War in Ukraine
Donald Trump called on Ukraine to hold elections, stating that the country has not had elections for a long time and the current situation is not a democracy. He also expressed doubt about the actions of European leaders to end the war.
The Cabinet of Ministers is preparing a decision on the redistribution of consumption and the direction of electricity for household consumers. Currently, three queues of hourly shutdown schedules are in effect throughout Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo. They discussed the Vatican's efforts to return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and Ukraine's diplomatic work with the United States.
Prosecutors have sent an indictment to court against a 35-year-old former TV presenter of sanctioned channels. Already during Russia's full-scale invasion, he disseminated videos justifying the actions of the aggressor state through his own YouTube channel.
Mexico refused to expel more than two dozen Russian spies operating under diplomatic cover, despite their identification by the CIA. Russia has intensified its intelligence activities in Mexico since the invasion of Ukraine, leveraging its proximity to the US and weaker surveillance levels.
Russian attack drones attacked gas infrastructure facilities of the Naftogaz Group on December 9. The enemy targeted critically important equipment, damage was recorded, but there were no casualties.
An oil spill occurred in the port of occupied Mariupol due to the actions of the Russian company "Orentex" during the lifting of a dredge. The damage amounted to over 2 million rubles, and the company was fined 250 thousand rubles for working without approval.
Next week's EU summit will feature "important discussions" where Ukraine and European security will be priority issues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to participate, and the main priority of the meeting is to make decisions regarding financing Ukraine.
The Donor. ua organization and international partners have launched the "My Blood Type" initiative for rapid blood type determination among Ukrainians. Deputy Minister of Health Ihor Kuzin emphasized the importance of knowing this data to save lives in critical situations.
Pope Leo XIV received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on December 9, 2025. The Pontiff called for dialogue and the establishment of a just and lasting peace, also discussing the issues of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Andrej Babiš on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. The head of state expressed hope for further development of cooperation, including the work of Czech businesses in Ukraine.
On December 9, electricity consumption in Ukraine is increasing, but due to enemy shelling, consumers in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions remain without power. Emergency shutdowns have been introduced in Poltava, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, and hourly schedules of outages and power limitations for industrial consumers are in effect throughout the country.
The occupation head of Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, announced his readiness to transfer part of the Azov-Black Sea coast to Belarus under the guise of "resort projects. " Negotiations have been ongoing since the summer of 2024 regarding plots between Henichesk and Arabat Spit for long-term use.
Czech President Petr Pavel appointed Andrej Babiš as Prime Minister on December 9, 2025. Babiš returns to power after four years in opposition.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Italy for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo. A meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is also planned.
The SBU exposed two agents of Russian military intelligence who committed arson of an administrative building in Chernivtsi region. The attackers planned a series of similar arsons in western Ukraine.
On the night of November 9, UAVs attacked a number of Russian regions, including Cheboksary and Rostov Oblast. Strikes were recorded on the Energosapchast JSC plant and energy infrastructure, which led to power outages.
The SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center disabled a liquefied gas transshipment terminal in the port of Temryuk, which led to a large-scale fire. More than 20 tanks, railway tank cars, and an overpass were destroyed, with the total area of the fire being about 3,000 m².
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome after visits to London and Brussels. He will meet with Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
On the night of December 9, Russia attacked Ukraine with 110 attack UAVs of various types. Air defense forces shot down or suppressed 84 enemy drones in the north, south, and east of the country.
Ukraine has returned 1,892 children abducted by Russia, intensifying diplomatic and legal pressure. The Ministry of Justice is processing over 20,000 reports of deportation, of which 9,221 have been verified.
The European Union may announce a decision on the confiscation of frozen Russian assets within two weeks. These funds, up to 100 billion pounds sterling, or over 130 billion US dollars, include 8 billion pounds sterling (over 10 billion dollars) in the United Kingdom and are intended to provide funding for aid to Ukraine.
Emergency power outages have been introduced in Ukraine due to the consequences of missile and drone attacks. Energy workers are working to restore stable electricity supply, and consumers are urged to save electricity.
Japan rejected the EU's proposal to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Tokyo refused to use $30 billion in frozen assets held on its territory to issue a loan to Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 139 combat engagements per day, almost a third of which occurred in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy launched missile and air strikes and used kamikaze drones.
Oil prices fell on Tuesday after a 2% drop the previous day. Brent futures fell to $62.41 a barrel, and WTI to $58.75.
Russian dictator Putin is trying to portray the Russian economy as capable of sustaining the war in Ukraine, likely to support cognitive warfare. He claimed GDP growth and low inflation, ignoring the connection between economic problems and the war.
On December 8, Russian troops lost 930 soldiers and 432 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 09.12.25 are estimated at 1,182,610 personnel.
The number of injured due to enemy attacks on Zaporizhzhia and Vilniansk on December 8 increased to 16 people. The occupiers launched 642 strikes on 26 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, including 13 air strikes and 407 UAV attacks.
The Institute for the Study of War predicts that the Kremlin may use claims of President Zelenskyy's alleged illegitimacy to violate future peace agreements. At the same time, Russian special services are planning destabilization in Ukraine through "peaceful protests."