Ukraine faces series of air strikes from Russia on New Year’s eve

New Delhi, Dec 31: As the New Year approached, Ukraine again faced a series of air strikes from Russian forces, marking a continuation of the intense aerial assaults witnessed over the past two days. The focal point of the attacks was Kharkiv in the eastern part of the country. Explosions were also reported in other regions.

The conflict escalated when Moscow asserted that its actions were retaliatory, responding to Ukrainian strikes on the Russian border city of Belgorod on Saturday, resulting in the death of 24 persons. This retaliation followed Russia’s air strikes across Ukraine on Friday.

Kyiv condemned the Russian assaults on its territory, labelling them as the most significant missile bombardment of the ongoing war, claiming the lives of at least 45 individuals.

The latest Russian air strikes occurred on the eve of Ukraine’s New Year, with Moscow’s defence ministry justifying the attack on Kharkiv, including a hotel, as a direct response to the strikes on Belgorod.  They claimed to have utilized high-precision missiles targeting military installations in the city.

The latest attacks unfolded amid a deadly couple of days for both Ukraine and Russia. Friday’s massive bombardment by Russia resulted in dozens of casualties and nearly 160 injuries, affecting various cities, including the capital, Kyiv.

Ukrainian military officials confirmed the recovery of more bodies from the wreckage of a warehouse hit by an air strike, bringing the total death toll in Kyiv to 22 and the overall toll across Ukraine to at least 45.

On Saturday, Ukraine responded with attacks on south-west Russia near the border, described as a reaction to what a Ukrainian security source referred to as “Russia’s terrorist attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilians.”

The regional governor for Belgorod reported 24 deaths, including four children, in one of the deadliest attacks on Russia since the invasion. Over 100 people were injured in the assault on Belgorod city.

In a UN Security Council meeting prompted by Russia to discuss Kyiv’s Saturday strikes, several nations emphasized that Russia bore the consequences of invading Ukraine and initiating the conflict.