Ukraine’s New Year commences with Russian missile, drone attacks and air raid sirens

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After launching a barrage of missiles on Saturday accompanied by air raid sirens howling for hours overnight, Russia persistently attacked Kyiv and nearby towns on the early morning of New Year's Day.

In the last 24 hours, Russia's 45 Iranian-made Shahed drones were destroyed, claimed Ukraine's Air Force command as per aReuters report. While 32 drones werewrecked on Saturday, 13 more were shot down on Sunday morning, it added.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin marked New Year's as the beginning of the 11th month of the war with no hint of termination. However, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky observed the New Year with a message of gratitude and unity.

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Public celebrations of 2023 seemed impossible as a countrywide curfew is imposed. Missiles have caused damage in Kyiv's central areas, but the city'smayor Vitali Klitschko said there were zero casualties or injuries.

Chief of Kyiv Police, Andrii Nebytov, posted an image on his Telegram account, allegedly of a drone's fragment, which had 'Happy New Year' written over it in Russian. "These wreckage are not at the front, on fierce battles. They are here, on a sports grounds, where children play," Nebytov said.

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Ukraine's authorities have mentioned several infrastructural damages. Reports have mentioned that Ukraine retaliated with multiple attacks in Moscow-controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. Local officials said that the attacks wounded at least nine people.

Putin launched an offensive against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, referring to it as a 'special military operation.' However, Ukraine and its western allies believe the incursion was an imperialist land grab. Due to this, high tensions have prevailed between Russia and and the West.

(With inputs from agencies)

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