Ukraine launches massive drone blitz on Moscow & cripples shadow fleet tanker in Black Sea

Day 1,386.


Today, as Ukraine fires hundreds of drones into Russia – forcing
the closure of all major Moscow airports – we report on how the
maritime war is intensifying, with Kyiv striking shadow fleet
tankers in the Black Sea and oil rigs in the Caspian Sea.
Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions are rising, with President Donald
Trump saying he exchanged “pretty strong words” with his European
counterparts, just as reports emerge of a White House plan to
bring Russia’s economy in from the cold. Then we return to
controversial developments in the chess world with The
Telegraph’s chess correspondent Malcolm Pein.


Contributors


Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls
on X.


Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley
on X.


With thanks to Malcolm Pein (Chess Correspondent).
@TelegraphChess on X.


SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY
NEWSLETTER:


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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your
questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive
analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the
frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily
reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.


CONTENT REFERENCED:


Dom and Francis’s Chess Game with Malcolm in Odesa:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCptvJ2tuIA 


With clips in our Ukraine Culture War Documentary:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28HqbQLYGMM&pp=ygUPb2Rlc2EgdGVsZWdyYXBo 


Starmer, Macron and Merz warn Trump over ‘Euro-Atlantic’ alliance
(The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/10/starmer-macron-and-merz-warn-trump-euro-atlantic-alliance/ 


Ukrainian drone boats blow up Russian oil tankers (The
Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/29/ukrainian-drone-boats-blow-up-russian-oil-tankers/ 


U.S. Blueprint to Rewire Economies of Russia, Ukraine Sets Off
Clash With Europe (Wall Street Journal):


https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/u-s-blueprint-to-rewire-economies-of-russia-ukraine-sets-off-clash-with-europe-72484515 


US House passes bill to bolster Europe’s defence, in apparent
rebuke to Trump’s foreign policy strategy (The Guardian):


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/11/us-house-passes-bill-to-bolster-europes-defence-in-apparent-rebuke-to-trumps-foreign-policy-strategy 


‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the
National Security Strategy (The Telegraph):


https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/12/make-europe-great-again-and-more-longer-version-national-security-strategy/410038/?oref=d1-homepage-top-story 


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