Three tankers carrying almost 2. 2 million barrels of Urals crude are heading to Reliance Industries Ltd.'s Jamnagar refinery in India. This comes after the plant resumed purchases of Russian oil for domestic production.
The share of oil and gas revenues in Russia's budget will decrease to 23% this year, compared to 50% a few years ago. The reason is the war against Ukraine and sanctions that force Russia to sell oil at significant discounts.
Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has stated his readiness for dialogue with the United States on combating drug trafficking and oil. This comes amid increased American pressure on his government, including attacks on vessels and port infrastructure.
On the night of January 2, Russian occupiers attacked Zaporizhzhia twice with attack UAVs, causing fires and damage. A significant part of the enemy targets was destroyed, which allowed to avoid injuries.
Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 35 and 34 cents respectively on the first trading day of 2026. This followed the largest annual decline since 2020, caused by drone attacks on Russian oil facilities and US sanctions against Venezuela.
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.
On January 1, 97 combat engagements were recorded at the front, the enemy used 92 guided aerial bombs and over 4,000 kamikaze drone strikes. The greatest enemy activity was observed in the Pokrovsk, Lyman, Kostiantynivka, and Huliaipole directions.
On January 2, hourly power outage schedules will be applied in most regions of Ukraine. This is due to the consequences of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.
On the evening of January 1 and throughout January 2, gale-force winds up to 25 m/s are forecast in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, mountainous areas of Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions. Level I danger (yellow) has been declared, which may complicate the work of enterprises.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored 53 Ukrainian men and women from various regions of the country with state awards. Among the awardees are people who rescued the wounded, restored power plants, performed surgeries, and engaged in volunteering.
The Ministry of Energy reported that Ukraine transported 6. 9 billion cubic meters of gas through interstate entry points in the year following the cessation of Russian gas transit. This concerns the needs of Ukraine and other countries through the Ukrainian GTS.
On January 1, Russian troops struck the Zaporizhzhia district, causing a power outage for almost 4,000 subscribers. Restoration work has already begun.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed damage to the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar Krai and the Almetyevskaya oil preparation plant in Tatarstan. A UAV warehouse, a Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile system, and a fuel and lubricants warehouse in the occupied Donetsk region were also hit.
President Zelenskyy reacted to Russia's massive drone attack on at least 7 regions on New Year's Eve. He emphasized the need for partners to supply air defense systems without delay.
The index of business activity expectations of Ukrainian businesses in December 2025 was 49. 2 points, which is the highest indicator for December in the entire history of observations. Economic activity was constrained by the deteriorating security situation and power outages, while stable consumer demand and international aid were positive factors.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces' Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed the defeat of 10 military and infrastructure targets deep within enemy territory and in temporarily occupied territories on New Year's Eve. Among the targets were Russian oil refineries, an oil depot, a KASTA-2E2 radar, and a TOR air defense system.
Ukraine has strengthened its air defense by receiving two more Patriot systems thanks to agreements with Germany. These systems are capable of destroying aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including hypersonic ones, at a distance of up to 160 km and an altitude of up to 24 km.
Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on New Year's Eve, leading to power outages in the Volyn, Odesa, and Chernihiv regions. Power outage schedules are being applied in all regions to stabilize the energy system.
The Tax Service included 4,558 business inspections in its 2026 plan, slightly fewer than last year, with peak activity in March-April. The inspections will primarily concern companies (78%), as well as individual entrepreneurs, with Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv regions leading in the number of visits.
On the night of January 1, a number of Russian regions, including Krasnodar Krai and Kaluga Oblast, were subjected to drone attacks, which caused fires at an oil refinery and an oil depot. The mayor of Moscow reported repelling two UAVs that were allegedly flying towards the capital.
Enemy UAVs attacked critical infrastructure facilities in Volyn, causing fires in Lutsk and Kovel districts. Over 100,000 subscribers are without power, and there is no information about casualties.
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.
On December 31, 120 combat engagements were recorded at the front, Russian troops launched 46 air strikes and used 4,659 drones. The most tense situation remains in the Pokrovsk direction, where the enemy tried to break through the defense 27 times.
All regions of Ukraine will face hourly power outages and power restrictions for industry on January 1. This is a consequence of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, and the situation may change.
As reported by the General Staff, on the night of December 31, the Tuapse oil refinery, Tamanneftegaz, the Rosrezerv oil depot, and a number of other targets of the Russian occupiers were hit.
The Nomination Committee approved four independent members of the new supervisory board of NNEGC "Energoatom", including experts in nuclear safety, finance, and energy regulation. The selection of three state representatives to the supervisory board will be completed in January.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Ruslan Mahomedov from the post of head of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission. He had headed the commission since February 2021, according to a presidential decree.
Political scientist Stanislav Zhelikhovsky highlighted the key events of the year: Trump's return, resumption of negotiations, creation of the "Coalition of the Willing", allocation of 90 billion euros to Ukraine, and the PURL mechanism. The expert also mentioned the elections in Poland and Zelenskyy's visit.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to extend restrictions on the export of timber and scrap metal until the end of 2026. This decision provides for a licensing regime with zero quotas to preserve strategic raw materials in Ukraine and direct them to the needs of domestic processing.
In 2025, Ukraine's energy system was supplemented with 423 MW of new balancing capacity thanks to Ukrenergo's special auctions. The largest share is accounted for by energy storage facilities (398 MW) and gas piston units (25 MW).
