Desitdown News (Russia, Ukraine trade dozens of attacks as sea drone downs Mi 8) #desitdown #news
**Russia Launches Heavy Aerial Attack on Ukraine, Strikes Kyiv and Other Regions**
Russia launched a heavy aerial assault on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv and several other regions with a barrage of missiles and drones. The Ukrainian Air Force reported on Tuesday that it had successfully intercepted six out of 21 missiles fired by Russia overnight. Additionally, Russia used 40 drones in its attack, with Ukraine’s air defense units downing 16, while 24 others failed to reach their targets.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported a ballistic missile threat at 3 a.m. local time (01:00 GMT). Shortly after, explosions were heard in Kyiv, as multiple attacks were reported across the country. A second missile alert was issued in Kyiv at 8 a.m. (06:00 GMT), followed by more explosions. Debris from the missiles fell in the Darnytskyi district, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
In the northeastern Sumy region, authorities reported attacks near the city of Shostka, with local Mayor Mykola Noha confirming that 12 residential buildings and two educational facilities were damaged. Noha also mentioned the destruction of some “social infrastructure objects,” though further details were not provided.
Missiles and drones targeted other regions across Ukraine, as the nearly three-year conflict continues with an uncertain future. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump set to take office soon, there are growing concerns about the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine, as Trump has pledged to end the war.
In another development, Ukraine’s military intelligence revealed that one of its naval drones, the Magura V5, had destroyed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter and damaged another in the Black Sea. The GUR spy agency confirmed this was the first time a Ukrainian naval drone had downed an air target.
Russia has not yet commented on the claims, but Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russia-appointed governor of Sevastopol in Crimea, stated on Telegram that two sea drones were destroyed near the coast overnight. He also reported that Russian defenses shot down four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeting the city.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems had shot down a total of 68 Ukrainian drones across various regions.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Monday an additional $2.5 billion in military aid for Ukraine, ensuring continued U.S. support as his administration seeks to allocate all available funds before Trump assumes office.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the war has devastated much of Ukraine’s infrastructure, with approximately half of the country’s energy infrastructure destroyed. Ukraine has relied heavily on Western allies to provide air defense systems to protect critical infrastructure.
Russia has aimed to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses with a combination of missile and drone strikes in ongoing offensives. In 2024, Russian forces advanced by 3,985 square kilometers (1,539 square miles) in Ukraine, a significant increase compared to the 2023 total. This marked a major territorial gain, driven by heightened Russian troop movements in the autumn months, including advances of 610 square kilometers (235 square miles) in October and 725 square kilometers (280 square miles) in November.
The territorial gains made in November and October were the largest since the early weeks of the conflict in March 2022.
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