Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with troops on the frontline in Kupyansk in the northeast of the country, December 12, 2025

EA-Ukraine VideoCast: Kyiv’s Pressure on Russia

Wednesday’s Coverage: Kyiv to Trump — We Can Rename Part of Eastern Ukraine “DonnyLand”

UPDATE 1344 GMT:

The European Union has formally adopted the €90 billion ($106 billion) loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.

Last December the EU approved the loan to fund UKriane through 2027, but it was held up by the pro-Kremlin Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose 16-year rule was ended by elections earlier this month.

The process was completed by Kyiv’s restoration of the Druzhba oil pipeline, damaged by Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine in late January, which runs from Russia to Hungary and Slovakia.

Slovakia confirmed at 2 a.m. that it received the first oil delivery through the repaired pipeline.

EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas confirmed:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted:

We are working to ensure that the first tranche from this support package becomes available as early as May–June. The funds from the European package will be directed, among other priorities, to arms production, the procurement of necessary weapons from partners that we do not yet produce in Ukraine, and the preparation of our energy sector and critical infrastructure for the next winter.

However, a central element of the new sanctions against Russia — a full ban on maritime services for Russian oil tankers –– is on hold.

The intent was to prohibit EU countries from providing insurance, shipping, or port access to vessels carrying Russian crude oil. Greece and Malta objected, claiming effect on domestic economies, a boost to competition from China and India, and empowerment of Russia’s “shadow fleet”.

UPDATE 1300 GMT:

Ukrainian drones struck the Gorky oil pumping station in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region overnight.

The attack damaged three oil storage tanks, sparking a large fire that spread over an area of 20,000 square meters.

The oil pumping station is part of Transneft, Russia’s largest state-controlled pipeline transport company.

UPDATE 1255 GMT:

The toll has risen to three killed and 10 injured from Russia’s drone strikes on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine.

UPDATE 0959 GMT:

Since the beginning of 2026, the Bank of Russia has sold 21,772 tons of gold to finance the Government’s budget deficit, which reached 4.6 trillion rubles ($61.5 billion) by the end of March amid falling oil and gas revenues.

Russia’s gold reserves decreased by 0.7 million troy ounces to 74.1 million as of April 1.

“Sales to finance the budget deficit may continue amid a sharp increase in government spending compared to budget targets,” said Natalia Milchakova of Freedom Finance Global.

UPDATE 0757 GMT:

At least eight civilians have been murdered and 28 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 139 of 155 drones fired by Russia overnight. At least 11 drones struck nine locations.

In Donetsk Oblast, a Russian strike killed one person in the village of Mykhailivka in the Kramatorsk district, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

Two civilians were killed and at least 10 injured by an overnight Russian drone attack on Dnipro in southeast Ukraine.

Among the hospitalized are two girls, aged 9 and 14, and three adults. All are in moderate condition.

A multi-story apartment building was damaged and numerous apartments set afire.

In the Sumy region in the northeast, two 67-year-old men were killed by Russian drones.

In the neighboring Kharkiv region, a 66-year-old man was slain and four people was injured.

In the Zaporizhzhia region in the south, a 77-year-old woman was murdered by a Russian glide bomb.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says Ukraine’s frontline position is “the strongest” in a year, as gradual Russian gains have been halted.

In March, Russia gave up 9 square km (3.5 square miles) across the eastern and southern frontlines, Moscow’s first loss of territory since 2023. Before that, the scale of Russian advances had been halved this year.

Moscow’s spring offensive has not been able to regain the offensive, with almost no movement on frontlines in the Donetsk region in the east.

Sybiha said:

We have minimized the Russians’ advantage in manpower through the use of drones. For us, the situation on the battlefield is about strengthening our negotiating position. We can shoot down up to 90% of the targets that strike our cities….

[Ukraine’s] position on the battlefield is indeed the strongest, or the most solid, it has been over the past year.