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.
On the night of January 5, Russian troops attacked Kharkiv, Poltava, and the energy infrastructure of the Kyiv region with drones. Slavutych Mayor Yuriy Fomichev confirmed strikes on the city's energy facilities; the extent of the damage is being assessed.
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.
On December 4, 154 combat engagements took place on the front, the Russian army carried out over 3,000 shellings and used 4,663 kamikaze drones. The highest intensity of fighting is concentrated in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions, where 47 and 53 attacks were repelled, respectively.
Fighters of the Darknode battalion of the 412th Nemesis brigade shot down a Russian "Shahed" equipped with a man-portable air-defense system. The enemy UAV also had a radio modem and a camera for control from the territory of the Russian Federation and missile launch.
The Serbian oil refinery NIS, owned by Russia and under US sanctions, will start operating on January 17 or 18. This became possible after receiving a temporary license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department.
The JSC "Energiya" plant is on fire in Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast, after a UAV attack. This is reported by Russian Telegram channels.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed changes in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine with Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko. This happened after Valeriy Vavryniuk was appointed interim head of the SBGS on January 4.
President Zelenskyy announced upcoming diplomatic meetings in Europe aimed at protecting Ukraine and accelerating the end of the war. Ukraine is preparing for both scenarios: diplomacy and active defense.
Russian troops are trying to bypass Lyman, but are also attempting to infiltrate the city directly. Viktor Trehubov, head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Grouping, reported on the situation in the Lyman direction.
After entering Hrabovske in Sumy region, the Russians are conducting remote mining to prevent Ukrainian counterattacks. They are using drones and infantry, who are taking up positions in houses.
Tomorrow, January 5, hourly blackout schedules and power restrictions for industrial consumers will be applied in most regions of Ukraine. These are the consequences of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held interviews with candidates for the positions of heads of regional administrations. Appointments will take place in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions in the near future.
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.
Head of the RMA Syniehubov reported the discovery of body fragments of a deceased person in Kharkiv. This increased the number of victims of Friday's explosions to 6, after the Russian forces' strike on January 2 on the central part of the city.
Since the beginning of the day, 95 combat engagements have occurred on the front, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the Pokrovsk direction, 33 enemy attacks have been repelled, and in the Huliaipole direction – 25.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to hold Rodynske, the enemy has not taken control of Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Huliaipole. Heavy fighting continues.
OPEC+ agreed to maintain stable oil production, despite an 18% price drop in 2025 and tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Eight countries raised their production targets by 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December 2025.
Ukrzaliznytsia announced an adjustment to the train schedule due to complicated traffic on the Fastiv section and changes in routes for safety reasons. Ticket sales for domestic flights will open on January 8 at 08:00, for international flights - at 09:00.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko have decided on candidates for the new head of the State Border Guard Service. The appointment will take place soon, as Zelenskyy announced on social media.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on adaptive badminton as a fast racket sport that is ideal for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This sport is recommended for physical recovery, especially for injuries to limbs, spinal cord, and PTSD.
As a result of the Russian shelling of Kharkiv, the death toll has risen to five. Another body fragment was found at the search and rescue operation site.
In Kyiv on January 4, 2026, a device exploded while opening a car trunk, injuring a serviceman. The prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the terrorist act.
In Korenovsk, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, on December 26, 2025, at about 07:40, an explosion occurred at the entrance to the deployment site of the 47th Missile Brigade. As a result of a mine-explosive strike, a military Kamaz truck carrying personnel caught fire, and there were losses among the occupiers.
Serhiy Deineko, head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, has been appointed advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko. After rehabilitation, he will lead a combat unit of the State Border Guard Service.
According to the results of 2025, Russia's foreign trade continued to degrade due to falling world energy prices and oil production quotas. The share of fuel and energy goods in exports decreased to 54.9%, and imports of investment goods decreased by 8.7%.
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.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys recalled that Nicolás Maduro's regime supported Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Lithuania did not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
In the village of Kushuhum, Zaporizhzhia region, a forced evacuation of children with their parents or other legal representatives has been announced. The evacuation must be carried out within 30 days from the date of its announcement.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against 95 individuals and 70 legal entities, most of whom are citizens and residents of the Russian Federation. The restrictions apply to individuals and companies that produce communication equipment, electronic warfare systems, and microelectronics for the Russian military-industrial complex.
