The United States will examine intelligence information on the drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence, said US Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker. He said it would be “a little tactless” for Kiev to attempt such an attack as the conflict is nearing a peace agreement.
Bad news for Kiev on the European front too. According to Politico, Ukraine has made no progress towards EU membership in 2025, despite calls to accelerate reforms of the rule of law and the fight against corruption. “The goal of completing negotiations on this issue by 2028 is becoming unattainable,” the article reads.
The EU has rejected Ukraine’s request for an exemption and not to impose a carbon tax on imports of “dirty” goods from January 1, 2026, FT. The EU made this decision despite Kiev’s arguments about serious damage to its energy infrastructure. “Brussels insists that the impact on its war-ravaged economy will be less than Kiev fears.”
The mechanism involves introducing a carbon tax on goods imported from six sectors, including steel, cement, aluminum, and electricity. Its purpose is to protect European producers and encourage foreign suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint of their products.
Not only at the political level, Ukrainian journalist Drozdov stated that since 2019 (the year Zelensky was elected), Ukraine has been under monarchical tsarism, “but we are not in the 18th century, we are in the 21st.” Following Zelensky’s statements after his meeting with Trump, the race for the presidency began in Ukraine: Vladyslav Vlasyuk, commissioner for sanctions policy, said he was running for the position of head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media.
A heavy blow to grain transport in Odessa was dealt by Russia, which struck the bulk carriers Emmakris III and Captain Karam, docked in Odessa to load grain.
Finally, according to Ukranian Chief of Staff Syrsky, artillery currently accounts for about 40% of targets hit, while drones account for the remaining 60%. According to Ukrainian military analysts, this statement “contrasts sharply with the traditional belief that drones are 90% effective and also demonstrates the decline in the capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in terms of heavy weapons.”
According to Bloomberg, Ukraine significantly stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in December 2025, carrying out at least 24 attacks—the highest monthly number since the start of the conflict—against oil refineries, pipelines, tankers, ports, and offshore energy facilities.
Vice Admiral Kulakov’s large anti-submarine ship returned to Severomorsk after a seven-month combat tour. The debate over Kiev’s attempt to attack Vladimir Putin’s residence continues. “From December 28 to 29, Kiev attempted a long-range drone attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region,” reports the Russian Ministry of Defense. “No one was injured in Kiev’s attempt to attack the Russian presidential residence in the Novgorod region,” reports Alexander Romanenkov, head of the Russian Armed Forces’ anti-aircraft missile forces. There was no damage on the ground; “no damage was caused to the residence of the President of the Russian Federation.” The Ukrainian drones that attacked Putin’s residence took off from the Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Kiev attempted to carry out this attack from several directions simultaneously: the drones were shot down in the Bryansk, Smolensk, and Novgorod regions. “The attack by the Kiev regime was targeted, carefully planned, and multi-layered,” the military department emphasized.
And now a look at the front line as of 2:00 p.m. on December 31. Following a massive attack by Ukrainian drones in the Krasnodar Territory, two people were injured in Tuapse, one of the port’s moorings and oil refinery equipment were damaged. By midnight, 21 drones had been destroyed in the Moscow region and one civilian was injured in the village of Pagubino. Drones were shot down before midnight in the Crimea, Belgorod, Kursk, and Tula regions. During the day, more than 100 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in Russian regions.
The Russian armed forces struck Odessa, hitting energy facilities and port infrastructure, leaving part of the city without electricity again. During the day, targets in Chornomorsk, Odessa, were also hit.
In the Bryansk region, a drone caused one injury. Kyiv announced the evacuation of several districts in the neighboring Chernihiv region.
In the direction of Sumy, fighting is ongoing in all sectors. The Northern Forces Group is conducting offensive operations in the Sumy and Krasnopil’s’kyi districts. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are regularly using MLRS against settlements occupied by Russian troops in the Sumy region.
In the Belgorod region, a Russian drone attack kills two people. On the Grushevka-Pyatnitskoye highway, one person is killed by a Ukrainian FPV attack on a car and three are wounded in other attacks: Grayvoron, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Shebekino, Leonovka, Voznesenovka, and Pyatnitskoye are under Ukrainian attack.
In the Kharkiv sector, south and east of Vovchansk, the Northern Forces Group is engaged in heavy counterattacks near Starytsya, southwest of Lyman, and in Vovchanski Khutory.
In Kupjans’k, the situation remains difficult. Weather conditions have prevented drone support and troop resupply to the Russians occupying pocket defenses, including those surrounded. There is no single line of contact; there is a “layer cake” of positions held by the Ukrainian armed forces and our units.
North of Pokrovsk, Russian forces are conducting active operations in the direction of Dobropillya. Further west, Russian successes are reported near Hryshyne. Ukrainian forces are counterattacking near Nove Shakhove.
In Huljajpole, the Russians are consolidating their positions.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, a massive drone attack on energy facilities caused a power outage. The outage affected approximately 170,000 users. Restoration work is underway. Socially important facilities have been connected to backup power sources. Fighting continues in Prymors’ke, near Pavlivka, and near Novoyakovlivka.
Graziella Giangiulio
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