RUSSIA UNLEASHES MASSIVE MISSILE ATTACK ON UKRAINE, LEAVING 12 DEAD

On Friday, December 29, 2023, Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine, killing 12 civilians and injuring dozens more. The attack, which included 110 missiles, targeted residential buildings, a maternity ward, and critical infrastructure in multiple cities. Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 87 missiles and 27 drones. This attack is one of the deadliest since the start of the war and has left many injured and trapped under rubble.

The massive end-of-year aerial attack occurs as concerns mount regarding the extent and longevity of future Western military and financial backing for Kyiv, nearly two years since the conflict’s onset. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s statement echoes a desire for heightened international solidarity, calling attention to the audible explosions in Ukraine and imploring allies to augment their assistance.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Telegram that Russia launched a massive attack with approximately 110 missiles, most of which were intercepted. Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk characterized the attack as Russia’s largest aerial barrage since the February 2022 invasion. Army Chief General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi specified that the attack focused on critical infrastructure, industrial facilities, and military targets. Meanwhile, Russia has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident.

The energy ministry confirmed power outages across several regions, including Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kyiv, resulting from a significant missile attack attributed to Russia. Ukraine had previously cautioned about a potential large-scale assault on its energy infrastructure. This incident echoes the widespread power outages caused by Russian strikes last year, which affected millions and resulted in fatalities, including five casualties reported in Dnipropetrovsk region due to strikes hitting a shopping center, a private residence, and a six-story apartment building.

The death toll from a missile attack on Kyiv has been revised downward to one person, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Additionally, several residential buildings sustained damage, and an uninhabited building was struck. In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, three people lost their lives, and at least 15 others were injured, including two children, as a result of missiles hitting residential areas. Furthermore, an unnamed critical infrastructure facility in Lviv region, bordering NATO member Poland, suffered damage from missile impacts, as confirmed by the president’s office.

A fatality occurred in Lviv due to a damaged residential building, while three schools and a kindergarten suffered damage, according to local authorities. In Kharkiv, missile strikes affected a warehouse, industrial location, medical center, and transportation hub, resulting in one casualty and 11 injuries, as reported by the regional governor. Additionally, Zaporizhzhia experienced missile impacts on infrastructure facilities, causing one reported fatality, as confirmed by the interior minister.

The governor of Lviv said emergency workers were searching for people possibly trapped inside the damaged high-rise residential building. The kindergarten and schools were evacuated after being hit by debris from the residential building. In Kharkiv, emergency workers are battling fires caused by the missile strike. The injured are receiving treatment in local hospitals.