The vessel is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" - unregulated ships that Kyiv says are exporting large quantities of oil despite Western sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that changes made by the Europeans and Ukraine to U.S. proposals for an end to the war in Ukraine did not improve prospects for peace.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was hopeful but clear about the challenges facing the Trump administration's Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas peace efforts and defended increasing U.S. military pressure on Venezuela during a marathon end-of-year news conference Friday.

Putin claims no "willingness from Ukraine" to negotiate a peace deal as he touts battlefield gains, and Kyiv claims a brazen strike on a ship far from Russia.

Ukraine said its drones struck a Russian oil rig belonging to Lukoil in the Caspian Sea and a military patrol ship near a rig as Kyiv steps up attacks on Moscow's oil infrastructure. The attack, which Ukraine's general staff said took place on Friday,

European Union leaders have agreed to provide Ukraine with a massive interest-free loan to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years

Strikes on four vessels signal that Kyiv is willing to expand the maritime theater of the conflict in an effort to crimp Moscow’s military funding.

US intelligence reports indicate a significant divergence from President Donald Trump's assertions regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly on Russian President Vladimir Putin's intentions. , World News,