On December 30, Russian troops lost 1,000 soldiers and 552 UAVs in the war with Ukraine. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 31.12.25 are estimated at 1,207,910 personnel.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a law that allows ignoring sentences of international criminal institutions if Russia did not participate in their creation. This law is an attempt to protect the Kremlin leadership from international responsibility for war crimes.
On the night of December 31, explosions occurred in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, likely due to a drone attack. In Tuapse, the AVT-12 unit at the oil refinery, a key primary oil refining unit, is on fire.
Since the beginning of December 30, 142 combat engagements have taken place on the front. The enemy launched three missile and 34 air strikes, carried out 2574 shellings and 2759 kamikaze drone attacks.
In December 2025, demand for "female beauty" services in Russia decreased by 25–30%, which was the worst indicator in a decade. This is due to the rising cost of living, increased tax burden, and the impact of the war against Ukraine.
In 2026, tax rates for individual entrepreneurs will not increase, but the increase in the minimum wage and living wage will lead to an increase in deductions. The changes will affect the single tax, military levy, and unified social contribution, as well as annual income limits.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Donald Trump's visit to Ukraine would be beneficial, especially if he flies directly to Ukraine by plane. The President of Ukraine emphasized that this would indicate the possibility of a ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia does not want to hold a referendum because it does not want to ensure security. The Kremlin will constantly look for excuses to avoid a ceasefire.
As a result of a repeated Russian attack on the port infrastructure of Odesa region, oil tanks caught fire at one of the port enterprises. There were no casualties, and the fire was promptly extinguished by rescuers.
Ukrainian military personnel defending Kupyansk published photographs of the city destroyed by Russian occupiers. Soldiers of the 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade continue to defend the city.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has served another notice of suspicion to former People's Deputy from OPZZh, Oleh Voloshyn. He is accused of high treason for spreading propaganda and intentionally failing to submit declarations.
The Ministry of Defense has started testing military registration through the "Reserve+" application. Men who turn 17 in 2026, or those aged 25 to 59, are invited to participate in the testing.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science Mykola Trofymenko announced a complete update of the Admission Procedure to higher education institutions in 2026. Changes include the cancellation of motivational letters and a reduction in the number of applications from 15 to 12.
Since the beginning of the day, 63 combat engagements have been recorded. The enemy is actively advancing in the Pokrovsk, Huliaipole, and Kostiantynivka directions, launching air strikes and shelling.
A military unit commander in Donetsk region and his subordinate are suspected of appropriating over 17 tons of fuel. The perpetrators transported the stolen fuel to Zaporizhzhia region.
In 2025, Ukraine attracted over $52. 4 billion in external aid, of which more than 70% came from frozen Russian assets. These funds allowed for the full provision of social and humanitarian expenditures, while domestic resources were directed to security and defense.
The ECO MARKET supermarket chain has completed a charity fundraiser in support of the "Dronopad" project of the "Come Back Alive" Foundation, raising 1 million hryvnias. These funds are aimed at strengthening the counteraction to Russian drones, in particular reconnaissance and attack UAVs of the "Shahed" type.
Archpriest Vasyl Kiiko, abbot of the Holy Protection Church in Hryshyne village, died on December 29 as a result of Russian shelling in Donetsk region.
Vladimir Putin signed a decree on sending Russian citizens in the mobilization reserve to special training camps in 2026. The camps will be held to protect critical infrastructure and life support facilities.
A 61-year-old man was killed in Zaporizhzhia region as a result of a Russian FPV drone attack. The occupiers hit a car driving on a road in Veselianka, Zaporizhzhia district, with a drone.
The State Energy Supervision announced that standard hourly power outage schedules will be in effect in Ukraine on New Year's Eve. The situation may depend on security factors, despite the expected decrease in the load on the system.
Mandatory evacuation has been announced in the Chernihiv region from 14 border villages, where 300 people live. It should be completed within 30 days, said Viacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that "peace is on the horizon" after leaders' talks on Ukraine. The US is ready to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, including the presence of American troops.
As a result of the Russian attack, facilities in the ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk were damaged, as well as oil tanks. One person was injured, and a civilian vessel under the Panamanian flag was damaged.
The Defense Forces control the northern part of Pokrovsk and block the enemy's advance in the central part of the city. All approaches to the city are under the control of Ukrainian drones, and in Myrnohrad, defensive lines are held and the enemy is eliminated on the approaches.
The SBU detained a Kyiv resident who distributed videos of the capital's air defense system on social networks. The man filmed the deployment of Ukrainian air defense and published it on Telegram and Instagram.
Fighters of the SBS of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a massive attack on storage, equipment, and launch preparation sites for "Shahed", "Gerbera", and "Geran" drones on the territory of Donetsk Airport.
The Russian missile system "Oreshnik" has officially entered combat duty in Belarus. The Russian and Belarusian Ministries of Defense announced that all conditions have been created and specialists retrained for combat duty.
Fighting continues near the settlements of Yunakivka, Andriivka, Yablunivka, Varachyne, Kindrativka. The settlement of Khotyn in Sumy region remains under the control of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Ukraine's government bonds rose on Monday after positive signs in peace talks to end the war. Some bonds reached their highest level since the sovereign debt restructuring.
