Ukraine
Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 0. 2% and 0.3% respectively, reaching $62.53 and $58.56 per barrel. This increase is driven by strong US economic growth and geopolitical risks, despite an expected annual price drop.
Today, believers celebrate Christmas Eve according to the Gregorian and New Julian calendars. The OCU spoke about traditions, including 12 Lenten dishes and the central dish - kutia.
Law enforcement officers served a notice of suspicion to a group of individuals for seizing 70 million hryvnias from the Kharkiv city territorial community. This happened during the procurement of goods in the energy sector at prices inflated by 2.5 times.
The Security Service of Ukraine detained two pro-Kremlin agitators in Mykolaiv and Volyn who justified Russian aggression. Among those detained are a university postgraduate student and a deserter from the Armed Forces of Ukraine who spread pro-Russian posts.
President Zelenskyy has called for a meeting with US President Trump to resolve sensitive issues of a future peace agreement with Russia, such as territorial control. The Ukrainian and American delegations have come closer to finalizing a 20-point negotiation plan.
Svitlana Onyshchuk, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration, appealed to law enforcement agencies to check the operation of entertainment venues. This happened after the death of an 18-year-old boy as a result of a fight near one of the venues in Ivano-Frankivsk.
As a result of Russian strikes on the Pivdennyi port in Odesa region, a vegetable oil spill occurred in the Black Sea. The port's water area is temporarily closed to eliminate the consequences.
Ukraine and Poland have begun preparations for new search operations, conducting a reconnaissance visit to the Rivne region on December 19, 2025. The research is scheduled for March-April 2026, according to the agreements of the Ukrainian-Polish Working Group.
Ukrenergo confirmed the introduction of emergency power outages in several regions due to the consequences of Russian attacks. Previously published blackout schedules are currently not in effect.
In Ukraine, 138,409 people contracted ARVI in the week from December 15 to 21, which is 3. 1% more than last week. Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, and Lviv regions exceeded the low-level epidemic threshold.
Russia carried out targeted attacks on Ukraine's oil and gas infrastructure, using almost 100 attack drones against Ukrnafta's production facilities. Critical damage has been recorded, and the operation of the damaged equipment has been stopped.
During the night, the enemy attacked energy facilities in several regions, leading to new power outages in Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. Today, hourly blackout schedules and power restrictions for industry and business are applied in all regions of Ukraine until 23:59.
The United States Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Matthew Whitaker, added that Russia has never been willing to acknowledge the loss of millions of its troops.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has for the first time unveiled 20 points of a "basic document on ending the war. "
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War stated that these "attacks" are provocative and accompanied by loud statements from Russian officials and propagandists.
The proportion of Russian citizens who consider it necessary to continue hostilities against Ukraine has decreased to 25%, which is the lowest figure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. These are the data from the December survey by the "Levada Center", cited by the Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko.
7,826 churches of the Moscow Patriarchate remain in Ukraine, despite a law prohibiting their activities. Only 934 religious communities have transferred to the OCU in almost 4 years of full-scale war.
Russia planned to build 2062 vessels by 2035, but funding has been secured for only 593, casting doubt on over 1500 projects. Ship construction in Russia is 2.5–3 times more expensive than in China due to low labor productivity and technological backwardness.
On the night of December 24, Russia attacked Ukraine with 116 attack UAVs, 60 of which were neutralized. 48 drones hit 19 locations, including a critical infrastructure facility in Chernihiv region.
On December 23, Russian troops lost 1090 soldiers and 1031 UAVs in the war with Ukraine. The total combat losses of the enemy since 24.02.22 exceeded 1 million 200 thousand people.
On December 24, Ukraine will be cloudy with clearings, with no precipitation in most of the territory. The daytime temperature will be 1-6°C below zero, and 0-5°C above zero in Zakarpattia and the south of the country.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha discussed with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong another Russian attack and emphasized the importance of international solidarity. The parties coordinated further steps to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities, noting a new package of military aid from Australia.
The Pentagon claims that China is undertaking a "historic" military buildup, making the US more vulnerable. This casts doubt on Trump's plans for limiting the nuclear arsenals of the US, China, and Russia.
From December 24, ice phenomena are expected to appear and intensify on Ukrainian rivers and in the shallow waters of the Kyiv, Kamianske, and Dnipro reservoirs. Rescuers urge Ukrainians to be careful near bodies of water and not to go out on the ice.
The US wants to reach a final agreement on ending Russia's war against Ukraine, President Zelenskyy said. Kyiv is in constant contact with the US and expects further cooperation, working on realistic documents.
President Zelenskyy stated that new direct support programs for Ukrainian citizens will be implemented in 2026. Almost 18 million Ukrainians have applied for this year's winter support.
The Ministry of Defense has identified the comprehensive renovation of the military rehabilitation system as a priority area of work, which requires about UAH 8 billion. Next year, the state budget will allocate over UAH 700 million for the development of the network of military hospitals, and the NATO project "RENOVATOR" has already accumulated 80 million euros.
In November, 731 occupiers, 121 pieces of military equipment, and 59 other targets were destroyed on mine-explosive barriers installed by engineering units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The strikes were mostly carried out by remote mining using unmanned aerial vehicles.
The enemy launched a combined night attack on Ukrnafta's production facilities, resulting in serious damage and a halt in operations. There were no casualties, and Naftogaz specialists are working to restore the infrastructure.
Brigadier General Andriy Biletskyi stated that Ukraine must systematically approach the creation of modern field fortifications. He noted that drones have changed the battlefield, and a modern defensive line should be a flat, unobstructed field for effective UAV operation.