On January 2, a reactor at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant in Finland shut down due to a technical malfunction. The fault automatically caused an emergency shutdown of the OL2 reactor, which has been operating since 1982, but the incident did not affect nuclear safety.
Occupying media stopped covering the water crisis in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region, focusing on New Year holidays, while local residents on social networks report the absence of systemic solutions. A "water business" is thriving in the region, and residents receive bills for a non-existent service, creating a caste system of access to water.
The death toll from the enemy strike on Kharkiv has risen to two, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. The second victim was a woman, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
China has abolished the tax exemption on contraceptives and birth control methods, introducing a 13% VAT. This is a step in response to the declining birth rate and the third consecutive year of population decline.
Mykolaiv was attacked by enemy drones on the night of January 3. Explosions were heard in the city, and an air raid alert was announced.
President Zelenskyy proposed Mykhailo Fedorov for the post of Minister of Defense to develop drone technologies. Kyrylo Budanov will head the Presidential Office, taking one of the most influential positions in the country.
Russian troops continue to use drones at low altitudes, attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This is part of Russia's strategy to prolong the war and delay peace negotiations.
Polls show that 59. 6% of Poles do not expect the war in Ukraine to end by 2026. This trend has been growing since 2024, reflecting war fatigue and expectations of peace among voters.
Rescuers showed the consequences of the enemy attack on Kharkiv on January 2. Over 80 volunteers are helping to clear the destruction, search for people under the rubble, and provide support to the victims.
The National Bank of Ukraine set the official dollar exchange rate for January 2 at 42. 17 hryvnias, which is 22 kopecks less than the previous day. The euro depreciated by 24 kopecks, settling at 49.55 hryvnias, and the zloty by 10 kopecks, to 11.71 hryvnias.
In Kyiv, 57% of survey participants supported renaming the section along Mariinsky Park in honor of Andriy Parubiy. This refers to the section from Hrushevsky Street to Parkova Road.
On January 1, Russian troops lost 910 soldiers and 590 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 02.01.26 are estimated at 1,209,880 personnel.
Ukraine's defense forces are under heavy pressure in the south, outnumbered by Russian brigades that have seized hundreds of square kilometers. The Russians have advanced in the Zaporizhzhia region, the situation remains tense, with the most intense fighting taking place in Huliaipole.
On January 2, most of Ukraine is expected to have cloudy weather. Light snow is forecast in the north and west of the country, with black ice on the roads.
A poll by The Economist/YouGov showed that 49% of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's actions regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine. Only 30% of respondents support his approach.
The 2026 European Fencing Championships in Tallinn are under threat of cancellation, as Estonia refuses to guarantee the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus. The International Fencing Federation demands written confirmation of the admission of all athletes, but the Estonian authorities do not issue visas to citizens of these countries.
The daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Ju Ae, made her first public visit to the Kumsusan mausoleum, accompanying her parents. Her frequent appearances in state media fuel speculation that she may become her father's successor.
143 Israeli judges, including all current and former court presidents, have expressed concern for the safety of Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit. This follows threats against him from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who called Amit a "cruel, predatory totalitarian."
Yemen's main air gateway, Aden International Airport, has suspended operations due to a dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE over flight restrictions. This happened amid the biggest crisis in relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in a decade.
The US calls on China for restraint and dialogue after large-scale military exercises around Taiwan. The State Department believes that China's military actions are unnecessarily escalating tensions in the region.
Mykolaiv was attacked by enemy drones on the night of Friday, January 2. Mayor Sienkevych reported explosions and the threat of UAVs.
On the night of January 2, the Russian city of Samara was attacked by drones. It is likely that the attack UAVs targeted the Novokuibyshevsk and Kuibyshev oil refineries.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in his New Year's address, called on Europe to follow his country's example. He highlighted the secure eastern border, strict asylum policy, and the largest modern army in the EU.
As a result of the enemy's night attack on Zaporizhzhia on January 2, another fire broke out. The head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, reported 9 strikes, and the air raid alert is ongoing.
Czech Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura spoke out against providing weapons to Ukraine, calling the war "senseless. " He stated that the money of Czech pensioners should not go to support "pro-war propaganda."
The head of the Russian GRU handed over to the representative of the US military attaché materials with decrypted routing data of a Ukrainian drone. Russian special services claim that the target of the attack was Putin's residence in the Novgorod region.
Late in the evening on January 1, Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia with two attack UAVs, causing a fire. The attack took place in the Voznesenivskyi district.
According to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, in November 2025, Russia's GDP grew by only 0. 1% year-on-year, which is the worst indicator since the beginning of 2023. Industrial production went into negative territory for the first time in nine months (-0.7%), signaling the exhaustion of the economic model.
Dutch police arrested about 250 people during a "violent New Year's Eve" marked by mass riots and attacks on emergency workers. Two people died, many were injured by fireworks, and the number of fires sharply increased.
The National Bank of Ukraine has set the official dollar exchange rate for January 1 at 42. 39 hryvnias, which is higher than the previous indicator. The euro exchange rate is 49.79 hryvnias, and the zloty is 11.80 hryvnias.
