The Financial Times, external leads on Ukraine’s assassination of the officer in charge of Russia’s nuclear, chemical and biological defence forces in a bomb attack in Moscow. The paper describes Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov as the “most prominent military figure to be assassinated” since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Guardian, external says his killing “is likely to send shock waves through Russia’s political and military elites”. Writing in the i, external, Anne McElvoy says the “bigger prize” for Ukraine “is bringing retribution to a prosperous part of the Russian capital”.

“Victory for the victims of second Post Office scandal, after 30 years of lies,” is the main headline in the i, external. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is examining seven cases relating to Capture, an IT system rolled out to Post Office branches before Horizon. The software was prone to bugs and glitches, and sub-postmasters were forced to hand over cash, sacked or prosecuted for the losses.

“EU don’t know what you’re doing,” declares the Sun, external, as it leads on the prospect of a European Super League for football. Previous plans folded in April 2021. Promoters believe this new format, of 96 teams across four divisions, complies with EU law. But one official from Uefa, European football’s governing body, has called the proposals a “Christmas pantomime”.

The Olympic 800m champion, Keely Hodgkinson, is the toast of the front and back pages after winning BBC Sports Personality of the Year. “No one could stop Keely Hodgkinson on the track,” is how the Guardian, external begins its report “or, as it turned out, in the battle for public opinion.” The Daily Telegraph, external calls her the “girl with the golden run” while the Times, external‘ Matt Lawton says “there has been no one more deserving” of recognition.