Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that both Kyiv and Moscow initiated a week-long moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure, commencing Friday night amid severe winter cold. While the pause was broadly observed across most regions, Ukrainian officials reported one targeted strike on gas infrastructure in the Donetsk region, according to Zelenskyy's nightly address.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified Moscow's position, asserting that the restraint was explicitly tied to a personal appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin. Peskov indicated the pause was intended only until Sunday, designed to foster favorable conditions for imminent negotiations, as reported by Russian state sources.
Meanwhile, kinetic military activity persisted across the front lines, particularly in the southern Kherson region where Russian forces reportedly attacked a passenger minibus, resulting in fatalities. Governor Oleksandr Prokudin confirmed the driver’s death and five injuries from the attack on civilian transport.
On the air defense front, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence reported that Russian forces launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile alongside 111 attack drones overnight, noting that Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted approximately 80 of the drones. Furthermore, Ukraine’s railway infrastructure faced sustained pressure, with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko citing seven separate Russian attacks within the preceding 24 hours.
Territorial shifts were also noted, with the Russian Ministry of Defence claiming capture of Ternuvate in Zaporizhia, alongside Richne in the same region and Berestok in Donetsk. Battlefield monitoring groups like DeepState indicated Russian advances in Zlahoda (Dnipropetrovsk) and near Hrabovske (Sumy).
Diplomatically, President Zelenskyy issued a public invitation for President Putin to meet in Kyiv for talks, provided he "dares," emphasizing he would not travel to Moscow or Belarus for discussions. This occurred while Russian Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin publicly insisted that Moscow must utilize more powerful weaponry to meet its stated operational goals.
Economically, the European Union confirmed the blacklisting of Russia regarding money laundering risks, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stating this measure would increase transaction costs for Russian banking entities. Separately, the Russian Foreign Ministry vowed to use "all available means" to protect vessels flying Russian flags following the recent French interception of the oil tanker 'Grinch'.
