Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital with Iranianmade drones in the early hours of Saturday (December 16) and launched dozens more over other regions of the country.
“The sixth airstrike against Kiev since the beginning of the month,” said the head of the Kiev military administration, Sergei Popko, reporting that Russia had resumed the tactics of last May, when it combined the type of airstrikes, constantly alternating between drones and cruise missiles.
“Tonight, after three days of ballistic threats, the enemy fired Shahed (Iranians) again on the capital. The unmanned aerial vehicles attacked in groups, in waves and from different directions. All enemy targets were destroyed by air defense forces and means. “said Popko. He explained that no one was injured by the antiaircraft defense and falling splinters in the city.
He also sent a message to the capital's population, stating that “the enemy has increased air strikes on the country's capital and I therefore ask all Kiev residents not to ignore the antiaircraft alarm and to always follow security instructions.” The Ukrainian Air Force determined that Russia attacked the country from three directions with a total of 31 Shahed136/131 drones, all but one of which were intercepted.
Drones in Russia
“As a result of military operations, 30 Shahids were destroyed within the borders of Dnipropetrovsk, Kiev, Vinitsya, Chernihiv, Sumi, Poltava Cherkassy, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mikolayiv and Khmelnytsky regions,” the Ukrainian Air Force wrote in Telegram.
The head of the military administration of the southern Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said on the same platform that three people two men aged 51 and 55 and a doctor on duty at a medical center were injured by falling drone fragments.
The Russian invaders, in turn, reported the deaths of two people in Ukrainian shelling in the occupied part of the Kherson region.
The governor of Russia's Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported 41 Ukrainian bombings in the last 24 hours in this border area with Ukraine, which is a frequent target of attacks.
In addition, the Russian Ministry of Defense assured that 32 Ukrainian drones were shot down in a massive attack on the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Drone attacks also occurred in several districts of the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.
md (EFE, AFP)
The month of December in pictures
Check out some of the most important events of the month.
Photo: Liesa Johannssen/Portal
Congress overrides Lula's veto of the time frame
The proposal limits the delimitation of indigenous territories to the areas they occupied on the day the Constitution was promulgated. The decision represents a harsh defeat for the government and sends a message to the STF, which voted against the application of the thesis. The timeline, strongly defended by the agricultural industry, was supported by rural residents, opposition parties and even some who form the base allied with Planalto. (14/12)
Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP Photo/Image Alliance
Senate approves nominations of Flávio Dino (STF) and Paulo Gonet (PGR)
The Senate, after an unprecedented joint hearing, confirmed the appointment of Justice Minister Flávio Dino to fill a vacancy at the Federal Court and Deputy Attorney General Paulo Gonet to the Attorney General's Office. In the plenary vote, Dino received 47 yes votes and 31 no votes and Gonet received 65 yes votes and 11 no votes. (13/12)
Photo: Lula Marques/Agência Brasil
The UN General Assembly passes a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has passed a nonbinding resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The draft resolution presented by Egypt received 153 votes in favor, 10 against and 23 abstentions. Countries that voted against included Israel, the United States and Austria. Brazil voted for it. (12/12)
Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Portal
The second group of Brazilians repatriated from Gaza arrives in Brasília
The second group of Brazilians from the Gaza Strip arrived in Brasília on another flight as part of the federal government's operation to repatriate citizens and their families, amid the war between Hamas and Israel. The group consists of 48 people 11 have Brazilian citizenship and 37 are Palestinian family members. In total there are 27 children and young people, 17 women and four adult men. (11/02)
Photo: Antonio Cruz/Agência Brasil
The new President Javier Milei promises tough adjustments in Argentina
The 12th president elected in 40 years of democracy since the end of military dictatorship broke protocol by speaking on the steps of Congress. The rightwing populist promised supporters to rebuild the indebted country and radically cut government spending to address an economy that is in permanent crisis and whose inflation will reach 250% by the end of the year. (10/12)
Photo: Matias Baglietto/Portal
Three years later, French courts convict six minors over the death of a teacher
The French justice system convicted six teenagers of conspiracy and false accusations that culminated in the murder of 47yearold professor Samuel Paty in a Paris suburb in 2020 based on a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. Five of them received suspended sentences of 6 to 18 months and one is being monitored by an electronic device. The 18yearold perpetrator was killed by the police. (09/12)
Photo: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images
The US vetoes a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza
The US vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The resolution, authored by the United Arab Emirates and supported by dozens of member states, received 13 votes in favor and one abstention (United Kingdom). However, it was defeated due to a vote against the United States, one of the five permanent members with veto power. (08/12)
Photo: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images
“We don’t want wars,” Lula says of Essequibo
At the Mercosur summit in Rio de Janeiro, President Lula said he was “increasingly concerned” about growing tensions between Venezuela and Guyana. “We don’t want wars or conflicts, we have to create peace because only with peace can we develop our countries,” he warned. He advised that CELAC and UNASUR be “fully used to address this issue peacefully.” (07/12)
Photo: Silvia Izquierdo/AP/Picture Alliance
Taylor Swift has been named Time magazine's 2023 Person of the Year
With “The Eras Tour” and the film of the same name about her tour, the singer pushed boundaries and broke records. “Swift is a rare person who is both the screenwriter and heroine of her own story,” said Time. She was selected from a group of nine finalists that included King Charles III, the Barbie doll, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (06/12)
Photo: Photo by Inez and Vinoodh for TIME
Germany announces R$550 million for environmental projects in Brazil
The federal government has signed nine environmental cooperation projects with Brazil worth R$550 million. The funds will be used to structure plans to combat deforestation, support forest restoration and sustainable management activities, and assist communities. In the photo the Environment Minister Marina Silva and the German Minister for Economic Cooperation, Svenja Schulze. (05/12)
Photo: MMA
In Berlin, Lula and Scholz reaffirm their support for the MercosurEU pact
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended the conclusion of the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union (EU). However, Lula, who is on an official trip to Germany, acknowledged difficulties particularly with France, which rejects the agreement, and also hinted at resistance from Argentina, but said he did not want to give up. (04/12)
Photo: Michele Tantussi/AFP
Lula comes to Berlin with the aim of reestablishing relations
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in Berlin to fulfill a threeday agenda, inaugurating a new chapter in rapprochement between Brazil and Germany after a period of distance during the Temer and Bolsonaro governments. The agenda includes meetings with Federal President FrankWalter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz as well as the signing of partnerships. (03/12)
Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR
Snowstorm paralyzes southern Germany
Heavy snow has hit southern Germany, causing significant disruptions at Munich Airport as well as road and rail transport in the region. Some places in the state of Bavaria recorded up to 40 centimeters of snow. Thousands of families were left without power as trees gave way under the heavy snow and fell onto power lines. (02/12)
Photo: Lukas Barth/dpa
The American Congress impeaches the Brazilian George Santos
In a historic vote, the US House of Representatives stripped the controversial Republican congressman of his mandate after eleven months in office. The 35yearold Santos, the son of Brazilian immigrants who rose to politics with a fabricated resume, is being charged in court with, among other things, fraud and irregular use of campaign funds. (01/12)
Photo: Cliff Owen/CNP/Picture Alliance