New Year's Eve turns deadly in Ukraine as kamikaze drones strike Odesa and Lviv
10:35 AM EST, January 1, 2024
In Odesa, wreckage from the downed kamikaze Shahed drone struck a skyscraper, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries.
"Fragments of downed drones also fell on several other residential buildings. The number of injured is currently being determined," informed Oleg Kiper, head of the Odessa military administration, via Telegram. Local services are operating on the scene.
During the night, Ukrainian air defense systems also thwarted a Russian drone attack on Lviv, leading to an anti-missile alarm that lasted several hours.
In recent hours, Russian forces have also launched aerial attacks on the regions of Mykolaiv, Dnieper, and Kyiv.
Relentless Russian attacks: thousands of missiles launched
Since May, owing to American Patriot air defense systems, Ukrainian troops have shot down 15 Russian Kindzhal missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force report on Sunday.
"Altogether, since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has employed over 7,500 missiles of assorted types," conveyed Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force.
Simultaneously, Donetsk's authorities accuse Ukraine of rocket-bombing the city. Allegedly, one of the targets was the "Donbas Palace" hotel. A reported four people were killed, with 13 others injured.