Russian servicemen illegally detained and forcibly removed about 50 civilians from Sumy region to Russia. The Ombudsman of Ukraine appealed to his Russian counterpart and the ICRC regarding their return.
On the M-15 Odesa — Reni highway within the Mayaky settlement, traffic restrictions in both directions have been lifted. Traffic was temporarily stopped on December 18 after Russian attacks.
The Danish postal service PostNord will deliver its last paper letter on December 30, ending more than 400 years of history due to a sharp decline in demand. The company will cut 1,500 jobs and remove mailboxes, focusing on parcels.
Kremlin aide Yuriy Ushakov stated that no one seriously discussed the initiative for a trilateral meeting of experts from Russia, the US, and Ukraine. He also noted that the changes to the peace plan, introduced by Ukrainians and Europeans, do not contribute to reaching agreements.
Ukrainian forces advanced in the central part of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, as confirmed by geolocated video footage from December 20. Russian forces intensified activity in Sumy Oblast but did not achieve confirmed progress.
In the Rivne region, the enemy attacked a civilian infrastructure object, which resulted in its damage. One employee sustained minor injuries and received medical assistance on the spot.
On the night of December 21, the enemy attacked Ukraine with 97 attack UAVs of various types. Air defense forces neutralized 75 drones, but 19 drones hit targets in eight locations.
On December 20, 235 combat engagements were recorded at the front. The enemy launched 70 air strikes, dropping 166 guided bombs, and carried out 3609 shellings.
The Russian economy is facing growing difficulties, including inflation and declining revenues, but this will not bring Putin to the negotiating table. Experts believe that the Kremlin can sustain the current pace of hostilities for many more years, as the Russian economy is not a critical factor for ending the war.
On December 20, Russian troops lost 1130 soldiers and 116 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 21.12.25 amount to 1,196,740 people.
Partisans of the ATESH movement carried out an act of sabotage at a railway junction in Bataysk, setting fire to relay cabinets. This disrupted the operation of the main logistics hub that supplies the occupation forces in the southern directions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the United States has enough power to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine. He emphasized that this could be a "diplomatic victory" for the US, and President Trump is "strong enough to do it."
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin personally chose Steve Witkoff, a special representative of US President Donald Trump, as a key intermediary to promote his vision for settling the war against Ukraine. Witkoff suits the Kremlin due to his lack of political past and institutional ties, as well as his experience working with authoritarian regimes.
President Zelenskyy stated that Viktor Orban is blocking Ukraine's EU accession due to an election campaign, realizing that membership is a guarantee of security. Kyiv and EU leaders consider membership in the bloc a strong security factor.
The number of citizens' appeals regarding violations of labor rights in Russia exceeded 70,000, which is 50% more than last year. Wage arrears reached 2.2 billion rubles, which is the highest level since August 2020.
Since the beginning of December 20, 220 combat engagements have been recorded on the front. Russian invaders launched 42 air strikes, dropping 101 guided bombs, and used 1684 kamikaze drones.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that European countries should directly engage in dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes the importance of fighting for the United States of America as an ally.
The death toll from the enemy strike on Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, has risen to two: a 47-year-old man and his 42-year-old wife, a police officer, were killed. On December 20, at about 3:40 PM, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a guided aerial bomb attack, damaging an enterprise, a cafe, a Palace of Culture, a residential building, and cars.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not be able to independently finance an 800,000-strong Armed Forces. Partial funding of the army by partners is being considered as a security guarantee.
In Odesa region, bus traffic is being launched through two checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, which previously operated only for passenger cars. This will allow for quick adjustment of passenger routes and reduction of the load on individual directions, and the number of buses that can be processed at the Mohyliv-Podilskyi – Otaci checkpoint has also been increased.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the United States proposed a trilateral meeting of national security advisors from Ukraine, the US, and Russia. He noted that Ukraine supports this proposal if it unblocks exchanges or leads to a meeting of leaders.
In Odesa region, transport links have been partially restored after Russian attacks, allowing cars, minibuses, and small trucks to cross the Dniester. Banks, post offices, and supplies of food and fuel have also resumed operations, and emergency services are working in an enhanced mode.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced discussions on replacing the commander of the Air Command "South", Dmytro Karpenko. This decision is related to the need to strengthen air defense and timely response, especially in the Odesa region.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers a ceasefire along the current front line to be fair. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot withdraw from its territories, and the Russians will remain in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that there is a shortage of missiles for some air defense systems. Partners have started holding back missiles, which may be related to Russia's intimidation of Western countries.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba stated that there is no threat to Ukraine's export potential, but there are risks of increasing Russian attacks. Constant shelling of Odesa region may be related to attempts to disrupt the grain corridor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia continues to consider the full occupation of Ukraine, so it is necessary to increase pressure on the Russian Federation, particularly from the United States. He emphasized the importance of strengthening sanctions so that Putin does not have funds for the war.
Tomorrow, December 21, hourly power outage schedules and capacity restrictions will be introduced in Ukraine. This is due to the consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba stated that the evacuation of the population from some communities in Odesa Oblast after Russian attacks is not planned. He noted that the situation in the communities is normal, and issues regarding food and pensions have been resolved.
Ukraine has submitted its vision to the US on the most difficult issues, including territories, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and reconstruction funding. The results of discussions between the American and Russian sides are expected.
