Exclusives
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Ukraine lawmaker says he blocked reactor deal amid corruption allegations (INFOGRAPHIC). The corruption network he warned about proved real. His sabotage claims remain unverified. |
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A country invaded by Russia is now apologizing to it. Here's how that happened.. A country invaded by Russia is now apologizing to it. Here's the 8-step manual that made it happen. |
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Help wanted, Ukraine: why employers can't find workers (INFOGRAPHICS). War didn't create mass unemployment. It created a labor crisis. |
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Russia reopens Mariupol theater, where it bombed 600 to death, as "statement to the world". Workers used chlorine bleach to mask the smell of decaying bodies during reconstruction. Now the site Russia bombed in 2022 hosts children's fairy tales. |
Military
. No drone damage to the power grid was reported, but Russian forces shelled Kherson's thermal power station yesterday, cutting heat to tens of thousands of apartments amid winter cold.
ISW: Ukraine keeps operating in Myrnohrad, Russian presence confirmed in 49% of the city. Fresh footage shows Ukrainian soldiers active within the city and in adjacent Rodynske.
Frontline report: Why the Czech Narwhal missile could become Ukraine's secret weapon in 2026. It's fast, long-range, and resilient — and it enters battlefield trials early next year with real-world Russian targets in its sights.
Russia resumes tank-backed assaults near Pokrovsk after months of light raids, says Ukrainian officer. Russia is reportedly shifting tactics frequently at the front, with a Ukrainian National Guard officer saying this shows Moscow's operational flexibility.
Russia's Bessarabia attacks aim to sever Ukraine's sea access, not just isolate one region. Ukrainian analysts connect escalating strikes on southern bridges to broader strategy of economic strangulation
Intelligence and technology
Ukrainian drone rescue mission hit mid-operation — but armored capsule saves the wounded (VIDEO). The robotic capsule took a direct strike from a Russian FPV drone during a daring frontline evacuation. What followed proved the tech's worth.
Russia exaggerates war progress to sway Trump's peace plan, ISW reveals. Reality is 1,190 days away. Real timeline: 2029. ISW exposes Kremlin's fake success narrative.
First drones for Ukraine war, now satellite launches: Russia-Iran cooperation enters space domain
. Russia launches 3 Iranian satellites as strategic partnership grows.
International
Peace plan 90% agreed. Then Putin called Trump. Now Trump is "very angry" at Ukraine. Russia claims Ukraine's attack, provides no evidence.
Germany's weapons export permits to Ukraine drop from €8.15 billion to €1.14 billion in 2025. Berlin cites a shift to domestic production support.
Zelenskyy demands multi-layered ratification for peace deal, citing failed past agreements. Referendum on 20-point plan would be "strongest historical endorsement," Zelenskyy says
Russia preparing to strike Kyiv government buildings to derail talks with Trump, as peace deal is 90% ready, Zelenskyy warns. Putin tells Trump he'll "revise position" after an invented drone attack.
Putin reviewed all 20 points of peace plan with Trump, Zelenskyy confirms. After weeks of dismissing the proposal, Putin reviewed it with Trump. Zelenskyy's response: words must match actions.
Zelenskyy tells Trump Ukraine wants 50-year US guarantees and foreign troops to enforce them. He said martial law will not be lifted until the General Staff confirms full infrastructure readiness.
. Zelenskyy raised eyebrows, smiled: His viral reaction said it all.
Trump invokes "Russia, Russia, Russia hoax" at Zelenskyy summit, praises Putin's offer of cheap energy for Ukraine. Joint Mar-a-Lago press conference reveals Putin rejected ceasefire while Trump lauds Kremlin's "generous" feelings toward Kyiv
Zelenskyy: Nuclear plant control and territories block final agreement in peace talks. Ukraine and the United States have reached full agreement on security guarantees for Kyiv but remain divided on two critical questions—territories and control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant
Zelenskyy: Ukraine may enter into talks with Russia in January. Ukraine is coordinating a "coalition of the resolute" meeting in Paris for early January while simultaneously preparing for talks with Trump and European leaders—all before any potential dialogue with Russia
Humanitarian and social impact
Russian troops execute five disarmed Ukrainian POWs near Pokrovsk and Huliaipole. Two of the executed soldiers were captured alive during a Russian assault in Shakhove on 27 December, prosecutors say.
Political and legal developments
213 Latvians, mostly teenagers, recruited for €1.6 million fraud scheme, Ukraine-Latvia investigation reveals. Ukraine and Latvia dismantle 300-person financial crime ring.
Poland flooded with 59 Belarusian GPS-tagged balloons by Christmas Eve. Dozens of high-altitude objects entered Polish airspace, raising alarms over both smuggling operations and potential surveillance.
Read our earlier daily review here.
