NEWSFLASH: Unknown object in Ukrainian airspace
Our team found a fast-moving unidentified object in Ukraine’s skies on Christmas Eve. In other news: Zelenskyy preps national referendum on peace deal.
Editor’s Note:
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas from all of us at The Counteroffensive.
Tim and Tania spent Christmas Eve with the Khartiia Brigrade in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. More on that soon.
This year, Christmas in Ukraine looks different, quieter in some ways, heavier in others. For our team, it’s a day marked between air raid alerts, frontline updates, and calls home, holding on to small traditions where we can: shared meals, candles, familiar songs, even when the lights go out.
If you’re able, consider supporting our work this holiday season. Upgrading to a paid subscription helps keep our reporting going through the winter, funding electricity, safety, and the ability to stay on the ground telling Ukraine’s story as it unfolds.
Your support is the best gift you can give us this Christmas.
Our team was traveling to our hometowns today when suddenly, at around 8 p.m., our publication detected an unidentified object in Ukraine’s airspace.
It was flying at high speed, maneuvering around residential buildings.
Our reporters assess there was a person inside.
Identifying features: a large belly, a red suit, a white beard, and repeated vocalizations of “Ho, ho, ho.”
The object was accompanied by around a dozen four-legged associates.
The object is expected to leave Ukraine’s airspace shortly and continue toward Europe before reaching North America. We will keep a close eye on how events unfold on the ground in Kyiv.
The Counteroffensive reached out to Ukraine’s air defense for comment; however, it received no response at the time of publication. No response was received from NORAD either.
However, our sources can confirm that air defense was temporarily paused over the country until the object leaves the airspace.
If you obtain any information that can help us identify the person in a sleigh, please contact our editor-in-chief, Tim Mak, via his work email: tim@counteroffensive.news.
Stay safe out there and Merry Christmas!
Thank you for being with us during this difficult year.
SECRET SANTA:
The Christmas spirit is knocking on the door.
On this festive Christmas Eve, we invite you behind the scenes of The Counteroffensive for a glimpse of how we celebrated Secret Santa in our newsroom.
Our team took a brief break from the headlines to exchange warm wishes and thoughtful gifts. Even with a war outside, we found a little magic inside. ❤️🎁
Check out this video:
Best,
The Counteroffensive team
NEWS OF THE DAY:
NEWSFLASH: Zelenskyy preps referendum on peace deal: Ukraine may decide to hold presidential elections and include during that process a referendum on a proposed peace deal, Zelenskyy said during a conversation with journalists.
A referendum can be held simultaneously with the elections if a 60-day ceasefire is implemented, Zelenskyy said, according to Hromadske.
Here’s the current proposal by the US and Ukraine, consisting of a 20 point peace plan, according to Suspilne: the deal stipulates that the size of the Ukrainian army will remain at 800,000; the US, NATO, and Europe will provide Ukraine with security guarantees that are similar in nature to Article 5; and Russia will withdraw its troops from the Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.
The most contested issue in the proposed peace plan is territorial control, with two options available:
A) The current line of contact would remain.
B) A free economic zone would be established in part of eastern Ukraine as a de facto demilitarized area. International forces would be stationed in this zone to ensure its security.
Russia has not commented on this version of the plan yet, but has already rejected the 20 point plan as merely a “starting point” that needs changes.
Editor’s Note:
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas from all of us at The Counteroffensive. Tim and Nastia spent Christmas Eve with the Khartiia Brigrade in the Kharkiv region. More on that soon.
This year, Christmas in Ukraine looks different, quieter in some ways, heavier in others. For our team, it’s a day marked between air raid alerts, frontline updates, and calls home, holding on to small traditions where we can: shared meals, candles, familiar songs, even when the lights go out.
If you’re able, consider supporting our work this holiday season. Upgrading to a paid subscription helps keep our reporting going through the winter, funding electricity, safety, and the ability to stay on the ground telling Ukraine’s story as it unfolds.
Your support is the best gift you can give us this Christmas.
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Merry Christmas everyone!
Thank you for the vital work you bravely do sharing clear, detailed truthful information to the world. May everyone be safe, healthy, peaceful and happy throughout 2026. And may the new year bring lasting peace, prosperity and safety to a full sovereign Ukraine. Merry Christmas and blessings to everyone!