President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday proposed appointing First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine's new defence minister, praising his abilities in developing the drones and digitalisation needed for the country's defence.

For Ukraine, regaining control of the plant is not just about undoing an illegal seizure. It is central to the country’s postwar energy independence. Before the war, the plant supplied roughly a quarter of the country’s electricity needs. Its generation capacity would be vital for powering reconstruction efforts, energy experts say.

Russia invaded Ukraine to restore it to Moscow’s orbit, but President Donald Trump’s peace plan would increase Kyiv’s security, economic and other ties with the West.

The CIA has assessed Ukraine was not targeting a residence used by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a recent drone attack in the north of his country, according to US officials, undercutting an assertion the Russian president had made to Trump in a Monday phone call.

Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shed light on security guarantees under discussion with the U.S. after a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Russian officials say reports of the missile strike are untrue, suggesting the explosion was caused by Ukrainian ammunition.

After a year of Russian advances, the goal for 2026 is simply to survive, said one officer in eastern Ukraine. “It’s hard to make any plans,” he said.