KYIV, Ukraine — On Monday, Russian forces unleashed a barrage of glide bombs, drones, and a ballistic missile across southern and eastern Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of at least six civilians and injuries to approximately 30 others, according to local officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that these strikes, which have exacerbated the suffering of civilian populations, are a part of Russia’s intensified efforts to shock the public and diminish their resolve to continue fighting as the conflict nears its 1,000-day mark. “Russia continues to inflict daily, relentless terror,” Zelenskyy stated on the social media platform Telegram. “More civilian structures are being targeted as time goes on.”
As the situation unfolds, both nations are closely monitoring potential policy adjustments from Washington following the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump in January. The United States has been a crucial source of military support for Ukraine, yet Trump has criticized the Biden administration’s financial backing, which amounts to tens of billions of dollars.
The significant urban centers affected by Russia’s latest assault are situated near the war’s staggering 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. In the southern city of Mykolaiv, Russian drones struck, leaving five dead and injuring a 45-year-old woman, local authorities confirmed. In the wake of the attack, around two dozen residents sought psychological counseling due to the destruction of homes and stores.
Mykolaiv, which lies roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of the front line in the Kherson region, has faced persistent assaults from Russian forces.
Additionally, Zaporizhzhia, another southern city, endured an overnight barrage involving three powerful glide bombs, resulting in the death of one individual and injuries to 21 others, including a 4-year-old child, as reported by Ukraine’s National Police. The strikes led to partial destruction of a two-story apartment building and damage to a nearby dormitory.
In Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Zelenskyy located in central Ukraine, a five-story apartment structure was struck by a Russian ballistic missile, injuring at least eight residents. Emergency responders have been diligently searching through the debris, stated Oleksandr Vikul, the head of Kryvyi Rih Military Administration, noting that one section of the building was completely destroyed.
In a separate development, Ukraine’s intelligence agency announced that it had successfully destroyed a Russian Mi-24 assault helicopter stationed at the Klin-5 airbase in the Moscow region. However, this claim has not been independently verified.
Concurrently, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that overnight and early morning operations resulted in the destruction of 17 Ukrainian drones over the Russian territories of Kursk, Belgorod, and Voronezh.
