Russia's economy will be under major strain in 2025, economists told BI. One said stagnation was similar to the USSR at the start of the 1980s.

Ukraine's air force says it detected 184 missiles and drones, causing damage to energy infrastructure across the country.

At least 38 people were feared dead when a passenger jet crashed in Kazakhstan after it was forced to divert from its intended destination in southern Russia—an area where Moscow’s air defenses have battled Ukrainian drones in recent weeks.

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he asked the U.S. Defense Department to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine after condemning Russia's Christmas Day attack against some of Ukraine's cities and its energy system.

A Russian court case involving a compensation claim against Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) will continue in the second half of January, judicial authorities and the lender said on Wednesday.

Ukrainian officials say Russia has launched a massive missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Russia is ready to continue gas exports to Europe through several routes just as a contract to transit the fuel via Ukraine is expected to end this year, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.

The Azerbaijan Airlines flight from Baku to Grozny in Russia was carrying 67 people when it crashed near Aktau early Wednesday. 25 people survived, Kazakhstan's emergencies ministry said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack that damaged Kyiv's critical energy infrastructure "inhumane."

Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the Azerbaijani Airlines plane making a steep descent before slamming into the ground in a fireball in western Kazakhstan.