Here is a map of the latest military situation in Ukraine issued by Kyiv's National Security and Defense Council (click image to enlarge):
Here's a quick summary from our news desk of some of the things Putin has said in relation to Ukraine at his press conference:
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of building a new "virtual" Berlin Wall and trying to tame the Russian "bear" while lashing out at the United States and European Union during an annual news conference on December 18.
Putin cited NATO's eastward expansion after the Soviet collapse and the development of a U.S. missile shield as evidence of efforts to build a new barrier in Europe.
He said Russia's position on Ukraine should be a signal to the West that it must stop.
Putin said Ukraine should remain a single political entity, but blamed Kyiv for the deadly conflict in the country's east, saying it was conducting a "punitive operation."
He demanded the government hold a "direct, equal" dialogue with all regions, including those partially held by pro-Russian rebels.
Putin said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wants a peaceful solution to the conflict but others want to fight until they achieve victory and are hampering efforts to end the war.
(Reuters, AP, AFP)