Russia is not committing to a meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and President Putin, which US President Trump has encouraged as a next step toward ending the war; Foreign Minister Lavrov argued any meeting should be prepared “gradually”

Two maritime patrol aircraft have made a 30-hour Arctic flight, including a mid-air tanking that would account a the first-ever North Pole aerial refueling; for the unique mission, the crews reportedly entered the Book of Records of the Armed Forces

A hypersonic, nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile was among 36 other missiles and over 200 drones launched in one of Russia's largest attacks on Ukraine; Kyiv and Lviv were hit, homes damaged, water supplies and heating disrupted in freezing temperatures

Russia's main stock market index, the MOEX, rose to 2765 points on yesterday 30 December 2025; over the past month the index has climbed 2,92%, though it remains 2,23% lower than a year ago, according to benchmark index trackings from Russia