Today, January 2, and throughout the week, an increase in the load on checkpoints in the Lviv region is predicted. Currently, 200 cars are queuing to leave Ukraine.
The acting head of the internal control department of the Zakarpattia customs was detained for organizing the illegal import of luxury watches without paying customs duties. The official received 3,850 US dollars for importing watches worth over 3.2 million UAH.
Russian occupiers have not attempted to storm Hrabovske in the last few days and have reduced their activity in combat operations in Sumy Oblast. The enemy is suffering significant losses from the actions of the Ukrainian military.
Since the beginning of the day, 45 combat engagements have been recorded, the enemy launched nine attacks each in the Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka directions. The enemy also tried to storm the area of the Antonivskyi Bridge twice.
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.
In 2025, the Russian army increased the pace of its offensive in Ukraine, capturing 4,831 square kilometers of territory and reclaiming 473 square kilometers in the Kursk region. This was made possible by a new operational model, technological adaptations, and a change in attack tactics.
Estonia will chair the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) format from January 1, 2026, coordinating the efforts of eight countries. Key priorities include supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on the aggressor.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba summarized the results of 2025 in the transport industry, noting an increase in seats on international trains and the launch of the Eurotrack. The "transport visa-free regime" with the EU was extended, and digital systems such as eCherha and e-TTN were introduced.
Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine inflicted damage on a number of military and infrastructure facilities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia regions and in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Among the hit targets are an oil depot, a floating craft base, a radar station, deployment points and substations.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of the buffer zone in Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv regions by 2026. This statement was announced by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov.
The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported that Santa crossed the border, bringing gifts and "security guarantees. " A Ukrainian border guard stopped Santa, who confirmed that he was bringing gifts not only for children.
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.
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."
The largest passenger traffic, accounting for 50% of the total, is recorded at the Ukrainian-Polish border. Although there are no queues like before Christmas, certain checkpoints, such as "Krakovets," "Shehyni," and "Ustyluh," remain the busiest.
On the night of December 30, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with two ballistic missiles and 60 attack UAVs. Air defense forces shot down one missile and 52 drones; hits were recorded.
In 2025, over three thousand migrants died trying to reach the Spanish coast, which is three times less than last year. The vast majority of deaths occurred on the Atlantic migration route to the Canary Islands.
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.
The Bring Kids Back UA and Save Ukraine initiative announced the successful evacuation of a group of children from the temporarily occupied territories. Among those rescued are teenagers with congenital disabilities, former territorial defense fighters, and those who were forcibly attempted to be mobilized into the Russian army.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed on further contacts and steps with US President's Special Representative Steve Witkoff. The conversation took place while Umerov was en route to Ukraine; he is also constantly in touch with European advisors.
At a meeting with the military, Putin heard about the "liberation" of 334 settlements and the advance to Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Orikhove. He also ordered the expansion of the "security zone" until 2026.
A group that smuggled medicines from India and Turkey, selling them online under the guise of well-known brands, has been exposed in Khmelnytskyi region. More than 360 packages of medicines, including those unregistered in Ukraine, have been seized.
The SBU detained an agent in Kyiv who worked for Russian and Belarusian special services, adjusting attacks on the capital's energy facilities and spying on the Defense Forces. The perpetrator, recruited via Telegram, was preparing to flee Ukraine but was detained and is in custody.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that martial law would be lifted only after Ukraine receives security guarantees. And it will also require the consent of the army command.
President Zelenskyy emphasized respect for the Ukrainian people and the complexity of the issue.
The meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States lasted over two hours. Currently, the presidents are holding a video conference with European leaders.
The presidents of Ukraine and the United States will meet in Florida to discuss a plan to end the war, including Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The meeting takes place against the backdrop of Russian air attacks and disagreements on key issues.
Passenger traffic is increasing at the Ukrainian-Polish border due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, especially for departures from Ukraine. The longest queues are observed at the Shehyni, Krakovets, Rava-Ruska, Ustyluh, and Uhryniv checkpoints.
Since the beginning of December 27, 62 combat engagements have been recorded, with Russian occupiers storming the positions of Ukrainian defenders. Border settlements of Sumy Oblast are suffering from artillery shelling from the territory of the Russian Federation.
Five people were injured as a result of the Russian attack on Kyiv on the night of December 27, four were hospitalized. Damage was recorded in the Holosiivskyi, Obolonskyi, and Desnianskyi districts of the capital.
Roland Tseber, head of the Alliance of National Communities "European Coalition", and Petro Yatsenko, representative of the Coordination Headquarters, installed a border post from Snake Island in Uzhhorod Castle.
