Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada has approved Ukraine's defense budget for 2025 in the amount of UAH 2. 22 trillion. The Ministry of Defense will receive the most funds - UAH 1.57 trillion, the Ministry of Internal Affairs - UAH 438 billion, and the National Guard - UAH 161 billion.

The head of the GRU said that the Russian economy will reach a dangerous point in 2025. Russia plans to spend 41% of its budget on the war and is capable of continuing hostilities at the current level.

The head of the GRU confirmed the participation of the North Korean military in the war against Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia. According to the White House, over the past week, the DPRK has lost about a thousand troops there.

In 2024, more Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity than in 2023. In total, 3956 people have been released since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including 1358 in 2024.

The government has updated the rules for crossing the border for men aged 18-25 who served under contract in the Armed Forces. A special certificate from the unit commander and a military registration document are now required to leave.

Since the beginning of 2024, more than 32 thousand Ukrainians have applied to recruitment centers for advice on military service. 7198 people are already undergoing the selection stage, and more than 10 thousand vacancies are available at the centers.

Olga Reshetylova became the Presidential Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Servicemen and Their Families. A draft law on a military ombudsman and modernization of the management of the Defense Forces are planned.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the exchange of 150 prisoners from each side with the mediation of the UAE. The Ukrainian side has not yet confirmed this information.

The Army+ app has already approved more than 5,000 decisions on the transfer of military personnel. The feature is available for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and will soon be available for border guards.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has chosen a “strong candidate” for the post of military ombudsman, and the relevant decree will be published on Monday, December 30.

Denmark, France, and Lithuania have provided Ukraine with more than €150 million for the development of the defense industry. The funds will be used to produce missiles, deep-strike drones, and artillery systems.

4 telecommunication equipment facilities of the Phoenix operator were destroyed in the occupied Donetsk region.

The Government has approved a new mechanism for issuing residence permits to foreigners who help the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The document strengthens the protection of foreign soldiers and volunteers who have been at the front for at least 6 months.

In 2024, Ukrainian enterprises produced more than 1. 5 million FPV drones and other types of drones. According to Defense Minister Umerov, 96.2% of all UAVs for the Armed Forces are Ukrainian-made.

The 46th recruitment center of the Ukrainian army has been opened in Korosten on the basis of the ASC. The center offers more than 10,000 vacancies in the security forces and provides an individual approach to each candidate.

The Ministry of Defense has started testing a new UAV control center from a Ukrainian manufacturer. The system provides autonomous control of drones in all conditions and is equipped with modern communications and electronic warfare.

Representatives of an organization involved in corruption scandals, the media, want to join the Defense Ministry's anti-corruption council - media.

The NABU will review information about possible violations of the law by Hetmantsev and Sokur, as reported by the former head of the Khmelnytsky tax office. Zlenko accused Hetmantsev of creating a criminal group in the State Tax Service.

Ukrzaliznytsia and the Ministry of Defense have created additional hospital cars to evacuate seriously wounded soldiers. The railcars are equipped with mobile hospital-level equipment.

Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boyev met with the new US Military Attaché Keith Phillips. The parties discussed the military assistance strategy for 2025 and cooperation in the defense industry.

The Ministry of Defense has authorized the delivery of a new domestic drone, the Shchedryk, to the troops. The UAV has silent engines, is resistant to electronic warfare, and can operate at altitudes that are difficult for enemy air defense to reach.

The National Qualifications Agency of Ukraine has registered the professional standard “Military Registration Officer”. The document defines the requirements for military registration specialists at all Ukrainian enterprises.

The government has automatically extended existing reservations for mobilization for one month due to a cyberattack on state registers. The decision applies to reservations that were valid as of December 19, 2024.

The Army+ app launches the Plus program for the military with access to special offers. Among the partners are Ukrzaliznytsia and Ukrnafta, which provide discounts and preferences for defenders.

A member of the Verkhovna Rada's National Security Committee spoke about the impossibility of mass demobilization due to threats to national security. The rotation system for the military is also not fully implemented due to the escalation at the front.

The Ministry of Defense is introducing a unified payment mechanism and a simplified procedure for providing meals to military personnel in civilian medical facilities. More than UAH 2.1 billion will be allocated for this purpose in 2025.

The Pechersk Court of Kyiv extended the detention of Roman Hrynkevych until January 21, 2025. The bail for the suspect in supplying low-quality clothing to the Armed Forces was reduced to UAH 302 million.

A new military standard for survival and capture avoidance training with three levels of difficulty has been approved. The program is based on NATO standards and includes survival training in various conditions.

The Ministry of Defense has introduced the possibility of transferring between units of the NGU through the Army+ app. The system has clear conditions for transfer depending on participation in combat operations and the conclusions of the Military Qualification Commission.

In 2024, the area of potentially mined territories in Ukraine decreased by 17 thousand square kilometers to 139 thousand square kilometers. More than 2,500 square kilometers have been cleared of mines and 165 communities in seven regions have been surveyed.