War in Ukraine
Units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully struck several enemy targets on the night of December 24, including a synthetic rubber plant in Russia's Tula region. A storage facility for uncrewed boats in Crimea and a logistics depot in Luhansk region were also hit.
For the first time, Russia used over 600 attack drones simultaneously during a massive attack on Ukraine, launching 673 "Shaheds" and missiles at energy infrastructure facilities. This is the ninth massive attack on energy facilities this year, and it has become the largest in terms of the number of drones used in all previous years of the full-scale war.
The Russian authorities are considering postponing the construction of an Arctic railway worth over $10 billion due to uncertainty regarding funding sources. The Northern Latitudinal Railway project, which involves connecting railways and building a bridge, could be delayed by three years.
The Ministry of Development has decided on the mandatory evacuation of children from 19 settlements in Donetsk Oblast. About 200 people with limited mobility are also being evacuated from Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
On December 24, two Russian policemen who fought in Ukraine and tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war were eliminated in Moscow. Two more sustained serious injuries from an explosion near a police station.
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.