Live blog: Russia strikes Ukraine, killing 5 and injuring over 100 – Kiev

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

1555 GMT –– Ukraine's two largest cities came under attack from Russian missiles that killed five people and injured more than 100, officials said, as the war approached its two-year mark and the Kremlin stepped up its winter bombardment of urban areas.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said that the attack killed five civilians and injured 127 as air defences downed Russian Kinzhal missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound. The Kremlin's forces targeted Kiev, the capital, and the northeastern Kharkiv region whose provincial capital is also called Kharkiv, authorities said.

There was some confusion over the death toll as Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov initially reported one death there but later said the injured woman thought to have been killed was in a coma. He said 52 people were wounded in Kharkiv.

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1749 GMT – Sunak tells Zelenskyy UK will 'stand steadfastly by Ukraine'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed that the UK would "continue to stand steadfastly by Ukraine as they fight aggression and occupation", in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The prime minister set out ongoing UK work to provide military and diplomatic support to Ukraine, including through further deliveries of lethal aid," a Downing Street spokesperson said in a summary of their conversation.

"The leaders discussed recent developments in the conflict, including progress in the Black Sea and the success of the Ukrainian air defence, bolstered by UK-supplied ground-to-air missiles," the spokesperson added.

The UK government announced last week that it would send around 200 air defence missiles to Ukraine following the latest uptick in Russian strikes.

The missiles would restock British-gifted air defence systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles "with incredible accuracy", according to the defence ministry.

1719 GMT –– New strikes show Putin wants to 'annihilate' Ukraine: Germany

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Moscow aimed to "annihilate" Ukraine after residential buildings were hit in a new series of Russian strikes.

"With every rocket, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin shows that he wants to annihilate Ukraine," Baerbock wrote on X, adding that Germany would "stand by the people in Ukraine for as long as they need us".

1535 –– Türkiye cites Montreux Convention, says will prevent passsage of minehunter ships intended for Ukraine

Türkiye said it would not allow two minehunter ships donated to Ukraine by Britain to transit its waters en route to the Black Sea since it would violate an international pact concerning wartime passage of the straits.

Britain said last month it would transfer two Royal Navy minehunter ships to the Ukrainian Navy to help strengthen Ukraine's sea operations in its war with Russia.

NATO member Türkiye informed allies that it would not allow the vessels to use its Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits as long as the war in Ukraine continues, said the presidency's communications directorate.

"Our pertinent allies have been duly apprised that the mine-hunting ships donated to Ukraine by the United Kingdom will not be allowed to pass through the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea as long as the war continues," it said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Türkiye triggered the 1936 Montreux Convention, effectively blocking passage of military ships of the warring parties.

The pact exempts ships returning to home bases, but neither Russia nor Ukraine has expressed an intention to pass their warships through the Turkish straits to the Black Sea since the war started.

Türkiye also warned non-Black Sea states at the time not to send warships through the straits.

According to the Montreux Convention, warships of non-belligerent parties can transit through the straits in time of war. But the convention also says Ankara has the final say on the passage of all warships, if Türkiye considers itself in danger of being drawn into a war.

Türkiye has implemented Montreux impartially and meticulously to prevent escalation in the Black Sea, the presidency said.

Ankara maintains good ties with both Kiev and Moscow amid the war.

1437 GMT –– Norway approves direct weapons, defense equipment sales to Ukraine

Norway has approved direct sales of weapons and defense equipment from its defense industry to Ukraine and said the policy change took effect January 1.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine for Norwegian and European security.

"In the extraordinary security situation resulting from Russia's war of aggression, it is crucial that we continue to support Ukraine. Support for Ukraine is important for Norwegian and European security,” he said in a statement that was released Monday.

“We must plan for the possibility that the illegal war of aggression may be prolonged,” he said.

Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said Norway will devote various types of equipment to facilitate the important role of “the defense industry in the current security policy situation.”

The export licenses for direct sales will only be permitted on an individual basis and will be rigorously assessed under strict and responsible frameworks under Norwegian export control regulations, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The Nordic state also pledged to provide Ukraine with additional support to strengthen its air defense and financially help the war-torn country increase its ammunition production as well as give financial support for health care and education sectors.

1257 GMT –– One killed as Ukrainian missiles target Russia's Belgorod region, officials say

One man was killed and seven people were wounded in a Ukrainian attack on the city and region of Belgorod, near Russia's border with Ukraine, Russian Defence Ministry and regional officials said.

Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the man was killed by a missile that landed next to his car, and that four people had been wounded at an auto market.

In all, officials said Russian air defences had shot down 17 Ukrainian "air targets" including rockets fired from multiple missile launchers, and that a number of houses and cars had been damaged.

1038 GMT — Russian army says 'destroyed' all its targets in Ukraine strikes

Russia said it had destroyed all "military-industrial" installations targeted across Ukraine in a large-scale barrage that killed at least four people.

"The Russian army carried out a group strike with long-range high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles..." Moscow's defence ministry said.

"The aims of the strikes have been achieved. All objects have been destroyed."

0922 GMT — Ukraine downs 72 Russian missiles out of 99 fired: army chief

Ukraine's army chief has said the air defenders shot down 10 Kinzhal missiles, 59 cruise missiles, and three Kalibr missiles launched by Russia.

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said on the Telegram messaging app that Russia fired 99 missiles on Tuesday in an intensified campaign but it had downed 72 of them.

"The enemy used 99 air attack weapons — missiles of various types," Zaluzhny said, adding that the capital Kiev was the major target of the strike.

The latest Russian attacks have killed at least four people and injured almost 100, officials said, as the Kremlin's forces stepped up their winter bombardment of urban areas.

1006 GMT — Poland says threat level from Russian strikes reduced, planes return to base

Poland has said that planes protecting its airspace had returned to base after the threat level related to Russian strikes on Ukraine had reduced.

Earlier, Poland had deployed two pairs of F-16 fighters and an allied tanker in the face of Russian attacks on Ukraine.

"Due to the reduced level of threat, the operations of Polish and allied aircraft on duty in our airspace have been ended. The resources returned to their bases and standard operating activities," the Polish army's operational command said on X.

1001 GMT — Ukraine urges faster supplies of air defence, combat drones, long-range missiles

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has urged faster supplies of air defence systems, combat drones, and long-range missiles, the Ministry said on Tuesday.

A statement said Kuleba called on Ukraine's Western partners to respond to a new Russian strike on Ukraine by "accelerating the supply of additional air defence systems, combat drones of all types, long-range missiles with a range of 300+ km".

It also said he had called on partners to make "a decision to transfer frozen Russian assets for the needs of Ukraine and terminating contacts with Russian diplomats in the relevant capitals and international organisations".

0951 GMT — Russia accidentally bombs own village near Ukraine

Russia has accidentally bombed a village in its southern Voronezh region near Ukraine but stressed there were no casualties.

The accident occurred the same day as Russia hit Ukraine with a large-scale missile attack. It is not the first such incident during Moscow's almost two-year-long Ukraine offensive.

Petropavlovka lies some 150 kilometres (93 miles) east of the Ukraine border. The ministry said six private houses were damaged in the accident, Russian news agencies reported.

0928 GMT — Russian ballistic missiles strike Ukraine's largest cities, killing at least four people

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said on his Telegram channel that four civilians were killed and 92 injured in the capital, Kiev, and in northeastern Kharkiv as hypersonic Kinzhal missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound slammed into city blocks.

Since Sunday, Zelenskyy said, the Kremlin's forces have launched about 170 Shahed drones and “dozens of missiles of various types” against Ukrainian targets. Most were aimed at civilian areas, he said.

Most were aimed at civilian areas, he said.

0853 GMT — Russian strikes repeat December 29 attacks in terms of missile numbers: Ukraine air force

Russia’s air strike was a repeat of its major attack on December 29 in terms of number and type of missiles, Ukraine's Air Force Commander has said.

On December 29, Russia bombarded Ukraine with about 158 missiles and drones.

0654 GMT — War jets fly to protect Poland amid Russia's Ukraine strikes: Warsaw

Poland has said that two pairs of F-16 fighter jets and an allied air tanker were put into action to protect Polish airspace amid Russian strikes on Ukraine.

0601 GMT — Russian missiles on Ukraine kills one, wounding over dozen

Russia has rained missiles on the Ukrainian capital and other cities killing one person and injuring dozens, with downed rockets hitting high-rise buildings and sparking fires.

More than a dozen loud explosions were heard in Kiev by AFP journalists as air defences worked, shaking buildings in the city centre.

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, one person was killed and more than 20 injured by "at least four strikes" that damaged multi-storey buildings and civilian infrastructure in the centre, the head of the city's military administration, Oleg Sinegubov, said.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia was launching Kindzhal missiles and more were heading towards the capital as well as towards the south and west.

0440 GMT — Russia launches 35 attack drones at Ukraine, country under missile threat

Russia launched a total of 35 attack drones at Ukraine, its air force has said, with air defence systems destroying all the drones.

0415 GMT — Ukraine military raises air alerts, says missile threat

Ukraine's military has raised air alerts, warning there was the threat of Russian missile strikes.

"Missile danger in areas where the air alert is on! Threat of launching cruise missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft. A total of 16 Tu-95MS strategic bombers are in the air," the Air Force said on Telegram.

0212 GMT — Explosions in Kiev as Ukraine battles 'Russian drone attack'

Explosions have been heard in Kiev as Ukraine's air force battled a Russian drone attack on the capital, officials said, with air alerts active in multiple other cities.

Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko reported explosions in the capital about an hour after the region's military administration said unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones had been detected in the city's airspace.

"UAV debris is burning in an open area in Desnyansky district," he said, adding that emergency services were on site. There were air alerts in the Kiev, Chernigiv, Cherkasy, Mykolayiv, Kherson regions as of 3:30 am (0130 GMT). Mykolayiv's mayor said the air force had downed drones in the city, with debris causing a fire.

For our live updates from Monday, January 1, click here.