Russian strikes kill 4 across Ukraine

A wave of Russian strikes claimed the lives of four individuals in various regions of Ukraine on Monday.

Officials reported that the Russian border city of Belgorod witnessed a significant evacuation as Ukrainian shelling intensified, compelling hundreds to seek safety.

As the war inches towards its second anniversary, both Moscow and Kyiv have exchanged accusations of causing numerous civilian casualties, marking a sharp escalation in attacks.

Ukraine’s air force took to social media, stating, “Overnight on 8 January 2024, the enemy launched a massive attack on Ukraine.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, Kryvyi Rig, bore the brunt of the assault with Russian missiles striking a shopping center and high-rise buildings, resulting in one fatality. Deputy head of the presidency, Oleksiy Kuleba, highlighted the extensive damage, stating, “In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work.”

In a separate missile attack in the Khmelnytsky region, two individuals lost their lives, while an elderly woman in the Kharkiv region tragically perished after being rescued from the rubble of her home.

Moscow maintained in its latest defense ministry briefing that its strikes were solely aimed at “military” targets.

Despite Ukraine’s defense forces successfully intercepting most of the drones and missiles launched by Russia in regular aerial strikes, the effectiveness diminished on Monday, with only 18 out of 51 missiles downed.

Air force spokesman Yuri Ignat acknowledged the challenge, stating, “A large number of ballistic missiles were launched today… Many said the rate (of destroyed missiles) is not very high.” However, Ignat emphasized that air defense achieved “a good result,” with all drones destroyed and some Russian missiles missing their targets.

Ukraine, facing an escalation in aerial attacks from both sides, issued a plea for continued support to sustain its air defense systems.

Simultaneously, Russian territory experienced renewed drone attacks, with two Ukrainian drones downed over the border region of Bryansk.

This development coincided with the evacuation of approximately 300 people from Belgorod, the largest evacuation from a major Russian city since the conflict began.

Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov revealed that the evacuees are now housed in temporary accommodations in Stary Oskol, Gubkin, and the Korochansky district, further from the border.

He added, “Over the past 24 hours, we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city in other regions.”

The Kremlin, attempting to maintain a semblance of normalcy, has faced increasing challenges as recent strikes on Belgorod brought the conflict in Ukraine uncomfortably close for many Russians. The deadliest attack on the city occurred on December 30 when Ukrainian shelling claimed 25 lives, leading to prolonged school closures.

Moscow responded with a vow to intensify strikes on Ukraine, marking a grave turn of events since the war’s commencement in February 2022.