On December 19, the European Union approved €90 billion in funding for Ukraine, which the country will repay after receiving reparations from Russia. Journalists found out how this process took place.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled a mechanized assault by Russian occupiers in the Kostiantynivka direction on December 22. Soldiers of the 28th separate mechanized brigade destroyed enemy infantry and tanks.
Law enforcement officers have notified a Dnipro city council official and three individuals of suspicion for causing UAH 3. 3 million in budget losses. They organized a scheme to embezzle funds by entering into contracts for the supply of windows and doors at inflated prices.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appealed to the NEURC regarding the postponement of planned changes in water tariffs. The government believes that water tariffs should remain unchanged throughout the war.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a package of decisions to strengthen the country's defense industry at the submission of the Ministry of Defense. A new experimental project is being launched for the Motor Sich enterprise, accelerating the design of new facilities and providing them with water, gas, heat, and electricity through a simplified procedure.
The Southern Military Court in Rostov-on-Don is considering a treason case against Anton Kuur, a native of Tuva, who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. This may be the first such case since the beginning of the full-scale aggression.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stated that Russia's economy allows it to produce weapons and hire mercenaries, which enables the Kremlin to continue the war. He emphasized that Putin and his elites do not see Russia's future without Ukraine.
The National Museum of the History of Ukraine received a rare sword from the Kyivan Rus' era, found near Radomyshl in the Zhytomyr region, dating back to the second half of the 10th – early 11th century. Two axes were also handed over to the museum, and the artifacts were found by Viktor Moshchenko and his daughter Natalia.
On December 23, PJSC "Zaporizhstal" was completely de-energized due to massive Russian shelling of energy infrastructure, which led to an emergency shutdown of production. Thanks to the prompt actions of the personnel, a man-made accident was avoided and emissions were minimized.
Antony Blinken also noted that Donald Trump's approach to pressuring Ukraine is flawed.
In Ukraine, in 2024 and 2025, there was a significant increase in the number of men aged 25+ in professional pre-higher education. This phenomenon indicates a possible use of education as a way to defer military service.
A Politico columnist predicts that the Russian-Ukrainian war will end next year on terms extremely unfavorable to Ukraine. This is due to the EU's inability to agree on the use of frozen Russian assets and insufficient funding.
Russian generals regularly submit reports to Putin with inflated Ukrainian losses and downplayed Russian failures. Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov has strengthened his position despite criticism.
As a result of the Russian attack on Kyiv on December 23, the number of injured increased to five people, including a 16-year-old girl. A 48-year-old woman was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, her condition is serious.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for further support for Ukraine to prevent a Russian attack on NATO countries. He emphasized Germany's importance in increasing defense spending and rapidly building up armaments.
On the night of December 23, Russian UAVs attacked the south of Odesa region, damaging energy, port, transport, industrial and residential infrastructure. As a result of the strikes, a civilian dry cargo ship, warehouses, roofs and windows in 122 private houses and three high-rise buildings, as well as a garage, were damaged.
In Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district, debris fell near a residential building, damaging windows on the fifth floor. Two people were injured and are receiving medical assistance.
The price of Russian Urals oil has fallen to $34 per barrel, while Brent remains at $61. This drop may indicate the impact of US sanctions and negatively affect the Kremlin's revenues.
The European Commission will investigate Czech state aid for the construction and operation of two new nuclear power units in Dukovany. This initiative aims to accelerate decarbonization and eliminate electricity supply shortages, with planned commissioning in 2036 and 2037.
J. D. Vance stated that there is progress in negotiations regarding Ukraine, but he is not confident about achieving a peaceful resolution. Issues such as the territories of Donbas, the South, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and the fate of ethnic Ukrainians and Russians in both countries are being discussed.
The "Army+" application has been updated, adding a digital ID for defenders and a "Pulse" feed. The expanded Army ID allows confirming the status of a serviceman/servicewoman via QR code, and the "Pulse" feed provides information about rights and opportunities. The application's design and navigation have also been updated.
In October 2025, Ukrainian banks issued 809 mortgage loans totaling UAH 1. 6 billion. Of these, 486 loans for UAH 972 million were provided in the primary real estate market, and 323 loans for UAH 632 million were provided in the secondary market.
Alexander Stubb stated that Russia occupied less than 1% of Ukraine's territory in a thousand days of full-scale war. He noted that the Russian economy is in a bad state due to sanctions, which are a strong blow to the aggressor country.
In Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, as a result of an attack by Russian Shahed UAVs, the "I-VETERAN" Administrative Service Center was destroyed. The main "Viza" ASC was also significantly damaged; both centers will not be operating on December 22.
Russian developers have adapted the FPV drone "Molniya" for aerial reconnaissance, integrating a Raspberry Pi 5 microcomputer and a Chinese Mini PC F8. The new version, "Molniya-2R," is equipped with a SIYI ZR10 camera with ten-fold optical zoom and Starlink for data transmission.
On the night of December 22, Russian occupiers attacked the energy and industrial infrastructure of Odesa region. An energy facility and a warehouse building were damaged, and one person was hospitalized.
Security guarantees for Ukraine are not only in the hands of the United States but also the Russian dictator. This is due to the failure of the Budapest Memorandum and ongoing negotiations.
In one of the ports of Russia's Krasnodar Krai, two berths and two vessels were damaged on the night of December 22 as a result of a UAV attack. A fire covering an area of up to 1,500 square meters was recorded, with no casualties.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha responded to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who could not name the culprit of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Sybiha compared Hungary's position to the situation in 1939, when the country was an ally of Nazi Germany.
The song "Shchedryk" was written at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, its English version was released, which is known to the world as "Carol of the Bells".
