Russian Defense Minister Belousov is spreading false information about the occupation forces' control over Kupyansk. Most of the city is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which continue to clear it of Russians.
Vladimir Putin claimed that the Russian army captured over 300 settlements in 2025 and accused the West of starting the war. Andrei Belousov stated that Russia allegedly captured Kupyansk, while Ukraine denied this.
The United Kingdom will officially issue an order to transfer £2. 5 billion from the sale of Chelsea FC for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that this is Roman Abramovich's last chance to fulfill his obligations, otherwise legal action will be taken.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the decision of the San Francisco International Wine Competition to disqualify 15 Russian wineries from the 2025 competition. Their wines will be disposed of due to violations of US sanctions legislation imposed in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that the completion of work on the "Mostytska" metro station in its main structures is expected in 2026. The contractor is working around the clock at 6 construction sites, and the right tunnel from "Mostytska" to "Syrets" and part of the ventilation units have already been built.
The Kremlin expects the US to provide information on the results of its work with Ukrainians and Europeans following reports of an expected discussion of proposals for peace talks. On December 16, President Zelenskyy announced an anticipated meeting between Ukraine and the US in Miami to discuss documents.
A state-level emergency has been declared in Odesa region due to enemy attacks on energy infrastructure. Over 50,000 residents of the region were left without electricity for a long time.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a Law extending special rules for the operation of the state enterprise "Pivdenny Machine-Building Plant named after Makarov" in Dnipro. This decision suspends forced enforcement actions and seizures of the enterprise's funds until January 1, 2027.
Bohdan Kukura has been appointed chairman of the board of Ukrnafta following an open selection process. Naftogaz expects the new head to fulfill all strategic tasks.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law on the legal status and medical care of foreign military personnel. The document provides for the issuance of temporary residence permits for the entire duration of their contract and after its termination, and also extends certain social guarantees to them.
Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin would not agree to the presence of military personnel from EU countries on the territory of Ukraine, arguing that this could lead to the presence of NATO military personnel. He emphasized that Moscow's position on this issue is consistent and clear.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski ironically reacted to Maria Zakharova's statement about "Poland being created by Lenin", comparing it to Putin's "charity" towards Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.
Since November 24, Kyivstar has launched Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology, which allows users to stay connected without terrestrial coverage. It is currently available for iPhone 13 and newer models with iOS from 26.2, as well as for Android.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, stated that the Kremlin is trying to drag out time to force Ukraine to surrender.
The US is considering new sanctions against Russia's energy sector, including its "shadow fleet" of tankers, if Putin rejects a peace deal with Ukraine. These measures could be announced as early as this week, as discussed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with European ambassadors.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russia has increased its troops to 710,000 personnel for a strategic offensive in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are successfully repelling attacks, regaining control over territories, and striking the aggressor's infrastructure.
Commander of the Third Army Corps Andriy Biletskyi proposes to remove barriers for the growth of young officers to replace "paper generals".
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov called for not putting pressure on entrepreneurs during the war, speaking out against the introduction of VAT for individual entrepreneurs with an annual income of more than UAH 1 million. He emphasized that small businesses are the foundation of the economy, and the Kharkiv City Council canceled local taxes to support more than 127,000 individual entrepreneurs operating in the city.
The SBU detained the head of a medical unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who was transmitting data on military facilities to the FSB. He marked locations on Google Maps, which allowed the occupiers to launch missile strikes.
As a result of the attack by Ukrainian drones, the Russian submarine sustained significant damage, and a major overhaul could take a long time.
Over the past day, Russian occupation forces' losses increased by 1,730 personnel, reaching approximately 1,192,350 servicemen. Thousands of military equipment units were also destroyed, including 11,427 tanks and 23,758 armored combat vehicles.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the damage to the Slavyansk oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and the Nikolaevskaya oil depot in Rostov Oblast. A field artillery depot in Luhansk Oblast and a drilling rig in the Caspian Sea were also hit.
Rating agency Fitch has placed Euroclear Bank's ratings on Rating Watch Negative due to EU plans to use frozen Russian assets for a 'reparations' loan to Ukraine. This could lead to increased legal and liquidity risks for Euroclear.
Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, striking Dnipropetrovsk region overnight, where power has already been restored. In Odesa region, about 32,000 consumers remain without electricity, and approximately 400,000 consumers suffer from outages daily.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Putin will sooner or later agree to the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine. He also spoke about what, in his opinion, should be the West's reaction in the event of new Russian attacks.
The European Commission is trying to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support a proposed loan to Ukraine, financed by immobilized Russian assets. De Wever expresses concerns about the risks to the Belgian economy if Russia tries to reclaim the assets.
European leaders support Ukraine, seeking to uphold international law and counter Russian aggression. They fear that a deal in Russia's favor could lead to a wider war on the continent.
In November, Ukrainians bought 5. 5 thousand used passenger cars from the USA, which is 2.2 times more than last year. 53% of them are electric vehicles, with an average age of 5 years.
On December 17, fog is expected on the roads of Kyiv region, Level I danger (yellow) has been announced. The patrol police urge drivers and pedestrians to observe traffic rules.
