Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys recalled that Nicolás Maduro's regime supported Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. Lithuania did not recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against 95 individuals and 70 legal entities, most of whom are citizens and residents of the Russian Federation. The restrictions apply to individuals and companies that produce communication equipment, electronic warfare systems, and microelectronics for the Russian military-industrial complex.
From February 24, 2022, to January 4, 2026, Ukrainian law enforcement officers recorded 191,822 crimes committed by Russian occupiers. Among them are 174,883 war crimes and 144 criminal proceedings related to sexual offenses.
Negotiations between Ukraine and its partners have entered a new phase, bringing the parties closer to discussing the format of a peace settlement. President Zelenskyy expects the basic provisions on security guarantees and economic recovery to be agreed upon as early as January.
On January 3, a fire broke out in a one-story residential building on Spuskny Lane in the Novokodatsky district of Dnipro, covering 60 square meters. During the extinguishing, firefighters found the body of a man.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has published clarifications regarding the procedure for planning employee vacations for 2026. The vacation schedule is mandatory for all employers, including individual entrepreneurs, and must be agreed upon with the trade union.
On the night of January 4, 2026, Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine with 52 attack drones. The Defense Forces shot down or suppressed 39 enemy targets, including about 40 "Shaheds."
Over the past day, the enemy engaged in 211 combat clashes and used over 4,800 kamikaze drones for attacks. More than 2,700 shellings of Ukrainian troop positions and peaceful cities were recorded.
Fraudsters in Ukraine have invented a new way to extort personal data from users under the guise of parcels that allegedly got lost at the post office.
The Ukrainian partisan movement ATESH recorded emergency measures to increase security at the facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiysk. The command of the occupation forces switched to an intensified camouflage regime for logistics centers after a series of successful strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
On January 4, Ukraine is expected to experience a deterioration in weather conditions due to an atmospheric front, which will bring wet snow, rain, and black ice. Air temperatures will range from 5-10°C below zero in the North to 1-6°C above zero in the South.
Latvia will hand over 21 confiscated cars to Ukraine, seized from drunk drivers or as part of criminal proceedings. Among them is a 22-year-old luxury SUV, a 2003 Lincoln Navigator.
The US special operation in Caracas and the detention of Nicolás Maduro caused a resonant reaction from world leaders. The international community was divided in its assessment of the legality of Washington's actions, from full support to harsh condemnation.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 191 combat engagements on January 3, 2026, with 1 missile and 41 air strikes recorded. The highest activity was observed in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions.
Ukraine is observing a Supermoon, which is 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual. Tonight, the Quadrantids meteor shower is also expected to peak with an intensity of up to 10 meteors per hour.
ATESH agents conducted reconnaissance of the Bryansk Automobile Plant, which produces chassis for S-400, S-350 air defense systems, Iskander-M tactical missile systems, and Uragan multiple rocket launchers. The obtained data has been transferred to the Ukrainian Defense Forces for planning targeted impact measures.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a "major reboot" of the state system, including rotations of heads of the security, defense, and law enforcement sectors. The replacement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, is not foreseen.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with national security advisors of the member states of the Coalition of the Willing. Security guarantees, reconstruction, and a basic framework for real peace, as well as the sequence of further meetings, were discussed.
Ukrainian defenders demonstrated footage of Russian drone destruction. SBU units eliminated five hundred "Shaheds" and "Gerbers" in the second half of 2025.
María Machado addressed her compatriots after the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. She stated that Maduro will face international justice for his crimes and called for Edmundo González to be recognized as the legitimate president.
Donald Trump posted a photo of Nicolas Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima after his detention by US special forces. Maduro will face trial in the US on charges of narco-terrorism and illegal arms trafficking.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the United States to release Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, citing information about their presence in the United States.
Personnel changes are ongoing in Ukraine at the level of regional administrations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced consultations regarding the appointment of new heads in Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Ternopil, and Chernivtsi regions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha reacted to the US military operation in Venezuela, stating support for the right of peoples to a free life. Ukraine did not recognize Maduro's legitimacy after the rigged elections and violence against protesters.
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.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš will review his predecessors' initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine. He considers the initiative "a good thing" but demands a corruption check and will discuss it on January 7.
Ukraine and the United States have agreed on a military document that defines mechanisms for supporting, restoring, and modernizing the Armed Forces, as well as controlling the implementation of agreements. The document consists of four sections and annexes, covering the provision of the Armed Forces and monitoring compliance with agreements.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed appointing Denys Shmyhal as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine. He thanked Shmyhal for his work at the Ministry of Defense and emphasized the importance of systematic approach for Ukrainian energy.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding further diplomatic actions. They also discussed preparations for the upcoming leaders' meeting.
