Russian propaganda
The HUR handed over an ancient icon of Archangel Michael to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This relic, symbolizing the struggle of good against evil, was returned to the Ukrainian church with the participation of Kyrylo Budanov.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced slow but steady progress in the negotiation process with the United States on Ukraine. This comes against the backdrop of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's publication of 20 points of a "basic document on ending the war."
This year, a record number of ninth-grade graduates from Russian schools chose vocational education, which is the highest figure in the last 50 years. This is a forced reaction of the education system to the acute shortage of skilled workers for industry.
As a result of the enemy attack on Chernihiv, one person was killed and five were wounded. The Russians shelled the city on December 25, hitting a 5-story building.
In 2025, mobile internet was disconnected more than 11,000 times in 80 regions of Russia, and daily in 25 of them. The authorities explain this by security requirements, but the real goal is the gradual digital isolation of Russia.
On the eve of Christmas, the work of the French national postal service La Poste was paralyzed by a large-scale DDoS attack. The pro-Russian hacker group Noname057 claimed responsibility.
Declassified transcripts of conversations between Putin and Bush have been released, in which the Russian leader openly opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO, warning of conflict. He considered Ukraine an artificial state and its entry into the Alliance a threat to Russia.
As a result of the night attack by Russians on the port and industrial infrastructure of Odesa region, one person was killed and two more were injured. Administrative, production, and warehouse premises were damaged, and fires broke out.
Russian media are actively promoting the "Black Book on the Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazis in Donbas," published by the Russian Military Historical Society. This book contains no objective evidence, only propagandistic theses comparing "Ukrainian neo-Nazis" with German Nazis.
The Russian authorities are actively militarizing the education system, involving "SVO veterans" in the upbringing of children. History teachers are advised to organize children's search for "SVO veterans" as part of extracurricular activities.
Starting January 1, 2026, China will ban the dissemination of explicit content in private online messages, including sexting. Violators face fines of up to $700 and imprisonment, and group administrators are responsible for removing such content.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced the full combat readiness of Estonian services to give armed resistance to any Russian provocations. Tallinn will no longer tolerate the appearance of soldiers without insignia on its territory.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the interception and destruction of 132 Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs from 13:00 to 20:00. The drones were allegedly shot down over 10 regions and occupied Crimea.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have regained control over most of Kupiansk, pushing the occupiers to the northeastern outskirts. Russian Z-channels report on the critical condition of their units, and the Center for Countering Disinformation confirmed the success of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Hungarian Prime Minister believes that Brussels allegedly "does not want peace between Russia and Ukraine. "
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 52 combat engagements on the front as of 4:00 PM on December 24. Russian troops attacked in a number of directions, carried out artillery shelling and airstrikes.
The Russian FSB killed an alleged saboteur who collaborated with Ukraine and planned terrorist attacks on Russian territory.
On Wednesday, December 24, a fire was recorded in the area of an oil refinery in Russian Saratov. Local "media" and Telegram channels published photos and videos from the scene.
The European Union, France, and Germany have condemned US visa bans imposed on five European citizens, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton. The restrictions are related to their activities in combating online disinformation and hate speech, which Washington considers censorship of free speech.
The Kremlin will formulate its position based on the information received and will continue contacts, Putin's spokesman said.
The Security Service of Ukraine detained two pro-Kremlin agitators in Mykolaiv and Volyn who justified Russian aggression. Among those detained are a university postgraduate student and a deserter from the Armed Forces of Ukraine who spread pro-Russian posts.
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 proportion of Russian citizens who consider it necessary to continue hostilities against Ukraine has decreased to 25%, which is the lowest figure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. These are the data from the December survey by the "Levada Center", cited by the Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko.
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.
Russia planned to build 2062 vessels by 2035, but funding has been secured for only 593, casting doubt on over 1500 projects. Ship construction in Russia is 2.5–3 times more expensive than in China due to low labor productivity and technological backwardness.
Russia plans to introduce a single user identifier for all internet platforms, linked to a phone number. This will allow tracking user activity, creating a model of a "digital Gulag."
The enemy launched a combined night attack on Ukrnafta's production facilities, resulting in serious damage and a halt in operations. There were no casualties, and Naftogaz specialists are working to restore the infrastructure.
Journalist Mykhailo Tkach refuted Ihor Kolomoisky's statement that Timur Mindich is his neighbor in Israel. This also confirms the falsity of Kolomoisky's previous statement about an assassination attempt on Mindich.
Kenyan authorities are investigating a network that recruited Kenyans to participate in hostilities on the side of the Russian Federation under the guise of employment. At least 200 citizens were lured to Russia with promises of work and then sent to war in Ukraine.