Russia claimed that Ukrained tried to attack Putin`s recidense withdrones; will revise negotiating position

Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Ukraine carried out an overnight drone attack targeting a residence used by Russian leader Vladimir Putin, warning that the incident would prompt a revision of Moscow’s negotiating position. Speaking to state media, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged that Ukraine launched 91 attack drones at a site in Russia’s Novgorod Oblast, likely near Valdai, all of which were supposedly intercepted by Russian air defenses.

While Lavrov said Russia would not withdraw from negotiations with the United States over Ukraine, he warned the strike would not go unanswered and that Russian retaliatory targets and timing had already been determined. The claims, however, contain inconsistencies: Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier reported intercepting 89 drones overnight, with only 18 downed over Novgorod Oblast.

Russians attacked ports of Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk in Odessa

On December 30, 2025, Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine's Odesa region, targeting key Black Sea port infrastructure in Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk. The strikes damaged port facilities, oil storage tanks, and a civilian Panama-flagged grain ship, while at least one person suffered injuries in the Odesa district. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba described the assault as a deliberate attempt to disrupt civilian maritime logistics and complicate shipping operations in the region.

These attacks continue Russia's intensified campaign against Odesa's ports, vital for Ukraine's grain and commodity exports amid the ongoing war. No fatalities were immediately reported from this specific strike, but emergency services responded quickly to contain fires and assess damage. The incident underscores Moscow's efforts to undermine Ukraine's economy by targeting non-military infrastructure, even as diplomatic channels remain open.

Ukraine has informed the US that alleged drone strike on Putin residence is fake - Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russia’s claims that Ukraine targeted Vladimir Putin’s residence with drones, calling them fake and saying Kyiv has informed the United States. Speaking at an online press conference, Zelenskyy said U.S. partners can easily verify the claims using technical intelligence and suggested the allegations may be aimed at undermining recent progress in U.S.-Ukraine talks. He also criticized several countries, including India and the UAE, for condemning the alleged strike while remaining silent on ongoing Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilians.

76% of Ukrainians reject recognizing occupied territories as Russian to end the war - poll

A recent poll by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, conducted in December 2025, shows that 76% of Ukrainians reject recognizing Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia to end the war, with only 13% finding it acceptable. This strong opposition is most pronounced in western Ukraine (less than 2% acceptance) and somewhat softer in central and eastern regions (around 21–22%). Amid U.S.-brokered peace talks, territorial disputes remain a major sticking point, as Russia insists on Ukraine's full withdrawal from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, while a draft U.S.-Ukraine plan leaves these issues and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant unresolved.