Martial law
Svitlana Onyshchuk, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration, appealed to law enforcement agencies to check the operation of entertainment venues. This happened after the death of an 18-year-old boy as a result of a fight near one of the venues in Ivano-Frankivsk.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive three million FPV drones by the end of this year, which is almost 2. 5 times more than last year. The vast majority of drones are domestically produced, and almost 15,000 ground-based robotic systems have also been supplied.
Ukraine and Poland have begun preparations for new search operations, conducting a reconnaissance visit to the Rivne region on December 19, 2025. The research is scheduled for March-April 2026, according to the agreements of the Ukrainian-Polish Working Group.
The United States Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Matthew Whitaker, added that Russia has never been willing to acknowledge the loss of millions of its troops.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War stated that these "attacks" are provocative and accompanied by loud statements from Russian officials and propagandists.
The head of the OMA, Hryhorov, reported that 4,000 residents of Sumy region refuse to evacuate from the border zone. Evacuation has been ongoing since 2023 as a preventive measure to save civilian lives.
7,826 churches of the Moscow Patriarchate remain in Ukraine, despite a law prohibiting their activities. Only 934 religious communities have transferred to the OCU in almost 4 years of full-scale war.
On the night of December 24, Russia attacked Ukraine with 116 attack UAVs, 60 of which were neutralized. 48 drones hit 19 locations, including a critical infrastructure facility in Chernihiv region.
Over the past day, 126 combat engagements took place on the front, with the highest activity in the Pokrovsk, Huliaipole, and Kostiantynivka directions. The enemy launched two missile and 65 air strikes, using 39 missiles and 160 guided aerial bombs.
The Defense Forces are holding back intense pressure from Russian invaders, with 110 combat engagements recorded. The enemy is actively using aviation and drones, dropping 105 aerial bombs and using over 5,500 kamikaze drones.
In November, 731 occupiers, 121 pieces of military equipment, and 59 other targets were destroyed on mine-explosive barriers installed by engineering units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The strikes were mostly carried out by remote mining using unmanned aerial vehicles.
In Chernihiv, an enemy UAV hit the 9th floor of a high-rise building, causing a fire and blowing out windows. Emergency services are evacuating residents, information on casualties is being clarified.
As a result of the Russian shelling, an energy facility in the Chernihiv district was damaged, leading to a power outage in part of Chernihiv. Energy workers will begin restoration work as soon as the security situation allows.
Brigadier General Andriy Biletskyi stated that Ukraine must systematically approach the creation of modern field fortifications. He noted that drones have changed the battlefield, and a modern defensive line should be a flat, unobstructed field for effective UAV operation.
Ukrainian defenders withdrew from Siversk in Donetsk region due to the enemy's superiority in manpower and equipment. The city remains under the fire control of the Defense Forces, which allows blocking the enemy's advance and inflicting damage on them.
Serhiy Tarakanov, director of the Chornobyl NPP, stated that another Russian shelling could destroy the internal radiation shelter. Even an indirect ballistic hit is capable of causing seismic vibrations that the old Sarcophagus might not withstand.
Ihor Zelinsky, who is being lobbied for the position of head of the State Aviation Service, blocked the operation of the Ministry of Defense's Il-76MD military transport aircraft. This decision made it impossible to use critically important aviation equipment for the logistical needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the war.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul believes that Russia could use a ceasefire in Ukraine to prepare for an attack on NATO. He emphasizes the need for reliable security guarantees for Ukraine, especially from the United States, in the event of territorial concessions.
Prosecutors reported suspicion to officials due to violations of sanitary norms and E. coli in school food. Dangerous bacteria were found in products supplied to schoolchildren.
During the day, 67 combat engagements took place on the front, of which 27 enemy attempts to advance were recorded in the Pokrovsk direction. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, battles continue in several directions, including the Northern-Slobozhansky, Kupyansk, and Huliaipole directions.
The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed electricity distribution system operators to lease state-owned energy equipment without auctions. The monthly rent will be 1 hryvnia for each object, and the decision applies for the period of martial law and six months after its completion.
Rating agency Fitch upgraded Ukraine's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating to "CCC" from "restricted default. " This reflects the normalization of relations with commercial creditors and the restructuring of 94% of commercial external debt.
Ukraine has announced the winners of the "School of Community Leaders 2. 0" competition from MHP, who will receive UAH 10 million in grant support. The projects focus on energy efficiency, veteran policy, and youth engagement.
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.
Ukraine ranked 40th among 195 countries in the Government AI Readiness Index 2025, moving up 14 positions. The country surpassed the US and Great Britain in some criteria, particularly in the digitalization of public services.
Ukraine celebrates Christmas on December 25, but no day off is expected due to martial law. The holiday has deep family traditions, including 12 Lenten dishes on Christmas Eve, the main one of which is kutia.
In the Kharkiv region, a junior medical brother of the Chuhuiv branch of forensic medical examination was exposed for appropriating mobile phones of fallen Ukrainian soldiers. He has been notified of suspicion of theft committed under martial law, repeatedly.
Large-scale schemes for illegal border crossing by conscripts have been exposed in four regions of Ukraine. The organizers transported men to Moldova and Hungary for tens of thousands of dollars, and also issued fictitious disability documents.
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.
Poland scrambled its military aircraft and put air defense systems on alert in response to Russia's massive attack on Ukraine on December 23. These actions are preventive in nature to ensure the security of Poland's airspace.