On December 31, Russian troops lost 1060 soldiers and 769 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 01.01.26 amount to 1,208,970 people.
On the night of January 1, a large fire broke out in the 150-year-old Vondelkerk church in Amsterdam. The fire, which started on the roof, quickly engulfed the entire building.
On January 1, cloudy weather with clearings, frosts, and light snow are expected in Ukraine in the west, east, and northeast. In Kyiv and the region, variable cloudiness without precipitation is forecast, with air temperatures of -10°...-8°.
The UK government has decided to lower the voting age from 18 to 16. This expansion of the electorate could affect the results of the next elections in 2029.
The Trump administration sanctioned four companies from Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as associated oil tankers, accusing them of evading sanctions against Venezuela. These measures are aimed at cutting off financial flows supporting the regime of Nicolas Maduro.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia never ends wars of its own free will, only under external pressure. He emphasized that trusting the Kremlin's word is a death sentence for international security.
US national security officials said Ukraine did not attack Putin or his residence, refuting Moscow's claims. The CIA confirmed that Ukraine attempted to strike a military target in the same region, but not near it.
In his New Year's address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's belief in peace and its struggle for it. He wished for the defenders to return home and emphasized the importance of unity.
On the night of January 1, the enemy attacked Lutsk and the Kovel community with drones. Some of the UAVs were heading towards Lutsk, causing a fire.
As a result of an enemy drone attack on the night of January 1, the energy infrastructure of the Odesa region was damaged, causing a fire at one of the facilities. Power outages are being recorded at critical enterprises in Odesa.
As a result of the Russian forces' attack on Zaporizhzhia on New Year's Eve, five people were injured, including a 15-year-old boy. The victims received medical and psychological assistance, and one was hospitalized.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the war in Ukraine is part of Russia's plan against the whole of Europe, directly threatening Germany's freedom and security. He emphasized that Germany is subjected to sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks from Russia every day.
The National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate of the dollar at 42. 39 hryvnias and the euro at 49.86 hryvnias for December 31. The euro on the interbank market already costs more than 50 hryvnias.
On December 30, Russian troops lost 1,000 soldiers and 552 UAVs in the war with Ukraine. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 31.12.25 are estimated at 1,207,910 personnel.
ATESH agents in the Zheleznodorozhny district of Voronezh destroyed a locomotive that was used to transport military cargo for the Kupyansk group of Russian troops. This complicated the formation of echelons and disrupted the schedules for sending trains with weapons.
In occupied Melitopol, on the eve of the holidays, cash disappeared from ATMs, depriving residents of access to their own money. Cash is directed to the needs of the occupation structures, and the civilian population receives it on a residual basis.
On December 31, cloudy weather with clearings, light snow, and gusty winds is expected in Ukraine. The air temperature during the day will be 2-7°C below zero, in the south of the country from 4°C below zero to 1°C above zero.
The Kremlin has not provided evidence for its claims of a Ukrainian drone attack on Putin's residence on December 29, denying the need to do so. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that "no evidence is needed" and also could not answer whether debris remained.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows ignoring sentences of international criminal institutions if Russia did not participate in their creation. This law is an attempt to protect the Kremlin leadership from international responsibility for war crimes.
On the night of December 31, explosions occurred in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, likely due to a drone attack. In Tuapse, the AVT-12 unit at the oil refinery, a key primary oil refining unit, is on fire.
Ukraine has provided Europe with a list of all companies that supplied spare parts for the Russian "Oreshnik" complex. Now, Western partners are expected to make administrative decisions regarding sanctions against these firms.
In December 2025, Ukraine carried out at least 24 attacks on Russian oil refineries, tankers, and pipeline infrastructure. These actions increased pressure on Russian exports and contributed to a reduction in petrodollars, a key source of war financing.
Approximately 30 million euros in cash, gold, and valuables were stolen from a Sparkasse bank branch in Gelsenkirchen. The perpetrators broke into 3200 safes after gaining entry through an adjacent parking lot and breaching a wall.
Odesa and the region were subjected to a massive drone attack, damaging residential, logistical, and energy infrastructure. Hits on high-rise buildings were recorded in two districts of the regional center. A fire broke out in apartments in one of the buildings. There are casualties, including children.
Technicians successfully restored a power line near the ZNPP under security guarantees provided by both sides of the conflict. This allowed the resumption of electricity transmission between the ZNPP and the Zaporizhzhia TPP, which is a key route for power supply.
On the night of December 31, the enemy attacked the Kyiv region with drones. In Bila Tserkva, an apartment building was damaged, windows were blown out and balconies from the first to the sixth floor were damaged, explosions thundered in Kyiv.
Poland has appealed to the European Commission to investigate the spread of AI-generated content on TikTok that calls for the country's withdrawal from the EU. The government stated that these materials constitute a coordinated disinformation campaign and threaten democratic processes.
On the night of December 31, the enemy attacked Odesa with attack UAVs, which led to the absence of electricity, water, and heating in parts of the city. As a result of the attack, warehouses of a logistics company caught fire, and a multi-story residential building was hit.
The Kremlin is actively promoting the forced mobilization of reservists to participate in hostilities in Ukraine, as Russia suffers disproportionately high losses. Dictator Putin signed a decree allowing the deployment of reservists to training camps from 2026 to protect critical facilities.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated that Russia's claims about Ukraine's attack on Putin's residence may not be true. He emphasized the need to review data from US intelligence agencies regarding the incident.
