Weekly Exclusives
Weekly Exclusives - a newsletter that contains author publications, interviews, exclusive comments, photos and videos.
Photos of the week
Rescuers help a participant in baptismal swimming at the Hydropark with a prosthetic limb reach the shore, Kyiv, January 6, 2025.
Interview
Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Crisis Management
As the European Commission unveiled a EUR 148 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib visited the country to reinforce the EU's ongoing efforts to provide critical assistance. The Commissioner sat down with Ukrinform to speak about the ongoing humanitarian efforts, urgent challenges amid war, and ways to ensure that the aid is used most effectively. She also spoke of the European perception of emerging threats and the need to improve the existing Civil Preparedness Mechanism.
Publications
The United States has imposed some of the harshest sanctions yet on Russia's oil industry, targeting around 180 ships, dozens of traders, major oil companies and some senior Russian oil executives. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have captured two of the North Korean soldiers who were fighting alongside Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk border region. US president-elect Donald Trump's Ukraine peace envoy Keith Kellogg said he hopes to have a “solvable solution” between the two sides within 100 days of Trump taking office. Donald Trump has said that a meeting with Putin is being arranged.
Ukraine Latest: Weekly Digest for January 6-12, 2025
Fact Checks
Russian propaganda falsely claims police targeted Ukrainians for celebrating Christmas on Jan 7
Russian media outlets, Telegram channels, bots on X (formerly Twitter), and bloggers on TikTok are circulating a photo of an "ad" allegedly displayed near a church in the Volyn region of Ukraine. The ad claims parishioners are "not recommended" to visit the church on January 7 because police will be stationed outside. It further alleges that those attending the celebration will be interrogated by law enforcement.
The ad is fake. The location where the "ad" was supposedly placed cannot be identified from the photo. Propagandists likely printed the text themselves, photographed it, and presented it as an authentic notice from a Ukrainian church.
Olha Buzuluk, spokesperson for the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Volyn region, confirmed to an Ukrinform correspondent that the claims from Russian propagandists are false.
"This is not true. The police did not conduct any interrogations in churches on January 7. This is a fake," she stated.
Additionally, Russian media outlets, citing the pro-Russian news site Strana.ua, are claiming that the majority of Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 7 "despite the government's ban."
This claim is also false. As "evidence," propagandists shared a screenshot from Google Trends showing popular search queries on January 7. However, comparing this data with search queries from December 25 reveals a stark difference, as Russian propaganda only showcased January data to support their narrative.
Public opinion polls further debunk this claim. According to a study conducted by the Rating Sociological Group for the International Republican Institute, 53% of Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 2023, while only 11% did so on January 7. This marks an increase from 2022, when 42% celebrated on December 25 and 17% on January 7. These figures directly contradict the propagandists' narrative that the "majority" of Ukrainians celebrate Christmas in January. It is also worth noting that some Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on both December 25 and January 7.
In Ukraine, there is no prohibition against celebrating Christmas on January 7, nor is there any punishment for doing so.
In September 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine adopted the new Julian calendar, aligning Christmas with December 25, as it was celebrated in Ukraine before 1918.
Russian propaganda often spreads manipulative narratives during the New Year holidays. Their aim is to portray Russia's celebration style as the only canonical and "correct" one, and to suggest that Ukrainians adopting the Gregorian calendar represents a deviation from Orthodox tradition.
Celebrating Christmas on January 7 is not exclusive to Russia. Other countries, including Georgia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ethiopia, also mark Christ's birth on this date.
Previously, Russian propagandists forged an "ad" about a "New Year party" in a Lviv-based kindergarten.
Andriy Olenin
Video
Donald Tusk met Volodymyr Zelensky in Warsaw
The farewell ceremony for Marine Andrii Kuzmenko was held at St. Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv
At St. Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv, a farewell ceremony was held for officer and marine Andrii Kuzmenko, the husband of "Novynarnia" journalist Anastasia Fedchenko. Andrii voluntarily joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2023. He served in the 35th Marine Brigade.
The serviceman died on the night of January 4, 2025. His wife Anastasia is currently expecting a daughter.
News:
War
Defense Ministry developed three versions of demobilization bill - MP
Fighting continues: Ukrainian forces deny reports of losing control of Toretsk
Head of State Protection Department talks about nuances of working under martial law
State Protection Department lacks armored vehicles – DSPU Head
Poland’s prosecutors interview over 3,000 witnesses of Russian crimes in Ukraine
Poland’s EU presidency to focus on holding Russia accountable for crimes in Ukraine
Politics
Putin attempts to stir protests in Transdniestria – expert
Russia may stage “rescue” of Transdniestria from humanitarian crisis – expert
Roads on border with Ukraine must not be blocked – Poland’s Justice Minister
Trump cannot unilaterally lift sanctions against Russia or withdraw from NATO without Congress approval – expert
Decision-making in U.S. Congress under Trump’s presidency not to be unanimous – expert
Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland presents credentials to Duda
Netherlands’ FM: We need to block Russia's access to foreign components for weapon production
Currently, no evidence of assassination plots against Zelensky – Head of State Protection Department
Bundestag MP warns against exploiting Ukraine aid in election campaigns
Economy
Regional military chief comments on salt production issues in Zakarpattia region
Ukraine needs to quickly attract foreigners to rebuild economy – expert’s opinion
Regional military chief comments on decline in budget revenues in Luhansk region
Society
Ministry of Justice set to create "Pentagon for state registries" – minister
UN to present humanitarian aid plans for Ukrainians for 2025 in Kyiv – Kyslytsia
Scheduled vaccinations: Ministry of Health plans to transition to combined vaccines
See you next Friday!