Russia launched an overnight wave of drone strikes against the central and eastern parts of Ukraine, with residential areas in the Kharkiv and Odesa provinces being among the worst-hit. The Ukrainian military said dozens of Shahed-type drones were used in the attack, with significant damage reported across several regions.
Details of the Attack
Ukraine's Air Force Command said at least 43 Shahed-type drones were launched from Russia's Primorsko-Akhtarsk region across the Azov Sea, with 22 described as "decoy" unmanned aerial vehicles designed to mislead Ukrainian air defenses. Targets included the provinces of Kharkiv, Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv and Odesa.
The Ukrainian air defenses were able to shoot down and destroy 21 of the drones, but the debris that fell still caused a lot of damage. Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper, in a Telegram, said the falling debris broke windows, damaged the facades and roofs of five residential buildings in the district of Rozdilnyansky, some 40 miles northwest of the city of Odesa. No fires occurred, and no one was injured, fortunately.
Rising Drone Warfare
This latest attack is part of a wider escalation in Russia's use of drones. Mr. Zelensky said separately that Russia, in the past week alone, had used more than 370 attack drones, 280 guided aerial bombs, and 80 missiles. That now puts the total number of drones launched against Ukraine at 413 in just seven days.
"Our cities and communities are under unending Russian bombardment," he said on X. "Even on Christmas night, the terrorists organized a monstrous air strike." He then underlined how inhuman these strikes have been since they also targeted Ukraine's power grid and left almost 500,000 households without electricity during the freezing winter conditions.
International Support and Responses
Zelensky expressed optimism for continued international support, amid reports that the United States was preparing to announce a significant package of military assistance aimed at shoring up Ukraine's front lines. "Every additional supply from our partners means more saved lives of our soldiers," he added, underlining the urgency of sustaining international support.
Calls for Peace Talks
Meanwhile, Slovakia's Defense Minister Robert Kalinak demanded an immediate cease-fire and peace negotiations, saying that Ukraine may have to make territorial concessions to Russia. Kalinak's comment marked a shift in tone by Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose populist government has been actively courting closer ties with Moscow since his appointment in October 2023.
Ukraine does not realize that it will never find itself between Germany and Switzerland, but it will always share the longest border with the Russian Federation," Kalinak said. "It is important that, above all, people stop dying."
Despite a weapons ban, Slovakia still delivers aid to Ukraine, like this demining machine. Slovak leaders say the humanitarian aspects of their aid are the key factor.
While Ukraine prepares for more attacks, the human cost of this ongoing war remains devastating. The strike of Russian drones has progressively targeted civilian infrastructure, damaged homes, displaced families, and disrupted essential services.
This new wave of aggression underlines the need for military support and a diplomatic way out of the war. In the absence of an immediate solution, Ukraine is still standing tall, battling the continuous attacks with its resilience and help from its international alliances.
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