Ukraine

12:31 PM

Ukraine’s electricity imports increased more than fivefold in 2024.

Ukraine’s electricity import increased more than fivefold in 2024 to 4.4 million megawatt-hours (MWh), ExPro consulting company’s electricity monitoring data showed on Jan. 2.

12:07 PM

European gas prices rise after Russian gas transit through Ukraine halts.

The rise in gas prices to 51 euros per megawatt-hour is the highest since October 2023.

10:08 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine injure at least 6, kill 4 over past day.

Russia launched 72 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed ones, against Ukraine overnight on Jan. 2, Ukraine's Air Force reported on its Telegram channel.

9:08 AM

Russian strike kills civilian in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

A Russian attack overnight killed a civilian in the town of Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported on his Telegram channel on Jan. 2.

8:44 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 792,170 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,370 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

4:04 AM

Ukraine's Navy says it destroyed over 37,000 Russian drones in 2024.

Russia's UAV losses included 35,670 destroyed FPV drones and 1,140 strike drones, the Navy said. Ukrainian units also eliminated 192 operational and tactical drones and another 164 Shahed-136/131 drones.

1:04 AM

Prominent scientists among victims of New Year's Day drone attack in Kyiv.

Married couple Ihor Zyma and Olesia Sokur both worked as scientists with the Institute for Biology and Medicine at the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. They were killed in a Russian drone strike on Jan. 1.

12:12 AM

Putin orders Russian government, top bank to cooperate with China on AI tech.

Putin told the government and state-owned Sberbank to "ensure further cooperation with the People's Republic of China in technological research and development in the field of artificial intelligence."

11:21 PM

Zelensky offers condolences after deadly New Orleans truck attack.

"Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and we wish a swift recovery to all those injured," Zelensky said. "Ukraine stands with the American people and denounces violence."

10:35 PM

Hungary loses out on about $1 billion in EU aid.

The aid package was conditional on Hungary implementing reforms to bring the country into compliance with EU standards by the end of 2024. Budapest failed to meet the requirements, a European Commission spokesperson said.

9:52 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russia attacks Kyiv on first day of 2025, killing 2, injuring 6

9:34 PM

Moldova to import electricity from Romania, Ukraine as Russia halts gas supply.

Russian Gazprom's decision to halt gas supplies to Moldova resulted in a heating outage in the Russian-controlled region of Transnistria, prompting Chisinau to seek alternative sources of electricity.

7:35 PM

'One of Moscow's biggest defeats' — Zelensky on stopping Russian gas transit via Ukraine.

"Turning energy into a weapon and cynical energy blackmail of partners is what deprived Russia of its most attractive and geographically accessible market," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 1.

6:33 PM

Poland assumes presidency of EU Council, calls security 'top priority.'

"We will do everything to ensure that Europe's security is a reality, not just an aspiration. I hope Poland will lead efforts that result in peace," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

6:03 PM

Russia has lost over 38,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says.

The Russian army has lost over 38,000 troops and more than 1,000 pieces of equipment since the beginning of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Jan. 1.

5:43 PM

Ukraine becomes party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

"This means that it (Ukraine) is now a full-fledged state party to this international treaty and has all the rights and obligations assigned to state parties," ICC spokesperson Fadi el-Abdallah told Ukrinform.

4:21 PM

Ukraine stops Russian gas transit via its territory.

Ukraine has repeatedly warned that it would not extend the gas transit agreement when it expires at the end of 2024 because it did not want to finance Russia's war.

2:49 PM

General Staff: Russia has lost 790,800 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022.

This number includes 1,250 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

1:11 PM

Russian drone attack kills 2, injures 6, damages central bank building in Kyiv.

The National Bank of Ukraine said that one of its buildings in Kyiv's Pechersk District had been damaged by falling debris. The central bank's main building is located near the President's Office on Bankova Street.

4:38 AM

US sanctions Russian, Iranian groups for election disinformation campaigns.

"The governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns," said the U.S. Treasury Department's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

2:54 AM

Ukraine has brought back 1,358 people from Russian captivity in 2024.

Over the past year, Ukraine conducted 11 prisoner exchanges and secured the return of 356 more people than in 2023.

1:42 AM

Zelensky says Trump 'willing, capable of achieving peace and ending Putin’s aggression.'

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his New Year video greeting late on Dec. 31 that no one would give peace to his country as a gift, but he believed the United States would stand together with Ukraine as it fights to stop Russia's full-scale invasion.

11:31 PM

4 Ukrainian children return home from Russian-occupied territories.

Since the beginning of 2024, at least 246 children native to Kherson Oblast have been returned from Russian occupation, governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

9:35 PM

2024 was 'hard-won and free,' Zelensky says in New Year's Eve message.

"We Ukrainians know what it means not to wait for what tomorrow will bring, but to fight for every single day, and every year of freedom," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

7:56 PM

Fico's threats to cut off electricity supplies won't work, Ukraine's Energy Minister says.

Herman Halushchenko said Ukraine could compensate for any disruption by importing electricity from Romania and Poland.