Russia launches massive missile attack on Ukraine

Around half a dozen explosions – presumably triggered by anti-aircraft defense – could be heard in Kyiv on Saturday, as a reporter from the German Press Agency reported from the center of the capital. Mayor Vitali Klitschko spoke of destruction. Emergency services and medical staff are on their way.

Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Ukraine on Thursday. On the last day of the year there was again an air alert everywhere. The authorities called on people to seek shelter in bunkers.

Explosions were also reported from the western Ukrainian regions of Vinnytsia and Zhytomyr and from the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolaiv. According to the deputy head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the western Ukrainian region of Khmelnytskyi was attacked with drones. There were two injuries there. As a precaution, power has been shut off in several areas to reduce damage from power supply hits.

British military experts had already warned on Saturday morning of new air strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure at the turn of the year. According to the daily intelligence update from London, the beatings have so far been carried out at intervals of seven to ten days. “Russia will almost certainly continue this pattern to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses,” the statement said. But there is “a realistic possibility” that Russia will strike again in the coming days “to break the morale of the Ukrainian population over the New Year period,” it said.

Since mid-October, Russia has carried out eleven major attacks, primarily on objects in the Ukrainian energy system. Due to the massive destruction of the infrastructure, there are power outages in many places, affecting millions of people. The Ukrainian government accuses Russia of “terrorism” – with the aim of plunging the country into darkness and cold. Kyiv has accused Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin of wanting to force people to flee in order to destabilize the situation in the EU through mass immigration.