In Sumy region, a Russian drone attacked a civilian police evacuation vehicle "White Angel" that was evacuating people from the border area of Shostka district. Police officers sustained minor injuries, and the evacuated people were not harmed thanks to the vehicle's armor.
Last year, Russian troops carried out about 150,000 shellings of State Border Guard Service positions, which is twice as many as the year before. This year, the enemy is significantly increasing the use of drones.
President Zelenskyy commented on Russia's night attack on Ukraine, the main target of which was energy infrastructure. Four people died as a result of the strike on a postal terminal in Kharkiv Oblast.
Due to a new Russian attack, power outages affected 7 regions of Ukraine. Emergency blackouts are in effect in Kyiv and 4 oblasts, and bad weather has caused power disruptions in 4 oblasts.
After a massive Russian attack, heating and electricity supply has been restored in Kyiv, but blackout schedules are in effect. The government is aiming for Thursday for a significant improvement in the situation.
As of 4:00 PM, 68 battles have taken place on the front, most of them in the Pokrovsk direction. The General Staff reported 23 attempts by the occupiers to advance in the Pokrovsk direction, 22 of which were repelled.
On Friday, January 9, difficult weather conditions are expected in Ukraine: strong winds, heavy snow, blizzards, and black ice. Forecasters from the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center have declared a Level I danger.
Due to difficult winter weather conditions, a ban on freight transport has been introduced on sections of highways M-06 and H-22 in Rivne and Zhytomyr regions. Roads are covered with snow, heavy snow and blizzards make movement difficult.
In Dnipropetrovsk region, part of the critical infrastructure has been powered, about 800,000 consumers remain without electricity. In Zaporizhzhia, electricity supply has been restored, but residents are asked to limit the use of electrical appliances.
The cyclone entered Ukraine through Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, causing difficult winter weather conditions. In Prykarpattia, traffic is ensured, in Bukovyna drivers were urged to limit trips, and Ukrzaliznytsia is strengthening connections with both regions.
The state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" sold 91. 4 thousand New Year trees, generating 16.5 million hryvnias in revenue. The highest demand was recorded in the Volyn and Rivne regions, and the lowest in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.
In the Romny district of Sumy region, a 22-year-old driver of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter minibus drove onto the roadside, which led to its overturning. Two passengers were hospitalized, and six others received medical assistance without hospitalization.
In 2025, Russians damaged 307 monuments and 261 cultural infrastructure objects in Ukraine. In total, since the beginning of the war, 1640 cultural heritage sites and 2446 cultural infrastructure objects have been destroyed.
On January 8-9, Ukraine is expected to experience snow, blizzards, and ice, with up to 25 cm of snow in some places. On January 10-11, a sharp cold snap down to -23°C is forecast in the western, northern, Vinnytsia, and Cherkasy regions.
On the morning of January 6, emergency power outages were introduced in Sumy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions due to damage to the power system. Slavutych in Kyiv region is partially powered after the Russian attack, and outage schedules are not in effect.
Since the beginning of the current day, 80 combat engagements have taken place on the front, most of them in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy is also more active in the Huliaipole direction, where five battles are ongoing.
In Ukraine, roads are mostly dry, but in some regions they are wet, in places snowy, with packed snow in Donetsk region, and fog and up to 10 cm of snow in Sumy region. Travel on all sections of state roads is ensured.
The spokesman for the State Border Guard Service reported on active areas on the border of Sumy and Kharkiv regions, where the enemy is trying to expand the combat zone. The enemy uses small assault groups, without using equipment, and suffers heavy losses.
After entering Hrabovske in Sumy region, the Russians are conducting remote mining to prevent Ukrainian counterattacks. They are using drones and infantry, who are taking up positions in houses.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine control the northern part of Pokrovsk and hold the defense in Myrnohrad, eliminating the enemy on the approaches to the city. Since the beginning of January 3, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have repelled 49 Russian assaults, 16 of which were in the Pokrovsk direction.
Russian troops are actively storming and shelling, particularly the border settlements of Sumy Oblast. In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the enemy carried out 42 shellings, and in the Huliaipole direction, 19 combat engagements were recorded.
A 52-year-old resident of the Esman community died in Sumy region as a result of a Russian FPV drone attack. The man was going for water when he was attacked by an enemy drone.
On December 30, 2025, the Ministry of Culture added 26 unique museum objects to the State Register of National Cultural Heritage. Among them are the Altar Gospel of 1707 and the anthropomorphic stele "Kernosivsky Idol" from the 2nd millennium BC.
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.
Russia attacked ports in Odesa region and railway infrastructure in Kovel and Konotop on New Year's Eve. Piers, equipment, machinery, transport and infrastructure were damaged, but the attack did not affect train traffic.
Explosions were heard in Kharkiv on January 1; preliminarily, Russian occupiers launched a KAB attack on the suburbs. One person is known to have been injured as a result of the strike.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made 25 working trips across Ukraine in a year, focusing on the security situation, especially in frontline regions. He visited Kyiv, Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy, Odesa, and other regions.
The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed healthcare facilities to purchase housing for medical workers in frontline regions. Housing will be provided for the period of employment in the settlement or within 30 km of it.
