Russians plan to create tourist sites, so-called "places of military glory," in the occupied Donbas and attract investments there for "tourism development. "
On the night of December 25, 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the port of Temryuk, causing a fire in two oil product tanks. The military airfield in Maykop and a repair unit in Truzhenka were also hit.
The Kremlin believes it can gain more by continuing hostilities while using negotiations as a foreign policy tool. Russian dictator Putin insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the exclusion of Ukraine's possibility of NATO membership.
ISW analysts believe that the Kremlin will have to compromise on its demands that are incompatible with the peace plan. Russia is not interested in a compromise-based settlement, as evidenced by its constant references to the 2024 demands.
Russia views the US 20-point peace plan as a starting point, demanding more restrictions on Ukraine's military forces and guarantees regarding NATO. Ukraine and the US have disagreements on territorial issues and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, but negotiations are nearing completion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to withdraw Ukrainian troops from parts of eastern Donetsk Oblast to create a demilitarized zone. This is a potential condition for peace talks, although Russia has not shown willingness to withdraw its troops.
Ukraine and the US have disagreements on territorial issues and the status of the Zaporizhzhia NPP in peace talks. Zelenskyy reported on the state of affairs regarding elections and EU accession.
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.
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.
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.
Ukrainian defenders withdrew from Siversk in Donetsk region due to the enemy's superiority in manpower and equipment. The city remains under the fire control of the Defense Forces, which allows blocking the enemy's advance and inflicting damage on them.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled a mechanized assault by Russian occupiers in the Kostiantynivka direction on December 22. Soldiers of the 28th separate mechanized brigade destroyed enemy infantry and tanks.
Large-scale schemes for illegal border crossing by conscripts have been exposed in four regions of Ukraine. The organizers transported men to Moldova and Hungary for tens of thousands of dollars, and also issued fictitious disability documents.
As a result of the ninth massive attack by the Russian Federation, Rivne, Ternopil, and Khmelnytskyi regions are almost completely de-energized. There are also power outages in 6 more regions, and emergency blackouts have been applied in Odesa region and throughout Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that there are about 1,100 Russians in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, and about 100 in Kupyansk, Kharkiv region. He noted that Ukrainian troops are holding their positions despite significant pressure from Russia.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov announced "slow progress" after talks in Miami on a plan to end the war in Ukraine. Negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and Donald Trump's envoys were productive, but without significant breakthroughs due to contentious issues.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the destruction of the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in the Krasnodar Krai and a naval base in Crimea. An enemy ammunition depot and a UAV launch site in Donetsk Oblast were also hit.
The former director of "Lymansky Forestry" has been served with a notice of suspicion of abuse of office. In 2023–2024, the forestry enterprise purchased 3,000 cubic meters of timber without production necessity, overpaying more than UAH 1.6 million in state funds.
The European Union has extended economic sanctions against Russia for another six months, until July 31, 2026. These measures, introduced in 2014 and expanded since February 2022, cover trade, finance, energy, and other sectors.
Christmas week began with massive Russian attacks on Ukraine; Russia attacked energy infrastructure in 5 regions. As of morning, a significant portion of Odesa residents are without electricity. Schedules are in effect, but efforts to reduce them continue by freeing up capacity.
On the night of December 22, Russia attacked Ukraine with 86 attack UAVs, 58 of which were shot down/suppressed. 26 drones hit 12 locations and debris fell in one location.
Partisans of the ATESH movement carried out an act of sabotage at a railway junction in Bataysk, setting fire to relay cabinets. This disrupted the operation of the main logistics hub that supplies the occupation forces in the southern directions.
Residents of occupied Donetsk region complain about multi-hour queues at mobile operator service points due to mass blocking of numbers and forced re-registration of SIM cards. This is an element of total control over the communications of the population in the temporarily occupied territory.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers a ceasefire along the current front line to be fair. He emphasized that Ukraine cannot withdraw from its territories, and the Russians will remain in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In the fall, the US presented a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal named five potential obstacles to peace between Russia and Ukraine.
The Minister of Defense heard a report on the construction of fortifications in six regions. 2,130 platoon strongholds and over 3,000 km of anti-tank ditches have already been built.
The song "Shchedryk" was written at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, its English version was released, which is known to the world as "Carol of the Bells".
On the morning of December 20, due to Russian attacks, consumers in Mykolaiv, Kherson, Donetsk, and Odesa regions were left without power. The occupiers also targeted employees of one of the border thermal power plants, but there were no casualties.
The occupiers made gains near Dronivka, Vyshneve, and in Siversk in Donetsk region. DeepState updated the combat map on December 19.
