Destroy at any price and no matter what: several Ukrainian cities and regions have once more become the target of Russian attacks. On Friday morning alone, more Russian missiles were fired at Ukraine than in the past two months.
It’s déjà vu: In 2022, Moscow also massively attacked the neighboring country shortly before the turn of the year. According to the Ukrainian military, it was the largest air strike on Ukraine since the war began on February 24, 2022.
The number of deaths so far is put at 19, and hundreds of people have been injured. A much higher number of victims might be avoided because people had gone to shelters in good time. In addition, Ukrainian air defense was able to neutralize 27 drones and 87 cruise missiles.
“An act of terrorism”
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the damage was extensive in the civilian sector; a maternity ward, educational institutions, a shopping center and many private homes were hit, he said. “Today Russia fired with almost everything it has in its arsenal – Kinschal, S-300, cruise missiles, drones. Strategic bombers fired Ch-101/Ch-505 (Russian cruise missiles),” Zelensky wrote. He spoke of a terrorist act, but at the same time assured that Ukraine would respond to it. Russia will lose its war of aggression; and Ukraine will do everything to guarantee its own security.
The chief of staff of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, once once more asked Ukraine’s Western allies for further military aid. “We are doing everything we can to strengthen our air raid shield. But the world must realize that we need more support and strength to stop this terror,” wrote Jermak on Telegram.
On Wednesday, the USA released its last military aid for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia in February 2022, amounting to 250 million dollars (a good 226 million euros). An agreement on new aid to Ukraine from next year recently failed due to resistance from the opposition Republicans in the US Congress.
In Polish airspace
The Polish army reported that a flying object had entered Polish airspace coming from the Ukrainian border. It was not known what kind of missile it was, explained the operational command on platform . Police and soldiers then searched for debris from the possibly crashed flying object near the town of Zamosc in the southeast of the country.
“Everything indicates that a Russian missile has entered Polish airspace,” Polish Chief of General Staff Wieslaw Kukula announced a few hours later.
The incident raises alarm bells: Poland is a member of the NATO defense alliance led by the USA. Within the alliance there is an obligation to provide assistance if a member is attacked.
