War in Ukraine
Archpriest Vasyl Kiiko, abbot of the Holy Protection Church in Hryshyne village, died on December 29 as a result of Russian shelling in Donetsk region.
Vladimir Putin signed a decree on sending Russian citizens in the mobilization reserve to special training camps in 2026. The camps will be held to protect critical infrastructure and life support facilities.
A 61-year-old man was killed in Zaporizhzhia region as a result of a Russian FPV drone attack. The occupiers hit a car driving on a road in Veselianka, Zaporizhzhia district, with a drone.
The State Energy Supervision announced that standard hourly power outage schedules will be in effect in Ukraine on New Year's Eve. The situation may depend on security factors, despite the expected decrease in the load on the system.
Ursula von der Leyen held talks with European leaders on support, security and reconstruction of Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of the country's accession to the EU.
The number of criminal proceedings related to domestic violence in Ukraine has decreased by 28% since the start of the full-scale invasion. At the same time, the number of calls to the National Hotline for the Prevention of Domestic Violence increased by 9%, reaching 35,000 in three quarters.
Mandatory evacuation has been announced in the Chernihiv region from 14 border villages, where 300 people live. It should be completed within 30 days, said Viacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration.
Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe in 2025 decreased by 44% to 18 billion cubic meters, which is the lowest figure since the mid-1970s. This happened after the closure of the Ukrainian route and the cessation of fossil fuel imports from Russia.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that "peace is on the horizon" after leaders' talks on Ukraine. The US is ready to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine, including the presence of American troops.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced another round of coordination in the "Berlin format" with the participation of European and Canadian partners. He emphasized the advancement of the peace process and the need for transparency and honesty from all parties, including Russia.
As a result of the Russian attack, facilities in the ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk were damaged, as well as oil tanks. One person was injured, and a civilian vessel under the Panamanian flag was damaged.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that Russia's appetites in peace negotiations regarding Ukraine are too great, and the Kremlin's lack of reaction indicates Moscow's unwillingness to end the war. He noted that the United States has leverage, but Moscow's appetites are currently "exorbitant."
Coach-psychologist Mykola Oliynyk explained why people often enter the new year with unresolved emotional problems and unanswered questions. He also gave advice on how to deal with this.
The spokesman for the Russian dictator refused to provide evidence of a UAV attack on the residence of the Russian leader, calling it an "insane claim. " He urged to "take the Kremlin's word for it," stating that Russia's position on ending the war in Ukraine would become "more rigid."
China called on all parties to refrain from escalation and promote de-escalation of the situation after Russia's statements. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian emphasized the need to create conditions for a political settlement.
The MHP-Community Charitable Foundation is scaling up its "Sport without limits" initiative for veterans, focusing on sitting volleyball. The project supports three teams, providing equipment and participation in competitions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha commented on Russia's statements about an alleged attack on Putin's residence. He noted that Russia has still not provided any credible evidence for its accusations, and there was no attack.
European leaders will meet on Tuesday at 11:00 AM to discuss the situation in Ukraine. This conversation is part of high-level diplomatic talks that have been ongoing since November.
Polish President Karol Navrotsky emphasized the unreliability of Russians during a conversation with Donald Trump. This happened after his first official meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Warsaw.
The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine has decided to rename the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine. From now on, the institution is called the National Music Academy of Ukraine.
The Defense Forces control the northern part of Pokrovsk and block the enemy's advance in the central part of the city. All approaches to the city are under the control of Ukrainian drones, and in Myrnohrad, defensive lines are held and the enemy is eliminated on the approaches.
The SBU detained a Kyiv resident who distributed videos of the capital's air defense system on social networks. The man filmed the deployment of Ukrainian air defense and published it on Telegram and Instagram.
Russia does not change its intentions to seize Ukraine and plunge cities into "blackouts. " Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky announced increased countermeasures against enemy "Shaheds" and the formation of divisions of unmanned air defense systems.
As a result of enemy shelling in Chernihiv region, more than 75,000 consumers are without electricity, and settlements in Kharkiv and Sumy regions are also de-energized. Due to large-scale destruction, there are no blackout schedules on the left bank of Kyiv, Kyiv region, and Odesa region.
Fighters of the SBS of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a massive attack on storage, equipment, and launch preparation sites for "Shahed", "Gerbera", and "Geran" drones on the territory of Donetsk Airport.
The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Russia's reports of an attack on Putin's residence a false flag operation. This was done to justify possible strikes on Ukraine and disrupt agreements in Mar-a-Lago.
Emergency power outages have been introduced in Kyiv, and Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region is in its fourth day of fighting for light in cold conditions. Emergency outages continue in Odesa, and in Kherson, the enemy shells the CHP almost daily, making its restoration impossible.
The Russian missile system "Oreshnik" has officially entered combat duty in Belarus. The Russian and Belarusian Ministries of Defense announced that all conditions have been created and specialists retrained for combat duty.
Fighting continues near the settlements of Yunakivka, Andriivka, Yablunivka, Varachyne, Kindrativka. The settlement of Khotyn in Sumy region remains under the control of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Ukraine's government bonds rose on Monday after positive signs in peace talks to end the war. Some bonds reached their highest level since the sovereign debt restructuring.