Ukrainian soldiers fired at Russian positions. IT photo
In his televised New Year’s speech, Mr. Zelensky emphasized that “Next year, the enemy (the Russians) will feel the wrath” of Ukraine’s domestic weapons. Accordingly, Mr. Zelensky’s speech inserted clips of Ukrainian artillery and fighter jets.
Ukraine will have at least “a million” more drones in its arsenal next year, Mr. Zelensky further revealed, as well as F-16 fighter jets delivered by Western partners.
“Our pilots have mastered flying F-16 jets and we will definitely see these planes in our skies,” the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
Despite billions of dollars in Western arms aid packages, Ukraine has struggled to make a major breakthrough in its 2023 counteroffensive against Russia’s invading forces.
Meanwhile, Moscow has stepped up pressure along the front line, capturing the strategic eastern town of Marinka in early December 2023 and is pushing for control of Kupiansk in the northeast.
Ukraine has repeatedly called on its Western allies to maintain military support for the country as Russia and Ukraine have seen their conflict escalate in recent days, including an unprecedented attack on the city. Russia’s Belgorod left 24 people dead on Saturday, December 30.
The attack came a day after Moscow launched a series of missiles and drones into Ukrainian cities, killing an estimated 39 people. Kiev considered this one of the largest air attacks carried out by Moscow since the war began.
January 1 is a day of mourning in the Ukrainian capital Kiev to commemorate the 19 people killed in Russia’s December 30 attack, city officials said.
Just a few hours after New Year’s Eve or the early morning of New Year’s Day, the Russian-appointed head of the Donetsk region said four people were killed and 13 injured in “massive shelling” of the region’s main city. This.
Meanwhile, in the Odessa region of southern Ukraine, Governor Oleg Kiper said one person died in a Russian drone attack and three others were injured.
And in the Lviv region of western Ukraine, air defense systems shot down a Russian drone in the early hours of Monday, January 1, according to Governor Maksym Kozytskyi.
President Vladimir Putin did not mention Ukraine in his traditional New Year’s Eve address but praised Russian soldiers on the front lines and called on Russians to unite in the face of “difficult tasks.”
“To all those on duty, on the front lines of the fight for truth and justice, you are our heroes. Our hearts go out to you. We are proud About you, we admire your courage,” Mr. Putin emphasized.