The city of Kyiv experiences the biggest drone strike ever carried out by Russia, resulting in five individuals being injured.
To receive breaking news updates directly to your email inbox, sign up for our free real-time alerts.
Register for our complimentary email alerts for important news updates.
During the early hours of New Year’s Eve, Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s second largest city. This came shortly after accusing Kyiv of conducting a fatal strike in one of its border cities.
The city of Moscow announced that 22 individuals, including two minors, lost their lives due to Ukrainian attacks on the Russian city of Belgorod on Saturday, which were described as “unselective.”
On social media, pictures of Belgorod depicted burning cars and dark smoke rising amidst buildings that had been damaged, while air raid sirens could be heard in the background.
According to reports from local media, a skating rink, shopping center, residential buildings, and a car were hit by missiles in the central part of the city.
After a Russian airstrike lasting 18 hours resulted in the deaths of at least 39 civilians in Ukraine, Kyiv was accused by Russian officials of conducting the attack the following day.
Over 144 individuals sustained injuries and an unspecified amount were trapped under debris after Moscow initiated its most extensive series of airstrikes since the start of the conflict.
In a matter of hours, the United Kingdom declared its intention to provide Kyiv with hundreds of defense missiles, with government officials denouncing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions as “barbaric”.
In his annual New Year speech, Putin briefly mentions Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia who is up for reelection in March, briefly mentioned his involvement in the war in Ukraine during his New Year’s speech on Sunday. He praised his soldiers as heroes but focused more on promoting unity and a common goal.
The previously recorded speech, broadcasted shortly before midnight in all 11 of Russia’s time zones, was markedly different from last year’s address. Instead of standing with somber soldiers and urging sacrifice in a perceived battle for survival, the speaker’s tone was much milder.
Putin expressed his gratitude towards those in the frontlines of the battle for truth and justice, referring to them as heroes. He acknowledged their bravery and stated that their efforts are greatly admired and appreciated. This time, he delivered his message against the backdrop of the Kremlin walls.
The country of Ukraine was not explicitly stated, and neither was the phrase “special military operation” used by Putin to describe the war that he initiated in February 2022 by deploying Russian armed forces into Ukraine.
Newest photos from Kharkiv following a drone attack by Russia.
Emergency services from Ukraine responded to a Russian drone strike on an office building in the central part of Kharkiv. The Kharkiv Palace Hotel in downtown Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, was severely damaged on December 31, 2023 during the Russian invasion.
Dashcam footage captures explosion in Russian city
Dashcam video captures explosion in Russian city
A video from a dashboard camera captured the moment of an explosion in Belgorod, Russia. According to Russian officials, 14 people lost their lives on 30 December due to attacks from Ukraine. An additional 111 individuals were injured in the city located near the Ukraine border. A source from Ukrainian security informed the BBC that 70 drones were launched from Kyiv towards Russian military targets. However, Russian authorities blamed their air defense system for causing fragments to fall in Belgorod. This incident occurred just one day after 39 people were killed by Russian attacks in Ukraine. The missile strike was described by Kyiv as the largest of the war so far.
Ukrainian town of Kirovohrad’s power lines and grain facility were damaged by a strike from Russia.
The governor of the Kirovohrad region in central Ukraine reported that a Russian attack caused damage to power lines and a grain storage facility on Sunday.
According to a message on the Telegram app from Andriy Raikovych, the Kirovohrad region is once again being targeted by enemy attacks. He also mentioned that air defenses have been activated.
What can we anticipate happening in the Ukraine conflict by 2024?
As the year comes to an end, we are once again reminded of the missed opportunities for the international community to help Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
The safety of ships in the Red Sea has led to a swift and forceful global military action to safeguard trade in the area. This is disheartening for those who support Ukraine, especially since the international community did not take similar measures in the Black Sea to alleviate Russia’s control over Ukrainian grain exports.
The determination of the international community has established the circumstances for Ukraine’s ongoing battle for survival in 2024. The prospects for a significant Ukrainian advancement will not be as high as they were in early 2023.
Read the full article from Keir Giles here
What are the potential outcomes of the conflict in Ukraine by 2024?
Keir Giles predicts that Kyiv’s troops will continue to be defensive in the coming year, unless the Western powers fully embrace the concept that Putin’s war objectives will only alter with external pressure.
Over 200 Ukrainian combatants who were captured have been sentenced by Russia thus far.
According to a recent interview with the state RIA news agency, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that over 200 Ukrainian soldiers have been sentenced to jail time by Russian courts since the beginning of Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine.
Lavrov stated to RIA that over 200 members of Ukrainian armed groups have been given lengthy prison sentences by the courts of the Russian Federation for their involvement in acts of violence.
Each party blames the other for carrying out multiple acts of violence during the conflict initiated by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The United Nations has discovered ongoing proof of war crimes and violations of human rights by Russian officials, such as torture, sexual assault, and the forced removal of children.
The United Nations has uncovered proof of war atrocities carried out by Russia, which include forcibly removing children from their homes.
“© 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.”
According to Russia, the strikes in Kharkiv were a response to the attack on Belgorod by Ukraine.
On Sunday, Russia announced that it had launched an assault on military installations in Kharkiv, Ukraine during the night. This included a hotel where military leaders and outside soldiers were staying. The attack was in retaliation for Ukraine’s previous strikes on Belgorod.
Officials in Kharkiv reported that a minimum of six missiles struck the second largest city in Ukraine, causing injuries to 28 individuals and causing damage to residential structures, hotels, and medical facilities. Subsequently, there were multiple drone attacks on housing complexes.
According to Russia’s announcement, their strike targeted the former Kharkiv Palace hotel and the Kharkiv regional headquarters of the Ukrainian Security Service.
The article stated that the individuals who participated in Ukraine’s assault on Belgorod included military and intelligence officials, who were among the casualties. The casualties also included “foreign mercenaries and militants” who were preparing for cross-border attacks.
Bombings targeted Kharkiv and Kyiv by drones.
On Saturday evening, Russia carried out a new drone attack on Ukraine, in response to their earlier vow that the strikes on Belgorod, a Russian city near the border, would not be overlooked.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that they had successfully taken down 21 out of 49 drones that were deployed by Russian forces during the previous night.
According to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov, an assault on the eastern city of Kharkiv left 28 individuals wounded on Sunday.
According to the regional prosecutor’s office, a hotel, apartment buildings, nursery school, shops and administrative buildings were all impacted by the damages.
According to local authorities, a Russian drone strike sparked a fire at a vital infrastructure facility in the Kyiv region, which encompasses the capital city. The specific facility has not been disclosed.
The fire caused by a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv was extinguished by firefighters.
region
An alert for a missile threat has been issued in the Belgorod region of Russia.
According to a post on his Telegram account, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod region in Russia, urged city residents to take shelter on Sunday due to a missile threat alert.
Over 20 individuals lost their lives in Belgorod on Saturday due to a Ukrainian airstrike that Moscow deemed “random.”
Zelensky declares that Russia will be accountable for any attacks made on Ukraine.
On Saturday, Mr. Zelensky stated that the terrorist state will be held accountable for each Shahed drone and Russian missile, both politically and practically.
Additionally, he mentioned that Ukraine plans to increase their weapon production by 2024.
Read more here
Source: independent.co.uk
