As the world celebrated the arrival of the new year, Ukraine found itself under siege from an onslaught of 90 attack drones launched by Russia, as reported by Ukraine’s Air Force. In a Telegram update, Ukrainian officials disclosed that 87 of the drones were successfully shot down, demonstrating a significant effort to counter the unprecedented wave of Shahed-type attack unmanned aerial vehicles launched from four different directions.
Amidst the relentless drone assault, Russia reportedly targeted Ukraine with four S-300 anti-aircraft-guided missiles in Kharkiv, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict. Overnight drone attacks have become increasingly common throughout the war, indicating a shift in tactics and presenting a continuous challenge for Ukrainian defence forces.
The eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk bore the brunt of the deadly consequences when Kyiv’s troops launched a shelling attack, resulting in the tragic loss of four lives, according to a Russian-installed official. Concurrently, Russian air attacks on multiple Ukrainian regions claimed at least one life, with reports of injuries and significant structural damage.
Denis Pushilin, the Russian-appointed head of Donetsk, reported that Ukrainian forces engaged in “heavy shelling,” injuring thirteen people in the city center. Meanwhile, the southern port city of Odesa experienced the lethal impact of a Russian drone attack, causing one fatality and injuring nine others. Falling debris from the shot-down drones triggered fires in residential buildings across the city, exacerbating the chaos and destruction.
In the western region of Lviv, situated near the Polish border, a Russian air attack damaged a university building and a monument dedicated to a commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Reports from Ukraine’s Air Force indicate that Russia’s air assault extended to the Mykolaiv and Dnipro regions, underscoring the widespread scope of the ongoing military operations.
The situation in Ukraine remains highly volatile, with no immediate resolution in sight. The international community continues to closely monitor the situation, and diplomatic efforts persist in seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
