**Ukrainian Poet and Prose Writer Killed in Action**
A 34-year-old poet and prose writer from Kharkiv, Oleksii Bezpaltsev, was killed while on a combat mission. PEN Ukraine reported the news on December 25.
Bezpaltsev was known for his modernist style of writing. He had published two collections of short stories and had participated in literary slams. Friends remembered him as “cheerful and energetic,” with a love for films, music, poetry, and cycling. Bezpaltsev had also been involved in underground literary events.
**Ukraine’s Cultural Losses**
This is not the first time Ukraine has lost cultural figures in the war. According to PEN International, at least 102 Ukrainian writers, artists, translators, and historians have been killed since the invasion began.
**Leaders React**
President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke out against Russia’s actions on Christmas Eve, saying that Ukrainians continue to hold on to their faith, unity, and traditions during wartime. President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, also denounced Russia’s mass attack on early Christmas morning.
**Other News**
* In a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Zelensky expressed gratitude for Japan’s aid to Ukraine, which has totaled $12 billion.
* Footage shows that the plane carrying international passengers was hit by a surface-to-air missile.
* The Ukrainian military has destroyed a Russian ammunition depot in Donetsk Oblast.
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