Russian invasion - War against Ukraine: this is the situation
Russia once again fired missiles and drones at Ukraine over the weekend. At least 26 people are said to have been injured as a result of several missile attacks, for example in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. In Belgorod, Russia, the number of deaths rose to 21 according to the authorities. The authorities in the border region reported a major Ukrainian missile attack on the center of the regional capital on Saturday. This came shortly after Russia, for its part, bombarded Ukraine on Friday night with the heaviest bombardments since the start of the war.
Russia has been waging a brutal war of aggression against its neighboring country for more than 22 months.
Attacks on Kharkiv: several people in hospital
In Kharkiv, a residential building in the city center was among those hit, wrote Mayor Ihor Terekhov on Telegram. Several people were taken to hospital. Two minors and a British journalist are said to be among the victims. Russia will later be held responsible for such attacks, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in his evening video address.
The Ukrainian air force also announced that the Russian army had again launched combat drones. Air defenses were active in the Kiev region and elsewhere during the night.
Belgorod reports deaths from major attack
The authorities in the Russian border region of Belgorod reported a major Ukrainian attack on the center of the regional capital of the same name on Saturday afternoon. According to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, the number of dead had risen to 21 by late evening. Three of them are said to be children. A further 110 people were injured. The information could not initially be verified independently. Mass New Year events were canceled due to the attack.
There was initially no official reaction from Kiev. The newspaper "Ukrajinska Pravda" merely wrote, citing an anonymous Ukrainian intelligence source, that the Ukrainian army had targeted Russian military objects. Civilians had come to harm due to "unprofessional actions of the Russian air defense as well as deliberate and planned provocations".
In the meantime, people in Belgorod had been called upon to hide in shelters. At the same time, there were complaints from residents that several air-raid shelters were apparently sealed off and therefore inaccessible. According to media reports, this was the heaviest shelling of Belgorod since Russia invaded Ukraine almost two years ago.
Belgorod is located in the border region and is therefore repeatedly affected by the fighting. However, the damage and casualty figures are generally disproportionate to those in Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia.
After major Russian attack: death toll in Ukraine rises
Meanwhile, the death toll in Ukraine continued to rise following the major Russian attack on Friday night. So far, 39 deaths have been registered, Selenskyj wrote on Telegram in the afternoon. A total of almost 120 towns and villages had been damaged by the wave of attacks. The head of state repeated these figures in his evening address.
Russia had bombarded the neighboring country with almost 160 missiles, cruise missiles and drones of various types in just one night. The attack shortly before the New Year celebrations was the heaviest since the start of the war.
What will be important on Sunday
In Ukraine, the clean-up operation following the devastating Russian attacks last Friday continued on New Year's Eve. In the Russian border region of Belgorod, on the other hand, celebrations were canceled in many places following the shelling on Saturday.
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- The weekend saw Russia launch missile and drone attacks against Ukraine once more, resulting in injuries in multiple locations, including Kharkiv.
- Located in the border region, the city of Belgorod in Russia reported an increase in deaths following a significant Ukrainian missile attack on its center.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine has been ongoing for over 22 months, resulting in numerous conflicts and casualties.
- In response to Russia's attacks, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, threatened accountability for such incidents, particularly those involving civilian casualties.
- The Ukrainian air force reported further Russian combat drone launches, prompting air defenses to remain active throughout the Kiev region.
- The Belgorod authorities verified a death toll of 21 following the major Ukrainian attack on their city, with children among the fatalities.
- The political and media landscape in Belgorod was fraught with controversy, as residents complained that some air raid shelters were inaccessible during the attack.
- Following Russia's major attack on Ukraine, Ukrainian President Zelensky reported a rise in deaths, with over 39 casualties and substantial damage to almost 120 towns and villages.
Source: www.stern.de
