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Fresh blast rocks site in Moscow where Russian general was killed on Monday
Arpan Rai, Alex Croft & Maryam Zakir-HussainThursday 25 December 2025 02:00 GMT- Bookmark
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At least three people have died in an explosion in southern Moscow at the site where a Russian general was killed earlier this week.
Russian authorities said two police officers were among those found dead after the fresh blast in the capital. The other was thought to have been a bystander.
Earlier, Ukraine’s military said its forces had pulled out of the embattled eastern town of Siversk near Bakhmut.
“The invaders were able to advance due to a significant numerical advantage and constant pressure from small assault groups in difficult weather conditions," Ukraine's General Staff said.
Siversk had a pre-war population of 10,000, and its capture by Russia puts a dent in the “fortress belt” of major Donbas towns still held by Ukraine.
Russia has continued to push forwards – albeit slowly – in Ukraine after rejecting a Christmas truce, and launching a massive drone and missile attack early on Tuesday.
Pope Leo criticised Vladimir Putin's decision to turn down a ceasefire.
“I will make an appeal one more time to people of good will to respect at least Christmas Day as a day of peace," he said.
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Key Points
- Three killed by blast in Moscow, investigators say
- Explosions heard in southern Moscow at site of general's killing
- WhatsApp calls out Russia's attempt to restrict private communications
- Ukrainian troops withdraw from eastern town of Siversk
- Pope Leo expresses 'much sadness' about Russia refusing Christmas ceasefire
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Ukraine's own "Dancing with the Stars" show is back on, just for one special episodeJane Dalton25 December 2025 02:00Fighting continues for Pokrovsk in major battle in Ukraine's east
Ukraine's military said its forces were keeping up pressure on Pokrovsk and would continue trying to sever logistics for Russian troops inside.
Fighting is still raging around the former eastern logistics hub, where Ukrainian forces said this month they had fended off an unusually large Russian mechanised attack.
The Ukrainian military's Operation Task Force East unit, which reports regularly on its defence of Pokrovsk, said Ukrainian forces remained in control of the northern part of the largely destroyed city.
Jane Dalton25 December 2025 01:00Russian strikes blamed for oil disaster for birds
Dozens of birds in Odesa, on the Ukraine coast, fell victim to an oil spill which the regional governor Oleh Kiper said was caused by Russian strikes last week that damaged sunflower oil storage tanks in Pivdennyi port.
The birds squawk indignantly as volunteers scrub them clean of oil from bill to toe.
Experts say the worst affected are two elegant species - the great crested grebe and the horned grebe.
"The great crested grebe are waterfowl that are especially vulnerable to this kind of contamination, such as oil," said zoo director Ihor Biliakov said outside a rescue point.
Emergency crews installed floating barriers and deployed specialised vessels to contain the spill, while the port’s channel was temporarily closed, its administration said.
Jane Dalton24 December 2025 23:50Pro-Russian hackers claim cyberattack on French postal service
Pro-Russian hackers claim cyberattack on French postal service
French prosecutors say a pro-Russian hacking group has claimed responsibility for a major cyberattack on France’s national postal serviceJane Dalton24 December 2025 22:35Russia claims to down 16 Ukrainian drones
Russian air defence units downed 16 Moscow-bound Ukrainian drones throughout the day on Wednesday, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin says.
Sobyanin, in a series of posts on Telegram, said the drones were repelled over about 17 hours.
Emergency crews were “examining fragments where they hit the ground” but no damage was reported.
Two of the four major airports servicing the capital limited flights for a time, Russia's civil aviation authority said.
Jane Dalton24 December 2025 21:30Zelensky open to withdrawing troops for demilitarised zone – full report
Zelensky open to withdrawing troops for a demilitarised zone in new peace plan
Zelensky stresses most sensitive issues of latest peace plan require meeting with leaders despite progress in talksJane Dalton24 December 2025 20:31Zelensky makes counter-proposal on nuclear plant
Ukraine’s President Zelensky has put counter-proposals on the future of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant to American officials after negotiators from Ukraine and the US hammered out a 20-point plan in Florida to try to end the war.
The US has proposed creating a consortium with Ukraine and Russia on the plant in which each party would have an equal stake.
Mr Zelensky countered with a proposal for a joint venture between the US and Ukraine, in which the Americans would be able to decide how to distribute their share, including giving some of it to Russia.
He acknowledged that the US had not yet accepted Ukraine's counter-proposals.
"But we have significantly brought most of the positions closer together," Mr Zelensky said. "In principle, all other consensus in this agreement has been found between us and them."
Zelensky has put counter-proposals to the US (Getty)Jane Dalton24 December 2025 19:30Recap: Zelensky prepared to withdraw Donbas troops under 20-point plan
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says he would be willing to withdraw troops from the country's eastern industrial heartland if Russia also pulled back and the area became a demilitarised, free economic zone monitored by international forces.
The proposal, which would address one of the major obstacles to ending Russia's war, must also be put a referendum.
A similar arrangement could be possible for the area around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control, President Zelensky said.
He described a 20-point overarching plan that negotiators from Ukraine and the US hammered out in Florida in recent days, although he said that many details were still being worked out.
Jane Dalton24 December 2025 18:30Ukraine official claims military agency behind Moscow explosion
An official from Ukraine's military intelligence, known as GUR, has told the Associated Press that the attack in which two Moscow police officers were killed had been carried out as part of an agency operation.
Another agency official said the officers had taken part in Russia's war in Ukraine, without providing details.
(AFP/Getty)Jane Dalton24 December 2025 17:40Russia wants to build a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next few years
Russia is reportedly planning to establish a nuclear power plant on the moon within the next decade.
This ambitious project aims to supply energy for its lunar space programme and a joint research station with China, as global powers intensify their efforts in lunar exploration.
Historically, Russia has held a prominent position in space, notably with Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering journey in 1961.
Russia plans to build a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next few years
Project aims to supply energy for its lunar space programmeMaryam Zakir-Hussain24 December 2025 17:15Newer1 / 8OlderMore about
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