The price of Russian Urals oil has fallen to $34 per barrel, while Brent remains at $61. This drop may indicate the impact of US sanctions and negatively affect the Kremlin's revenues.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he does not plan to change the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine neither today, nor tomorrow, nor the day after tomorrow. He emphasized that they work as a team, refuting rumors about personnel changes.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a possible massive Russian strike on Christmas. He emphasized the shortage of air defense and urged Ukrainians to respond to air raid alerts.
The European Commission will investigate Czech state aid for the construction and operation of two new nuclear power units in Dukovany. This initiative aims to accelerate decarbonization and eliminate electricity supply shortages, with planned commissioning in 2036 and 2037.
Ukraine has launched the official 112 application, which allows users to call the police, rescuers, medics, and gas service via the internet. This is a single window for calling all emergency services, which is critically important during blackouts or lack of mobile communication.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a Staff meeting dedicated to the situation at the front, strengthening the air defense of Odesa region, and the strategy of long-range strikes against the Russian Federation. The head of state announced a change in the leadership of the "South" Air Command to increase the effectiveness of air defense.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded specialists in the energy sector on their professional holiday. He emphasized that every operating energy facility is the result of superhuman efforts by repair crews who restore what has been destroyed under the constant threat of shelling.
On December 23, hourly shutdown schedules and power limitation schedules will be applied in most regions of Ukraine. This is a consequence of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy facilities.
Factions and groups of the Verkhovna Rada were invited to delegate two representatives each to the working group. It will be engaged in preparing for elections during a special period and/or post-war elections in Ukraine.
17 young South Africans fell victim to a recruitment scam and ended up on the front lines as part of Russian troops. The South African government officially confirmed that it has been dealing with this case since November 6.
The atmosphere for Ukrainians in Poland is deteriorating, as reflected in incidents and surveys. Support for Ukrainian refugees has fallen from 94% to 48%, and support for Ukraine's accession to the EU has dropped to 35%.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov announced "slow progress" after talks in Miami on a plan to end the war in Ukraine. Negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and Donald Trump's envoys were productive, but without significant breakthroughs due to contentious issues.
The Czech Republic's Security Council will discuss the future of the initiative to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine on January 7. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed concerns about the transparency of the initiative.
Russian natural gas exports to China via pipeline are expected to grow by a quarter this year, reaching 38. 6-38.7 billion cubic meters. However, this will not compensate for the drop in revenues from the loss of the European gas market.
J. D. Vance stated that there is progress in negotiations regarding Ukraine, but he is not confident about achieving a peaceful resolution. Issues such as the territories of Donbas, the South, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and the fate of ethnic Ukrainians and Russians in both countries are being discussed.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, called the state's inability to effectively encourage the population to mobilize the biggest failure of the information front. He noted that Ukraine demonstrates daily progress at the technological and intelligence levels.
Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba is lobbying for the appointment of Ihor Zelinsky to the post of head of the State Aviation Service, despite his involvement in decisions that could have harmed Ukrainian aviation and effectively played into the hands of the Russian Federation. Zelinsky's appointment could become a strategic mistake for the state and obviously carries risks for national security in wartime.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, joined negotiations with the American Trump delegation, expressing optimism. He spoke of positive shifts and a focus on strong security guarantees.
Gold and silver prices soared to all-time highs, surpassing previous records. This surge is driven by escalating geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.
The so-called "Odrex case" became a catalyst for discussing systemic problems in the field of licensing private medicine in Ukraine. At a meeting of the relevant Verkhovna Rada committee, MP Viktoriia Vagner raised the issue of the risks of the current model of control over medical institutions, which allows effectively circumventing regulator's sanctions. Following the discussion, the Ministry of Health is to prepare an analysis of the gaps in the licensing system and present it to the deputies.
The European Commission has successfully transferred a thermal power plant from Lithuania to Ukraine. This will provide electricity to approximately 1 million Ukrainians, restoring critical energy capacities.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the destruction of the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in the Krasnodar Krai and a naval base in Crimea. An enemy ammunition depot and a UAV launch site in Donetsk Oblast were also hit.
As a result of the strikes, equipment elements of the oil loading terminal, the liquefied hydrocarbon gas pier, and the port infrastructure were damaged, causing a large-scale fire.
Law enforcement officers uncovered an underground workshop in the Lviv region that produced counterfeit clothing of famous Italian brands. Property worth almost UAH 14 million was seized, including over 2,000 units of clothing and over UAH 1 million in cash.
In Odesa, police launched a criminal investigation into the death of two kittens in a cat cafe. Some of the animals in the establishment were in a sickly condition.
Ukraine received 2. 3 billion euros from the EU under the Ukraine Facility, of which 2.1 billion euros are loan funds and 200 million euros are a grant. This is the sixth regular tranche intended to finance the state's priority social and humanitarian expenditures.
On the eve of the holidays, there is a significant increase in passenger and transport traffic at the border with Ukraine. In one day, 15,000 more people entered Ukraine than left.
Deputy head of the Central Election Commission Serhiy Dubovyk stated that elections in Ukraine are possible only under peaceful conditions and with appropriate legislative changes. He emphasized the need to review the current legislation, which is designed for peacetime.
By the end of the year, Ukraine is preparing a number of sanction decisions against Russian entities and those who assist in the aggression, including individuals from China. It is also planned to synchronize sanctions with partners, in particular regarding the 20th package of EU sanctions and a new package from Canada.
After the resumption of traffic on the Odesa-Reni highway, border guards are recording an increase in passenger and transport flow on the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. No checkpoint stopped working, despite the complications of movement after the Russian attack on the bridge near Mayaky.
