Putin will pay a state visit to India on December 4-5 for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting takes place against the backdrop of India continuing to massively buy discounted Russian oil, despite warnings from Washington.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain control over part of the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. This information was confirmed by Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.
ASTRA is aware of at least 132 aerial bombs (125 FABs and 7 UMPBs) and three missiles that have fallen from Russian planes in Russia and in the occupied territories of Ukraine since the beginning of 2025.
Statements by the Russian occupiers about full control of both banks of the Oskil River in Kupyansk do not correspond to reality. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have improved their tactical position in the city, and individual Russian groups remain only in the northern districts.
The Russian General Staff's report of a breakthrough in Lyman is a lie. Ukrainian troops repel up to 40 assaults daily, preventing the occupiers from entering the city.
Ukraine's foreign partners have coordinated further steps to restore the New Safe Confinement Arch over the destroyed 4th power unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, damaged by a Russian drone in February 2025. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is considering mechanisms to attract new donors.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte refused to comment on Putin's threats of war against Europe. He noted that Putin was in military uniform far from the front.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, reported on the failure of Russian attempts to occupy Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia direction. He noted that the Russians are unable to break through the front, despite heavy fighting.
A security company employee has been exposed in Kyiv for providing Russian special services with information about the consequences of strikes, air defense, and military facilities. He also publicly denied Russian aggression and justified the occupation.
The planned meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Brussels has been canceled. This happened after their negotiations with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
On the night of December 3, drones attacked an oil depot in Russia's Tambov region, causing a fire. Russian authorities claimed to have destroyed 102 Ukrainian aircraft over seven regions, but the Tambov region was not mentioned in the report.
Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the head of the Russian Federation, stated that the issue of a New Year's truce with Ukraine has not been discussed yet. According to him, a completely different process is currently underway.
Germany is forming a new police unit of 130 officers to detect and neutralize drones. Over 100 million euros have been allocated for this purpose for 2025-2026.
The SBU sentenced an FSB agent to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property for adjusting Russian airstrikes and artillery shelling in Donetsk region. The perpetrator was detained in Kirovohrad region, where she arrived under the guise of a displaced person to flee to the Russian Federation.
In the temporarily occupied Donetsk region, military-technical classes are being held for teenagers, teaching them how to use weapons, drones, and tactical actions. These activities are a systemic militarization that forms a controlled mobilization reserve for Russia's long-term goals.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Ukrainian defenders improved their tactical position in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast. Positions within the city have been strengthened and possible routes for enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups to penetrate have been blocked.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented awards in Dublin to the families of Irish volunteers who gave their lives for Ukraine. He presented the Order "For Courage" of the III degree to the relatives of Graham Dale, Robert Deegan, and Oleksandr Ryzhuk.
The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, held an almost five-hour meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Russian media called it "productive."
On December 2, 191 combat engagements took place at the front, with the greatest activity in the Pokrovsk direction, where the Defense Forces repelled 48 attempts to break through. In this direction, Ukrainian soldiers neutralized 130 occupiers and destroyed a tank, an armored combat vehicle, and 19 drones.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiha, stated that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has been making statements for two days in a row that indicate his unwillingness to end the war, threatening seaports and freedom of navigation, especially Odesa. Sybiha emphasized that Russia must stop the bloodshed, otherwise it will have consequences.
Vladimir Putin stated Russia's readiness for war with Europe, emphasizing that if it starts, there will quickly be no one left to negotiate with. He noted that actions against Ukraine are a "surgical method," unlike a potential conflict with Europe.
US President Donald Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff and US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived at the Kremlin for a meeting with Kremlin head Vladimir Putin. The talks will discuss a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, Trump's special envoy will present a new version of the plan to the Russian side.
In Poland, politicians express distrust of Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, regarding his competence in negotiations with Russia. Minister Przydacz believes that Witkoff, being a real estate businessman, does not realize the specifics of the Kremlin's harsh methods.
Before negotiations with Putin, US President's special representative Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner had lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Moscow. The lunch took place in the company of Russian dictator's representative Kirill Dmitriev.
Russian citizen Mykhailo Myrhorodskyi created a criminal group for espionage and sabotage, which planned to derail a train. The prosecutor's office has brought five charges against him, and an international search warrant has been issued.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Georgiy Tykhyi, officially denied Ukraine's involvement in the incident with the MIDVOLGA-2 tanker, which was transporting sunflower oil under the Russian flag. He hinted that Russia might have staged the attack, as the vessel's route made no sense.
On the night of December 2, Ukrainian Armed Forces drones attacked the building of the FSB of the Russian Federation in the Achkhoy-Martanovsky district of Chechnya, as a result of which the building completely burned down. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the downing of four drones over Chechnya.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine refuted Russian fakes about the capture of Kupyansk, Pokrovsk, and Vovchansk. In Pokrovsk, the Defense Forces hold the northern part of the city, and in Vovchansk, Ukrainian defenders firmly hold their positions.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced the need to create a security zone along the border with Ukraine. Military analyst Ivan Stupak did not rule out that this is an informational maneuver.
On December 1, a bust of Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Mazepa was unveiled in Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the UINP and the National Reserve.
