Shelling on New Year's Eve, childbirth via Skype: highlights of the day

Strikes on January 1

On the night of January 1, Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 45 Iranian-made Shahed-131/136 kamikaze drones launched by Russians over Ukraine.

The air raid alert in Kyiv and the region began half an hour into the new year and lasted until almost 5 am. The Kyiv Oblast Military Administration said that the occupiers launched "almost three dozen" drones in the region: they aimed at energy infrastructure facilities.

As a result of Russian shelling of Kherson on the night of January 1, one person died and another was injured. The strikes damaged the buildings of the regional children's hospital.

Also, a 13-year-old boy who came under Russian shelling twice in Kherson Oblast is in serious condition: in the evening of December 31 and in the first minutes of the new year.

Moreover, on the night of January 1 Russian occupation troops shelled Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast twice and wounded a woman.

In the afternoon of January 1, Russian occupation troops attacked the town of Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhya Oblast, killing one person and wounding three others.

And in Khmelnytskyi Oblast, a 22-year-old girl who was hospitalized after strikes on December 31 has died.

A woman was helped to give birth via Skype

In Mykolaiv Oblast, on New Year's Eve a midwife helped a woman to give birth to a child via Skype.

The woman went into labor in the evening of December 31. An ambulance was sent to her, but it got stuck in the mud. So, the rescuers were sent to help.

Then a midwife from Nova Odesa was connected to the woman, who helped to give birth via Skype. And the birth was attended by a nurse from the Buh hospital.

Over 14,000 air raid alerts in 2022

In Ukraine, during 2022, air raid alerts were declared about 14,870 times, reported the volunteer initiative "Alert Map".

On average, there were 47 air raids per day. The least was for, and the most was 189 in the space of a day.

Most air raids were announced in Kharkiv Oblast — 1,558.

Situation in the power system

As of the morning of January 1, the situation in the power grid of Ukraine was under control, no emergency shutdowns were in place due to overnight attacks.

Ukrenergo says that the past day was difficult for power engineers. After the 11th massive missile attack on December 31, having failed to achieve the goal of leaving Ukrainians without electricity on New Year's Eve, Russia almost immediately struck again. And on New Year's Eve, Ukraine's power system suffered the 13th massive drone attack.

Almost 1,600 Ukrainians released from captivity

In 2022, 1,596 people were returned from Russian captivity. In particular, 1,464 service members vand 132 civilians.

The last exchange of prisoners in 2022 took place on December 31. 140 Ukrainians returned home.

NATO Secretary General on possible Russian offensive

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia could potentially launch a new offensive and called on Western countries to be ready to provide long-term support to Ukraine.

According to him, Russia shows no signs of readiness to make concessions.