During the day, 67 combat engagements took place on the front, of which 27 enemy attempts to advance were recorded in the Pokrovsk direction. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, battles continue in several directions, including the Northern-Slobozhansky, Kupyansk, and Huliaipole directions.
About 100 Russian servicemen entered the village of Hrabovske in the Sumy region, trying to advance to Riasne. Currently, fighting is ongoing in the settlement, Ukrainian servicemen are driving out the occupiers.
The Southern Military Court in Rostov-on-Don is considering a treason case against Anton Kuur, a native of Tuva, who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. This may be the first such case since the beginning of the full-scale aggression.
Romania declared an alert in the border region due to a Russian drone attack on Ukrainian port infrastructure near the Romanian border. Radars detected two aerial targets moving towards Reni and Kiliya, and then another group of drones.
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.
Poland scrambled its military aircraft and put air defense systems on alert in response to Russia's massive attack on Ukraine on December 23. These actions are preventive in nature to ensure the security of Poland's airspace.
The Milan prosecutor's office concluded that 21 alleged cases of Russian drones flying over the European Joint Research Centre (JRC) were a technical error. The security system of the JRC nuclear site produced false positives due to a common GSM signal booster.
The Russian army captured 13 Ukrainian soldiers and 52 civilians in the village of Hrabovske in the Sumy region. President Zelenskyy reported that among the civilians were women and children who had not been evacuated.
The atmosphere for Ukrainians in Poland is deteriorating, as reflected in incidents and surveys. Support for Ukrainian refugees has fallen from 94% to 48%, and support for Ukraine's accession to the EU has dropped to 35%.
Viktor Trehubov, head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Group, stated that the forced removal of about 50 residents of the village of Hrabovske, Sumy region, is a planned provocation. The occupiers use civilians as a "human shield" for manipulation on the battlefield and in the information space.
On the eve of the holidays, there is a significant increase in passenger and transport traffic at the border with Ukraine. In one day, 15,000 more people entered Ukraine than left.
After the resumption of traffic on the Odesa-Reni highway, border guards are recording an increase in passenger and transport flow on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. No checkpoint stopped working, despite the complications of movement after the Russian attack on the bridge near Mayaky.
Rustem Umerov reported on the results of negotiations in Florida with Donald Trump's special envoys and representatives of the White House. The parties agreed on a 20-point plan, multilateral and bilateral security guarantee agreements, and an economic development plan.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Russia is no different from ISIS terrorists after the forced removal of 50 civilians from Hrabovske in Sumy region to the Russian Federation. Ukraine demands the return of all civilian hostages and calls on the international community to join the demand for their release.
Queues of hundreds of cars have formed at the border with Poland, especially at the Krakovets and Shehyni checkpoints. Over the past day, almost 67,000 people crossed the border in Lviv region, with entry into Ukraine prevailing.
International passenger and cargo carriers can cross the border with Moldova and Romania through checkpoints in Odesa region. Access is via the M-15 highway ("Odesa – Reni"), but due to the limited capacity of the road, additional time should be factored in.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubynets called for legislative regulation of forced evacuation, especially of children, from dangerous territories. He emphasized the risks of civilians remaining in the combat zone.
Russian servicemen illegally detained and forcibly removed about 50 civilians from Sumy region to Russia. The Ombudsman of Ukraine appealed to his Russian counterpart and the ICRC regarding their return.
Ukrainian forces advanced in the central part of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, as confirmed by geolocated video footage from December 20. Russian forces intensified activity in Sumy Oblast but did not achieve confirmed progress.
In Odesa region, bus traffic is being launched through two checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, which previously operated only for passenger cars. This will allow for quick adjustment of passenger routes and reduction of the load on individual directions, and the number of buses that can be processed at the Mohyliv-Podilskyi – Otaci checkpoint has also been increased.
For the first time since 2022, the Odesa-Chisinau railway connection has been restored. Demand for tickets was extremely high, with 60% sold in the first 3 hours.
The SOF hinted at damage to a Russian Russian ship by publishing a photo with the alleged damage to the vessel. The photo likely shows a Project 22460 "Okhotnik" patrol ship, which is used for border patrol service.
Due to traffic restrictions in the mentioned directions, the Mohyliv-Podilskyi – Otach checkpoint on the border with Moldova in Vinnytsia region is currently overloaded.
After the attack on the bridge in the Mayaky area of Odesa region, the authorities focused on providing alternative routes for transport in southern Ukraine. This applies to passenger and freight transportation, as well as transit flows, taking into account the security situation and road capacity.
Citizens heading to Odesa are informed about restrictions and redirected to alternative routes due to complicated traffic on the Odesa-Reni highway. It is recommended to choose checkpoints in Vinnytsia and Chernivtsi regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his readiness to share with Poland experience in drone defense and cooperate on maritime security issues. The Ukrainian side is ready to provide consultations on repelling all types of drones, as well as to maintain a security dialogue, taking into account threats from Belarus.
Due to the enemy's attack on a critical infrastructure facility, traffic on the Odesa-Reni highway has been stopped. Passage through the checkpoints "Mayaky-Udobne-Palanka" and "Starokozache-Tudora" on the Ukrainian-Moldovan section is temporarily suspended.
The European Union and its member states are ready to contribute to robust security guarantees for Ukraine, including through a Coalition of the Willing and in cooperation with the United States. The EU will address matters within its competence or those affecting its security, according to the European Council conclusions of December 18.
Russia attacked Ukraine with 160 Shahed-type, Gerbera, and other drones on the night of December 19. Air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 108 enemy drones in the south and east of the country.
Russian border guards on a hovercraft crossed the control line on the Narva River, landing on Estonian territory. Estonia has intensified patrols and will summon the chargé d'affaires of the Russian embassy for explanations.
