Ukraine said on Tuesday its forces were ‘commencing new offensive actions’ in Russia’s western Kursk region, in its first substantive remarks two days after Russian reports of a renewed Ukrainian thrust in the area.

In the first trading day after Ukraine ceased the flow of Russian gas and oil, benchmark natural gas prices in Europe surged 4%.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20 having criticized continued U.S. military aid for Ukraine's fight against Russia. This may shift the onus on support for Kyiv to fall on other allies, particularly in Europe, where a changing political leadership since his election could complicate matters.

Austria has insisted it is well prepared for the stoppage, but Slovakia has threatened to cut electricity supplies to neighboring Ukraine.

Austria headed on Sunday towards coalition talks led by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) after efforts to form a centrist government without the FPO fell apart and prompted Chancellor Karl Nehammer to resign.

Austria’s Freedom Party, which is starting talks to lead the government, opposes sanctions on Russia and the EU’s support for Ukraine.

The leader of the anti-immigration, pro-Russia Freedom Party has been given the chance to try to form a government after months of coalition talks among mainstream parties collapsed.

Ukraine won its first World Cup luge medal in more than 16 years. The country's relay team — singles sliders Yulianna Tunytska and Andriy Mandziy, along with Ihor Hoi and Nazarii Kachmar on one doubles sled, Olena Stetskiy and Oleksandra Mokh on the other — finished third in a race at Sigulda, Latvia.

Central European gas flows have adapted to the halt of Russian supplies through Ukraine on Jan. 1, as increased shipments to the region from Germany and Italy make up the shortfall, data from network operators showed on Monday.

Austria's far right, tasked for the first time with trying to form a government, warned on Tuesday of a "difficult" mission as relations with the conservatives are tense.

Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, as well as Moldova, are reliant on the steady flow of energy through Ukraine. Now that that is no longer possible, the only route remaining into Europe from Russia is via the TurkStream pipeline and the BlueSteam pipeline, under the Black Sea.