War in Ukraine
The Kremlin expects the US to provide information on the results of its work with Ukrainians and Europeans following reports of an expected discussion of proposals for peace talks. On December 16, President Zelenskyy announced an anticipated meeting between Ukraine and the US in Miami to discuss documents.
A state-level emergency has been declared in Odesa region due to enemy attacks on energy infrastructure. Over 50,000 residents of the region were left without electricity for a long time.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a Law extending special rules for the operation of the state enterprise "Pivdenny Machine-Building Plant named after Makarov" in Dnipro. This decision suspends forced enforcement actions and seizures of the enterprise's funds until January 1, 2027.
ICU, a company that served the circles of Yanukovych and Poroshenko, avoids investigations despite working with sanctioned individuals and Russian state banks. Serhiy Lyamets, former editor of "Ekonomichna Pravda," believes that only the US and EU can investigate ICU's financial operations.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law on the legal status and medical care of foreign military personnel. The document provides for the issuance of temporary residence permits for the entire duration of their contract and after its termination, and also extends certain social guarantees to them.
Putin also noted that politicians in Europe are raising the "degree of hysteria" and "instilling fears" about the inevitability of a clash with the Russian Federation.
Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin would not agree to the presence of military personnel from EU countries on the territory of Ukraine, arguing that this could lead to the presence of NATO military personnel. He emphasized that Moscow's position on this issue is consistent and clear.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski ironically reacted to Maria Zakharova's statement about "Poland being created by Lenin", comparing it to Putin's "charity" towards Ukraine.
As a result of the enemy attack on Zaporizhzhia and the district, 26 people were injured. More than 130 apartments were damaged in one of the city's locations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.
As a result of the enemy attack on Zaporizhzhia and Zaporizhzhia district, 21 people were injured, including one child. The Russians used guided aerial bombs, destroying residential buildings and damaging an infrastructure facility and an educational institution.
Since November 24, Kyivstar has launched Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology, which allows users to stay connected without terrestrial coverage. It is currently available for iPhone 13 and newer models with iOS from 26.2, as well as for Android.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, stated that the Kremlin is trying to drag out time to force Ukraine to surrender.
The US is considering new sanctions against Russia's energy sector, including its "shadow fleet" of tankers, if Putin rejects a peace deal with Ukraine. These measures could be announced as early as this week, as discussed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with European ambassadors.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russia has increased its troops to 710,000 personnel for a strategic offensive in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are successfully repelling attacks, regaining control over territories, and striking the aggressor's infrastructure.
Commander of the Third Army Corps Andriy Biletskyi proposes to remove barriers for the growth of young officers to replace "paper generals".
In the Odesa region, over 4 days, energy workers restored the technical capability to supply power to 583. 7 thousand households. Despite this, 32.3 thousand consumers temporarily remain without power due to extensive damage to the energy system.
Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia, hitting a residential building and one of the infrastructure facilities. The consequences are being clarified, the air raid alert continues.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov called for not putting pressure on entrepreneurs during the war, speaking out against the introduction of VAT for individual entrepreneurs with an annual income of more than UAH 1 million. He emphasized that small businesses are the foundation of the economy, and the Kharkiv City Council canceled local taxes to support more than 127,000 individual entrepreneurs operating in the city.
The SBU detained the head of a medical unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who was transmitting data on military facilities to the FSB. He marked locations on Google Maps, which allowed the occupiers to launch missile strikes.
As a result of the attack by Ukrainian drones, the Russian submarine sustained significant damage, and a major overhaul could take a long time.
Over the past day, Russian occupation forces' losses increased by 1,730 personnel, reaching approximately 1,192,350 servicemen. Thousands of military equipment units were also destroyed, including 11,427 tanks and 23,758 armored combat vehicles.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the damage to the Slavyansk oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and the Nikolaevskaya oil depot in Rostov Oblast. A field artillery depot in Luhansk Oblast and a drilling rig in the Caspian Sea were also hit.
In Poland, the number of Ukrainians living in state-subsidized housing has sharply decreased. From November 1, the rules for resettling refugees from Ukraine changed, and the state stopped co-financing accommodation for those who have been living in Poland for a year or longer.
Rating agency Fitch has placed Euroclear Bank's ratings on Rating Watch Negative due to EU plans to use frozen Russian assets for a 'reparations' loan to Ukraine. This could lead to increased legal and liquidity risks for Euroclear.
Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, striking Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, where power has already been restored. In Odesa region, about 32,000 consumers remain without electricity, and approximately 400,000 consumers suffer from outages daily.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Putin will sooner or later agree to the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine. He also spoke about what, in his opinion, should be the West's reaction in the event of new Russian attacks.
The European Commission is trying to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support a proposed loan to Ukraine, financed by immobilized Russian assets. De Wever expresses concerns about the risks to the Belgian economy if Russia tries to reclaim the assets.
European leaders support Ukraine, seeking to uphold international law and counter Russian aggression. They fear that a deal in Russia's favor could lead to a wider war on the continent.
Despite a wide arsenal of anti-corruption tools, the question of the real effectiveness of the NACP's activities is increasingly arising. Under the leadership of Viktor Pavlushchyk, the Agency mostly focuses on procedures, reports, and recommendations. As a result, the fight against corruption risks remaining only "on paper."