Update on the situation – Warsaw summoned Russian officials in Poland and handed him a note demanding “an explanation of the incident” and an “immediate cessation of this type of action”.
Russia launched a major series of strikes on Friday in several cities in Ukraine, including the capital Kiev.Missiles registration name», which, according to Ukrainian authorities, left at least 30 dead and more than 160 injured. Le Figaro Analyzes the situation.
UN condemns “horrific” attacks
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke out against what he said.Horrible attacks» Against towns and villages. “The Russia He used almost all kinds of weapons in his arsenal», announced President Volodymyr Zelensky on social network X (formerly Twitter). According to Ukrainian civil servants, Russia fired nearly 160 devices, including cruise missiles and Shahed explosive drones. Anti-aircraft defenses shot down 88 missiles and 27 drones.
«This is a massive missile attack“, air force spokesman Yuri Ignat told AFP, excluding the first days of the war. The strikes affected essential infrastructure, industrial, military and civilian installations, the General Staff said in a statement.
Russian officials, for their part, indicated that one person was killed and four others were injured in a Ukrainian strike on a residential building in the Russian city of Belgorod, located 80 km north of Kharkiv. A total of 13 Ukrainian missiles were intercepted in the Belgorod region, and 32 drones were neutralized north of the Ukrainian border in the Bryansk, Kursk and Orel sectors, as well as in Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Russia says all targets are “victory”.
Russia limited itself to mentioning in its daily briefing that “All targets“was”AffectedHe said more than 50 strikes were targeted, including one.scale» Between December 23 and 29 in Ukraine, military infrastructure, ammunition depots and locations for the deployment of Ukrainian soldiers.
In Kew, a 3,000m2 hangar was gutted by fire in the Bodle district. A metro station used as an air raid shelter was damaged, as well as several apartment buildings and hangars. There was also a maternity hospital in Dnipro.”Severely damaged“, but without victims, according to the Ministry of Health.
Missile in Poland
NATO member Poland on Friday condemned “Violation“of its airspace”By cruise missile“, calling Russia”Stop this type of activity immediately“.Warsaw summoned the Russian chargee in Poland and gave him a note.”The violation of the airspace of the Republic of Poland by a cruise missile should be clarified and this type of activity should be stopped immediately.».
In November 2022, a Ukrainian missile fell on the Polish village of Przewodow near Ukraine, killing two civilians and briefly fueling fears of an extension of the conflict.
Joe Biden urges Congress to “act without further delay.”
The wave of Russian strikes caps a difficult year for Ukraine, marked by the failure of its summer counteroffensive and the resumption of an initiative by Moscow's forces, which this week claimed to have captured the eastern front town of Maringa. They come as Kyiv runs out of Western aid, threatening the country with ammunition and funding shortages in Europe and the US.
«The world needs to see that we need more help and means to stop this terrorism“, Telegram Andriï Iermak pleaded with Mr. Zelensky's chief of staff. The comments were echoed by US President Joe Biden, who called on Congress, which is currently refusing to allocate more money to Kyiv, “And act without delay» After these “massive explosions”. “Unless Congress takes urgent action in the new year, we will not be able to continue sending Ukraine the weapons and air defense systems it needs to protect its people.», you have.
Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday urged the US to maintain its aid.essential», after the release of a new tranche of 250 million dollars (225 million euros), the last without a new vote in the US Congress, refuses to allocate more.
UK to send 200 anti-aircraft missiles to Kiev
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Friday that he would send about 200 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine to bolster its defenses, saying the strikes proved that Vladimir Putin “will stop at nothing.” France condemned the “strategy of terror”.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed the new EU aid package, which Europeans hope will be resolved at a summit in early February 2024.
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