Ukraine

Russia stops supplying gas through Ukraine after the transit agreement expires on January 1. Europe has found alternative sources, but the loss of Russian gas has affected the EU economy.

The head of the GRU confirmed the participation of the North Korean military in the war against Ukraine in the Kursk region of Russia. According to the White House, over the past week, the DPRK has lost about a thousand troops there.

The NACP temporarily suspends the Data for Declarations function due to problems with the registers of the Ministry of Justice. Other functions of the Register of declarations continue to work as usual.

The service of closing a sole proprietorship in a few clicks is again available on the Diia portal. The process takes two minutes, and the tax authorities deregister you on the same day.

Chief of the GUR Budanov reported on a new threat - the massive use of fiber-optic drones by Russia. Ukraine is looking for a technological solution to combat them.

In 2024, more Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity than in 2023. In total, 3956 people have been released since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including 1358 in 2024.

Ombudsmen of Ukraine and Russia meet in Belarus to discuss conditions of detention of prisoners of war. The day before, 189 Ukrainians, including the defenders of Mariupol and Zmeinyi Island, were released as part of the exchange.

The state budget of Ukraine received UAH 2. 2 trillion in taxes and fees, of which more than UAH 1 trillion was provided by the Tax Service. In addition, UAH 453.6 billion of international aid and UAH 546.1 billion of unified social tax were received.

The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed educational institutions to use the remaining educational subvention for the purchase of multimedia and computer equipment for the subject “Defense of Ukraine”. The relevant resolutions were amended.

The auctions for commercial fishing for aquatic bioresources scheduled for January 3 have been canceled due to a Russian cyberattack on state registers. The auctions will be postponed until after the registers are restored.

There are 460 veterans' support specialists in Ukraine, and their number will grow every month. The state provides comprehensive support, from free dental prosthetics to housing and business grants.

The government has updated the rules for crossing the border for men aged 18-25 who served under contract in the Armed Forces. A special certificate from the unit commander and a military registration document are now required to leave.

The DIU demonstrated the results of fires at Russian military infrastructure facilities in 2024. The fires covered the territory from Moscow to Siberia, damaging logistics and communication facilities.

Turkey's president said that a just end to the war between Ukraine and Russia remains the country's priority. Erdogan hopes for a new era in the north in 2025.

The Cabinet of Ministers has allocated UAH 1. 77 billion in subventions to local budgets for the New Ukrainian School program. The funds will be used to provide quality and affordable general secondary education.

The U. S. Census Bureau predicts that the global population will grow by 71 million people in 2024. In the United States, an increase of 2.6 million people is expected, while in Ukraine, the population is projected to decline to 35.8 million.

In 2024, Ukrainians shifted their focus from household appliances to digital devices and gadgets. Demand for autonomous power supplies increased, and prices for electronics grew in line with inflation.

The Ukrainian defense-industrial complex has significantly increased production, involving more than 800 companies. Through the "Army of Drones" project, 1.2 million drones have been purchased, and domestic products account for more than 96% of the drone segment.

In his New Year's address, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured that Germany would not leave Ukraine alone. Germany will continue to provide the largest support in Europe, while maintaining its cool against the spread of war.

Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov invited Ukrainians abroad to celebrate 2025 Kyiv time. He emphasized the importance of the unity of all Ukrainians, regardless of where they live.

The State Emergency Service has provided recommendations for safe New Year's Eve celebrations at home and outdoors. The rules apply to the use of electrical appliances, Christmas tree decorations, behavior during an alarm, and the prohibition of pyrotechnics.

Since the beginning of 2024, more than 32 thousand Ukrainians have applied to recruitment centers for advice on military service. 7198 people are already undergoing the selection stage, and more than 10 thousand vacancies are available at the centers.

Italy has provided €13 million for the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine. The funds will be used to restore the war-damaged energy infrastructure and stabilize electricity supply.

Auckland marked the start of 2024 with a grand fireworks display near the Sky Tower. New Zealand became one of the first countries to welcome the New Year after Kiribati and the Tonga Islands.

The Russian command has developed plans in case of war with Japan and South Korea, including a list of 160 targets. Documents from 2013-2014 contain targets for strikes on nuclear power plants, bridges, tunnels and industrial facilities.

The demand for specialists in Ukraine has reached pre-war levels, and the government has launched dozens of retraining programs. In 2025, it is planned to allocate 700 million euros to retrain another 180,000 Ukrainians.

Law enforcement officers will bring to police stations people who violate the curfew on New Year's Eve. Currently, there is no liability for curfew violations, but the Cabinet of Ministers has introduced a bill on fines.

Ukraine's air defense forces shot down 6 missiles and 16 enemy UAVs, with another 24 drones lost to location. Among the destroyed targets were an aeroballistic missile "Kinzhal", 5 X-69 missiles, and a "Shahed" UAV.

Elon Musk ironically commented on the news of an additional $2. 5 billion in US aid to Ukraine. The billionaire sarcastically supported the comment about Zelenskyy's “biggest money theft”.

President Zelenskyy appointed Olha Reshetylova as Ukraine's first military ombudsman. She is a co-founder of the Come Back Alive Foundation and heads the Media Initiative for Human Rights.