Ukraine under heavy bombardment: Kyiv and Kharkiv shelled as air raid alarms ring out
4:31 AM EST, January 2, 2024
Fires have sparked and fragments of rockets have fallen in multiple districts, according to Ukraine's capital city mayor, Vitali Klitschko. Anti-aircraft defenses are operational within the city. Ten individuals have sustained injuries and it has been reported that two have lost their lives.
Infrastructure such as a Tesla showroom in Kyiv has been decimated, and an underground gas pipeline has sustained damage.
The Russian military has unleashed various types of missiles, including the Kinzhal missile, upon Kyiv, as claimed by Ukrainian aviation.
Beyond Kyiv, Russian forces have also assaulted other locations, including Kharkiv. At least one fatality has occurred, and more than 20 have been injured during a city center shelling, as reported by the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov.
Early morning air raid alerts were also implemented in these regions: Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, and Kherson. As reported by the mayor of Mykolaiv, the city's air defenses have taken down drones. The consequent falling debris has ignited a fire.
F-16s Scrambled in Response to Attacks, Polish Military States
The Operational Command of the Armed Forces has reacted to the situation in Ukraine.
"The Russian Federation's long-range aviation units are actively carrying out strikes on Ukrainian territory," their statement read.
As a response measure, the command has deployed two pairs of F-16 fighters and an allied air tanker.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to "intensify" attacks on Ukraine. This comes in response to Saturday's attack on the Russian city of Belgorod, allegedly conducted by Ukrainian forces.
Twenty-one people were reported dead and 111 injured as a result of the Ukrainian assault on Belgorod, according to Russian authorities. The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated that three children were among the casualties. The BBC noted that this incident represents one of the bloodiest attacks on Russian territory since it initiated its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukrainian security service sources affirmed that "a drone attack was executed on military targets" and that a total of 70 drones struck the city.
