"Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) carried out kamikaze drone strikes on a Russian
patrol ship and an oil platform in the Caspian Sea.
The patrol ship is designated Project 22460 Hunter, part of the Rubin class of Russian Coast Guard vessels designed to combat surface and airborne threats.
"They are equipped with weapons and systems to perform a wide range of missions in coastal waters. Several SSO drones successfully hit the target," the SSO said on Facebook.
In the same operation, SSO drones also hit a Russian oil platform located at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea. The platform is owned by Russian oil company Lukoil and is used for oil and gas extraction." KI
"A strong magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean 525 km (326 mi) from Antarctica in the late afternoon at 6.57 pm local time (GMT +12). The depth of the quake could not be determined." VD
"Any attempt to blockade Russia’s Kaliningrad on the Baltic coast would spark an“unprecedented escalation” and could expand into a large-scale armed conflict, President Vladimir Putin has warned.
The Russian leader made the remarks during his traditional end-of-year Q&A session when asked how Moscow would respond if European states sought to impose a blockade on the country’s westernmost region, an exclave bordered by NATO members Lithuania and Poland." RT
"At least two people were killed and four were injured by the flash floods that struck Iraq’sKurdistan region in Sulaymaniyah province. There were also reports of a seven-year-old girl drowning in Furqan village in Kirkuk after sudden floods hit the area. Her body was retrieved and transferred to the hospital for legal procedures.
Another school wall collapsed, with videos being shared on social media showing the collapse. Reports indicat that around 30 students barely escaped the collapse, with no injuries being reported.
More than 1 000 homes and 150 commercial properties were damaged by the flooding in the Chamchamal district. Meanwhile, over 1 600 homes and 200 vehicles, and more than 100 shops and markets were damaged across the Sulaymaniyah province, reported Shafaq citing Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC)." W
"A strong magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit 78 km (49 mi) away from Quito, Provincia de Pichincha, Ecuador, in the afternoon at 4.59 pm local time (America/Guayaquil GMT -5). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.The quake was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD
"165 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded.
The enemy carried out three missile strikes and 55 air strikes, dropping 150 guided bombs and using four missiles. In addition, the Russians deployed 4,597 kamikaze drones and conducted 3,875 attacks on positions, including 96 from multiple launch rocket systems.
The Russian army struck with glide bombs in Pidgavrylivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and in Huliaipole and Vozdvyzhivka in Zaporizhzhia region.The missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit a military equipment storage facility, two command posts, and another important Russian target.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, eight clashes occurred. In addition, the enemy carried out 106 shellings, including one from a multiple launch rocket system.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the invaders attacked Defense Forces positions 10 times near Vovchansk, Prylipky, and towards Izbytske.
In the Kupiansk sector, there were six enemy attacks. The Defense Forces repelled Russian assaults near Pishchane and towards Petropavlivka, Kupiansk, and Bohuslavka.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy attacked 11 times, attempting to advance near Shandryholove and towards Drobysheve, Stavky, Novyi Myr, Druzhliubivka, and Lyman.
In the Sloviansk sector, in the areas of Serebrianka, Dronivka, and towards Platonivka, Russian troops attacked seven times.
In the Kramatorsk sector, no clashes were recorded.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 20 attacks in the areas of Kleban-Byk, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, and towards Pleshchiivka, Novopavlivka, Ivanopillia, and Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 45 Russian assaults and offensive actions in the areas of Rodynske, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Udachne, Myrnohrad, Molodetske, Dachne, Filiia, and towards Novopidhorodne, Nove Shakhove, Svitle, Hryshyne, and Novopavlivka.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy attacked 10 times in the areas of Pryvilne and Zlahoda, and towards Rybne, Oleksandrohrad, and Nove Zaporizhzhia.
In the Huliaipole sector, the Russians attacked 14 times in the area of Huliaipole and towards Dobropillia.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy made two unsuccessful attempts to break through defenses near Prymorske and Plavni." Ukrin
"European leaders approved an interest-free loan for Ukraine, providing a financial lifelineand securing the cash-strapped country's financing needs for at least the next two years, EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Dec. 19.
"We have a deal. Decision to provide 90 billion euros ($105.5 billion) of support to Ukraine for 2026-27 approved. We committed, we delivered," Costa said in a post on social media.
EU officials had initially sought to underpin a large loan to Ukraine with frozen Russian assets, but after failing to secure a consensus, they opted for an alternative financing approach." KI
"A strong M7.0 oblique-slip earthquake struck beneath the Hubbard Glacier in the St. Elias
Mountains, about 89 km (55 miles) north of Yakutat, Alaska, at 11:40 AKST (20:40 UTC). The quake triggered widespread ground failures, with over 700 landslides and snow avalanches identified across Alaska and Canada. The largest and most concentrated slope failures occurred within a 16 km (10 miles) wide band along the estimated fault rupture." W
"A strong magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean 322 km (200 mi)
from Kamchatka, Russia, in the early morning at 12.37 am local time (GMT +12). The quake had a shallow depth of 66 km (41 mi) and was felt widely in the area. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD
"A strong magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit 58 km (36 mi) away from Taloqan, Takhar, Afghanistan, in the morning at 10.09 am local time (GMT +4:30). The quake had a shallow depth of 35 km (22 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD
"Ukrainian Defense Forces engaged in 183 clashes with Russian troops.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, Ukrainian forces repelled four assaults; two clashes are ongoing. The enemy carried out one airstrike using three glide bombs and 150 attacks on Ukrainian positions and settlements, including seven with MLRS.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, eight attacks occurred near Starytsia, Prylipky, Vovchansk, Okhrimivka, and Dovhenke.
In the Kupiansk sector, Russians conducted nine offensive attempts near Kurylivka, Pishchane, Petropavlivka, Hlushkivka, Novoplatonivka, and Kupiansk; one clash continues.
In the Lyman sector, there were nine attacks toward Chervonyi Stav, Stavky, Drobysheve, Novoiehorivka, and Zarichne; two clashes are ongoing.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled three assaults near Serebrianka and Zvanivka.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces attacked 24 times in the areas of Kleban-Byk, Pleshchiivka, Shcherbynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Rusyn Yar, and toward Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Stepanivka, and Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Russian forces attempted 46 attacks near Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Filiia, as well as toward Toretske, Nove Shakhove, and Novopavlivka. Two clashes are ongoing. Ukrainian forces eliminated 123 invaders here, including 101 irreversibly, along with seven drones, three vehicles, three motorcycles, and one special vehicle; 11 enemy shelters were destroyed.
In the Oleksandrohrad sector, Russians launched 22 assaults near Tolstoi, Oleksandrohrad, Stepove, Pryvilne, Verbove, Krasnohirsk, Zlahoda, Rybne, and toward Andriivka-Klevtsove, Ivanivka, Lisne, and Nove Zaporizhzhia. Lisne, Oleksandrohrad, and Havrylivka were targeted by glide bomb airstrikes.
In the Huliaipole sector, 17 attacks occurred near Solodke, Zelene, Huliaipole, and toward Varvarivka and Dobropillia. Russian aviation struck Huliaipole and Ternuvate.
In the Orikhiv sector, three Russian advances toward Novoandriivka, Prymorske, and Plavni were repelled. Russian forces dropped bombs on Orikhiv, Balabyne, and Malokaterynivka.
In the Prydniprovske sector, two unsuccessful enemy assaults toward Antonivka were repelled." Ukrin
"Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil tanker in the Port of Rostov overnight local officials
in Russia's Rostov Oblast reported.
Photos and videos posted to social media and filmed by local residents appear to show large flames emanating from the direction of the port.
Rostov-on-Don Mayor Alexander Skryabin reported on Telegram that emergency crews are extinguishing a fire on tanker that had been struck by Ukrainian drones overnight. Skryabin further claimed that three people were killed an more injured a result of the strike." KI
"A powerful windstorm left over 120 000 customers, an estimated 300 000 people, without power after winds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph) hit parts of the Lower Mainland." W
"A strong magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred in the South China Sea near Calayan Island island, Philippines, in the early afternoon at 3.27 pm local time (GMT +8). The quake had a shallow depth of 40 km (25 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD
"A strong magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean 101 km (63 mi) from
Panama in the late afternoon at 6.07 pm local time (GMT -5). The quake had a very shallow depth of 10.3 km (6 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD
