Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 0. 2% and 0.3% respectively, reaching $62.53 and $58.56 per barrel. This increase is driven by strong US economic growth and geopolitical risks, despite an expected annual price drop.
As a result of Russian missile strikes on the Kharkiv suburb, 13 people were injured and one died. All injured have been hospitalized, and medics are providing the necessary assistance.
Today, believers celebrate Christmas Eve according to the Gregorian and New Julian calendars. The OCU spoke about traditions, including 12 Lenten dishes and the central dish - kutia.
One person was killed and several wounded as a result of the strike on the thermal power plant near Kharkiv. The city faced a voltage drop, which affected heat supply and the operation of electric transport.
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.
Oily slicks have been recorded in the Black Sea waters of the Odesa district due to damage to oil tanks after enemy attacks. Measures are being taken to localize the pollution and monitor the water condition.
President Zelenskyy has called for a meeting with US President Trump to resolve sensitive issues of a future peace agreement with Russia, such as territorial control. The Ukrainian and American delegations have come closer to finalizing a 20-point negotiation plan.
Svitlana Onyshchuk, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration, appealed to law enforcement agencies to check the operation of entertainment venues. This happened after the death of an 18-year-old boy as a result of a fight near one of the venues in Ivano-Frankivsk.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive three million FPV drones by the end of this year, which is almost 2. 5 times more than last year. The vast majority of drones are domestically produced, and almost 15,000 ground-based robotic systems have also been supplied.
As a result of Russian strikes on the Pivdennyi port in Odesa region, a vegetable oil spill occurred in the Black Sea. The port's water area is temporarily closed to eliminate the consequences.
Ukraine and Poland have begun preparations for new search operations, conducting a reconnaissance visit to the Rivne region on December 19, 2025. The research is scheduled for March-April 2026, according to the agreements of the Ukrainian-Polish Working Group.
Ukrenergo confirmed the introduction of emergency power outages in several regions due to the consequences of Russian attacks. Previously published blackout schedules are currently not in effect.
Russia carried out targeted attacks on Ukraine's oil and gas infrastructure, using almost 100 attack drones against Ukrnafta's production facilities. Critical damage has been recorded, and the operation of the damaged equipment has been stopped.
In Kharkiv, on December 24, subway train traffic was temporarily stopped due to Russian shelling. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported explosions in the suburbs, and the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, is clarifying the consequences of the hits.
During the night, the enemy attacked energy facilities in several regions, leading to new power outages in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. Today, hourly blackout schedules and power restrictions for industry and business are applied in all regions of Ukraine until 23:59.
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.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has for the first time unveiled 20 points of a "basic document on ending the war. "
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 head of the OMA, Hryhorov, reported that 4,000 residents of Sumy region refuse to evacuate from the border zone. Evacuation has been ongoing since 2023 as a preventive measure to save civilian lives.
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.
Russian occupiers once again attacked critical infrastructure in Kherson, cutting off power to the Dniprovskyi district. Possible interruptions to centralized water supply.
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.
On the night of December 24, Russia attacked Ukraine with 116 attack UAVs, 60 of which were neutralized. 48 drones hit 19 locations, including a critical infrastructure facility in Chernihiv region.
Pope Leo XIV called for a global Christmas ceasefire, expressing sorrow over Russia's rejection of the request. The Pontiff hopes for 24 hours of peace worldwide.
Over the past day, 126 combat engagements took place on the front, with the highest activity in the Pokrovsk, Huliaipole, and Kostiantynivka directions. The enemy launched two missile and 65 air strikes, using 39 missiles and 160 guided aerial bombs.
Ukrzaliznytsia is assigning 16 additional trains, attaching carriages, and increasing the frequency of regular services for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Priority is given to the Carpathian direction to ensure recreation and rehabilitation for military personnel and families with children.
As a result of enemy strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia district on the night of December 24, one person was killed and three were injured. The occupiers launched 704 strikes on 27 settlements in the region.
On December 23, Russian troops lost 1090 soldiers and 1031 UAVs in the war with Ukraine. The total combat losses of the enemy since 24.02.22 exceeded 1 million 200 thousand people.
JSC "Yefremov Synthetic Rubber Plant" in Russia's Tula region was attacked by drones on the night of December 24. The enterprise is one of the main producers of synthetic rubber in Russia.
