Russian propaganda
Russia at the UN condemned US actions against Venezuela, calling them an act of international aggression. Russia calls for the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, detained during Operation "Absolute Resolve" in Caracas.
In Lviv, a woman used pepper spray against war veteran Andriy Kulko, who was held captive by Russia for almost two years. The incident occurred due to a request to throw out garbage that the woman was storing in the entrance.
The SBU detained a Russian agent who blew up a Ukrainian serviceman's car in Kyiv's Obolonskyi district on January 4. As a result of the terrorist attack, the serviceman and his acquaintance were injured.
New burial trenches have been recorded in temporarily occupied Mariupol, linked to the exhumation of bodies and rising mortality among the civilian population. Local authorities and the Center for the Study of Occupation report a shocking scale of new burials in the third year of occupation.
President Zelenskyy met with SBU Major General Oleksandr Poklad. Specific tasks and operations to strengthen counterintelligence work were discussed.
Vasyl Malyuk confirmed that he is stepping down as Head of the Security Service, but will remain in the SBU system to implement world-class asymmetric special operations. He thanked the President of Ukraine for supporting changes in the defense sector and expressed belief in a just peace.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is considering fleeing to Moscow with his entourage if protests in Iran intensify. This plan follows the example of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Russia claims that Ukraine has been attacking Moscow daily with drones since the beginning of 2026, considering it an escalation. By January 4, 437 drones were allegedly shot down over Russia, including 57 over the Moscow region, causing flight delays at Moscow airports.
Donald Trump stated that he does not believe the reports of a Ukrainian attack on Vladimir Putin's residence. He noted that the available information does not confirm the fact of a targeted strike.
Finnish police are investigating damage to a telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn. The cargo ship Fitburg, en route from St. Petersburg, dragged its anchor along the seabed, severing the communication line.
The Odesa TCR denied information about a man being injured in Ovidiopol, calling it fabricated. No events described in social networks were recorded on the territory of the Odesa district TCR.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to hold Rodynske, the enemy has not taken control of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Huliaipole. Heavy fighting continues.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine, including the 14th and 20th brigades of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov" and the 132nd reconnaissance battalion of the Air Assault Forces, are holding Rodynske in Donetsk region. Russian propaganda is spreading false claims about the capture of the settlement, while the occupiers are suffering significant losses.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that the Russian capital was attacked by more than two dozen drones late on Saturday evening. The capital's airports temporarily suspended operations.
In the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region, the invaders are intensifying the militarization of youth, planning to open cadet classes of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in schools in Henichesk, Chaplynka, and Novotroitske districts starting from 2026.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will review his predecessors' initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine. He considers the initiative "a good thing" but demands a corruption check and will discuss it on January 7.
Czech President Petr Pavel expressed concern over the anti-Ukrainian statements made by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Tomio Okamura. He plans to discuss this issue with the Prime Minister and constitutional officials.
Occupying media stopped covering the water crisis in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk region, focusing on New Year holidays, while local residents on social networks report the absence of systemic solutions. A "water business" is thriving in the region, and residents receive bills for a non-existent service, creating a caste system of access to water.
Russian troops continue to use drones at low altitudes, attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This is part of Russia's strategy to prolong the war and delay peace negotiations.
Czech opposition parties are initiating a vote on the dismissal of Tomio Okamura from the post of Speaker of the lower house of parliament. The reason for this is his New Year's statements about Ukraine, which caused outrage and accusations of spreading Russian propaganda.
The U. S. Department of State has updated its recommendations for citizens planning to travel to Russia, urging them to prepare wills and funeral wishes. This is due to the danger of the ongoing war, the risk of persecution, and the limited ability of the U.S. government to provide assistance.
The court заочно sentenced Oleksandr Kobets, the former head of the occupation administration of Kherson, to life imprisonment with confiscation of property. He was found guilty of treason and collaboration.
A 74-year-old pensioner in Kyiv gave more than UAH 1. 4 million to fraudsters who introduced themselves as SBU employees. They promised to check her savings for involvement in the aggressor country.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kovalenko, believes that the Russians pursued two goals in this way. One of them is to create a rift between Ukraine and the United States.
In the occupied Luhansk region, reservists from the mobilization reserve will guard critical infrastructure facilities, including oil depots, instead of Russian military personnel. The document came into force on December 30, providing for six-month training for citizens with the promise of financial assistance to the unemployed.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine warns of the Kremlin's preparation of an armed provocation with significant human casualties. It may occur on the eve or during Christmas according to the Julian calendar, likely in a religious building or another symbolic object.
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.
Vasyl Zvarych, Ukraine's Ambassador to the Czech Republic, called the anti-Ukrainian statements by Czech Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura disgraceful. Okamura spoke out against providing weapons to Ukraine, calling the war "senseless," and expressed unwillingness to see Ukraine in the EU.
The head of the Russian GRU handed over to the representative of the US military attaché materials with decrypted routing data of a Ukrainian drone. Russian special services claim that the target of the attack was Putin's residence in the Novgorod region.
Russia stated that it had decrypted a file from a Ukrainian drone, which, it claims, indicates that the target was the residence of the Russian dictator. These materials will be handed over to the American side through established channels.