President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions against 95 individuals and 70 legal entities, most of whom are citizens and residents of the Russian Federation.
The relevant decree of the President of Ukraine No. 8/2026 of January 3, 2026, was published on the website of the Office of the President.
It is noted that the individuals and companies against whom sanctions have been imposed are associated with servicing Russia’s state defense orders and the activities of its defense-industrial complex. Among them are enterprises and their managers who manufacture and supply products in the fields of communications, electronic warfare, and microelectronics for the Russian defense-industrial complex and security forces.
Sanctions have been imposed on industrial enterprises in the chemical, mining, metallurgical, and fuel and energy sectors of the Russian Federation.
“The restrictions imposed should complicate the servicing of the Russian military-industrial complex and limit its capabilities in the production of weapons and military equipment used in the war against Ukraine. Our country will continue to work with partners to synchronize Ukrainian sanctions in the jurisdictions of partner countries. Some of the items will be included in the 20th package of EU sanctions, which is currently being prepared,” the statement said.
Ukraine managed to attract more than $45 billion in international security assistance in 2025, which is the highest figure since the start of the full-scale war, Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
“Our country managed to attract more than $45 billion in aid, which is the highest figure since the start of the full-scale war and almost 30% more than last year. The key areas of support in 2025 were: weapons and ammunition; development of air defense and missile defense; investments in joint production and procurement for the Ukrainian defense industry; training, repair, technical support, and logistics,” he wrote on Telegram.
According to him, more than $6 billion has been allocated to the development of the Ukrainian defense industry, in particular within the framework of the “Danish model.” Shmyhal noted that Ukraine received almost $3 billion from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets in the EU and the UK. These funds are being used to purchase weapons and develop the defense industry.
“International support for Ukraine is becoming long-term and systematic. This is a guarantee of deterring Russian aggression, strengthening our defense capabilities, and ensuring a just peace in Europe. I sincerely thank each of our partners for this extremely important support,” the head of the defense department emphasized.
From January 1, 2026, the allowance for the birth of the first and each subsequent child will be paid in a lump sum of 50,000 hryvnia.
In particular, on January 1, the law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding Support for Families with Children and the Creation of Conditions Conducive to Combining Motherhood (Fatherhood) with Professional Activity” comes into force.
According to the document, the allowance for the birth of the first and each subsequent child is paid as a one-time payment in the amount of 50,000 hryvnia.
Previously, childbirth assistance was set at UAH 41,280, with a one-time payment of UAH 10,320 and the remainder paid in equal installments over the next 36 months.
Earlier, the Ministry of Social Policy, Family, and Unity reported that the new procedure for paying childbirth benefits would only apply to mothers who gave birth after the new rules came into force, i.e., after January 1.
The law also stipulates that a one-time “baby package” benefit (in kind or in the form of monetary compensation) is provided at the woman’s request starting from the 36th week of pregnancy or at a healthcare facility – the day after the child’s birth, or no later than three months from the date of the child’s birth, and is not included in the amount of the benefit.
The transitional provisions of the law also stipulate that in 2026: assistance in connection with pregnancy and childbirth to women who are not insured in the compulsory state social insurance system shall be provided in the amount of UAH 7,000 per month; childcare assistance until the child reaches one year of age shall be provided in the amount of UAH 7,000, and in the case of such assistance being provided for the care of a child with a disability, in the amount of UAH 10,500; Childcare assistance “yeYasla” is provided in the amount of UAH 8,000, and in the case of such assistance being provided for the care of a child with a disability, in the amount of UAH 12,000. One-time cash assistance to first-grade students “school package” is provided in the amount of UAH 5,000.
State assistance to families with children, assigned before this law came into force, is paid in the manner and amount established on the date of assignment, until its full payment is completed.
As reported, on November 14, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law that provides for an increase in a number of payments related to the birth and care of a child. In particular, it provides for 7,000 hryvnia per month in pregnancy and childbirth assistance for women who are not insured and do not have insurance experience; 50,000 hryvnia in one-time assistance for the birth of a child. This is paid once for the first and each subsequent child; 7,000 hryvnia — monthly assistance for childcare until the child reaches 1 year of age.
The Ministry of Social Policy, Family, and Unity has announced that the “єЯсла” program will be launched on January 1, 2026, and the “єСадок” program will start in 2028.
On January 1, 2026, Ukrainian Law No. 4219-IX came into force, changing the procedure for employers to comply with the quota for employing persons with disabilities and introducing quarterly monitoring and a target contribution instead of administrative and economic sanctions.
According to the explanations, instead of an annual calculation, employers must determine the quota on a quarterly basis, and reports on its implementation will be submitted quarterly as part of tax calculations.
The job quota is set for a quarter based on the average number of full-time employees (SKShP): for an ATE of 8 to 25 people – 1 job, for an ATE of more than 25 – 4% of the ATE; for healthcare institutions, rehabilitation institutions, social service providers, and organizations involved in the rehabilitation or training of persons with disabilities, a specialized standard of 2% of the ATE is provided.
In order for an employee with a disability to be counted towards the quota from 2026, the following conditions must be met simultaneously: this must be their main place of work, their calculated salary must exceed the minimum wage, and their working hours must correspond to the normal or adapted duration.
Instead of the previous penalties for non-compliance with the quota, a targeted contribution to support the employment of persons with disabilities is being introduced, the administration of which is entrusted to the tax authorities. The explanations also indicate the financial consequences of violations, including a 7% penalty for late payment, 10% for additional charges (with restrictions), a 0.1% penalty for each day of delay, and a UAH 170 penalty for reporting violations.
Venezuela has declared military aggression by the United States and imposed a state of emergency. The statement was published by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil Pinto.
“The Republic of Venezuela rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression committed by the current government of the United States of America against the territory and population of Venezuela in the civilian and military areas of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira,“ according to a statement released on Pinto’s Telegram channel on Saturday.
The statement said that the US actions are ”a gross violation of the UN Charter” and threaten peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Venezuelan authorities claim that the real goal of the attack is to establish control over the country’s strategic resources, in particular oil and minerals, as well as an attempt at forced “regime change.” The government stressed that these attempts “will fail,” as before.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the imposition of a “state of external emergency” throughout the country and ordered the implementation of national defense plans. He also ordered the deployment of the State Integrated Defense Command and relevant management bodies in all states and municipalities.
Pinto said that Venezuela would file complaints with the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, and regional international organizations, demanding condemnation of the US actions. The country’s authorities stressed that they reserve the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
There have been no official comments from the US government on these allegations yet.
As reported, on the night of January 3, at least seven explosions were heard in Caracas, Venezuela. Eyewitnesses also said they saw planes flying low over the city. CBS News journalist Jennifer
Jacobs, citing sources, said that Donald Trump ordered attacks on targets in Venezuela as part of an intensified campaign against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro.
Ukraine is currently experiencing double pressure: water is becoming scarcer and its quality is deteriorating, according to Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture Oleksiy Sobolev.
“Industry, the agricultural sector, and community development depend on access to water, so effective management of its quantity must be one of the key instruments of state policy. It is important for businesses to understand where water is available in order to plan the location of production facilities and reduce the risk of shortages,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to the head of the Ministry of Economy, 4,074 million cubic meters of water are taken from surface sources, which is half as much as in previous periods. The structure of use is as follows: industry – 70.5%, housing and communal needs – 22.1%, irrigation – 4.2%, others – 3.2%. Sobolev noted that in recent years, water consumption by industry has decreased by 1.9 times, housing and communal services – by 1.5 times, and irrigation has fallen more than ten times – as a result of the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine, in particular the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, which provided water supply and irrigation in the south.
“The goal of our changes is to build a system where every cubic meter of water is accounted for and decisions are made based on real data, not assumptions, as the basis for a modern, transparent, and balanced water policy,” the minister said.
He noted that the state water cadastre for surface water accounting has now been updated. Also, over the past year, large-scale digitization has been carried out: more than 80,000 water objects have been digitized, including 60,000 reservoirs and 19,000 rivers.
