A Ukrainian general says Moscow is digging in for a long war and still wants to conquer the whole of Ukraine, as Russian forces pound two strategic cities while Kyiv's troops shell Russian-controlled Donetsk in the east.
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DIPLOMACY/ECONOMY/AID
* The United States on Thursday targeted Russia's financial services sector and Russian businessman Vladimir Potanin, increasing pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
* European Union leaders wrapped up their last summit of 2022 with an agreement to provide 18 billion euros ($A27.96 billion) in financing to Ukraine next year and slap more sanctions on Russia as the bloc prepared to cap gas prices and prop up its industry.
* President Vladimir Putin said Russia would expand trade co-operation with new partners, including by sharply increasing gas exports to China, to combat Western sanctions.
* United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday it was unlikely the Black Sea grain deal would be expanded in the near term to include more Ukrainian ports or reduce inspection times.
* The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Thursday further strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure could lead to a serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation and spark further displacement.
* An announcement on US plans to provide the Patriot missile defence system to Ukraine could be made as soon as this week, three US officials told Reuters.
* A senior UN official on Thursday voiced optimism there would be a breakthrough in negotiations to ease exports of Russian fertilisers to avoid food shortages next year.
CONFLICT
* The US military will expand its training of Ukrainian military personnel in Germany, the Pentagon said on Thursday, including training in combined arms.
* Russian forces attacked critical infrastructure in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Thursday, causing several explosions, the city's mayor said.
* Russian shelling killed two people on Thursday in the centre of the recently liberated city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said.
* Violence returned to Kyiv, with the first major drone attack on Ukraine's capital in weeks. Two administrative buildings were hit but air defences largely repelled the attack. Zelenskiy said 13 drones had been shot down.
Reuters was not able to independently verify battlefield reports.
Australian Associated Press
