Julia Shramko
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is appointing Oleh Ivashchenko to a position in Ukraine's military intelligence. This happened after Kyrylo Budanov agreed to head the Presidential Office.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has amended the rules for providing household waste management services. The new rules provide for a containerless collection system and the consumer's right not to pay for the service if absent for more than 30 days.
As a result of a Russian missile strike on the center of Kharkiv, a shopping center was destroyed, and high-rise buildings and an educational institution were damaged. One woman is in critical condition, while the rest of the injured are in moderate condition.
As a result of a Russian missile strike on residential buildings in the center of Kharkiv, 19 people were injured, including a 6-month-old infant. The strike, according to the prosecutor's office, was carried out by an "Iskander" missile around 2:30 PM.
On January 2, in Poltava, a man threw a live grenade on Mykhaila Hrushevskoho Street, damaging several cars. There were no casualties, and the offender, born in 1990, was detained.
The number of injured in the Russian strike on the center of Kharkiv has risen to 12. This was reported by the city mayor Ihor Terekhov.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said that Russian athletes will not be able to represent their country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. They will only participate as individual athletes without a national flag or anthem.
On January 3, from 00:00 to 06:00, planned technical work will be carried out in the "Oberih" register. During this period, the Reserve ID update and service provision will be temporarily unavailable in the "Reserve+" application.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will hold a telephone conversation with Donald Trump regarding the peace process in Ukraine and the Palestinian issue. The Turkish leader is also in contact with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders on these issues.
The US dollar started 2026 with a strengthening after last year's difficulties, while the yen approached a 10-month low. Traders are awaiting US economic data to forecast changes in interest rates this year.
President Zelenskyy met with Kyrylo Budanov and offered him to head the Office of the President of Ukraine. Budanov should focus on security issues, the development of the Defense Forces and the diplomatic track, as well as update the strategic foundations of defense.
In Switzerland, investigators are identifying charred bodies after a bar fire that killed about 40 people at a New Year's Eve party. Among the first identified is a 16-year-old Italian golfer.
China received 22 shipments of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Portovaya and Arctic LNG-2 projects in 2023. All deliveries arrived at the Beihai LNG terminal in Guangxi.
On January 2, snow fell in five regions of Ukraine, up to 8 cm in places. State roads are passable, 454 units of special equipment and 550 workers are involved.
Precious metals resumed their rally at the beginning of the new year, continuing the unprecedented growth of 2025, supported by geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts. Gold rose 1.4% to $4372.35 per ounce, silver rose 3.6% to $73.79 per ounce.
Meteorological winter in Kyiv began on December 24, almost a month later than the norm. December 2025 was among the ten warmest since observations began, with an average monthly temperature of 1.0°C.
The Russians tried to use the logistical route between Shevchenkove and Pokrovsk to accumulate additional forces, using more than 30 units of light equipment. Units of the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces destroyed part of the equipment during the march, and the rest directly within the southeastern borders of the city.
Law enforcement officers have dismantled an international cocaine supply channel to Ukraine, organized by a group of citizens from Ukraine, Armenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany. The organizer, who had previously served a sentence for drug offenses in the US, planned to import up to 2 kg of cocaine weekly, with the value of a single shipment exceeding $200,000.
Vinnytsia police identified a 45-year-old man who launched fireworks from a building on January 1. He was taken to the police station, where it was found that he was intoxicated.
In Kherson, heat supply disruptions are possible due to enemy strikes on a heat generation facility. Also, in the Dniprovskyi district of the city, there is a partial power outage and possible water supply disruptions.
Deteriorating weather conditions have been recorded in the high-altitude Carpathians: on Mount Pip Ivan, it is cloudy, snowing, with winds up to 25 m/s and a temperature of -14°C. Rescuers recommend refraining from hiking and installing the "Mountain Rescue" application.
Russia attacked energy infrastructure in Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. In Odesa region, more than 11,000 consumers remain without electricity after previous attacks.
The Donald Trump administration is trying to expedite the review process for the White House ballroom project to get final approval as early as March. This would allow construction to begin a month later, despite lawsuits and criticism.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine warns of the Kremlin's preparation of an armed provocation with significant human casualties. It may occur on the eve or during Christmas according to the Julian calendar, likely in a religious building or another symbolic object.
Three tankers carrying almost 2. 2 million barrels of Urals crude are heading to Reliance Industries Ltd.'s Jamnagar refinery in India. This comes after the plant resumed purchases of Russian oil for domestic production.
Russian troops attacked Semenivka with drones yesterday evening, damaging the city hospital, service vehicles, garages, and a food unit. Also, at night, a "Geran" drone hit a forestry in Koriukiv district, causing a fire in an outbuilding.
The Ukrainian Football Association has named the best goal of the Ukrainian national team in 2025. It was Ruslan Malinovskyi's second goal against Iceland.
In Iran, demonstrations caused by the deteriorating economic situation have spread to rural provinces, claiming the lives of at least seven people. These deaths may indicate increased measures by the Iranian authorities in response to the protests.
Chinese company BYD reported a 28% increase in EV sales last year, exceeding 2. 25 million units. This allowed it to overtake Tesla for the first time, which, according to analysts, sold about 1.65 million cars during the same period.
Russia launched 116 attack UAVs over Ukraine overnight, of which 86 were shot down or suppressed. 27 drones were recorded hitting 23 locations.