Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky was not targeting Putin residence in drone attack, CIA tells Trump

Did Ukraine launch 91-drone attack on Putin’s presidential residence – or is it a Russian show for Trump?

Russian losses in Ukraine rising faster than ever, finds new analysis

Australian man reportedly killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia

Putin vows victory in Ukraine in defiant New Year’s address

Key Points

• Russia says Ukrainian drone strike kills 24 in occupied Ukraine as tensions grow amid peace talks
• Ukraine didn’t try to kill Putin, CIA tells Trump
• Zelensky reveals plans for three 'peace' meetings
• Putin vows victory in Ukraine in defiant New Year’s address

Ukrainian forces under intense pressure in south as troop shortages deepen

Ukrainian forces are facing mounting pressure in southern Ukraine, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia region, as troop shortages leave less well-equipped units outnumbered by advancing Russian brigades, CNN reported.

A Ukrainian security officer described the situation as “intense”, saying Russia is pushing to seize territory to bolster its leverage in peace talks.

“The enemy is trying to strengthen its negotiating position by attempting to capture more territory,” the officer told the outlet.

Russian forces have advanced across open countryside and concentrated fighting around the town of Huliaipole, which Moscow claims to have captured.

According to an unofficial Ukrainian conflict mapper Deepstate, the town has become a “grey zone”, with Russian troops having “many times more personnel”, making reinforcements difficult and exposing weak defences.

New Year drone strike in Russian-occupied Ukraine kills 24, Moscow says

On New Year’s Eve 2025, Russia claimed Ukrainian drones struck a cafe and hotel in the occupied village of Khorly, Kherson region, killing 24 and injuring at least 50, with one drone reportedly carrying an incendiary mixture.

Ukraine denied targeting civilians, saying its strikes hit only Russian military and energy sites.

The incident occurred amid ongoing peace talks, which Kyiv says Russia is trying to sabotage, including false claims of a drone attack on Putin’s residence.

President Zelensky said a deal was “90 per cent ready,” with remaining issues focused on territory, while US and European envoys work to advance security guarantees and deconfliction measures.

Watch: Putin warns Russia will accomplish goals by force if Ukraine doesn’t want to resolve conflict peacefully

Ukraine didn’t try to kill Putin, CIA tells Trump

The CIA has told Donald Trump that Ukraine did not attempt to assassinate Vladimir Putin, contradicting Russian claims that Ukrainian drones targeted one of the Russian president’s residences.

US intelligence assessed the allegation as false, indicating Putin misrepresented the incident amid the ongoing Ukraine war.

Russia says Ukrainian drone strike kills 24 in occupied Ukraine as tensions grow amid peace talks

Russia says Ukrainian drone strike kills 24 in occupied Ukraine as tensions grow amid peace talks

Ukrainian military says it attacks Russian military or energy sites

Kyiv's forces exclusively targeted Russian military or energy sites, a Ukrainian military spokesperson said when asked about a drone strike on a hotel in a Russian-held part of Kherson region.

Speaking to Interfax Ukraine news agency on Thursday they said: "The Defence Forces of Ukraine adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law and strike exclusively at enemy military targets, fuel and energy facilities of the Russian Federation, and other legitimate targets...,"

Watch Russia-Ukraine War: One Year On

Sam Kiley, The Independent’s World Affairs Editor, charts the 2025 Ukraine–Russia war timeline, detailing battlefield shifts, strained diplomacy, wavering support and the mounting civilian toll — with no end in sight.

Zelensky reveals plans for three 'peace' meetings

A meeting of national security advisors “focused on peace” is set to take place in Ukraine this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

It’s set to be followed by a meeting of the military and of European leaders and the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing.

“Politically, almost everything is ready, and it is important to work through every detail of how the guarantees will function in the air, on land, and at sea – if we succeed in ending the war. And this is the key goal for all normal people,” Zelensky said in a post on X.

Rustem Umerov is in contact with the American team and our partners in Europe every single day. We are preparing formats and important meetings. On January 3, a meeting of national security advisors will take place in Ukraine. This is the first such meeting in Ukraine and it is… pic.twitter.com/KbZWegi7ze

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 1, 2026

Putin vows victory in Ukraine in defiant New Year’s address

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed victory in Ukraine in a defiant speech despite US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war.

Putin used his annual televised New Year's address to rally his troops fighting in Ukraine, saying he believed in them and in victory in a war that he has framed as part of an existential struggle with the West.

It comes as Trump is trying to broker an end to the nearly four-year-old conflict, Europe's bloodiest conflagration since World War Two, with both sides' negotiating stances still far apart.

Read more here:

Putin vows victory in Ukraine in defiant New Year’s address

Residential building damaged in Russian attack on Odesa but no casualties, local official says

Russia attacked the Ukrainian region of Odesa overnight, targeting civilian infrastructure in several waves of drone attacks, according to regional head Oleh Kiper.

In a post on Telegram, he said a two-storey residential building was damaged and a drone hit an apartment on the 17th floor of a high-rise building without detonating. There were no casualties reported.

In depth: Did Ukraine launch 91-drone attack on Putin’s presidential residence – or is it a Russian show for Trump?

Russia’s claim that Ukraine launched a 91-drone strike on Vladimir Putin’s personal residence has threatened to derail months of talks over a peace deal to end Moscow’s invasion.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has called the claims a “complete fabrication” intended to lay the groundwork for future strikes on Kyiv and other areas of Ukraine.

“I am sure they are simply preparing the ground for strikes, probably on the capital, probably on government buildings,” he said.

Maira Butt reports:

Did Ukraine launch a strike on Putin’s residence – or is it a Russian show for Trump?

Watch: Russia releases video of drone it says was used in alleged attack on Putin residence

Pictured: scenes from the front line

Zelensky says Trump considering deploying US troops to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is discussing the possibility of hosting US troops as part of peace talks with US President Donald Trump.

Mr Zelensky said that a US troop presence in Ukraine would provide significant security guarantees for Kyiv.

The White House declined to comment on the issue.

Read more here:

Zelensky says Trump considering deploying US troops to Ukraine

Zelensky reveals plans for three 'peace' meetings

A meeting of national security advisors “focused on peace” is set to take place in Ukraine this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

It’s set to be followed by a meeting of the military and of European leaders and the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing.

“Politically, almost everything is ready, and it is important to work through every detail of how the guarantees will function in the air, on land, and at sea – if we succeed in ending the war. And this is the key goal for all normal people,” Zelensky said in a post on X.

Rustem Umerov is in contact with the American team and our partners in Europe every single day. We are preparing formats and important meetings. On January 3, a meeting of national security advisors will take place in Ukraine. This is the first such meeting in Ukraine and it is… pic.twitter.com/KbZWegi7ze

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 1, 2026

Ukraine's air force says it downed 176 of 205 drones overnight

In its daily report, Ukraine's air force said defence forces had downed or suppressed 176 of 205 drones targeting the country overnight.

It said hits by 24 strike drones were recorded at 15 locations.

Trump riffed on Ukraine’s ‘beautiful’ women during peace talks and called former Miss Ukraine to speak with Zelensky, report says

During an August meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump reportedly interrupted discussions to make remarks about “beautiful” women from Ukraine and then arranged for former Miss Ukraine to speak with the Zelensky over the phone, according to a new report.

Just days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the U.S. president met with Zelensky and seven other European leaders in the Oval Office, where discussions about the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia took a more lighthearted turn.

Amid conversation, Trump reportedly interjected that “Ukrainian women are beautiful,” citing his time overseeing the Miss Universe pageant, according to the New York Times.

Ariana Baio reports:

Trump riffed on Ukraine’s ‘beautiful’ women during peace talks with Zelensky

Watch: Putin warns Russia will accomplish goals by force if Ukraine doesn’t want to resolve conflict peacefully

Ukraine's lead peace negotiator says he met Turkey's foreign minister

Ukraine's top negotiator in US-brokered peace talks, Rustem Umerov, said he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday in Ankara.

Umerov, who is also Ukraine's security council secretary, said the two men discussed the negotiation process and next steps, with particular attention to humanitarian issues and the return of Ukrainians held by Russia.

Ukrainian drones hit targets in three Russian regions, local officials say

Ukrainian drones struck energy and industrial targets across the Russian regions of Krasnodar, Tatarstan and Kaluga overnight, local officials said on Thursday, and the Ukrainian military confirmed it had carried out two of the three attacks.

In the southern region of Krasnodar, debris from a drone hit the Ilskiy oil refinery in Krasnodar, causing no casualties but igniting a fire that was later extinguished, local authorities said.

In the oil-rich Volga River region of Tatarstan, around 1,400 km (870 miles) from Ukraine, Russian media cited the local governor's press service as saying that an energy storage facility in the city of Almetyevsk had been hit, causing a blaze that was later put out.

A third strike caused a fire at an unnamed industrial facility in the town of Lyudinovo in the Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, local governor Vyacheslav Shapsha said in a statement.

The Ukrainian military confirmed in a statement that it had struck the facilities in Krasnodar and Tatarstan. Kyiv has been intensifying strikes against Russian energy infrastructure in recent months, aiming to cut off Moscow's sources of financing for its military campaign in Ukraine.

Russia says it will give US proof of attempted Ukrainian strike on Putin residence

Russia said on Thursday it had extracted and decoded a file from a Ukrainian drone downed earlier this week that it said shows it had been targeting a Russian presidential residence and that it would hand over the relevant information to the United States.

Moscow accused Kyiv on Monday of trying to strike a residence of President Vladimir Putin in Russia's northern Novgorod region with 91 long-range attack drones. It said Russia would review its negotiating position in ongoing talks with the US on ending the Ukraine war.

Ukraine and Western countries have disputed Russia's account of the alleged attempted strike.

In a statement posted on Telegram on Thursday, Russia's Defence Ministry said: "Decryption of routing data revealed that the final target of the Ukrainian drone attack on December 29, 2025, was a facility at the Russian Presidential Residence in the Novgorod region."

"These materials will be transferred to the American side through the established channels," it added.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that US national security officials had found Ukraine did not target Putin or one of his residences in a drone strike. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Ukraine has denied carrying out such an attack and described the accusation as part of a Russian disinformation campaign meant to drive a wedge between Kyiv and Washington after a weekend meeting between Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine cannot afford delays in air defence supplies, Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia's holiday season attacks showed Ukraine could not afford delays in air defence supplies.

"(Our) allies have the names of equipment which we are lacking. We expect that everything agreed with the United States at the end of December for our defence will arrive on time," he said, without clarifying further.

Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to negotiate a peace framework to end the nearly four-year war. Both leaders have said they are close to an agreement, but thorny issues around post-war control of territories remain.

Ukraine condemns Russian new year drone attack on power infrastructure

A Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions overnight, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday, while Moscow accused Ukraine of carrying out a deadly new year attack in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine.

"On New Year, Russia deliberately brings war. Over 200 attack drones were launched onto Ukraine in the night," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Zelensky said energy infrastructure in seven regions across Ukraine had been targeted.

Australian man reportedly killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia

Australian authorities are trying to confirm reports that a national was reportedly killed while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia.

The man, identified in social media posts as Russell Allan Wilson, was killed on 12 December in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, according to local media reports.

In an Instagram post on 19 December, a man identifying himself as a US army veteran said Wilson had been killed during combat and had chosen to remain in Ukraine despite the risks.

Stuti Mishra reports:

Australian man reportedly killed fighting alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia

Watch: One year on in the Russia-Ukraine war

Ukraine's military says it hit Russia's Ilsky refinery

Ukraine's military said on Thursday it had hit Russia's Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region overnight, adding that the results of the attack were still being confirmed.

In a statement on Telegram, the military also said it hit the Almetevskaya oil preparation facility in Russia's Tatarstan region.

The Almetevskaya facility is more than 600 miles (965 km) from the nearest part of Ukraine, and even further from the nearest territory currently controlled by Kyiv.

Ukraine says overnight Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure

Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions overnight, Ukraine's energy ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said a "significant number" of households in the Volyn and Odesa regions - in northwestern and southwestern Ukraine, respectively - were disconnected from power supplies by the strike, as well as some in the Chernihiv region north of the capital Kyiv.

The governor of Volyn said more than 103,000 households in that region had lost power as a result of the attack. Volyn region is several hundred kilometres from the front line and borders NATO member Poland.

Ukrainian drones strike energy storage facility in Russia's Tatarstan, local governor says

Ukrainian drones on Thursday struck an energy storage facility in the Russian city of Almetyevsk, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, Russian media cited the press service of the local governor as saying.

Kyiv has been intensifying strikes against Russian energy infrastructure in recent months, aiming to cut off Moscow's sources of financing for its military campaign in Ukraine.

Almetyevsk is located around 1,700 km (1,056 miles) from Ukrainian-held territory, in the oil-rich Volga river region of Tatarstan.

Ukraine says it has deployed two new Patriot air defence systems

Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Thursday it had deployed two new Patriot air defence systems received from Germany as part of military aid supplies announced previously.

"Two more Patriot air defence systems have been deployed to protect Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure," the ministry said in a post on Telegram.

Germany said last August that it would deliver two Patriot systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the US that Berlin would be first in line to receive the latest systems in return.

Pictures of damaged building released by pro-Russian media after Ukraine accused of deadly strike

Pictures of a badly damaged building have been released by pro-Russian media after the Russian-installed governor of Kherson accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people in a drone strike.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging service. issued on Thursday, the governor, Vladimir Saldo, alleged a child was among the dead after the attack on a hotel and cafe where New Year celebrations were being held.

A local pro-Russian news outlet published pictures where it said the strike took place, with at least one dead body visible beneath a white sheet. The building showed signs that a fierce fire had raged and there were what looked like blood stains on the ground.

Ukraine's military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The images or allegations could not be independently verified.

Zelensky sends New Year's message calling for peace

Volodymyr Zelensky has sent a New Year's message calling for peace.

In a post on X alongside a picture of him and his wife Olena Zelenska, he said: “We believe in peace, we fight for it, and we work to achieve it.”

Another year is passing, hard-won through dedication and tenacity, through principles and the daily effort of Ukrainians.

This year was made possible thanks to our defenders – those who stood their ground not only for Ukraine, but also for all who value freedom and dignity.… pic.twitter.com/cFA6tfJVlg

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 31, 2025

Russian losses in Ukraine rising faster than ever, finds new analysis

Russian losses in the war in Ukraine have been growing at a faster rate than at any point so far since the invasion began in February 2022, new analysis suggests.

Analysis by the BBC found that 40 per cent more obituaries of soldiers were published in Russia this year compared with 2024.

The broadcaster, along with independent outlet Mediazona, compiled a list of named individuals using official reports, newspapers and social media, as well as new memorials and graves. In total, they were able to confirm the names of around 160,000 people who have been killed.

Maira Butt reports:

Russian losses in Ukraine rising faster than ever, finds new analysis

Watch: Zelensky says peace ‘10 away’ but won’t sign ‘weak’ deal

Russian-installed Kherson governor accuses Ukraine of killing 24 in New Year drone strike

The Russian-installed governor of Ukraine's southern Kherson region on Thursday accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe where New Year celebrations were being held.

The governor, Vladimir Saldo, made the allegation in a statement on the Telegram messaging service.

Ukraine's military did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment, and Saldo did not provide visuals or other evidence that would enable Reuters to immediately verify the allegation.

Saldo alleged in his post that three Ukrainian drones had struck the site of new New Year celebrations in Khorly, a coastal village, in what he said was a "deliberate strike".

Russian state news agencies reported that at least 24 people had been killed and 29 more injured, citing the local branch of Russia's emergencies ministry.

Kherson is one of four regions in Ukraine, which Russia claimed as its own in 2022, a move Kyiv and most Western countries condemned as an illegal land grab.

Russian air defences down five Moscow-bound drones, mayor says

Russian air defence units shot down five Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow on New Year’s Eve, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

In a series of posts on Telegram early this morning, Sobyanin said specialist crews were examining fragments from the drones at the sites where they had fallen.

He made no mention of any casualties or damage.

Temporary restrictions were placed on Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, while other airports in southern and central Russia also faced brief flight restrictions.

Russian losses rising faster than ever, analysis finds

Russian losses in Ukraine rising faster than ever, finds new analysis

Full story: Did Ukraine launch 91-drone attack on Putin’s residence?

Did Ukraine launch a strike on Putin’s residence – or is it a Russian show for Trump?

Zelensky meets advisers from US, UK, France and Germany

President Donald Trump's advisers have held talks today with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and national security advisers from the UK, France and Germany to discuss the next steps in ending Russia's war, US special envoy Steve Witkoff says.

"We focused on how to move the discussions forward in a practical way on behalf of @POTUS' peace process, including strengthening security guarantees and developing effective deconfliction mechanisms to help end the war and ensure it does not restart," Witkoff wrote in a social media post.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Ukraine's top negotiator Rustem Umerov also participated.

Zelensky said on Tuesday that national security advisers from Kyiv's "coalition of the willing" backers would meet in Ukraine on Saturday, and then country leaders would gather in France on Tuesday, 6 January.

.@SecRubio @jaredkushner and I just had a productive call with National Security Advisors Jonathan Powell of the United Kingdom, Emmanuel Bonne of France, Günter Sautter of Germany, and @rustem_umerov @ZelenskyyUa to discuss advancing the next steps in the European peace process.…

— Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (@SEPeaceMissions) December 31, 2025

Zelensky says he will not sign a 'weak' peace agreement

In his New Year's Eve address, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine wanted the war to end, but not at any cost, adding he would not sign a "weak" peace agreement.

"What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want an end to the war but not the end of Ukraine.

"Are we tired? Very. Does this mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply mistaken."

Zelensky said any signature "placed on weak agreements only fuel the war."

"My signature will be placed on a strong agreement. And that is exactly what every meeting, every phone call, every decision is about now," he said.

Over 170,000 people left without power after Russian strikes

Ukraine’s energy ministry has reported that 170,000 people have been left without power after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in the Odesa region.

In a statement, it said that emergency repairs were ongoing.

Four apartment buildings were damaged in the bombing. Six people were injured including three children.

Oleh Kiper, the regional head said the attacks “are further evidence of the enemy's terror tactics, which deliberately target civilian infrastructure.”

Putin claims 'victory is near' in New Year’s address

Vladimir Putin called the ongoing war "a struggle for Russia’s homeland" in his New Year’s address as he signalled determination to press ahead despite international condemnation for his invasion of Ukraine.

"We believe in you and our victory," Putin said in remarks broadcast nationwide and released by the Kremlin yesterday. Addressing troops directly, he congratulated "all our soldiers and commanders" and pledged continued support for what Moscow calls its "special military operation."

In a separate message, ex-president Dmitry Medvedev, Putin’s security council deputy, said of victory in Ukraine: "I sincerely believe that it is near." Echoing Putin, he spoke of "our great and invincible Russia."

Top EU diplomat calls Russian claims 'deliberate distraction'

The EU foreign policy chief on Wednesday dismissed the Kremlin's claim that Ukraine recently targeted key government sites in Russia, calling it a "deliberate distraction."

"No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine's infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war," Kaja Kallas wrote on US social media company X.

She argued that Moscow seeks to "derail real progress towards peace by Ukraine and its Western partners."

Russia’s claim that Ukraine recently targeted key government sites in Russia is a deliberate distraction. Moscow aims to derail real progress towards peace by Ukraine and its Western partners.

No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately…

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) December 31, 2025

Putin boasts of Oreshnik missiles in Belarus

In case you missed it:

Putin raises stakes and deploys nuclear-ready missiles in Belarus

Ukraine '10% away' from peace deal, says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was "10 per cent" away from a deal to end the war with Russia, but cautioned that the last remaining issues were the most important.

In his New Year's Eve address, Zelensky said his country wanted an end to the war but not at "any cost", and that any agreement needed strong security guarantees to deter Russia from invading again.

"The peace agreement is 90 per cent ready. Ten per cent remains. And that is far more than just numbers," Zelensky said in the address, posted on his Telegram account.