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The Ukrainian the military said it foiled a Russian attack on Boxing Day, having shot down 20 drones launched overnight.
Kiev announced that 11 more ‘drone imitators’ were launched, but that they did not reach their targets due to the active involvement of the Ukrainian military.
The attack came after half a million people were left without heating in Kharkiv after Putin’s forces launched an offensive “inhumane” attack on Christmas Day.
Zelensky said more than 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and more than 100 attack drones were used to attack Ukrainian power sources.
US President Joe Biden condemned the “outrageous” attack and said he had asked the US Defense Department to press ahead with a new surge in military aid to Kiev.
Washington allocated 175 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine. It is not certain that the flow will continue at that pace under Trump, who has said he wants to quickly bring the war to an end.
Russia says Ukraine hit civilian targets
Moscow claimed that civilian targets in Russia were hit by the missiles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine launched Western-made missiles and drones in Thursday’s attack and vowed retaliation.
Four people were killed and five were injured in the town of Lgov in Russia’s Kursk region after Ukrainian shelling, the region’s acting governor said on Wednesday.
Athena Stavrou26 December 2024 09:07
Bold Ukrainian postage stamps become symbols of resistance
Ukrainian postage stamps have become symbols of resistance and resilience during the war, using bold and sometimes provocative designs to boost morale and fund essential causes, the BBC reports.
Notable examples include a stamp showing a soldier bringing down a Russian warship, which became iconic after the ship sank, and others depicting a Ukrainian tractor pulling a Russian tank or a Patron mine-sniffing dog.
Oscar Young of British dealer and auctioneer Stanley Gibbons describes Ukraine’s war-focused approach to stamp design as highly unconventional.
“In general, the stamps are artistic and kind, but to go on the road and be quite rude, put profanity and be very gestural on the stamps – that’s quite unique to these particular issues,” he told the BBC.
Athena Stavrou26 December 2024 09:00
Two AP journalists in Ukraine and the Middle East break down the wars they covered in 2024
Athena Stavrou26 December 2024 08:14
Ukraine thwarted a barrage of Russian drones overnight
Ukraine said it shot down a number of drones launched by Russia overnight.
On Boxing Day morning, the military said it had shot down 20 of the 31 drones launched by Moscow. Another 11 ‘impersonator drones’ did not reach their targets due to the active involvement of the Ukrainian military, it added.
Athena Stavrou26 December 2024 07:31
Russian governor says debris from Ukrainian drones caused deadly mall fire
Debris falling from a downed Ukrainian drone caused an explosion and deadly fire at a shopping center in the city of Vladikavkaz in Russia’s North Ossetia region, the local governor said.
Sergei Menjailo, the regional governor, said the drone was shot down by air defense systems at 8:3 a.m. Moscow time.
A woman was reported killed inside the mall. The governor’s claim could not be immediately confirmed.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 119 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the last 24 hours.
Andy Gregory26 December 2024 07:00
Ukrainian poet Oleksiy Bezpaltsev died in battle
Aleksey Bezpaltsev, a celebrated 34-year-old Ukrainian poet and prose writer from Kharkiv, was killed during a combat mission in the Kharkiv region, writes The Kyiv Independent.
Known for his modernist style and underground literary influence, Bezpaltsev published two collections of short stories and participated in literary slams, according to the agency.
PEN International reports that at least 102 cultural contributors, including writers and artists, have been killed since the war began.
Before serving in Kharkov, Bezpaltsev fought on the Pokrovsk front.
Maroosha Muzaffar26 December 2024 06:30
The Kremlin rejects claims that the wife of exiled Syrian dictator Assad is seeking a divorce in Moscow
The Kremlin has sought to dismiss reports that the wife of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is seeking a divorce, after the couple were forced to flee to Russia.
Andy Gregory26 December 2024 06:00
A Russian ship under US sanctions sank in a “terrorist act”, says the owner
A Russian cargo ship that sank after an explosion in its engine room was the victim of a “terrorist act”, the ship’s owner said.
Ursa Major cargo ship crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain on Tuesday, leaving two of the 16 crew members missing, according to RussiaMinistry of Foreign Affairs.
The ship, built in 2009, was placed under US sanctions for its ties to the Russian military after the invasion of Ukraine.
A company that is a part of Russian Ministry of DefenseFrom military construction operations, it states that 14 crew members located reported consecutive explosions on board at 10:50 a.m.
Maroosha Muzaffar26 December 2024 05:30
Starmer condemns Russia’s “bloody and brutal war machine” after Christmas Day attacks
Russia’s “bloody and brutal war machine” showed no respite even at Christmas, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, condemning strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports on the international reaction to yesterday’s attacks:
Andy Gregory26 December 2024 05:00
Pope Francis calls for negotiations in Russia-Ukraine war for ‘lasting peace’
In his Christmas address, Pope Francis called for dialogue to end the Ukrainian-Russian war and called for a ceasefire in Gaza, while calling for peace in other conflict zones such as Lebanon and Syria.
The Pope condemned the ongoing violence in Ukraine following a massive Russian missile and drone strike, reiterating his plea for a “just and lasting peace”. He also highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hostages remain, and the plight of Syria’s Christian minorities after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
His remarks about Israel’s “cruelty” in Gaza drew sharp criticism from Israel, which called them “particularly disappointing.”
Maroosha Muzaffar26 December 2024 04:53