+++ News in the Ukraine War +++: Ukraine hits logistics center of Russian online retailer

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded US first lady Melania Trump a state medal for her help in brokering a local ceasefire to evacuate the frontline town of Oleshky. She will receive the Order of Princess Olga, First Class, with which Ukraine honors women for outstanding achievements in the charitable or social sphere, according to a decree published on Wednesday. This honors her personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine. US President Donald Trump's wife reportedly played a crucial role in brokering a six-day ceasefire to bring civilians from the embattled town of Oleshky to safety. The evacuation was completed on Sunday. It was the longest local ceasefire since the start of the war. In addition, the order honors her commitment to Ukrainian children, especially those who were abducted from the territories occupied by Russia. (rtr)

In Ukraine's Zaporizhia region, the death toll from a Russian airstrike has risen to 37, according to local authorities. 59 people are still missing. Rescue workers continued to search for survivors in the rubble of the former school in the village of Komyshuwacha. The Russian armed forces attacked a distribution center on Monday. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, they first dropped aerial bombs on the building and then attacked the shelter with more bombs. The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack targeted Ukrainian military units in the area of ​​Komyshuvakh and two other settlements. Up to 25 Ukrainian soldiers were killed. (rtr)

According to Russian information, Ukraine has paralyzed parts of the power supply there during attacks on the occupied Crimean peninsula. The Russian Energy Ministry said on Wednesday that Ukraine had attacked “energy infrastructure facilities” in Crimea overnight. This led to power outages. Work is currently underway to gradually restore supply.

The ministry did not provide exact figures for affected households in the area, which is home to more than 2.5 million people. Crimea on the Black Sea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, is regularly attacked by Ukraine. Kyiv speaks of retaliatory attacks for Russian attacks. A Ukrainian attack on Crimea had already led to power and water outages in October.

Ukraine accuses Russia of regularly attacking the Ukrainian energy infrastructure in air strikes. As temperatures drop before the winter months, many Ukrainians are repeatedly cut off from the power supply. (afp)

Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is confident that the outcome of the congressional elections in the USA can create a new dynamic in support for Ukraine. “As far as Ukraine is concerned, I am somewhat confident that there will now be more discussions in Congress between both parties about what we can do together to support Ukraine,” said Wadephul in Berlin. “I believe that there has been a certain amount of restraint there in the election campaign and I know that there are staunch supporters of Ukraine in both houses and in both parties.” (rtr)

According to the Kremlin, Russia is counting on further mediation by US President Donald Trump in the Ukraine conflict following the outcome of the US congressional elections. “President Trump remains in office,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, according to a Russian media report. “We sincerely hope that he also continues his peace efforts.”

In Tuesday's US congressional elections, Trump's Republicans suffered a heavy defeat and lost their majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives to the opposition Democrats.

Since returning to the White House in early 2025, Trump has repeatedly tried to bring about an end to the Ukraine war. However, his attempts at mediation have so far achieved little tangible progress. New negotiations between Moscow and Kiev under US mediation are planned for next week in the Gulf Emirate of Abu Dhabi. (afp)

Ukraine attacked another branch of a major Russian online retailer during the night. The employees of an Ozon logistics center in the southern Russian republic of Adygeya were evacuated because of a drone attack, the Russian state news agency Tass reported, citing the company. A fire broke out in the center. According to preliminary information, there were no injuries. The information could not initially be independently verified.

In recent weeks, Ukraine has increasingly destroyed or damaged shipping centers of the Russian online giants Wildberries and Ozon. The country has been defending itself against a Russian invasion with Western help since February 2022 and has been systematically attacking distant targets in Russia in its defensive battle for several months.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump made it clear in the British Financial Times that he was optimistic that peace talks between Ukraine and Russia were making progress. “I think both sides are at the point where they're saying, let's reach an agreement,” he said. Next Tuesday and Wednesday, the first direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in a long time will take place in the United Arab Emirates, mediated by the USA.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. Both insisted that the Europeans must be involved in the upcoming talks to end the Russian war of aggression. Germany is Ukraine's most important supporter.

Selenskyj wrote late in the evening on Platform X that he had thanked Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for Germany's comprehensive support. He described Europe as an important part of driving the peace process forward. (dpa)

Russia attacked numerous parts of Ukraine again during the night. Two power plants in the Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions were hit, the Russian Defense Ministry said on the Telegram short message service. In addition, a cargo ship was attacked near the port city of Odessa. According to Ukrainian authorities, there were further attacks in the Poltava, Dnipro, Kirovohrad and Rivne regions, as well as in the capital Kyiv. There were power outages following an accident on the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia; no details were initially available. (rtr)

First Lady Melania Trump has announced a meeting with representatives of Ukraine and Russia at the White House after brokering a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied front-line town of Oleshky. She will personally bring together representatives of two nations that are actively at war, the White House said.

In addition, Melania Trump will speak about the Oleschky ceasefire on Thursday at 11 a.m. local time (5 p.m. CET). No information was given as to which Ukrainians and Russians would take part in the encounter. Ukrainian media reported, citing their own sources, that human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets and the parliamentary group leader of the presidential party, David Arachamija, will travel to Washington from Kyiv. The Russian side will therefore be represented by Lubinez's colleague Jana Lantratova and Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev.

The White House credited the president's wife with brokering the limited ceasefire in southern Ukraine, and both Russia and Ukraine thanked her. In a joint rescue operation last week, numerous people were able to leave the rubble town of Oleschky - they could choose whether they wanted to go to Ukraine or Russia. Humanitarian aid supplies were also brought to the city. (dpa)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has categorically ruled out the possibility of a Russian ice hockey team taking part in the U20 World Championships at the end of the year in Canada. In doing so, Carney clearly opposed a decision by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which had approved the readmission of Russian teams to ice hockey tournaments.

As long as Russia and its ally Belarus supported the “illegal and unjustified terrible war” against Ukraine, none of their athletes would compete for their countries in Canada, Carney said on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit on Tuesday (local time). “So if you ask specifically about the Junior World Championships – the Russians won’t be there,” the Canadian leader added. This could be implemented by refusing visas. The Netherlands recently banned Russian gymnasts from entering the World Championships in Rotterdam.

Canada's ice hockey federation thanked the government in a statement for its strong position preventing athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus from participating in international sporting events in Canada under their national symbols. The Junior World Championships will take place from December 26, 2026 to January 5, 2027 in Edmonton and Red Deer in the Canadian province of Alberta. The ten participants so far include the German U20 team, but not the Russian one.

After ice hockey world champion Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Latvia had previously announced that they would not compete against Russia. The Czech association president also supported a boycott. The Finnish city of Turku had announced that it would no longer be available as a co-host of the U20 World Cup scheduled for the turn of the year 2027/2028 if Russia took part.

The next World Championship for A teams is planned for May 14th to 30th, 2027 in Düsseldorf and Mannheim. Russia would be eligible to play after the CAS Court of Arbitration for Sport had upheld an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Association against the world association IIHF for re-admission. The German Ice Hockey Association is currently examining whether it can host the World Cup and is reportedly also considering the option of returning it. A government spokesman had announced that the federal government would promptly discuss the possible consequences of the CAS ruling with the DEB. (dpa)