Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could be decisive in the outcome of the 34-month-old war with Russia and help stop Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

With soaring inflation and the ruble dropping to one of its lowest levels against the dollar since President Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine, this year Russians will have to pay more for the dish, which is traditionally served alongside caviar and tangerines, before the New Year is toasted in.

One of Vladimir Putin's allies has made a boastful five-word prediction for the new year. The Deputy Chair of Russia's Security Council and former President, Dmitry Medvedev, posted a gif on X on December 31. It read: "Happy New Year, World! Happy New Year, beloved Russia !" He then named 2025 as the "Year of the Great Victory!"

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Thursday that over the previous day, Russia had 1,370 casualties, which consisted of both dead and injured personnel.

On December 20th, Russia recorded its highest single-day military casualties since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine ordered by Vladimir Putin, as reported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.