Ukraine
Ruslan Kravchenko held a meeting with the heads of regional tax offices to outline new priorities for the service. The main task will be to stop the unjustified blocking of invoices and support responsible business.
A large part of Kurakhove in Donetsk region has been destroyed. The Ukrainian Armed Forces hold the western outskirts of the city and the power plant, while the occupiers continue to storm the city's buildings.
In December 2024, the Russian Federation lost a record 48,670 soldiers, with an average daily loss of 1,570 people. On December 19, a new record was set - 2200 losses per day.
The government approved a draft law introducing the concept of an “eco-industrial park”. The new model envisages the use of alternative energy sources and rational resource management.
In the occupied Kherson region, the Russian authorities are seizing and destroying tens of thousands of Ukrainian books from libraries. Classical works, history textbooks, and books about the Holodomor are banned.
A spokesman for the Khortytsia military unit denied that Russian troops had captured Lozova. According to him, data from the field indicate the opposite, and no serious clashes were recorded in the area.
The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to allocate UAH 20 billion for the eHouse program in 2025. Priority will be given to the military, veterans, doctors and teachers, and the total amount of loans issued has already exceeded UAH 24 billion.
Irakli Kobakhidze denied Macron's statement about Russia's growing aggression in neighboring countries, noting that it concerns only Ukraine. The Georgian prime minister advised the French president to focus on helping Ukraine.
Lukashenka accused Zelensky of attempts to drag Belarus into war and stated about the threat to the existence of the state. At the same time, Russia remains the only country that drags Belarus into the conflict.
Mykhailo Drapaty confirmed the existence of problems in the 155th mechanized brigade “Anna Kyivska”. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case of desertion of 1700 soldiers and abuse of authority by the command.
The government has included Myronivka Industrial Park in the Register of Industrial Parks. The project will create 1,500 jobs and attract over UAH 1 billion in investments.
8 million citizens received UAH 1000 each through the Winter is Support program, with a total of 11 million applications submitted. New support programs for teachers and IDPs are also being launched.
In January 2025, 717 Ukrainians applied to recruitment centers in a week. There are 47 centers across the country with more than 10,000 vacancies in military formations.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga held talks with Iceland's Foreign Minister. The parties discussed military assistance, investments in arms production, and support for humanitarian initiatives.
The Cabinet of Ministers has authorized the State Migration Service and diplomatic missions to extend the validity of temporary Ukrainian citizenship certificates for Russians and Belarusians who have been granted citizenship since 2020. The decision applies to those who did not have time to terminate their foreign citizenship due to the war.
In 2024, Ukraine exported goods worth more than $41 billion, reaching pre-war levels. More than 97 million tons of cargo were transshipped through the sea corridor and ports.
The head of the NSDC Center for Countering Disinformation reported a strike on an important military facility in Kursk. The attack took place against the backdrop of the start of the offensive of the Ukrainian military in several areas of the Kursk region.
Starting in 2025, the National Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt” will be contracted by the NHS and will join the single medical space. The changes provide for free services under a doctor's referral within the primary healthcare system and paid services without a referral.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine discussed with his Icelandic counterpart the expansion of investments in arms production. Iceland has already allocated 2 million euros and will continue to support demining and energy infrastructure.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft law on fines for violations in the field of cinematography. It provides for sanctions of up to UAH 51 thousand for screening films without registration and violation of national content quotas.
In 2024, 8. 5 thousand Ukrainian families received loans under the eHouse program worth UAH 14.6 billion. Military personnel and law enforcement officers received the most loans - 49% of the total.
The government dismissed the Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs and two heads of the State Financial Monitoring Service. A new deputy head of the State Water Agency was appointed and the appointment of the head of the Uzhhorod District State Administration was approved.
Minister Sibiga confirmed the postponement of US Special Representative Keith Kellogg's visit to Ukraine. The visit will take place after the inauguration of Donald Trump, the exact dates are still being agreed upon.
Investigative journalist Khristo Grozev said that Putin may agree to Ukraine's membership in NATO in exchange for the withdrawal of US bases from Eastern Europe. He also suggests that the Kremlin's current tough stance is just a negotiating tactic.
Poland's climate minister has declared her readiness to increase electricity supplies to Ukraine if Slovakia stops supplying it. This is a response to Slovak Prime Minister Fico's threats of a possible cutoff of energy supplies.
More than 1. 2 million Ukrainians received Winter eSupport through Ukrposhta worth more than UAH 900 million. About UAH 800 million was spent on utilities, the rest on goods made by Ukrainian producers and periodicals.
Ukrainian special operations forces killed 13 North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. Five were killed in combat, eight with the help of drones, and an officer with special equipment was among the dead.
In Kyiv, Dnipro and Odesa, a group of FSB agents led by a Kyiv lawyer were detained. They were monitoring volunteers and officials of international organizations, as well as adjusting missile strikes on Ukrainian targets.
Due to the warming, electricity consumption decreased by 5. 5% compared to the previous day. The weather left 12 settlements in two regions without electricity.
The average monthly hryvnia exchange rate depreciated by 1% in December due to increased budget expenditures and business operations. The NBU increased net foreign exchange sales to USD 5.3 billion to stabilize the market.