means to redirect supplies from Russia's Nord Stream pipelines to Europe, which were damaged in explosions in September. Erdogan has supported the concept.

"The special importance of joint energy projects, primarily in the gas industry, was emphasised," the Kremlin said.

Gazprom chief Alexei Miller also held talks with Erdogan in Istanbul in the past week.

03:02 PM

Some Russian soldiers 'unhappy with top brass'

Some Russian soldiers in Ukraine are openly criticising the war's poor leadership, an influential nationalist Russian blogger has claimed after visiting the conflict zone.

Igor Girkin, a former FSB officer who helped Russia annex Crimea in 2014, said there was discontent with the military top brass.

In a scathing 90-minute video analysing Russia's execution of the war, Girkin said the "fish's head is completely rotten" and that the Russian military needed reform to bring in competent people who could lead a successful military campaign.

Some at the mid-levels of the military were open about their dissatisfaction with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and even Putin, Girkin alleged.

Russia's defence ministry did not comment on the remarks from Girkin who has repeatedly criticised Shoigu, a close Putin ally, for Russia's battlefield defeats in Ukraine.

02:41 PM

Pictured: Soldiers work through thick fog

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence published a photo of its soldiers working through frosty and foggy conditions on Sunday.

The photo posted to Twitter shows four soldiers raising their guns in the air as they are partially concealed by fog.

It was taken by photographer Yurasov Vitalii.

Mean winter temperatures in Ukraine are between -4.8°С and 2°C, for the period December and March, according to the World Bank.

02:29 PM

Ukraine establishes national Human Rights Day in honour of Nobel win

President Zelensky hailed Ukraine's first Nobel Peace Prize after the country's Centre for Civil Liberties received its award yesterday, alongside co-winners from Russia and Ukraine.

"This year, the language of Ukraine, our Ukrainian language, was heard for the first time at the [peace prize] ceremony," he said.

"It is symbolic that the ceremony takes place on this very day - International Human Rights Day. In Ukraine, there was previously no national day of gratitude and respect for the human rights movement - all those who dedicate their lives to the protection and restoration of people's rights.

"Now such a day has been established and will be celebrated annually on December 10th - Human Rights Day."

02:10 PM

Energy facilities being hit 'almost every day'

Ukrainian energy facilities are being attacked almost every day, according to President Zelensky.

Addressing power outages affecting many parts of the country, he said: "It must be understood that even if there are no heavy missile strikes, this does not mean that there are no problems. Almost every day in different regions there is shelling, there are missile attacks, drone attacks. Energy facilities are hit almost every day."

Everyone must reduce their usage to account for losses, he said, adding that "Recovery is also very difficult. But still, our energy and utility crews are doing truly heroic things, restoring in weeks what would have required months of work."

01:52 PM

'No need' for Nato to be drawn into conflict, says Cleverly

Nato is a defensive alliance and there is no need for it be drawn into the conflict in Ukraine, James Cleverly has said.

It follows comments from Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg who said he feared the war could spiral into a direct conflict between Russia and Nato.

"Nato has made it clear that we are a defensive alliance. Nato has never threatened Russia and is not doing so now," the Foreign Secretary said.

"Vladimir Putin has tried to create this narrative but... the alliance is there to protect its member states, not to threaten anybody else. So there is no inherent need for Nato to be drawn into a conflict and in fact we are trying to ensure that does not happen."

01:36 PM

There must be accountability 'from top to bottom' for war crimes in Ukraine, says Cleverly

There must be accountability for any war crimes that have been committed in Ukraine and there may be vehicles other than the International Criminal Court to achieve that, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said.

Asked by the BBC whether Putin should be tried for war crimes, he said: "There absolutely must be accountability and that means the soldiers on the ground who are perpetrating these atrocities right up to the very top... including Vladimir Putin.

"We've been supportive of the International Criminal Court but we recognise there may be other vehicles and we'll work with our friends including the Ukrainians in the international community to look [at] what an effective accountability framework would look like."

Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelensky urged UK politicians to take the lead in establishing a special tribunal when she spoke to parliament last week, arguing that the ICC would not be able to punish Moscow for its invasion.

01:24 PM

'Don't trust Russia's olive branch' warns Cleverly

Russia cannot be trusted to enter into peace talks with Ukraine in good faith and will instead use them to buy time to rearm, foreign minister James Cleverly has warned.

The foreign secretary made his comments two days after Vladimir Putin, Russia’s leader, hinted that the Kremlin may be open to a deal to end the war.

"Any negotiations need to be real, they need to be meaningful, they can't just be a fig leaf for Russian rearmament and further recruitment of soldiers," Mr Cleverly told Sky News.

01:13 PM

Russia 'ramping up production of powerful weapons'

Russia is ramping up production of its most powerful, new-generation weapons to protect itself from Western enemies, according to ex-president Dmitry Medvedev.

"We are increasing production of the most powerful means of destruction. Including those based on new principles," Medvedev, now deputy head of Russia's Security Council, said.

He named Europe, North America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as having "pledged allegiance to the Nazi."

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is developing new types of weapons, including hypersonic weapons.

Medvedev did not provide details of the weapons being produced.

12:50 PM

'One-third' of Russia's budget to be spent on security in 2023

Nearly a third of Russia's budget for 2023 has been allocated to security, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

President Vladimir Putin signed the law on Russia’s Federal Budget on December 5th. Draft budgets have stated that over 9 trillion rubles (£116 billion) will be allocated across defence, security and law enforcement in 2023, according to the ministry.

"This is a significant increase compared to prior years and will represent over 30 per cent of Russia’s entire budget," it said.

"The budget approved by Putin is likely over-optimistic in its expectation of revenue and spending in 2023. Therefore, other parts of Russia’s budget are likely to come under increasing pressure to support the costs of the war."

12:37 PM

Odesa port 'non-operational' after Russian drone attack

The Ukrainian port of Odesa was not operating on Sunday after the latest Russian attack on the region's energy system, Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky said.

However, he said that grains traders were not expected to suspend exports because two other ports - Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi - were partially operating and because power could be restored using generators.

More than 1.5 million people in the southern Odesa region were without power after Russian drone strikes hit two energy facilities.

"There are problems, but none of the traders are talking about any suspension of shipments," Solsky said.

12:14 PM

Ukraine 'levels Russian barracks with Himars'

Ukraine attacked occupied Melitopol in the country's south-east on Saturday evening, reportedly levelling a Russian base with Himars missiles.

The pro-Moscow authorities said a missile attack killed two people and injured 10, while the exiled mayor said scores of "invaders" were killed.

Yevgeny Balitsky, the Moscow-appointed governor in the region, said a "recreation centre" where people were dining was destroyed in the attack. Videos showed a huge blaze at the site.

Himars multiple rocket launchers have been among Ukraine's most effective weapons in the war, delivering precision fire on hundreds of targets.

Read more: Russian soldiers killed in Himars strike on holiday resort turned barracks

11:46 AM

A month since liberation, Kherson's struggles continue

Today is exactly one month since Russia's troops withdrew from Kherson city in a landmark moment in the war that saw jubilant scenes.

But life in the southern city remains difficult as residents deal with the destruction left behind and Russian forces continue to shell the city.

AP reporters cited boobytraps left behind by Russian forces, including a hand grenade jerry-rigged into the detergent tray of a Kherson home's washing machine, a street sign maliciously directing passers-by toward a deadly minefield and a police station that allegedly housed a torture chamber but which remains so boobytrapped that demining crews can't even start to hunt for evidence.

Artillery also continues to batter the city from new, dug-in positions across the Dnipro river. The regional administration says that shelling over the past month has killed 41 people in Kherson.

Access to electricity is inconsistent and indoor heating has only very recently been restored after the Russians last month blew up a giant central heating station that served much of the city.

For authorities and citizens, sifting through the countless headaches and hazards left behind by the Russians, and bracing for new ones, is a daily chore.

11:11 AM

Pictured: Mariupol's cemetery

A photo taken yesterday shows hundreds of graves of unidentified local residents in Russia-controlled Mariupol, Ukraine. Its de facto mayor, Konstantin Ivashchenko, said about 5,000 civilians were killed during fighting in the city, which was besieged by Russian forces in the first months of the war.

Pro-Moscow authorities say rebuilding of the destroyed city is already underway, but its exiled Ukrainian leaders are working on their own reconstruction plans.

10:48 AM

Russia 'shells maternity hospital' in Kherson

Two people were killed and another five wounded after Russian troops shelled the southern region of Kherson, the governor said on Sunday.

Russian forces retreated from the capital city of Kherson in November but have since repeatedly shelled it.

"The enemy again attacked the residential quarters of Kherson," the governor, Yaroslav Yanushevich, said on messaging app Telegram. He added that Russian forces had hit a maternity ward, a cafe and an apartment building.

"Last night, two people were killed due to Russian shelling," Yanushevich said, adding that five others had been wounded.

He said the city was attacked with artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, tanks and mortars.

10:32 AM

Confusion over 'advice to evacuate' from Odesa

Ukraine's Odesa regional administration appeared to advise some people to consider evacuating after drone strikes left 1.5 million people without power on Saturday.

However, the post on the administration's Facebook page was later deleted and spokesperson Serhiy Bratchuk said it was being investigated by Ukraine's security services as "an element of the hybrid war" by Russia.

"Not a single representative of the authorities in the region made any calls for the evacuation of the inhabitants of Odesa and the region," Mr Bratchuk said.

The issue of civilian evacuations has been sensitive as Russia pummels Ukraine's energy system amid falling temperatures.

A month ago, the head of Ukraine's biggest private energy company told the BBC that those who could leave the country should consider doing so over winter in order to preserve energy supplies for essential needs. The company later issued a statement pedalling back on that.

10:04 AM

Moscow steps up drone attacks

The Ukrainian army said Russia launched 15 drones at targets in the southern regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv on Saturday. It shot down 10 drones but another five hit energy facilities, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.

The prosecutor general's office also said two power facilities in the Odesa region were hit by Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones.

Britain's defence ministry said on Saturday that Iran's military support for Russia was likely to increase in the coming months and there have been reports that Russia could start producing the Iranian "kamikaze" drones domestically.

09:46 AM

Russia smashes the power network in Odesa

All non-critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian port of Odesa was without power after Russia used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy facilities, leaving 1.5 million people without power, officials said on Saturday.

"The situation in the Odesa region is very difficult," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly video address, adding that it would take a few days to restore power.

Since October, Moscow has been targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure with waves of missile and drone strikes.

Norway was sending $100 million to help restore Ukraine's energy system, Zelensky said.