Mass missile attack on Ukraine, explosions in Russia: highlights of the day
Russia carried out another massive missile strike on Ukraine; Belarus announced the downing of a Ukrainian missile on its territory; drones were shot down in Russia near the Engels airfield, where strategic bombers are based. We have collected the main news for today.
Massive attack on Ukraine
In the morning of December 29, the Russian army carried out another massive missile attack on Ukraine. Air defense systems were activated in a number of regions, in particular in Kyiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zhytomyr and Lviv oblasts.
At least two people were killed in Kharkiv Oblast as a result of a missile strike on a critical infrastructure facility in Chuhuyiv district and one person was killed as a result of artillery shelling of a residential area in Kupyansk. A number of people were also wounded in Kyiv, Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts. A 14-year-old girl is among the injured in Kyiv.
Information about the victims may still change as rescuers are still working on the ground.
As a result of missile attacks, more than 18 residential buildings and 10 critical infrastructure facilities in 10 regions were damaged.
In total, the occupiers used more than 11 drones and 69 cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers, Tu-22M3 aircraft and ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. In addition, S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles were used against Ukrainian cities in the frontline zone. Ukrainian Air Defense Forces shot down 54 out of 69 Russian missiles.
Missile fall in Belarus
Belarus reported the fall of a missile from an allegedly Ukrainian S-300 system in a field in Ivanovo district, Brest Oblast. There is no information about the victims. As noted, the missile fell at about 10:00 a.m., when the Russian occupiers conducted another massive missile attack on Ukraine.
Belarus is considering versions of the missile's entry into the territory of Belarus, "similar to the recent incident in Poland, when the missile flew the wrong way", and the missile was shot down as a result of the work of the Belarusian air defense systems.
Belarus summoned Ukraine's Ambassador Ihor Kyzym to express its strong protest and demanded that Ukraine conduct a thorough investigation, prosecute those responsible and "take exhaustive measures" to prevent such incidents from happening again.
The Ukrainian side responded that it reserves the unconditional right to protect its own skies, is ready to conduct an objective investigation in Ukraine and does not rule out a deliberate provocation by Russia. Kyiv is ready to invite reputable experts from the states that are not associated with the support of Russia in any form to participate in such an investigation.
Explosions in Russia
The governor of Saratov Oblast Roman Busargin said that Russian air defense shot down a drone in Engels district on December 29. It is there that the airfield is located, where Russian strategic bombers are based, which are targeting Ukraine.
In addition, the governor of Belgorod Oblast of the Russian Federation reported about strikes in the Shebekinsky urban district, in particular at the border crossing. There were no victims.
Situation in Bakhmut
Ukrainian defenders are holding back up to 20 attacks of Russian troops around Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast every day. Occupiers are persistently attacking the positions of Ukrainian troops under the cover of artillery fire.
Brigadier General Oleksiy Hromov said that in order to concentrate artillery fire around Bakhmut, Russian troops have deliberately reduced the number of attacks on Ukrainian positions on Kherson and Zaporizhzhya axes in recent weeks. Ammunition was delivered to the Bakhmut and Lyman axes.
According to the city military administration of Bakhmut, almost 90% of residents left the community, but 8,700 civilians still live under constant shelling.
Situation in Belarus
Currently, there are half as many Russian troops in Belarus and in the bordering Russian regions as there were in February 2022, when the occupiers attacked Kyiv. There are currently 22,000 Russian soldiers in Belarus, Bryansk and Kursk oblasts. In February, Russia used 45,500 troops to attack Kyiv.
"Even in case of involvement of all combat Belarusian troops — ground forces and special operations forces — the total grouping will be about 30,000. This is still less than the [grouping] that took part in the full-scale invasion," Hromov said.
Other news:
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the law "On Media". Its adoption is one of the requirements necessary to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
- The United Kingdom will allocate £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2023.
- Law enforcement officers charged Poltava Mayor Oleksandr Mamay. Investigators believe that he illegally disseminated information about the deployment of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Ukrainian businessman and former MP Kostyantyn Zhevaho, who was detained in France at the request of Ukraine, was put under extradition arrest.