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Delhi, Jan 08: In a significant escalation of hostilities, Ukraine faced a large-scale missile attack launched by Russia early on Monday, prompting a nationwide air raid alert. The assault, involving multiple waves of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in some regions, led to residents in Kyiv seeking shelter. Ukrainian officials reported injuries and damage in residential areas, including a fire at an industrial site. City officials, such as Oleksandr Vilkul in Kryvyi Rih and Anatoliy Kurtiev in Zaporizhzhia, highlighted the severity of the attacks, emphasizing that a comprehensive assessment of damages would follow the conclusion of the assault.
The air raid alerts covered the entirety of Ukraine, and statements from various cities, including Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Khmelnytskyi, confirmed their vulnerability to a “massive missile attack” by Russia. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, reported injuries in the city, and similar incidents occurred in Zaporizhzhia, where at least two people were injured, and five explosions were heard. The attacks come nearly two years into the ongoing war initiated by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has now shifted to air strikes as both sides struggle for significant gains along the frontlines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing families of soldiers killed in Ukraine, vowed support for those defending Russia’s interests. Despite the holiday, Putin acknowledged the courage of Russian warriors defending the country, signaling a continuation of the conflict with a focus on backing soldiers on the frontlines.
