Electricity
On December 17, hourly power outage schedules and power limitations will be in effect in most regions of Ukraine. This is due to the consequences of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague. They discussed continued defense assistance to Ukraine and joint efforts to achieve peace.
Ukraine has freed up at least 800 MW of electricity capacity after reviewing the lists of critical infrastructure facilities. This will allow for a reduction in the duration of power outage schedules for the population and industry.
Ford is changing its strategy, abandoning large electric cars in favor of hybrids and gasoline models. This decision is driven by low demand, changes in regulatory norms by the Donald Trump administration, and will lead to financial losses for the company amounting to $19.5 billion.
The Kharkiv region was switched to emergency power outages in the morning, and consumers in the Donetsk region were completely de-energized due to night attacks by the Russian Federation. In total, more than 700,000 consumers in the Odesa and Donetsk regions remain without electricity.
The cost of a New Year's table for a family of four in Ukraine in 2026 will be about 3980 hryvnias. This is 10.7% more expensive than last year, according to data from the Institute of Agrarian Economics.
In Odesa region, energy workers restored electricity supply for about 330,000 families after a massive shelling. However, 288,000 families still remain without electricity, although critical infrastructure is powered.
The US is offering Ukraine security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5, but with an implicit ultimatum to accept them now. This offer is an attempt to accelerate a peace agreement and allay fears of a future Russian attack.
Chinese automaker BYD has significantly extended the battery warranty coverage for its electric vehicles in Europe to 8 years or 250,000 km. This new policy exceeds industry standards and puts pressure on competitors.
Ukraine and the United States supported German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for a Christmas truce. President Zelenskyy emphasized that the implementation of this idea depends on Russia's political will.
Ukraine expects five documents of the "peace plan" approved by the US Congress, after which Zelenskyy will meet with Trump. The documents provide for support in Ukraine's recovery and the creation of a fund to compensate Ukrainians for damages.
In Bolivia, floods caused by the overflowing Piraí River have killed 20 people, and at least two dozen are considered missing. Approximately 2,100 families have been affected, and 300 people have been rescued by helicopter.
Ukrenergo announced the application of hourly power outage schedules for household consumers and power limitations for industrial enterprises on December 16. The reason cited was the consequences of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that all Ukrainian power plants have been affected by Russian strikes. He emphasized the importance of continued German support for the restoration of the energy system.
In Odesa Oblast, about 80 settlements remain without electricity after massive Russian attacks. In Odesa, heat and water supply have been restored, and work is underway to restore electricity supply.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids are rapidly increasing sales, displacing gasoline cars. In the US, 22% of passenger cars sold in the first quarter of this year were hybrids, and in Europe they are already the most popular, occupying 35% of the market.
Massive Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure threaten a complete power outage, especially in the east of the country.
About 430,000 consumers in the south remain without electricity, and extended blackout schedules are being applied in Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions.
In Ukraine, moderately warm weather without significant precipitation is expected in the coming days due to the Frieda anticyclone. In most regions, the temperature will be +4...+7 degrees, in the east from -1 to +2 degrees.
Ukraine has announced the winners of the educational grant program "Community Leaders School 2. 0", implemented by MHP and the MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation in partnership with Mariupol State University. 11 projects from 13 regions received grant support totaling UAH 10 million for youth development, veteran policy, and energy efficiency.
A KMIS poll showed a significant drop in Ukrainians' trust in NATO and the US, while trust in the European Union and President Zelenskyy remains stable. Only 9% of citizens support elections during the war.
More than 57% of Ukrainians consider Russian strikes to be the cause of power outages, while 29% blame the Ukrainian authorities. The KIIS poll was conducted from November 26 to December 13, 2025.
More than 430,000 consumers in Odesa region remain without electricity after a massive Russian attack. Due to new Russian strikes, there are power outages in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, where an energy worker was injured.
A KIIS poll showed that 72% of Ukrainians are ready for peace with a frozen front and security guarantees. Most Ukrainians reject the Russian peace plan and are ready to endure the war for as long as necessary.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, due to enemy shelling, the contact network was de-energized, which led to train delays. Delays affect both long-distance and suburban routes, reaching up to 6 hours and 30 minutes.
On the night of December 15, drones attacked seven regions of Russia. As a result of the attack, a gas processing plant in Astrakhan was damaged, which produces a significant part of sulfur for the manufacture of explosives.
On the night of December 15, the Russian capital was attacked by drones; according to city authorities, Russian air defense shot down more than a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles. Residents of the Istra district and the Moscow region towns of Kashira and Kolomna heard explosions, and Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports temporarily suspended operations.
Stabilization measures continue in Odesa region after massive Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. All services are working 24/7, and almost 19,000 people have visited the invincibility points.
Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported a missile strike on the city on December 14, which damaged engineering facilities and shattered windows of buildings. Local residents report a strike on a thermal power plant, which led to power outages.
The Russian army began using a double warhead in its drones, the total mass of which reached 100 kilograms.