Drone strikes on Kyiv and the halt of Russian gas transit: key highlights from January 1st.
Russia Strikes Kyiv with Drones
On the morning of January 1, Russian forces attacked Kyiv using strike drones. Debris from the drones fell in two districts of the capital — Pechersk and Svyatoshyn.
During the attack, neurobiologist Igor Zima and his wife — scientist, Doctor of Biological Sciences Olesya Sokur — were killed. Six others were injured.
In the Pechersk district, 17 buildings were damaged — residential homes, the National Bank building, and an educational institution.
In total, on the night of January 1 and in the morning, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 111 strike drones of the Shahed type and other drones. Air defense systems neutralized 63 targets.
Hacker Attack on Lukoil by GUR
Cyber specialists from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine carried out a hacking attack on the Russian oil company Lukoil. This was reported by hromadske from an informed source.
As a result of the attack, the company's digital resources were compromised, preventing clients from making payments at gas stations through the mobile app.
Ukraine Halts Transit of Russian Gas
At 7 AM on January 1, Ukraine officially stopped the transportation of Russian gas across its territory.
The Ministry of Energy noted that this step was taken in the interest of national security. Ukraine informed its international partners about this in accordance with established procedures.
The European Union noted that preparations for this had been underway for over a year. At the same time, Moldova faced difficulties. Ukrainian "Energoatom" will export electricity to the Moldovan company Energocom on the night of January 2 to cover the deficit.
Chisinau transferred all Russian gas to the unrecognized "Transnistria." Meanwhile, gas for the controlled territory was purchased from regional and European markets.
Ukraine Issues a Suspect in a Case of Misappropriation of Millions of Hryvnias
A suspect in a case involving the misappropriation of nearly 95 million hryvnias from transformers of "Ukrzaliznytsia" was extradited from Bulgaria. She was placed in custody with the right to bail set at 9.9 million hryvnias.
As a reminder, in April 2024, NABU and SAP exposed an organized group led by a former advisor to the deputy head of the President's Office, a former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine, and announced suspicions against 10 individuals.
Romania and Bulgaria Join Schengen
As of January 1, Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the Schengen zone after 18 years in the European Union.
This means that citizens of Romania and Bulgaria can now travel to all EU countries, except Cyprus and Ireland, without stopping at border police checkpoints for document checks.
Hungary Loses One Billion Euros in Subsidies
Hungary has lost the opportunity to receive one billion euros in financial assistance from the EU due to violations of the rule of law and delays in reforms.
It is noted that Hungary was supposed to implement reforms aimed at complying with EU standards by the end of 2024, particularly regarding laws on preventing conflicts of interest and combating corruption.
Man Extinguishes Hanukkah Menorah in Lviv
A Hanukkah menorah, installed on the ruins of a synagogue in Lviv, was damaged. In a video circulated on local Telegram channels, a man is seen approaching the menorah and apparently cutting wires, after which the seven-branched candelabrum goes out. The police are aware of the incident and are establishing all the circumstances.
Passport Fees Increase
As of January 1, the state enterprise "Poligrafichny Kombinat 'Ukraina'" changed the prices for blanks of certain biometric documents. Consequently, obtaining passports will become more expensive in 2025.
For instance, the urgent processing of an ID card will cost 928 hryvnias, while a foreign passport will cost 1,682 hryvnias.
Other Important News of the Day
- Over the past year, Russia occupied more than 4,000 km² of Ukrainian territory and lost more than 420,000 people, according to ISW.
- In Germany, 5 people died due to New Year's fireworks.
- The most purchased books by Ukrainians in 2024: "Ukrinform" conducted a traditional express survey.