Between 2:45 a.m. and 3:45 a.m. UTC on December 23, 2025, Ukrainian Telegram channels including the 'monitor' channel and Андрій Смолій reported the first launches of Kh-101/X-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bombers around 5:05 a.m. UTC, with the єРадар channel providing approximate arrival times of Sumy at 6:30 a.m., Kyiv at 6:50 a.m., Vinnytsia at 7:00 a.m., and Lviv at 7:30 a.m. The 'monitor' channel stated the enemy performed the first Kh-101 launches, expecting the first cruise missiles in Ukrainian airspace around 6:00 a.m. UTC, while Андрій Смолій confirmed the Tu-95MS launches at 5:05 a.m. and noted expected Kalibr missile launches due to Russian fleet activity. єРадар added that only three Tu-95MS were launched with likely additional waves, and planes neared launch positions near Engels airfield. Николаевский Ванёк reported first pre-launch maneuvers of strategic aircraft in Russia's Volgograd region, expecting missiles in Ukrainian airspace around 6:00 a.m. UTC if launches proceed. These updates follow єРадар's earlier report in the previous period of over 60 Russian drones over Sumy, Poltava, and Chernihiv oblasts heading toward Cherkasy and Kyiv.
