Massive Russian airstrike on Ukraine

Russian war of aggression - Massive Russian airstrike on Ukraine

In Ukraine, which has been bombed by Russia, more than 20 people were killed and more than 130 others injured in unprecedented air strikes across the country shortly before the New Year. The Ukrainian leadership spoke of massive "terror" against the civilian population.

By Friday afternoon, 26 people were known to have been killed and 137 injured, according to the regional Ukrainian authorities. There were fatalities in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Odessa, Lviv (Lviv) and the capital Kiev.

Strongest air attack since the start of the war

The military in Kiev spoke of the "most massive airstrike" on Ukraine since the beginning of the war - almost two years ago. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia fired 158 missiles and combat drones against the country. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Salushnyj spoke of 122 missiles and cruise missiles as well as 36 drones. Never since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have there been such heavy air strikes in one day as at the end of the year.

The highest officially reported number of Russian missiles fired at Ukraine in one day to date was more than 90. This time, the air defense was able to intercept more than 70 percent of the Russian attacks, said Salushnyj. The strikes were carried out in several waves from different directions and using strategic bombers.

However, there were also casualties from shelling in the western Ukrainian city of Khmelnytskyi and in the small town of Konotop in the Sumy region, which is close to the Russian border. There were power cuts in several areas of the country. Many people sought shelter from the attacks in the metro in Kiev.

Moscow speaks of attack on military targets

The Ministry of Defense in Moscow only commented on the attack in passing and spoke of a "massive strike with high-precision weapons and drones". It was carried out against military targets such as arms factories, military airports and weapons depots. "All targeted objects were hit," the ministry emphasized.

The air strikes are seen as a targeted attempt by the Russian military leadership to break the resistance of the Ukrainians to the invasion ordered by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. Time and again, many civilians fall victim to Russian attacks. Many homes and civilian buildings were also on fire on Friday. There were pictures of devastation. In Kiev, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, injured people had to be pulled from the rubble of a building that had been hit.

Selenskyj wants to hold Russia responsible

"Today, Russia has fired with almost everything it has in its arsenal - with Kinschal, S-300, cruise missiles, drones. Strategic bombers fired Ch-101/Ch-505 (Russian cruise missiles)," wrote Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. He spoke of major damage in the civilian sector, saying that a maternity ward, educational institutions, a shopping center and many private homes had been hit. Selenskyj backed up his statements with a video showing, among other things, a completely destroyed shopping center.

The 45-year-old spoke of an act of terrorism, but at the same time assured that Ukraine would respond. Russia would lose its war of aggression and Ukraine would do everything it could to ensure its own security.

In view of the many civilian victims, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spoke of a "genocide" and called on the international community to react. According to the statement, talk of war fatigue and a possible ceasefire, of temporarily relinquishing territory (by Ukraine) and of negotiations will not stop Russia. Moscow's goal is the destruction of Ukraine.

Sunak: Attacks are intended to eradicate freedom

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the heavy Russian airstrikes and held Putin directly responsible. "These extensive attacks on Ukrainian cities show that Putin will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of eradicating freedom and democracy," Sunak wrote on the online service X (formerly Twitter). "We will not let him win. We must continue to stand by Ukraine's side - for as long as it takes."

Leonid Volkov, an opponent of the Kremlin who has fled abroad, accused the Russian president of "sadism" and "madness". "Putin has carried out the most massive terrorist attack on Ukrainian cities," said the confidant of imprisoned Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. At the end of the year, this should make the whole world think about "how little it did in 2023 to stop one of the most terrible and bloodthirsty maniacs of the 21st century".

Russia began its war of aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and has repeatedly fired on civilian targets far behind the front line. Last winter, energy supply facilities were the main target of Russian attacks. Experts are warning of a repeat of this tactic this winter. Moscow's aim is to plunge the Ukrainians into cold and darkness in order to break the population's will to resist.