Wednesday, January 1

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers watch the Zelensky New Years Eve address from their base in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on Dec. 31, 2024. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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.

Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter with anti-air missile in first strike of its kind. During a battle in the Black Sea off the Western tip of occupied Crimea, the special unit Group 13 launched SeeDragon missiles from the Magura drone.

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.

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.

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.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Ukraine strikes oil depot in Russia’s Smolensk Oblast, General Staff confirms. The depot, which supplied the Russian military, was targeted in a coordinated operation involving Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces and the Unmanned Systems Forces.

3 European leaders, Pope Francis receive New Year telegrams from Putin. While most European countries remain on frosty terms with Russia since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a handful have retained varying degrees of positive diplomatic relations.

Ukrainians paid $24 billion in taxes in 2024, Finance Ministry reports. This comes a month after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed off on a major tax increase bill on Nov. 28 in a bid to plug Ukraine’s budget deficit.

Russian attacks damage homes and infrastructure in Kyiv and Sumy oblasts ahead of New Year. Russian missile and drone attacks injured at least one person and damaged residential buildings and infrastructure in Kyiv and Sumy oblasts on Dec. 31

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: In world first, Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian helicopter

Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) destroyed a Russian aerial target with the Ukrainian-made Magura V5 naval strike drone for the first time, HUR reported on Dec. 31.

Photo: HUR/YouTube

International response

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.

EU won’t be impacted by end of Russian gas transit deal with Ukraine, Deutsche Welle reports. European infrastructure allows for the flow of gas from other countries, a European Commission representative said.

In other news

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.

Russian officers trained for attacks on Japan, South Korea in event of war with NATO, FT reports. One potential target for Russian strikes identified in the plans is a nuclear complex in Tokai, Japan.

This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand’s visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Contact partnerships@kyivindependent.com for more details.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Dominic Culverwell, Chris York, Martina Sapio, and Olena Goncharova.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.