Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 23.59 Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga has denied Moscow's claims that Ukrainian drones allegedly attacked the residence of the Russian dictator. He stressed that such claims are a deliberate provocation aimed at creating grounds for further attacks on Ukrainian cities.
22.31 The Russian army has lost more personnel than it mobilized, said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky.
"We can state what the enemy himself declares: that he fulfilled the plan for manning his armed forces by 100%. According to the plan, this was the mobilization of 406 thousand people. At the same time, we can also state that his losses amounted to 410 thousand, even a little more. If in the first months of 2025 we observed a monthly increase in the grouping of Russian troops by approximately 7-9 thousand, then over the past six months the number of Russian troops has fluctuated at the level of 710-711 thousand. This indicates that even the implementation of all their mobilization plans does not allow them to increase the number of troops," the general explained.
Syrsky clarified that the Russians planned to form 14 new divisions in 2025. In reality, only seven were formed: two marine divisions consist of only one regiment. The formation of the other seven brigades was postponed until next year.
22:00 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that on the night of December 29, it allegedly repelled a drone attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region.
According to the department, during the specified period, the Russian air defense allegedly intercepted 91 attack drones that were "flying in the direction of the residence of the head of the Kremlin."
The Russian Defense Ministry said that 49 drones were allegedly destroyed over the Bryansk region overnight, and another one over the Smolensk region. Over the Novgorod region, 18 drones were allegedly intercepted before 7:00 on December 29, and another 23 from 7:00 to 9:00.
21.50 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi commented on the video published by the Russians about the capture of a checkpoint of one of the battalions in Hulyaipol, Zaporizhia.
According to him, one of the territorial defense brigades could not withstand the enemy's pressure in the Hulyaipil direction and began to retreat.
"This is the 102nd brigade. It was gradually withdrawing. We were forced to transfer our assault units and divisions there, which gradually occupied what was left with battles. Currently, the enemy has had no advantages there for a month. Every day he tries to attack and carries out attacks, but still suffers huge losses in this direction. Therefore, hostilities continue there," said Syrsky.
The general explained that the battalion command's actions could have been structured differently, because reinforcements from the 5th Assault Brigade were coming to the rescue.
"They actually reached two streets from this command post. What happened happened. An appropriate investigation has been ordered, which is being conducted by the Military Law Enforcement Service," the commander-in-chief said.
Syrsky explained that a legal assessment will be given to the actions of the battalion commander, first of all, why he did so. Taking into account the fact that he received an order from the brigade commander to organize a perimeter defense, as well as to destroy everything that was of any value or contained confidential information.
21.19 US President Donald Trump said that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin informed him of the "attack" on the residence during a telephone conversation.
"Putin told me about it early this morning. He said he was attacked. This is not good. This is not good. Don't forget, I stopped the Tomahawks. It's one thing to be aggressive, it's another to attack his house. Now is not the time for that," Trump said.
20.52 Ukrainian military, under pressure from the Russians, had to gradually withdraw from Siversk. Against this background, the infantry was left without cover and it became necessary to withdraw from the city. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.
20.13 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky stressed that Russian troops do not control the Pokrovsko-Mirnograd agglomeration, holding only part of Pokrovsko. He stated this in an interview with Channel 24.
"The enemy cannot calmly enter Pokrovsk, because all approaches to it are under our control, under the control of the actions of our drones," Syrsky assured.
In addition, Ukrainian unmanned force units - drone brigades and regiments - are defending the Pokrovsk area.
19.51 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the conscription of Russian citizens into military service in 2026. Thus, 261,000 people aged 18 to 30 will be recruited into the Russian army from January 1 to December 31.
This year's autumn draft (from October 1 to December 31) was the most massive in Russia since 2016. During this period, 135,000 people were drafted into the Russian army.
19.49 The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets reported on the alleged killing of seven civilians in Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast. Russian soldiers may have shot people hiding in the basement of a residential building.
19.20 The US peace plan does not provide for any restrictions on mobilization for Ukraine. At the same time, an 800,000-strong army will be sufficient in peacetime. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.
The general was asked whether Ukraine was satisfied with the US peace plan's provision of an 800,000-strong army in peacetime. Syrsky replied that such a figure would indeed guarantee that Ukraine would retaliate in the event of repeated Russian armed aggression.
"This figure also guarantees a planned mobilization process. That is, we are not limited in mobilization. All our mobilization characteristics and capabilities are preserved," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted.
The general clarified that initially Ukraine was offered to reduce the size of the army to 600,000, but the figure of 800,000 "just satisfies the country."
18.13 The Italian Council of Ministers approved a government resolution that provides for the continuation of aid to Ukraine. This became known after the end of the meeting, ANSA reports.
"The Council of Ministers approved a resolution on providing assistance to Ukraine," the statement said.
The decree on another extension of aid was approved despite the resistance of the right- wing League party, which opposes further military support for Kyiv.
18.00 President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian Federation's statement about the drone attack on Putin's residence "another lie."
"Now the Russians have come up with an obviously fake story about some kind of strike on some residence of the Russian dictator, so that they have an excuse to continue the strikes on Ukraine, in particular, for strikes on Kyiv, as well as for refusing to take the necessary steps to end the war.
Typical lying tactics of the Russians. Especially since they have already struck Kyiv, in particular, the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," Zelensky said.
The President emphasized that Ukraine is not taking steps that could weaken diplomacy.
"Russia always takes such steps. This is one of the many things that sets us apart. It is important that the world does not remain silent now and that the Russians do not disrupt the movement towards peace," the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
17.41 Russia accused Ukraine of attacking the residence of ruler Vladimir Putin. This was stated by the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov.
According to him, on the night of December 29, Ukraine allegedly carried out a drone attack on Putin's state residence in the Novgorod region. Lavrov said that "91 drones were involved in the attack, all of them were shot down."
The Foreign Minister noted that Russia does not intend to withdraw from the negotiation process because of this attack, but will reconsider its negotiating position regarding Ukraine.
Lavrov added that "the targets and time of the strike in response to the attacks on Putin's state residence have been determined."
17.33 A total of 89 combat clashes have been recorded on the front since the beginning of the day, fighting is currently ongoing in six directions, with Russian troops continuing to focus most of their efforts on Pokrovsk. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on the evening of December 29.
17.20 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that the Russian Federation will continue to carry out the tasks of the so-called "SVO" (this is what Russia calls the full-scale war against Ukraine - ed.), in accordance with the "ideas and plans of the General Staff."
Putin also stated that "Russian troops continue to advance in Donbas, in Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, while the Armed Forces of Ukraine are retreating."
15.18 Ukrainian and American negotiating teams have made significant progress in working out security guarantees in the draft agreement to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. This was stated by Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine for Defense Rustem Umerov.
"An important meeting of leaders took place in the United States as part of the ongoing negotiation process. The Ukrainian and US teams have made significant progress in working out a peace framework, security guarantees, and a sequence of further steps," he wrote on Telegram.
According to Umerov, the parties agreed to continue consultations in the near future and prepare the next stages of the dialogue, including meetings at the leadership level in Washington in January next year.
"Security guarantees remain a key condition for achieving a sustainable result," the NSDC Secretary emphasized.
14.44 The Defense Forces have denied Russian claims that they are allegedly in control of part of Kostyantynivka, in the Donetsk region. This was reported by the 19th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"The Kremlin is once again trying to wishful thinking and proclaiming the "successes" of the Russian army on the battlefield. However, none of these theses are supported by facts," the report says.
In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized that the claim about alleged control over part of Kostyantynivka is also a myth.
14.23 Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the West and Ukraine will lose if Russia manages to divide democratic countries and impose its terms of peace.
"After night talks with European leaders, one thing is certain: the West and Ukraine will lose this confrontation if Russia manages to quarrel us and dictate its terms of peace. The declaration of US participation in security guarantees is a success, but the negotiations are still far from the end," Tusk wrote on the X platform.
13:30 Russians launched an air strike on the front-line town of Orekhov in Zaporizhia Oblast. This was announced on December 29 by the head of the Zaporizhia OVA, Ivan Fedorov.
"One person was killed and another was injured as a result of an enemy attack on Orikhiv," he noted.
12.20 Russian occupiers have advanced in the city of Myrnograd in Donetsk region and Hulyaipil in Zaporizhia region. This is reported by DeepState. In addition, the Russians have advanced near the settlements of Chervonyi Liman and Filiya in the Pokrovsky direction.
11.55 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that martial law in Ukraine can be lifted only after receiving real security guarantees that will make repeated aggression by Russia impossible.
9.41 In temporarily captured Melitopol, an explosion killed at least four Russian occupiers and damaged a Ural truck. The Main Intelligence Directorate reported this in a video.
9.22 Russian war criminals attacked Ukraine on the night of December 29 with 25 Shahed, Gerber attack UAVs and other types of drones, about 15 of them "Shaheeds". The Air Force Command reported this on its Telegram channel.
9.19 Russian troops attacked the Nikopol and Sinelnyk districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region with strike drones, causing fires. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Vladislav Gaivanenko on December 29.
8.58 The defense forces stopped 52 attacks by Russian invaders in the Pokrov direction and 26 - in the Konstantiniv direction. Over the past day, 209 combat clashes took place on the front. This is evidenced by the morning report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
8.33 French President Emmanuel Macron announced a meeting of the "Coalition of the Determined" countries in early January, to be held in Paris. The participants plan to finalize the specific contributions of each state to the system of security guarantees for Ukraine. He reported this on the social network X.
7.58 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be able to contact Russian dictator Vladimir Putin by phone for the first time in more than five years, the American Fox News channel reported, citing its sources.
7.25 Russia lost another 1,180 soldiers in the war against Ukraine over the past 24 hours. This is evidenced by the morning report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
06.32 On the night of Monday, December 29, a series of powerful explosions thundered in the Russian city of Tula. According to Russian sources, they were caused by Ukrainian ballistic missiles. Russian media reports that eyewitnesses counted about 14 "loud bass" explosions in Tula at about 3 a.m. They were heard in particular in the northern and northeastern parts of Tula. Bright flashes were also visible in the sky.
03.25 Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up the results of the meeting with Donald Trump, emphasizing the productivity of the negotiations.
03.04 In the Republic of Adygea, which is part of Russia, local residents and Ukrainian OSINT channels reported explosions and a possible attack on the Khansk military airfield. According to the Supernova+ channel, the Khansk class 2 airfield, which is capable of receiving Tu-134, An-12, Il-18 aircraft, was hit.
00.57 At the same time, the Donbas issue remains unresolved. Speaking about the future of Donbas, Donald Trump noted that there is currently no full agreement, but progress is obvious.
00.30 The Ukrainian President noted that Ukraine and the United States have completed the coordination of a number of documents within the framework of the peace package. All aspects of the peace agreement were discussed, including the 20-point peace plan, which has been agreed upon by 90 percent. The Prosperity Plan for Ukraine is in the final stages of development.
00.12 The US and Ukrainian presidents met at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The talks lasted more than two hours, after which Zelensky and Trump held a video conference with EU leaders.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] Over the past day, Ukrainian defenders have stopped 43 assault actions of the aggressor in the Pokrov direction.
The fiercest battles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the Russian occupiers took place in the Pokrovsk and Hulyaipil directions. Over the past 24 hours, December 29, 151 combat clashes took place on the front. This is evidenced by the morning report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The situation on the fronts
In the North-Slobozhansk and Kursk directions, two combat clashes took place over the past day, and the enemy also carried out 83 attacks on the positions of our troops and settlements.
In the South Slobozhansk direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12 attacks near Vovchanske Khutory, Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipka, and towards the settlements of Izbitske and Kolodyazne.
Five attacks by the invaders took place in the Kupyansk direction yesterday. Our defenders repelled the enemy's assault actions near the settlement of Pishchane and towards Petropavlivka.
In the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked ten times, trying to penetrate our defenses in the areas of the settlements of Kolodyazi, Zarichne, and towards Yampol.
In the Slavyansk direction, our soldiers stopped three enemy attacks in the Dronivka area.
No offensive actions by the invading troops were noted in the Kramatorsk direction.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy carried out 17 attacks in the areas of Oleksandro-Shultynye, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Yablunivka, Rusyny Yar, and towards Kostyantynivka and Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsky direction, our defenders stopped 43 assault actions of the aggressor in the areas of the settlements of Pankivka, Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Myrnograd, Novoekonomichne, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novosergiyevka and towards Filiya.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy carried out 13 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Tovste, Oleksandrovagrad, Verbovye, and Rybne over the past day.
In the Hulyaipol direction, the Defense Forces repelled 25 enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Solodke, Hulyaipol, and Bilogirya.
Two combat clashes took place in the Orikhiv direction - the enemy tried to advance near Stepovoye and Shcherbaky.
In the Dnieper direction, the invaders tried to advance twice - they were repulsed.
As a reminder, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, emphasized that Russian troops do not control the Pokrovsko-Mirnograd agglomeration, holding only part of Pokrovsko.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:29 In the period from December 28 to 29, the air defense systems of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation werereflectedA terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime using 91 attack drones on the residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Novgorod region.
During the repelling of the Kyiv regime's terrorist attack over the Bryansk region, air defense systems intercepted 49 Ukrainian UAVs flying in the direction of the Novgorod region overnight.
One Ukrainian UAV flying towards the Novgorod region was shot down over the Smolensk region.
Over the Novgorod region, 18 Ukrainian UAVs flying in the direction of the residence of the President of the Russian Federation were intercepted before 7:00 Moscow time on December 29, and another 23 Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted from 7:00 to 9:00 Moscow time.
20:31 Russian laser system Laserbuzz destroyed an FPV drone at a distance of one km for the first time, –video.
19:40 In the Khar'kov region, in the Vovchansk direction, crews of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps of the Sever group discovered in a forest area and destroyed a position of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a camouflaged MT-LB, –video.
19:12 Crew of the 152mm 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled gun of the 90th Guards Tank Division of the Center group of forces destroyed a fortified stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces formations, along with manpower and artillery, in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
18:34 FPV drone operators of the Northern Forces Group destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces crew and hexacopter in Sumy Oblast.
Lancet loitering munitions crews from the Vostok force group destroyed enemy armored combat vehicles used to transport reserves west of Gulyai-Polye in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Drone operators from the Western group of forces burned three ground robotic complexes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk direction.
UAV operators from the 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the West group of forces overtook an enemy M113 armored personnel carrier in the Kupyansk area.
UAV crews from the Center group of forces conducted exercises against armored vehicles carrying personnel and artillery pieces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
FPV drone operators destroyed an enemy electronic warfare station, armored vehicles, and field artillery.
17:39 Zaporizhzhia direction. Advance of Russian paratroopers in Primorskoye and the surrounding area, –MAP.
17:31 Sumy Oblast. After the liberation of Grabovsky, fighters from the 34th Motorized Rifle Brigade advanced west of the village. MAP.
17:24 Zaporizhzhia direction. The Dnepr Guards liberated Lukyanivske, MAP.
15:02 Krasnolimansk direction. The Russian army liberated the village of Dibrova, MAP.
14:06 122mm BM-21 Grad MLRS crews from the Yuzhnaya force group "dismantled" two UAV control points and a temporary deployment point for the enemy in the Konstantinovsky direction.
Artillery crews of the Vostok group destroyed Ukrainian Armed Forces groups preparing for a counterattack west of Hulyaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region.
13:52 Russian drones struck an An-26 aircraft and an enemy helicopter in the Nikolaev and Poltava regions.
13:20 Molniya crews are working at the control points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ UAVs, video.
12:25 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of December 29, 2025. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct the special military operation:
Units of the North group of forces improved their tactical position and defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, a Jaeger brigade, and an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Ryzhevka, Andreevka, Alekseevka, and Varachino in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov direction, units of the mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Grafskoye, Rubezhnoye and Staritsa in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 205 servicemen, nine vehicles, a self-propelled artillery unit, and an electronic warfare station.
Units of the "West" military group have completed the liberation of the village of Dibrova in the Donetsk People's Republic through active operations.
The manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a National Guard brigade and a territorial defense brigade were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Kupyansk-Uzlovaya, Podoli, Glushkovka in the Khar'kov region, Drobyshevo, Krasny Liman and Illichivka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
In the Kupyansk direction, within 24 hours, units of the 6th Army repelled two attacks by units of the 144th Mechanized and 92nd Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including foreign mercenaries, near the settlements of Palamarevka and Blagodatovka, aiming to break through to the city of Kupyansk in the Khar'kov region. Twenty-six militants and 17 pieces of military equipment were destroyed.
In total, enemy losses in the West Group's area of responsibility amounted to over 210 servicemen, five armored combat vehicles, including an M113 armored personnel carrier and two US-made HMMWV armored vehicles, as well as an Italian-made Iveco armored vehicle and a Canadian-made Senator armored personnel carrier. Twenty-one pickup trucks and five ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. Three mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, an airmobile brigade, and a territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the settlements of Cherevkovka, Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, Dolgaya Balka, Reznikovka, and Slavyansk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 205 servicemen, five armored combat vehicles, including an M-113 armored personnel carrier and a US-made Hummer armored car, eight cars, and four field artillery pieces, including three produced by NATO countries.
Two electronic warfare stations, an American AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery station and two supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center Group of Forces improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, a Jaeger brigade, an airmobile brigade, two airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two naval infantry brigades, two territorial defense brigades, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Gavrilovka, Krutoyarovka, and Novopavlivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Toretskoye, Svetloye, Grishino, Shevchenko, Shilovka, Belitskoye, Vodyanskoye, Dobropolye, and Novyi Donbas in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy's losses amounted to more than 495 servicemen.
Units of the "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. They inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and two territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Bratskoye and Velykomykhailivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Boykove, Ternovatoye, and Zaliznychnoye in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 190 servicemen, an armored personnel carrier, and 16 vehicles.
Units of the Dnipro Forces Group improved their tactical position. They defeated formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' mountain assault brigade and territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Orekhov, Novoandriivka, and Lukyanivske in the Zaporizhzhia region and Sadovoe in the Kherson region.
More than 55 Ukrainian servicemen, nine vehicles, two electronic warfare stations and a warehouse of materiel were destroyed.
10:08 Destruction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces UAV "Baba Yaga" type by drone operators of the Russian Armed Forces, –video.
09:30 In the period from 07:00 to 09:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 23 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles over the territory of the Novgorod region.
09:10 Crew of the Osa-AKM anti-aircraft missile system of the Ulyanovsk Guards Airborne Forces unit of the Dnepr group of forces destroyed the RAM-2X aircraft-type attack drone of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orekhov direction in the Zaporizhzhia region.
07:44 During the past night, from 23:00 Moscow time on December 28 to 07:00 Moscow time on December 29, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroye 89 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
49 over the territory of the Bryansk region,
18 over the territory of the Novgorod region,
11 over the territory of the Republic of Adygea,
Seven over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
One over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
One over the territory of the Oryol region,
One over the territory of the Rostov region,
One over the territory of the Smolensk region.
07:32 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Advance in the direction of Pavlovka
Expansion of the control zone west of Seversk
Volnoye was liberated
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Gevorg Mirzayan
[REGNUM] On December 28, the Kyiv regime's leader flew to Florida for talks with US President Donald Trump. Despite not being ejected from the event this time, and despite holding a joint press conference with Trump, he can't call the visit a success.
“In these negotiations, Ukraine has finally transformed from a subject into an object of the negotiation process,” international political scientist Alexei Naumov stated in an interview with Regnum News Agency.
It all began with Zelenskyy's arrival in Miami, where, judging by video footage, he was met only by Ukrainian embassy staff and airport technical staff. Clearly, the visit wasn't a state visit, but protocol requires someone from the host country to be sent. However, the American president, apparently playing golf at the time, wasn't thinking about such trivialities.
Problems then continued during the negotiations themselves. Looking at the composition of the American delegation, there wasn't a single person there who could be called a "friend of Ukraine."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio might have fit this definition at a stretch, but his participation was balanced by other figures. Trump then subtly indicated that the primary role in the negotiation process lay not with the Secretary of State, but with his personal confidants, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
It's difficult to say how and with what pressure Zelensky was pressured during the negotiations—there's no reliable information about it, and it hasn't been leaked to journalists yet. However, at the press conference, he got his fill.
Nominally, of course, it was a joint press conference between Trump and Zelensky, but Vladimir Putin was also invisibly present.
First, because Trump constantly referenced him. "He spoke about him from the very first seconds, and mentioned him a total of 11 times," says Alexey Naumov. Second, because Trump constantly positioned himself as the person speaking to Zelenskyy on behalf of Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, he didn't generally present his own wishes as those of our head of state—no, Donald Trump, by and large, was voicing Russia's position. Moreover, he voiced them in a complimentary tone.
For example, he spoke in this way about Moscow's interest in Ukraine's development, the Kyiv regime's inability to hold onto the Donbas territories, the futility of concluding ceasefires, and so on. Trump, in front of journalists, called on the head of the Kyiv regime to accept Russia's demands—and to do so before it's too late.
And such knowledge shouldn't come as a surprise—just before the meeting, Trump called Vladimir Putin and coordinated their positions. Thus, the meeting's leitmotif automatically shifted from "Zelensky is meeting with Trump to persuade him" to "Trump is meeting with Zelensky to force him."
Moreover, at the press conference, Trump effectively accused Zelenskyy of terrorism. How else can we interpret his statement that "Putin did not shell the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant"? That would imply that Ukrainian propaganda not only lied about these facts but also covered up the nuclear terrorism Kyiv was engaging in.
Zelensky listened to all this with a languid smile. In the end, he was allowed to read from a piece of paper that Trump had generally accepted his 20-point plan (Trump himself hadn't said a word about it), and that consultations would continue.
Zelenskyy's biggest failure, however, was his inability to convince Trump to support a ceasefire and force Moscow to accept it. Zelenskyy tried to push the idea through a referendum clause, claiming he was theoretically willing to consider all concessions, but that a nationwide vote would be necessary to solicit the Ukrainian people's views.
However, at the press conference, Trump made it clear that the issue of withdrawing troops from Donbas could be resolved through a corresponding decree from the Verkhovna Rada. This would allow for the prompt fulfillment of Vladimir Putin's conditions, avoid any ceasefires, and diffuse responsibility for this step among the Rada members.
Trump was certainly informed that this was unacceptable to Zelenskyy. And not only because it would deprive him of the opportunity to seek a ceasefire. Raising such a sensitive issue in the Rada would certainly be exploited by the Ukrainian opposition, represented by Petro Poroshenko*, who would certainly try to play the patriotic role and accuse Zelenskyy of betraying national interests.
Moreover, some members of parliament, even from his own faction, may perceive Zelenskyy as radically weakened and turn their backs on him. And a failed vote in the Rada will be evidence to many (including Trump) that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has lost control of the situation even within his own parliament.
However, despite this, Trump suggested he give it a try. Show his strength and stop dragging out the peace process.
Ultimately, Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv empty-handed—and returned in a situation where time was clearly not on his side. "The Russian army continues its offensive, Ukraine continues to be rocked by scandals, including corruption ones, and Donald Trump is not taking an active anti-Russian stance. For now, this can be considered a success for Moscow," concludes Alexey Naumov.
Perhaps the head of the Kyiv regime is now hoping for help from his friends. In early January, he will meet with the Europeans to discuss the summit's results, and then Ukrainian and European negotiators will travel to the United States to once again try to pressure the Americans.
However, it's possible that by the time of their trip, the situation on the front lines for Ukraine will have deteriorated even further. The Russian army will liberate new territories, Ukraine's energy sector will be in a worse state, and the country's economy will hit another low.
And this doesn't even take into account the fact that by January, new defectors will appear in the already rather shaky European ranks, who will deem it necessary to finally begin the negotiation process with Moscow.
And the more such defectors there are, the less effective Zelensky's European tool will be, which he uses to try to evade American pressure.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] Kupyansk. December 29, 2025.
Heavy fighting continues in Kupyansk itself and in the surrounding area. The enemy hasn't yet exhausted itself and continues its attacks in hopes of pushing Russian troops out of Kupyansk. Syrsky needs at least a small tactical victory to offset the disastrous results of the year for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Currently, part of the city is under Russian control, part under Ukrainian control, and part is in the gray zone. Objective monitoring by the Russian Ministry of Defense clearly shows the presence of Russian troops in the city, as well as strikes on enemy equipment and assault groups in Kupyansk.
It is clear that the "West" command group is making serious efforts to stabilize the situation in the city. The main objective now is to stabilize the LCS and transition the fighting to a positional phase. Tying down enemy reserves in the fighting near Kupyansk undoubtedly facilitates the advance of our forces in other directions, so prolonging the fighting in Kupyansk indefinitely will be to our operational advantage.
At some point, Syrsky and Co. will face a dilemma: go on the defensive and redeploy their remaining reserves to other areas where an operational crisis is looming, or continue the gamble at any cost, hoping to capture Kupyansk while positions in other areas are being abandoned.
As negotiations on a diplomatic settlement to the war in Ukraine indicate, there is a possibility that the front line in the Kharkiv region will freeze along the LBS. Accordingly, by that time (if it occurs), we must control Kupyansk to ensure it remains ours.
The Russian Armed Forces continue to defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) near Kupyansk. The enemy-controlled territory has been reduced by more than half, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin on Monday, December 29, during a meeting on the situation in the Northern Military District.
"Units of the Zapad group continue to rout the enemy east of Kupyansk, on the left bank of the Oskol River. The territory controlled by the encircled Ukrainian Armed Forces group has been reduced by more than half," Gerasimov said.
The "West" military group is actively advancing in the DPR's Krasny Liman, the Chief of the General Staff added.
On November 20, Gerasimov reported to Putin on the liberation of Kupyansk in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast. On November 21, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a drone-filmed video from the city. The footage shows the battle for Kupyansk, the destruction of enemy equipment and positions, and offensive actions by Russian forces in various areas.
Russian forces are repelling attacks by Ukrainian forces attempting to enter Kupyansk. On December 29, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 26 soldiers and 17 pieces of equipment while attempting to break through to the city near the villages of Palamarevka and Blagodatovka. Furthermore, Russian forces destroyed enemy personnel and equipment near Kupyansk-Uzlovoye, Podolovoye, and Glushkovka.
One of the captured Ukrainian soldiers, Serhiy Husar, said that command sent him and other soldiers to Kupyansk to hang and photograph a Ukrainian flag in Russian-controlled territory. The commanders hoped to obtain "evidence" of their presence in the town. However, Russian soldiers controlling the area opened fire on the Ukrainian soldiers. One of them was killed, after which the others laid down their arms and surrendered.
[TheTimes] Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said Ukraine attacked Putin’s Valdai residence in the Novgorod region. President Zelensky has denied the claims
Zelensky said: “It is clear that yesterday we had a meeting with Trump. And it is clear that for the Russians, if there is no scandal for America and we have progress, it is a failure because they do not want to end this war.
“I am sure, they are preparing, in principle, the ground for striking probably the capital and probably state buildings.”
In an interview with Fox News, which aired later on Monday, Zelensky said: “I don’t trust Putin and he doesn’t want success for Ukraine.” He added that Kyiv could not “win without American support”.
Putin had a call with President Trump on Monday, the Kremlin said, during which he told Trump about the alleged attack. The White House said the call had ended “positively”.
There is no independent confirmation of the attack. It is unclear whether Putin was present at the residence at the time. There have been no reports of casualties or damage from drone debris.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s aide, claimed that Trump was “shocked” by the news of an alleged attack immediately after the talks at Mar-a-Lago. He said that it will “undoubtedly” influence the US’s approach to talks.
Ushakov claimed the US president had expressed relief that the US did not provide Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine.
“The US president was shocked by this news, literally outraged, and said he couldn’t even imagine such crazy actions,” Ushakov said, according to Russian media. “As has been said, this will undoubtedly influence American approaches in the context of working with Zelensky, to whom the current administration, as Trump himself said, ‘thank God, [we] did not give Tomahawks’.”
Ushakov added that “such reckless terrorist actions will naturally not go unanswered.”
Speaking to reporters outside Mar-a-Lago as he met Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, Trump said he was angry to hear of the alleged attack.
“Yeah, I don’t like it. It’s not good. I heard about it this morning. You know who told me about it? President Putin told me about it. Early in the morning, he said he was attacked,” Trump said.
He added that it was a “delicate period” for peace talks and that he was “very angry”. Trump said: “This is not the right time. It’s one thing to be offensive, because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house. It’s not the right time to do any of that.”
Asked if he believed Putin’s claim that Ukraine was responsible or had seen evidence, Trump said: “Well, it came out. It came out. Well, we’ll find out. I mean, you’re saying maybe the attack didn’t take place. It’s possible, too, I guess. But President Putin told me this morning it did.”
Alexander Grushko, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, told reporters that Kyiv and its Western allies are seeking to disrupt the peace process, pointing blame at the UK and vowing to respond to the “provocation”.
Putin has increasingly favoured the secluded and heavily secured Valdai residence during the war as Russia faces drone attacks.
Ukrainian media has previously said that the palatial forest hideaway near Lake Valdai has almost as many air defence systems as Moscow. Satellite imagery and independent reporting have shown that the site is reinforced with numerous air defence systems.
The Pantsir-S1 air defence system was spotted in the village of Yascherovo close to Putin’s residence in 2023, said Agentstvo, a Russian opposition website that has been banned in Russia. There is not thought to be any military infrastructure in the area.
Pantsirs are capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and helicopters, according to the Russian military.
Putin is said to entertain friends, family and pro-Kremlin celebrities at the residence, which is 275 miles north of Moscow. The sprawling lakeside estate contains a four-storey mansion, a swimming pool, a spa complex, a stable, a golf course, as well as an underground cryo chamber and mud bath.
The existence of the luxury property was revealed in 2021 by allies of Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader. They alleged that state funds had been used to lease the property from one of Putin’s closest allies, as well as carry out extensive renovations.
The complex has long been the subject of scrutiny over its use and occupants. Parts of the estate have been linked to Putin’s alleged mistress, the Olympic gold-medal gymnast Alina Kabaeva, and her children, according to reports.
It is alleged to have separate railway access and helipads, interpreted as indicators of the compound’s importance to Putin and his inner circle.
#7
No photos, no video, residents across the lake from the villa don't report anything unusual and the place has more air defenses than their military bases. Don't believe Ukraine actually targeted this.
Methinks that this 'report' has more to do with derailing the peace process.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
12/30/2025 9:51 Comments ||
Top||
#11
I dunno. It sounds like a move the Ukrainians would make. And the best part is there is no down side for them. If they do any damage, even if only some scorched paint, it is a great media victory. If the strike is thwarted, the Ukrainians can claim the Russians made up the whole thing to derail which ever multi-point peace plan is current.
There is an opportunity cost in that those 91 drones cannot be used to cause damage closer to the line of combat.
tl;dr: The fact that they chose PR over battle damage makes me suspect the Ukrainians.
As for No photos, no video, residents across the lake from the villa don't report anything unusual, do you want to be the one posting pix of damage to Darth Putin's dacha on Telegram? State secrets, comrade!
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