These are important developments since the 1401st day of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Published December 26, 2025
Here’s what happened on Friday, December 26th.
finding
Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region reported a massive fire following a Ukrainian drone attack on two storage tanks storing petroleum products in the southern Russian port of Temryuk. The fire spread to approximately 2,000 square meters (approximately 21,500 square feet). Ukraine’s SBU security authorities announced that long-range Ukrainian drones targeted an oil storage facility in the port of Temryuk and a gas processing plant in Russia’s Orenburg region. Ukraine’s military also attacked the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region with Storm Shadow missiles, causing several explosions, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in a statement. The General Staff described the Russian refinery as a major supplier of petroleum products in southern Russia supporting Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. According to a report from Russia’s state news agency, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russian troops have taken control of the Svyat Pokrovske settlement in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
regional security
Poland sent fighter jets to intercept Russian reconnaissance planes flying near its Baltic Sea airspace, said dozens of objects had entered Polish airspace from Belarus overnight, and warned that incidents over the holiday season could signal provocations. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of encouraging so-called “piracy” in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean by blockading Venezuela, but expressed hope that US President Donald Trump’s pragmatism can prevent further escalation. The Russian government also reiterated its support for the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and its efforts to protect national sovereignty amid US threats to remove him from power.
peace negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he spoke for about an hour with President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkov and son-in-law Jared Kushner about how to end the war with Russia and “bring real peace closer.”
“Of course, there is still work to be done on sensitive issues,” the Ukrainian leader said. “But together with the American team, we understand how to properly implement all this. The coming weeks may also be intensive. Thank you, America!” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia believes that negotiations with the United States to end the war in Ukraine are making gradual progress. She said negotiations are progressing slowly but steadily.
politics and diplomacy
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin sent Christmas greetings with congratulations to the US president. Russia has announced that it has submitted a proposal to France regarding French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who is imprisoned under Russia’s foreign agents law, adding that the next steps in the Frenchman’s case now rest with Paris.
sanctions
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in comments broadcast on state television that Russia’s goal of producing 100 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year has been delayed for several years due to international sanctions.
