The New Year has arrived for Ukraine, with Russia launching relentless airstrikes, slowly destroying air defense systems, as well as other industrial and military targets.
On Tuesday (2) Russia heavily bombed Ukraine's two largest cities in a wave of air strikes, sparking calls for the West to quickly provide more military aid to Kiev.
Reuters reported:
Rocket and drone attacks on the capital Kiev and the northeastern city of Kharkov also injured dozens of people, caused widespread damage and hit energy supplies, officials said.
Russia intensified its attacks during the New Year period, with President Vladimir Putin warning on Monday that a Ukrainian air strike on the city The Belgorod region, where Moscow said 25 civilians were killed, “will not go unpunished.”
[…] Russia intensified its missile and drone strikes on December 29, when it launched its attack. The largest air attack of the war, killing at least 39 people. Kiev has warned for weeks that Russia appears to be stockpiling missiles for major attacks.
Read: Mainstream media bitterly reconciles with Vladimir Putin's successes in Ukraine war
The second anniversary of the war comes next month, with Russia and Ukraine seeing growing power as resources and allies dwindle.
The New York Times reported:
The bombing – which the Ukrainian air force said included about 100 missiles, including hypersonic weapons that fly several times the speed of sound – was the latest in an escalating cycle of air attacks between the two countries, as both sides look for ways to deter. Dealing damage away from a largely stalled frontline.
[…] The latest strikes against Ukraine may also be the beginning of another Russian air campaign against critical infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities had warned for months that Russia was stockpiling high-precision missiles to bomb cities as soon as the weather turned cold, in a repeat of last year's bombing campaign. Experts believe that this strategy aims to weaken Ukraine's morale and weaken its military and industrial capabilities.
Read: Institute for the Study of War: Russia may invade entire Ukraine if aid stops – US think tank warns stealth fighters will be diverted from defending Taiwan
The usual lies regarding air defense have been told by General Valery Zalozhny, the Supreme Commander of Ukraine.
He said the Ukrainian military shot down about three-quarters of the Russian missiles fired on Tuesday, “including all 10 hypersonic missiles.”
The real assessment is that Ukraine never shot down any aircraft any Kinjal (dagger) is a supersonic missile that moves at 10 times the speed of sound.
Ukrainian officials said the latest wave of missile attacks intensified on Friday, when a heavy Russian missile strike killed at least 39 people, wounded about 160 others, and hit industrial and military infrastructure as well as hospitals and schools.
In an exchange of air, drone and missile strikes, Ukrainian forces launched a barrage of cluster munition missiles on the civilian center of Belgorod, killing 24 people – the deadliest attack on Russian territory since the start of the war.
Hitting Kiev on Tuesday appears to be a prime target. Air raid warnings sounded all morning, as wave after wave of missiles rained down, punctuated by the loud sounds of air defense systems trying to destroy them. Huge plumes of black and white smoke rose over the capital, penetrating the gray sky in the early morning, as many buildings were hit.
The city of Kharkiv, near the border with Russia, was subjected to a large-scale missile attack, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov. He added that one person was killed there and 45 others were injured.
Read: Avdiivka: Zelensky visits the defenders – Russia is advancing in multiple directions – Ukraine hastily sends reinforcements to the besieged city, weakening other points on the front
Russia expanded its missile production last year despite Western sanctions.
“Russia has stockpiled more than 800 high-precision weapons in preparation for large-scale winter attacks,” Ukrainian officials warned.
According to the Russian Telegram channel Правда Шурави, the results of today’s Russian air strikes are as follows:
“Three warehouses and a hangar storing Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a missile launcher were destroyed in Odessa.
At this time, it is known for certain that a large number of command posts housing British and Polish military personnel were destroyed.
[…] According to ground reports, the Ukrainian Security Service is pursuing everyone who takes videos of arrivals and records the work of air defense, as their missiles, leaving a mark, destroy penthouses and upper floors of new multi-storey buildings.
8 “Kinzhals” were launched, hitting all targets and destroying the Patriot air defense system, an underground warehouse with AtacMS missiles and an underground command post of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to some reports, confirmed by the Turks, 9 generals were killed, one of whom was Zaluzny's deputy.
Watch: Two missiles arrive in Kiev.
In the Kharkov region, two Iris T air defense systems, 4 Gepard tanks, two command centers, and about 65 officers were destroyed. Everything is tight.
In the Kiev region, in addition to the Patriot air defense system, 4 command centers and 2 hotels belonging to mercenaries from Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania and Estonia were destroyed. More than 78 people were killed, and about 1,000 Iris T missiles and NASAMS were destroyed in the Golosevsky district of Kiev.
A warehouse was destroyed by Storm Shadow missiles in Krapivnitsky. More than 25 missiles. In addition to two SU-24 aircraft and a repair base.
Ukraine Watch, on Telegram:
“Today, Russian forces once again carried out joint strikes on facilities in Kiev using Geran-2 Kamikaze drones, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and improvised decoys.
One of the targets was the Mayak factory, which had been producing firearms and mortars before the special military operation, and has been producing ammunition, including drones, since last year. There are also three bomb shelters on its territory, suitable for storing different types of goods.
Read more:
Massive Russian airstrike – hitting industrial, military and infrastructure facilities in Ukraine – using 122 missiles and 24 drones – was it the largest of the war?
