Night drone attack and Belarus' statement on "provocation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine": today's highlights

Attack with drones

On the night of December 30, the Russian occupation forces attacked Kyiv with Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones.

In total, the occupiers launched 16 drones over the territory of Ukraine, the Air Defense Forces shot them all down.

The head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Oleksii Kuleba said that the occupiers again aimed drones at infrastructure facilities in Kyiv Oblast. Despite the successful work of air defense, windows in a residential building and one non-residential building were damaged due to falling debris in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv. There were no casualties.

The occupiers also attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones, during the night the Defense Forces shot down all five enemy drones that were over the region.

In addition, on December 30, Russian troops shelled the town of Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast with cannon artillery: a 41-year-old local resident was killed. The head of the region said that the military are in full combat readiness and can repel any enemy attack, but there is a constant threat of shelling.

In Donetsk Oblast on the night of December 30 and in the morning Russian occupation troops continued shooting along the entire frontline. One civilian was reported dead in Bakhmut.

On December 30, Russian troops shelled Katerynivka and Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. There were casualties as a result of the attack.

Belarus claims “provocation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”

The Ministry of Defense of Belarus has reported a possible provocation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to the fall of a missile in the Brest region during the massive missile shelling of Ukraine by Russian troops.

The Ministry announced that they are currently considering two versions of the incident: an unintentional launch of an anti-aircraft guided missile “due to the low level of training of the calculation or malfunction of the missile” and a deliberate provocation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has previously stated that it reserves the unconditional right to defend its own sky, is ready for an objective investigation of the incident with the participation of reputable foreign experts, and does not rule out a deliberate provocation by Russia.

Consequences of the shelling on December 29

Ukrainian Air Force updated information about yesterday's massive missile attack: Defense Forces shot down 58 of 70 missiles, a Mi-8 helicopter, three reconnaissance drones in the east, and another drone (presumably an Orlan-10) in Kyiv Oblast.

The IAEA reported that the shelling damaged the Ferrosplavna 1 backup power line at the occupied ZNPP. It was the last operating backup power transmission line of ZNPP. Now the plant is powered from the only main external 750 kV transmission line. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed that it is vital that the backup power line is restored as soon as possible.

Other news:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed payments in foreign currency between a gas supplier and a buyer from the list of “countries unfriendly to Russia”. It is about payment or collection of debts for supplies.
• Russia confirmed that it is holding 3392 Ukrainian soldiers in captivity. At the same time, about 15 thousand people are considered missing in Ukraine, including many civilians.
• During martial law, 15 men who tried to illegally leave Ukraine died. In total, 12 thousand men who are subject to mobilization by age tried to illegally leave the country.
• Kyiv returns to scheduled blackouts. Compliance with the schedule will be possible if there are no new Russian attacks.