Russian invasion

The world's response

Fico's New Year's threat to Ukraine: Could cut off electricity

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is threatening to introduce "mutual measures" against Ukraine if Russian gas to Slovakia is stopped. In a statement on social media, he says that a countermeasure could be to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine after the turn of the year.

The statement comes just a few days before a gas agreement between Ukraine and Russia expires. The government in Kyiv has refused to renew the agreement, while Slovakia is keen to maintain supplies via Ukraine.

If Russian gas is not delivered through Ukraine, it will have consequences for the EU, says Fico.

Zelenskyj: Putin has asked Fico to open a new front

The row between Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Robert Fico continues. The Ukrainian president launches a verbal attack after the Slovak prime minister threatened to cut off electricity to Ukraine if Russian gas cannot reach Slovakia.

“It seems that Putin gave Fico the order to open a second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the interests of the Slovak people,” Zelensky writes on X.

He also sends three greetings to Fico, the first of which is clear:

“Supporting Russian aggression is completely immoral.”

Ukraine's response

FSB: Ukraine tried to kill officer with bomb in Moscow

The Russian intelligence service FSB says it has prevented the assassination of a high-ranking Russian officer and a pro-Russian military blogger, Reuters reports. The FSB accuses Ukraine of a Russian citizen having contact with a person in the Ukrainian military intelligence service, GUR.

The Russian citizen was allegedly instructed to retrieve a bomb hidden in a portable speaker from a hideout in Moscow. The FSB has not named either the officer or the blogger, and Ukraine has not commented on the statement.

Earlier in December, Russian General Igor Kirillov was killed by Ukrainian intelligence.