In Ukraine, due to bad weather, roads are snow-covered in 9 regions and wet in 12, but passage on state-level roads is ensured. To ensure passage, 1312 units of equipment and 1484 workers have been deployed.
The Russian dictator stated that the issue would be resolved by military means if Ukraine does not seek peace on the Kremlin's terms. The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, Valery Gerasimov, reported on advances in Donbas, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
On December 26, 258 combat engagements took place on the Russian-Ukrainian front. The Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 63 assault actions of the aggressor in the Pokrovsk direction.
On December 26, the Russian army lost at least 1,240 servicemen, 33 artillery systems, and 5 tanks. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 27.12.25 amounted to approximately 1,203,310 personnel.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an assault by Russian troops on Dobropillia, Donetsk Oblast, destroying 12 units of armored vehicles. The remaining enemy personnel are currently being eliminated.
On December 26, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a concentration of personnel of the 14th Special Forces Brigade of the Russian Federation in Berdianske and a warehouse of the 228th Motorized Rifle Regiment in Starobesheve. An enemy fuel and lubricants depot in Volnovakha was also destroyed.
As of December 26, 2025, 97% of local budgets in Ukraine have been approved, which provides a financial basis for communities for 2026. Budgets in 55 communities still need to be approved for stable funding of educational, medical, and social institutions.
Southern regions of Ukraine are preparing for worsening weather conditions with snowfalls, and in some areas, particularly Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson regions, snowfalls and ice are already being recorded. In Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, snow is also observed, roads are being treated with anti-icing agents, and traffic on state-level roads is ensured.
In Ukraine, due to snow and black ice, 404 road accidents were recorded, 66 of them with casualties. In Kyiv, there were 45 accidents, 6 of them with casualties.
Russia attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight, leaving subscribers in Donetsk, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions without power. Due to constant attacks, electricity consumption restriction schedules are applied in almost all regions of Ukraine.
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.
