The HUR staged the death of RDC commander Denys Kapustin to save his life and expose an agent network. Russian special services believed the video and paid Ukrainian intelligence officers half a million dollars.
China received 22 shipments of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Portovaya and Arctic LNG-2 projects in 2023. All deliveries arrived at the Beihai LNG terminal in Guangxi.
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.
Kyiv utility workers are carrying out repair work on the heating network on Sobornosti Avenue after the shelling on December 27. Heat supply has been temporarily restricted for 337 consumers in the residential areas of Rusanivka and Berezniaky.
The Russians tried to use the logistical route between Shevchenkove and Pokrovsk to accumulate additional forces, using more than 30 units of light equipment. Units of the 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces destroyed part of the equipment during the march, and the rest directly within the southeastern borders of the city.
In Kherson, heat supply disruptions are possible due to enemy strikes on a heat generation facility. Also, in the Dniprovskyi district of the city, there is a partial power outage and possible water supply disruptions.
Just yesterday, these people were making money from slot machines and gambling addiction, and today they manage private medicine. The Odrex clinic has gone from a casino to a hospital, retaining not only its name but also its business approaches. Against the backdrop of patient deaths, criminal proceedings, and relatives' complaints, the question arises: is there a place for such a background in a field where the price of a mistake is a human life?
Russian occupiers have not attempted to storm Hrabovske in the last few days and have reduced their activity in combat operations in Sumy Oblast. The enemy is suffering significant losses from the actions of the Ukrainian military.
Russia attacked energy infrastructure in Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions. In Odesa region, more than 11,000 consumers remain without electricity after previous attacks.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine held a meeting on the state of engineering arrangement of defensive lines, discussing fortifications, barriers, and preparing settlements for defense.
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.
Three tankers carrying almost 2. 2 million barrels of Urals crude are heading to Reliance Industries Ltd.'s Jamnagar refinery in India. This comes after the plant resumed purchases of Russian oil for domestic production.
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.
Yurii Yastremskyi, a soldier of the 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade, sustained a shrapnel wound to the head and underwent complex rehabilitation. The MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation and the Makitra volunteer space provided him with adaptive clothing.
Russian troops attacked Semenivka with drones yesterday evening, damaging the city hospital, service vehicles, garages, and a food unit. Also, at night, a "Geran" drone hit a forestry in Koriukiv district, causing a fire in an outbuilding.
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.
On the night of January 2, Russian occupiers attacked Zaporizhzhia twice with attack UAVs, causing fires and damage. A significant part of the enemy targets was destroyed, which allowed to avoid injuries.
Russia launched 116 attack UAVs over Ukraine overnight, of which 86 were shot down or suppressed. 27 drones were recorded hitting 23 locations.
Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 35 and 34 cents respectively on the first trading day of 2026. This followed the largest annual decline since 2020, caused by drone attacks on Russian oil facilities and US sanctions against Venezuela.
Over the past day, 98 combat engagements took place, the enemy launched 1 missile and 51 air strikes, and used 151 guided aerial bombs. The Defense Forces hit four concentration areas and two enemy command posts.
On January 1, Russian troops lost 910 soldiers and 590 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 02.01.26 are estimated at 1,209,880 personnel.
Ukraine's defense forces are under heavy pressure in the south, outnumbered by Russian brigades that have seized hundreds of square kilometers. The Russians have advanced in the Zaporizhzhia region, the situation remains tense, with the most intense fighting taking place in Huliaipole.
A poll by The Economist/YouGov showed that 49% of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's actions regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine. Only 30% of respondents support his approach.
Mykolaiv was attacked by enemy drones on the night of Friday, January 2. Mayor Sienkevych reported explosions and the threat of UAVs.
As a result of the enemy's night attack on Zaporizhzhia on January 2, another fire broke out. The head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, reported 9 strikes, and the air raid alert is ongoing.
Czech Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura spoke out against providing weapons to Ukraine, calling the war "senseless. " He stated that the money of Czech pensioners should not go to support "pro-war propaganda."
Late in the evening on January 1, Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia with two attack UAVs, causing a fire. The attack took place in the Voznesenivskyi district.
According to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, in November 2025, Russia's GDP grew by only 0. 1% year-on-year, which is the worst indicator since the beginning of 2023. Industrial production went into negative territory for the first time in nine months (-0.7%), signaling the exhaustion of the economic model.
On January 1, 97 combat engagements were recorded at the front, the enemy used 92 guided aerial bombs and over 4,000 kamikaze drone strikes. The greatest enemy activity was observed in the Pokrovsk, Lyman, Kostiantynivka, and Huliaipole directions.
