At least four dead after explosions in Kyiv
Ukrainian authorities on Sunday announced a death toll of four and 50 wounded in Russian strikes carried out shortly before and just after the New Year, which Moscow said targeted drone manufacturing facilities.
These attacks targeted in particular the capital, kyiv, and seven other Ukrainian regions, according to the latest report from local and regional authorities.
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AFP journalists present in kyiv had heard a dozen explosions early Saturday afternoon and several others a few dozen minutes after the New Year.
In the center of kyiv, a missile notably gutted the facade of a hotel.
Russian forces fired 20 missiles of which 12 were shot down
The Russian army targeted several Ukrainian cities on Saturday by firing 20 missiles, including from bombers, 12 of which were shot down by Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense, said Ukrainian Chief of Staff Valery Zaluzhny.
“
The enemy launched more than 20 aerial cruise missiles using Tu-95MS strategic bombers from the Caspian Sea and from land-based missile systems.
The forces and means of our air defense destroyed 12 missiles
,” Valery Zalouzhny said on Telegram.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his country "
will not forgive
" Russia for the invasion and bombardment, after new strikes targeted Kiev and other cities before the New Year.
“
No one will forgive you for terror.
No one in the world will forgive you.
Ukraine will not forgive
," he wrote in Russian on Telegram, assuring that "
those who order such strikes, and those who carry them out, will not be pardoned, that's the least we can do. say
”.
Strikes on Ukraine ahead of New Year targeted drone factories, says Russian military
The Russian army said Sunday that the strikes having targeted several Ukrainian cities including Kiev the day before, before the New Year, targeted drone manufacturing facilities, in order to thwart "
terrorist attacks
" in planning.
“
On December 31, 2022, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a long-range precision airborne attack against Ukrainian defense industry facilities involved in the manufacture of attack drones used to carry out terrorist attacks against Russia
” , the Russian Defense Ministry said in its daily report.
Russian Defense Minister promises 'inevitable' victory in Ukraine
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in his wishes to the military for the new year that their victory in Ukraine was “
inevitable
”, after more than ten months of fighting.
"
For next year, I want to wish everyone good health, courage, reliable and dedicated comrades (...) Our victory, like the new year, is inevitable
", he launched in a video released by his ministry.
Sergei Shoigu acknowledged that the year 2022 had been marked by “
serious challenges
” and that the “
military-political situation
” was “
difficult
” while the Russian offensive in Ukraine, launched in February, suffered serious setbacks these last months.
A counter-offensive by Ukrainian troops notably forced the Russian army to withdraw from the Kharkiv region, in the northeast, and from the city of Kherson on the Dnieper, in the south of the country.
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin's worrying headlong rush
Russian troops, however, claimed on Saturday the capture of the small village of Dorojnianka, in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, a rare claimed gain as positions are largely frozen with winter.
"
The year that is ending will forever enter the military chronicle of the homeland, filled with your immortal deeds, your selfless courage and your heroism in the fight against neo-Nazism and terrorism
", Sergei Shoigu further declared in his message to the Russian military.
“
We will always remember our comrades who sacrificed themselves performing combat missions in the name of protecting civilians from genocide and violence, just for the right to speak Russian
,” he added.
2023 will be the year of "victory", assures Zelensky in his wishes
In his New Year's greetings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on his compatriots to "
work
" and "
mutual help
".
“
Are you longing for faith and hope?
Both have been in the (Ukrainian) armed forces for a long time (...) Do you want light?
It is in each of us, even when there is no electricity
, ”said the Ukrainian head of state in his message on Telegram, while the massive Russian bombardments seriously disrupted the energy supply.
“
Happy New Year!
The year of our victory
,” he concluded.
'Moral and historical correctness is on our side,' says Putin in New Year's greetings
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday for his New Year's greetings that "
moral and historical correctness
" was "
on the side
" of Russia, in the midst of the offensive in Ukraine and crisis with the West.
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According to the Russian president, the past year has been full
of “really decisive and important events
” which “
lay the foundations (…) of our true independence
”.
“
That is what we are fighting for today, protecting our people in our own historical territories, in the new constituent entities of Russia
,” he added.