The foreign ministers of EU Member States have reached an agreement to impose sanctions on nearly 200 Russian individuals and legal entities. They include military officers, MPs, magistrates, some of those responsible for the destruction of Ukrainian grain and others. Four commanders of Russian brigades, as well as officials responsible for transporting Ukrainian children to Russia for adoption are also included in the list. The sanctions will also affect Russian media, which poison the public space with constant disinformation, Josep Borrell said.

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also said it was agreed that the EU budget for military support to Ukraine would be raised by 2 billion euros and supplemented by another 3.5 billion euros if necessary.

The ninth package of EU sanctions comes amid ongoing Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's heating and water supply systems at the start of the winter. The package also includes economic measures - imposing an embargo on investments in the Russian mining sector, banning the sale of dual-use technologies to 169 Russian companies, freezing the assets of Moscow Credit Bank and Dalnevostochny Bank.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the leaders of the G7 countries to provide Ukraine with 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas, as well as with modern tanks, long-range missiles and artillery installations. According to him, Russia sees the blackouts in Ukraine as a last chance of winning the war.

The United States have sent $13 million worth of energy equipment to Ukraine to help rebuild the country's energy infrastructure.

Russia is now using shells and missiles manufactured 40 years ago because it has exhausted its stockpile of ammunition, US military intelligence officials say.