Ukraine war_ Russia launches wave of air strikes - BBC News

2023-12-29 20

Russia has launched a wave of attacks on several cities across Ukraine in a widespread overnight assault.

A nationwide air alert was in place as drones and missiles struck Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Lviv in the early hours of Friday morning.

Across the country, several people were injured and at least one person was killed, reports say.

The overnight attacks came days after Ukraine struck a Russian warship in the occupied Crimean port of Feodosia.

The attacks appear to have been widespread and far-reaching, striking cities all across the country.

Kharkiv is less than 40km (25 miles) from the country's eastern border with Russia, while Lviv lies in the far west of Ukraine, just 70km (43 miles) from the Polish border.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that air defence in the capital was working to repel the strikes, and urged citizens to stay in shelters.

Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov said one person was killed and several people were injured in a series of strikes on the city.

In Odesa in the south, the city's mayor reported a building had caught fire after it was hit by debris from a downed drone.

The mayor of the western city of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi said there had been at least two strikes on the city.

The Russian attack comes a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the US for its last approved $250m (£195.7m) military aid package, which included air defence ammunition.

Writing on Telegram, Ukrainian presidential aid Andriy Yermak said: "We are doing everything to strength our air shield. But the world needs to see that we need more support and strength to stop this terror."