Pope Leo XIV delivered his Christmas message from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. In his address, he mentioned Ukraine.
Tomorrow, December 26, snow, strong winds, blizzards, and warming are expected in Ukraine. The air temperature will rise to 3 degrees below zero to 2 degrees above zero, in Kyiv to zero.
The Kremlin believes it can gain more by continuing hostilities while using negotiations as a foreign policy tool. Russian dictator Putin insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the exclusion of Ukraine's possibility of NATO membership.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned Ukraine in her Christmas greetings. She expressed hope for a just and lasting peace, as well as for Ukraine's secure future in the EU.
Police are investigating the explosion of an AUDI Q7 car in Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi, which occurred on December 24 at about 10:00 PM. No one was injured in the incident, the vehicle was damaged, and a criminal proceeding has been opened on the fact of attempted premeditated murder.
In Rivne region, an attack occurred on TCC employees, one of whom was struck with a metal object. The injured person is in serious condition and is receiving medical attention.
19-year-old Kateryna Endeberia left a college in the UK after being advised to replace challenging subjects with learning Russian. She has applied to take her A-level exams as a private candidate in 2026.
Police detained a resident of Snovsk, suspected of setting fire to belongings and special clothing in a hospital. He faces up to 10 years in prison for intentional destruction of property.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, visited the soldiers of the "Timur Special Unit" on the Zaporizhzhia front. He spoke with the soldiers, checked their working conditions, and awarded the intelligence officers.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a mixed financing mechanism for the procurement of innovative medicines, allowing regional health departments and hospitals to participate. This will ensure that patients with severe and rare diseases receive the necessary medications.
On New Year's Eve, a warming trend is expected in Ukraine with temperatures above zero during the day, but after the holidays, the weather will change sharply again. January will be variable with frequent waves of heat and cold, and there will be little snow for the holidays.
The head of the German parliament's foreign policy committee, Armin Laschet, stated the need for a German-French initiative to coordinate European plans for a ceasefire in Ukraine. He emphasized that Europe must develop its own strong foreign and security policy, agreed upon with Ukraine, which could then be presented to Russia from a position of strength.
Snowfalls have begun in the Carpathians, which will allow the ski season to open, which usually starts at the end of November. However, despite the late start of the season, housing prices remain unchanged, and demand is lower than last year.
The government has expanded the possibilities for civilians affected in temporarily occupied territories to obtain the status of a person with war-related disability. The basis for granting the status is the decision of the Interdepartmental Commission under the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
As a result of the night attack by Russian drones on the port infrastructure of Odesa region on December 25, the head of the guard was killed. Two more people were injured and received medical assistance.
As a result of Russian attacks on Christmas night, consumers in four regions were cut off from power, and emergency blackouts occurred in Odesa region. Restriction schedules are in effect throughout Ukraine around the clock.
Declassified transcripts of conversations between Putin and Bush have been released, in which the Russian leader openly opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO, warning of conflict. He considered Ukraine an artificial state and its entry into the Alliance a threat to Russia.
On the night of December 25, Russia attacked Ukraine with 131 drones, mostly Shahed. Air defense forces shot down or suppressed 106 enemy UAVs, and hits were recorded in 15 locations.
US President Donald Trump discussed Santa Claus's travels, which are tracked by the NORAD program, with children. During the conversation, he mentioned Ukraine along with China and Russia.
Over the past day, 151 combat engagements took place on the front, with the hottest spots being the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions. The invaders launched 1 missile and 80 air strikes, used 3 missiles and dropped 193 guided aerial bombs.
The National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate of the dollar at 42. 15 hryvnias for December 25, which is 5 kopecks more than the previous day. The euro exchange rate is 49.68 hryvnias, and the zloty is 11.79 hryvnias.
On December 24, Russian troops lost 860 soldiers and 600 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 25.12.25 amount to 1,201,230 personnel.
ISW analysts believe that the Kremlin will have to compromise on its demands that are incompatible with the peace plan. Russia is not interested in a compromise-based settlement, as evidenced by its constant references to the 2024 demands.
Russian media are actively promoting the "Black Book on the Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazis in Donbas," published by the Russian Military Historical Society. This book contains no objective evidence, only propagandistic theses comparing "Ukrainian neo-Nazis" with German Nazis.
On December 25, cold weather without precipitation is expected in most of Ukraine. The daytime temperature will be 1-6° below zero, in Zakarpattia and Crimea up to 4° above zero.
The enemy equipment was located in the area of the settlement of Kulbaky, 7 km from the border with Ukraine. The enemy used this self-propelled artillery unit to carry out artillery strikes on the territory of the Sumy region.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stripped Sofiia Lyskyn and Oleksandra Sendziuk of presidential scholarships. This decision was made after Lyskyn announced her renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship and her intention to represent Russia.
The Russian authorities are actively militarizing the education system, involving "SVO veterans" in the upbringing of children. History teachers are advised to organize children's search for "SVO veterans" as part of extracurricular activities.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated that the war in Ukraine could end within the next 90 days. He emphasized that the Trump administration is working towards peace and will pressure both sides to end the conflict.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 130 combat engagements since the beginning of December 24, 28 of which were enemy attacks in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy launched one missile and 52 air strikes, and used 3274 kamikaze drones.
