Escalation of Russian Attacks
90 Shahed drones were launched across Ukraine in the early morning hours of the new year, and Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that his country would intensify its attacks on its neighbor. During a visit on the first day of the new year to a military hospital, Putin declared that Ukraine could expect similar attacks following the bombing of the Russian border city of Belgorod, which resulted in the death of more than twenty people and injuries to over a hundred others. The Russian leader stated, “They want to scare us and create uncertainty within our country. We will intensify the attacks. No crime against our civilian population will go unpunished,” describing the bombing of Belgorod as a “terrorist act.” Russia blamed Ukraine for the attack that occurred on Saturday, which was one of the deadliest assaults on Russian territory since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began over 22 months ago. Russian officials said the death toll reached 25 by Monday, including five children.
Russia-Ukraine War
Russia launches the largest air assault of the war, killing 30 civilians, according to Ukraine.
Bombing kills 21 people in the Russian city of Belgorod after airstrikes across Ukraine
Cities in western Russia have regularly been subjected to drone strikes since May, although Ukrainian officials have never acknowledged responsibility for attacks on Russian territory or Crimea. Putin accused Western countries of trying to “put Russia in its place” by using Ukraine. While vowing to retaliate, he insisted that Russia would only target military infrastructure in Ukraine. He stated, “Of course, we can strike public squares in Kyiv and any other Ukrainian city. I understand—I am very angry—but do we need to hit civilians? No. We are targeting military objectives, and this is what we will continue to do.” Both Ukraine and Russia have heavily relied on explosive drones throughout the war. The wave of Russian attacks in Ukraine continued throughout Monday.
Casualties and Destruction
A 15-year-old boy was killed and seven others were injured when debris from an intercepted drone fell on an apartment building in the Ukrainian southern city of Odesa, according to the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Kiper. The debris also caused several small fires, including in the city’s port. Drone and artillery attacks also resulted in the deaths of three people in the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions of Ukraine, including a 73-year-old woman. In the western city of Lviv, Russian explosive attacks damaged a museum dedicated to Roman Shukhevych, the controversial Ukrainian nationalist leader and military commander who fought for Ukraine’s independence during World War II. University buildings in the town of Dublyani were also damaged, although no reports of casualties were available.
Ongoing Attacks
At the same time, four people were killed and 13 others were injured due to Ukrainian shelling in the occupied areas of Donetsk, according to the Kremlin-appointed leader for the region, Denis Pushilin. Russian media reported that a journalist was among the victims, but no further details were provided. One more person was killed and another injured in shelling on the Russian border town of Shebekino, according to the regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Follow Associated Press coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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