Belarus
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Vilnius. They discussed support for Ukraine, the release of political prisoners, and a joint strategy on sanctions.
President Zelenskyy stated that Russia is using Belarus as a testing ground to blackmail Europe and the world. Russian "Shahed" operators are targeting Ukraine, including from Belarusian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Lukashenka's white spitz has been granted more rights than the people of Belarus. He also emphasized that Belarus's dependence on Moscow has become more dangerous for everyone.
NATO plans to create a robotic zone with high-tech surveillance and weaponry on its eastern flank. This will deter Russia and Belarus from attacking, protecting the Alliance's member states.
On January 21, Polish military recorded increased activity of small unmanned aerial vehicles near the Polish-Belarusian border. This is regarded as hybrid actions by Belarus to destabilize security.
Donald Trump is developing a project for an international organization called the "Peace Council," which will be an alternative to the UN. Countries wishing to obtain a permanent seat must contribute $1 billion.
U. S. President Donald Trump today initiates the signing of the "Peace Council" charter in Davos, an alternative to the UN for resolving global conflicts. Over 25 countries will join, while European leaders express concern, and Ukraine is studying the format.
The Central Election Commission proposes to establish a six-month transition period between the end of martial law and the start of the election process. This period will allow for preparations for elections, taking into account the consequences of the war and mass displacement.
The GUR released information on the production of Iskander-K cruise missiles, including 39 Russian and one Belarusian enterprise. Of the 41 enterprises, 8 are still not under sanctions.
The 2026 European Futsal Championship starts on January 21 and will be held in Lithuania, Latvia, and Slovenia. The Ukrainian national team has announced its final squad for the tournament.
European countries, including Norway, Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states, are actively preparing for a potential war with Russia by increasing defense budgets and strengthening infrastructure. Some states, like Norway, are considering the possibility of confiscating civilian property for defense needs.
Ukraine has received an invitation to join the Peace Council initiated by Donald Trump. President Zelenskyy considers it difficult to be a member of it together with Russia and Belarus, which are enemies.
Donald Trump has invited a number of countries to his "Peace Council for Gaza" to implement a 20-point plan. The signing ceremony is scheduled for this Thursday in Davos.
Swedish law enforcement has exposed Belarusian nuns who, under the guise of religious activities, were collecting funds for the Russian Armed Forces and spreading pro-Russian propaganda. They visited occupied territories of Ukraine and were used by Russia as a tool of hybrid influence.
Donald Trump allegedly approached Alexander Lukashenka with a proposal for Belarus to become one of the founders of the Peace Council. Lukashenka's office has already stated that Belarus is ready to participate in the activities of this organization.
On the night of January 17, dozens of aerial objects from Belarus entered Polish airspace. The Polish National Security Bureau considers this a possible provocation under the guise of smuggling.
A 33-year-old man was detained in Sweden on suspicion of espionage; he has been in custody since January 7. The suspect allegedly provided information to Russian intelligence.
The Central Election Commission has developed proposals for holding elections after the termination of martial law in Ukraine. They primarily propose holding presidential elections six months after the lifting of martial law.
International financial institutions predict a prolonged slowdown of the Belarusian economy until 2026 due to sanctions and dependence on Russia. GDP growth of 1.4–1.8% and inflation of 7–7.5% are projected under the baseline scenario.
After a $42,500 operation at Odrex and the clinic's guarantee of recovery, Svitlana Huk's husband died. And the grief-stricken widow faced financial pressure and threats, which, according to her, came from the administration of the Odesa clinic "Odrex." In an interview, Svitlana Huk reconstructs step by step the details of her family's tragedy – from treatment and death at Odrex to years of litigation and a blocked investigation.
The US special operation in Caracas and the detention of Nicolás Maduro caused a resonant reaction from world leaders. The international community was divided in its assessment of the legality of Washington's actions, from full support to harsh condemnation.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko will present new candidates for the position of the head of the State Border Guard Service. Serhiy Deineko, who has headed the service for over six years, will continue to work within the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said that Russian athletes will not be able to represent their country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. They will only participate as individual athletes without a national flag or anthem.
The 2026 European Fencing Championships in Tallinn are under threat of cancellation, as Estonia refuses to guarantee the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus. The International Fencing Federation demands written confirmation of the admission of all athletes, but the Estonian authorities do not issue visas to citizens of these countries.
In 2025, Ukrainian border guards detained about 1,400 people who tried to illegally cross the state border of Ukraine in the direction of the border with Belarus. DPSU spokesman Andriy Demchenko noted that the Belarusian direction remains active, despite a larger flow of violations on the border with EU countries.
The Federation Council of the Russian Federation approved a resolution codifying the Kremlin's foreign policy course for long-term confrontation with the West. The document provides for the reorientation of foreign relations to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The number of vehicles and military personnel does not prove that the missile system has actually entered combat duty.
New Year on the planet lasts almost a day, starting from the Line Islands in the Pacific Ocean and ending in Samoa. Find out the exact time of the 2026 New Year celebration in different countries of the world according to Kyiv time.
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.
Latvia has officially completed the construction of 280 km of engineering barriers on the border with Russia. This is the first stage of a comprehensive protection system, which is supplemented by modern video surveillance and technical monitoring systems.