Russia launches wave of deadly airstrikes across Ukraine, officials say

A wave of deadly Russian airstrikes has been reported across Ukraine overnight into December 29, as drones and several types of missiles hit the country, multiple Ukrainian officials said.

The barrage of overnight assaults came just days after Ukraine struck a Russian Navy tank in Crimea in a major blow to Moscow’s Black Sea fleet, CNN reports.

But nearly two years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is facing a largely-stalled counteroffensive and the future of Western military aid is in question.

The attacks on Friday appear to have been far-reaching across the country, with blasts reported in the capital Kyiv, the northeastern region of Sumy, Kharkiv and Dnipro in the east, and the western province of Lviv.

The number of casualties and extent of the damage inflicted remained unclear early on December 29.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the attacks were a “massive Russian airstrike on Ukraine” that “targeted social and critical infrastructure.”

“There are injured and dead. Our condolences to the families and friends,” Shmyhal said in a Telegram post.

“Ukrainian air defense forces have once again demonstrated a high level of professionalism. Most of the air targets were shot down. We thank the soldiers for saving lives.”

Ukraine’s Ministry of Health also reported multiple injuries across Ukraine following the attacks.

The head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, called for support as his country battles Russian airstrikes.

“A massive terrorist attack, rockets are flying at our cities again, and civilians are being targeted,” Yermak said in a Telegram post on December 29.

“Ukraine needs support. We will be even stronger, we are doing everything to strengthen our air shield. But the world needs to see that we need more support and strength to stop this terror.”

Bombers in the air

The Ukrainian Air Force said it recorded “the departure of 9 Tu-95MS strategic bombers from the ‘Olenya’ airfield in the Murmansk region of Russia.”

The Tu-95 bomber is a mainstay of Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, able to launch cruise missiles against its neighbor out of the range of most air-defense systems.

In Kyiv, officials warned residents to take shelter as a “UAV threat” was detected in the area, a reference to drones.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said at least seven people had been hospitalized following the attacks. Trains were halted as a building was damaged at Lukianivska subway station in central Kyiv, which is also operating as a shelter, Klitschko added.

Many were wounded and a search for victims is underway after a warehouse caught fire in the Podilskyi district of the capital region, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, Serhiy Popko, said in a Telegram post.

Less than 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the country’s northeastern border with Russia, at least six explosions were heard in the city of Kharkiv, according to its mayor Ihor Terekhov. He described the city as “under massive rocket fire” in an early Friday update.

At least one person was killed and eight were injured so far, according to Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv region military administration.

The rocket attacks also damaged a medical facility, warehouses and other civilian infrastructure, Syniehubov said in a Telegram update.

In Sumy, numerous explosions were heard on Thursday evening local time following Russian shelling “of the border territories and settlements,” the administration in the area reported.

In Lviv, which borders Poland, explosions were recorded as air defenses intercepted Russian drones, Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv regional military administration said.

A residential building was hit and caught fire, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said on Telegram Friday.

December 29’s widespread strikes followed Russia’s launch of 53 attacks across eastern Ukraine on December 28, according to a Telegram post from the Ukrainian General Staff.

Russia launched dozens of airstrikes, wounding civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure, the post said.