On January 1, Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of Basil the Great and the Circumcision of the Lord. On this day, there are traditions of sowing.
In his New Year's address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed Ukraine's belief in peace and its struggle for it. He wished for the defenders to return home and emphasized the importance of unity.
On the night of January 1, the enemy attacked Lutsk and the Kovel community with drones. Some of the UAVs were heading towards Lutsk, causing a fire.
The first full moon of 2026, known as the "Wolf Moon," will be the fourth consecutive supermoon. It will peak on January 3 at 12:02 PM Kyiv time and will appear larger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth.
Veteran Ruslana Danilkina and Pavlo Simakin became the winners of "Dancing with the Stars" after their performance on December 28. The couple scored a maximum of 40 points from the jury for their rumba.
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia will have to end the war as soon as they find one more reason for peace than to fight. He emphasized that today everyone adds: "To be one step ahead, one hour faster, one decision braver."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he would only sign a strong agreement on security guarantees, rejecting the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk agreements. He emphasized that the agreement must be ratified by partners to ensure lasting peace.
As a result of the Russian forces' attack on Zaporizhzhia on New Year's Eve, five people were injured, including a 15-year-old boy. The victims received medical and psychological assistance, and one was hospitalized.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the peace agreement is 90% ready, and the remaining 10% will determine the fate of peace, Ukraine, and Europe. He emphasized that these 10% are necessary to save millions of lives and maintain unity.
January 2026 will be relatively calm regarding magnetic storms, but solar flares are expected. The largest magnetic storms are predicted for January 17 and 18 with a K-index of 5.
Ukraine was under enemy air attack for almost the entire year 2025.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the war in Ukraine is part of Russia's plan against the whole of Europe, directly threatening Germany's freedom and security. He emphasized that Germany is subjected to sabotage, espionage, and cyberattacks from Russia every day.
The US held a productive discussion with national security advisors from the UK, France, Germany, and Ukraine. The next steps in the peace process and security guarantees for Ukraine were discussed.
The first to welcome 2026 were Oceania and Asia, where celebrations are accompanied by pyrotechnic shows and traditional rituals. New Zealand greeted the year with a five-minute fireworks display over Sky Tower, while Sydney honored the victims of the terrorist attack with a minute of silence and projections on the Harbour Bridge.
In England, trains were canceled and delayed on New Year's Eve due to the theft of 200 meters of signal cables between Doncaster and Sheffield. This led to the cancellation of 13 services and the delay of 83 trains for more than 15 hours.
Border guards defending Ukrainian cities demonstrate the creation of a festive atmosphere. This happens even in places where the occupiers are trying to destroy all life.
Taiwan remains on high alert after the completion of large-scale Chinese military maneuvers "Mission Justice 2025". Despite the withdrawal of PRC ships, the island's coast guard continues enhanced monitoring of fleet movements.
New Year is already being celebrated in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. An hour before that, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan welcomed the holiday.
On December 31, a large-scale blackout occurred in Domodedovo, leaving residents without electricity, water, and heating. The cause is said to be a power surge that led to a system failure.
SBU Head Vasyl Maliuk summarized 2025, noting the "Spiderweb" special operation, the destruction of 41 Russian strategic aviation aircraft, and an underwater explosion that shook the Crimean Bridge. A Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk was also hit.
Five key fashion trends for 2026, including opulence, historical references, massive jewelry, transparency and lightness, and updated sunglasses.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba summarized the results of 2025 in the transport industry, noting an increase in seats on international trains and the launch of the Eurotrack. The "transport visa-free regime" with the EU was extended, and digital systems such as eCherha and e-TTN were introduced.
Japan, South and North Korea officially entered the New Year. Traditional ceremonies were held in Seoul and Japan, and a large-scale fireworks display in Pyongyang.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Ukrainians on the upcoming New Year. He emphasized that 2025 was made possible thanks to Ukrainian defenders.
In his New Year's address, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced that the country had reached "new heights" in economy, technology, and defense. He emphasized the inevitability of Taiwan's annexation and reaffirmed the course for an internal party purge.
The State Duma of the Russian Federation announced possible disconnections of mobile internet on New Year's Eve, explaining it as concern for citizens. Throughout 2025, mobile internet was disconnected more than 11 thousand times in Russian regions.
Residents of Australia and New Zealand welcomed the New Year 2026, thousands of people took to the streets of cities, including Canberra and Wellington. In Sydney, where a terrorist attack previously occurred, about 1 million people watched the fireworks under close police supervision.
Damage to the underwater telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn was recorded on December 31, 2025. Finnish police are investigating the incident, having identified a vessel with a dropped anchor chain in Finland's exclusive economic zone.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has cost Russian taxpayers approximately $550 billion, which is equivalent to 24 annual Russian higher education budgets. A significant portion of these expenditures is hidden, and the financing of the war is shifted to the population through new taxes and rising prices.
