“Ukraine Destroys 21 Russian Attack Drones in Latest Air Strike, Military Says”

Accident – death – Obituary News : Ukraine’s military has successfully thwarted a significant portion of the attack drones launched by Russia in its latest air strike. Out of the 49 drones deployed, 21 were destroyed by Ukraine’s air force, according to a statement released on Sunday. The majority of these drones were aimed at Ukraine’s first line of defence, as well as civilian areas, military installations, and infrastructure in regions such as Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia.

In a separate development, Moscow’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov revealed that Russian courts have sentenced over 200 Ukrainian fighters to lengthy prison terms since the start of the conflict. Lavrov stated in an interview with the state RIA news agency that these individuals were found guilty of committing atrocities. Additionally, Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated around 4,000 criminal cases against approximately 900 Ukrainian individuals. Lavrov emphasized that the accused include not only members of radical nationalist associations, Ukrainian security forces, and mercenaries, but also representatives of Ukraine’s military and political leadership. Those who were charged in absentia have been placed on the international wanted list.

The tensions between Ukraine and Russia have escalated further, with the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, urging residents of Belgorod city to seek shelter due to a missile threat alert. Belgorod experienced a tragic incident on Saturday, where more than 20 people lost their lives in what Moscow claimed was an indiscriminate air attack by Ukraine. Reuters reported that the attack targeted the city’s residential areas.

Moving on to recent developments, Russia launched a bombardment on Ukrainian regions on the cusp of New Year’s Eve. The attack targeted Kyiv and caused damage to residential areas in the city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukraine’s air defence systems were engaged in combat with Russian drones in the region surrounding Kyiv. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, reported that the drone attack occurred in multiple waves, resulting in the destruction of residential buildings and fires. Emergency services have been deployed to the affected areas, and information regarding potential casualties is currently being verified.

In retaliation for Friday’s mass bombardment of Ukrainian cities, Ukraine conducted a series of strikes on the Russian border city of Belgorod. Russian officials claimed that the shelling in the city centre resulted in the deaths of 21 people, including three children, and injured 110 others. Ukrainian media, citing law enforcement agencies, argued that the attacks exclusively targeted military installations. However, a Ukrainian security source suggested that the casualties in Belgorod were a consequence of the “incompetent work of Russian air defence,” implying that debris from failed Russian interceptors fell on the city. The accuracy of this claim could not be independently verified by The Guardian.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported a significant increase in the number of killed and wounded Russian troops in 2023. The MoD’s daily intelligence briefing revealed that the average daily number of Russian casualties had risen by nearly 300 compared to the previous year. The MoD attributed this surge to the “degradation” of military quality within Russia’s forces and its transition to a lower quality, high quantity mass army since the partial mobilisation of reservists in September 2022.

Lastly, Russia’s chargé d’affaires in Poland, Andrei Ordash, stated that Moscow would not provide an explanation for a missile in Polish airspace unless presented with “hard evidence” proving its Russian origin. This statement came after Ordash was summoned to the Polish foreign ministry. Poland’s armed forces had reported that an unknown airborne object, identified as a Russian missile, entered Polish airspace from Ukraine for less than three minutes. Ordash dismissed the accusations as unfounded and insisted on concrete evidence before offering any explanations.

In conclusion, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues to escalate, with Ukraine successfully defending against a significant number of attack drones. The situation remains tense, as both sides engage in retaliatory strikes and allegations fly back and forth. The number of casualties among Russian troops has seen a sharp increase, while Poland demands answers regarding a missile in its airspace. The international community watches closely as the conflict shows no signs of abating..