Overview
- Ukrainian officials report a mass Russian drone assault on Zaporizhzhia that caused fires, explosions and outages affecting nearly 4,000 people, with 737 attacks recorded across the region in 24 hours and additional drone strikes injuring two in Dnipropetrovsk.
- Russian-installed authorities in occupied Kherson raise the death toll from the New Year’s strike on a Khorly hotel and bar to 27, blame Ukraine and say children are among the victims, while Kyiv denies targeting civilians and says it hits only military objectives.
- The CIA’s assessment, reported by major outlets, indicates Ukraine did not aim to hit Putin’s Novgorod residence, even as Russia presents purported drone data to a U.S. defense official to support its allegation.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky says a peace agreement is about 90% prepared but insists the unresolved portion on security guarantees and territory is decisive and that Ukraine will not sign a weak accord.
- Zelensky announces a January 3 meeting of national security advisers in Ukraine focused on the peace track with European participation and expected U.S. involvement online, ahead of a January 6 gathering of willing-state leaders in France.