At least 11 people have been killed and dozens of others injured after a car was driven into a crowd at a Christmas market in Germany, local media reports.

News agency dpa said the driver has been arrested following the incident in the eastern city of Magdeburg, while Public broadcaster MDR reports almost 70 people have been injured – 15 seriously.

A city spokesman said the initial assessment is that this was an attack, with all hospitals in the nearby city of Halle preparing for a mass casualty event, according to a security official.

Germany latest as car shown ‘driving at speed’

German newspaper Bild reports at least 11 people have been killed and MDR said police have blocked off the area as there is a suspicion of explosives in the suspect’s car.

City spokesman Michael Reif said he suspects it was a deliberate act, adding there are “numerous injured” and that the “pictures are terrible”.

Magdeburg’s University Hospital said it is treating 10-20 patients and preparing for more, dpa reports.

Germany‘s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said “the news suggests something bad” and that his thoughts are with “the victims and their families”.

The state premier Reiner Haseloff, who is on his way to the scene, said it is a “terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas”, according to MDR.

Police said on X that “extensive operations” were taking place at the market, which has been closed.

Weihnachtsmarkt Magdeburg has posted on Instagram warning people to leave the market and allow emergency services to do their work.

Sky News’s Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins said initial videos from the scene show what appears to be a car “driving at speed” into a crowd at a Christmas market.

“The police have put out a statement saying there’s an extensive police operation that’s going on and they haven’t officially said yet whether this is terror,” she added.

“That of course will be something that a lot of people will be asking. There has been a warning for Christmas markets across Europe to be on high alert for possible terror attacks.”

Germany’s interior minister Nancy Faeser said last month there were no concrete signs of a danger to Christmas markets this year, but added it was wise to be vigilant.

On 19 December 2016, an Islamic extremist drove a car into a crowd at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more.

Magdeburg, which is west of Berlin, is the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt and has a population of about 240,000.

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The US says it has killed Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Yusif in Syria.

US Central Command Forces (Centcom) said it carried out an airstrike targeting Yusif – who also goes by Mahmud – in the east of the country.

Another IS operative was also killed in the strike, according to US officials.

This strike was conducted in an area formerly controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.

Centcom commander, general Michael Erik Kurilla, said: “As stated before, the United States – working with allies and partners in the region – will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute.

“IS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria.

“We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria.”

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Vladimir Putin has said Russia should have invaded Ukraine earlier, in a national address spanning more than four hours.

Russia began the conflict with its neighbour in February 2022 and at his annual televised news conference, Mr Putin claimed the war has made Russia “stronger”.

The decision to invade “should have been made earlier” he added, before stating Russia could have “prepared for it in advance and more thoroughly”.

Ukraine war latest: Russian general inflated 2024 territorial gains, analysts find

He claimed: “Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country.

“We are standing firm in terms of economy, we are strengthening our defence potential and our military capability now is the strongest in the world.”

The news conference also saw Mr Putin address a possible end to the war, as he said he is “ready to compromise” in possible talks with US President-elect Donald Trump.

He said he was open to meeting Mr Trump, who has pledged to negotiate a deal to end the conflict, saying the two would “have things to discuss”.

“Politics is the art of compromise. We have always said that we are ready for both talks and compromise,” he said.

“Soon, those Ukrainians who want to fight will run out, in my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight,” he continued. “We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises…”

Any talks should be based on “the situation on the ground”, Mr Putin added, referring to conditions he previously laid out.

He has previously demanded Ukraine withdraw its bid to join NATO and asked it to recognise Russia’s gains. Both Kyiv and the West have rejected those demands.

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Mr Putin also said Moscow will only be ready to sign a deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if he secures re-election.

Mr Zelenskyy’s five-year term technically came to an end in May but was extended due to martial law.

In response to a question about Moscow’s new hypersonic missile, he mockingly challenged the US to a “high-tech duel” to see whether Western tech could protect Ukraine from a strike using the weapon.

With a dry smile, he said: “Let them select a target, possibly in Kyiv, put their air defence assets there and we shall strike it with the Oreshnik [missile]. Let’s see what happens.”

Zelenskyy responds to Putin’s comments

Mr Putin’s comments have already sparked a strong response from Mr Zelenskyy, who is currently in Brussels for a summit on the Ukraine war.

In response to the duel suggestion, Mr Zelenskyy replied: “Do you think he is a sane person?”

In a show of solidarity with Ukraine, a number of EU leaders at the summit repeated a variation of a common mantra – nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about security in Europe without Europeans.

Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden said: “We need to stand with Ukraine, and every step […] needs to be taken with Ukraine and in the presence of the European Union.

“The future of Ukraine is decided in Europe and not elsewhere.”