Russia has fired over 500 missiles and drones over Ukraine in the last five days: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote this on X last night.
“In a few days, from December 29 to today (yesterday, editor's note), Russia has used around 300 missiles and over 200 'Shahed' drones against Ukraine,” the statement said. “Before Ukraine, no country in the world had ever successfully repelled such attacks combined with the use of drones and missiles, including air-launched ballistic missiles. Today (yesterday, editor's note) alone, 10 Kinzhal were shot down,” emphasized Zelensky, referring to Russian hypersonic missiles.
Yesterday evening, heavy explosions were heard in Sevastopol in occupied Crimea: this was reported by the Telegram channel “Crimea.Realities”, as reported by Ukrinform. For his part, the head of the peninsula's pro-Russian government, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said that a missile had been launched near Sevastopol, adding that there was no damage to infrastructure.
A Russian missile hit one of the schools in the Osnovyansk district of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine yesterday evening: the official Ukrainian radio station Suspline reported about it on Telegram. After the attack, part of the two-story building collapsed, the statement said. The rocket also damaged at least three houses near the school.
Leaders of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have strongly condemned recent Russian bombings on the territory of Ukraine and called for an immediate end to the war. The OSCE's current president, Malta's Foreign Minister Jan Borg, and the organization's Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, noted in a joint statement that the new year “has begun in a depressing way, just as the last one ended.” Death and destruction have stolen the lives of women, men, boys and girls and destroyed essential infrastructure.” “Every day, it is civilians who continually pay the price of this terrible conflict. They should never fall victim to deadly drone and missile attacks,” the statement continued. “Together, we deeply regret these ongoing attacks and urgently call for an immediate response.” End the incessant violence that only perpetuates a vicious cycle of misery and suffering. We demand that this war ends now.”
The USA has agreed with the Kiev government to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, also against the background of yesterday's Russian missile attack on Kiev with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles: Ukrainian presidential adviser Andry Yermak announced this after a telephone conversation with the National Security Adviser of the White House Telegram known Jake Sullivan. “We discussed the consequences of the recent large-scale bombardment of the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation with various types of rocket weapons and kamikaze drones of the Shahed type,” Yermak wrote, adding that he was briefing Sullivan on the “results of …” have work of Ukraine's air defense system, which has shot down the vast majority of enemy air targets, including Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles.” The U.S. “agrees on the importance of strengthening Ukraine's air defense,” the official continued : “The importance of maintaining the necessary level of support for the air defense of Ukraine by the United States was emphasized.” Kiev and Washington also agreed on “coordinated steps to implement the Ukrainian-American cooperation plans for 2024 in all directions , including in the area of national security”.
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