KYIV: Russia attacked Ukraine with a barrage of missiles Thursday, including ones that targeted the capital, Kyiv, as well as the city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine’s military said it shot down 54 of 69 missiles launched by Russia.
“Senseless barbarism. These are the only words that come to mind seeing Russia launch another missile barrage at peaceful Ukrainian cities ahead of New Year,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. “There can be no ‘neutrality’ in the face of such mass war crimes. Pretending to be ‘neutral’ equals taking Russia’s side.”
Ukrainian presidential aide Miykhailo Podolyak tweeted that Russia launched at least 120 missiles “to destroy critical infrastructure and kill civilians en masse.”
The attack prompted air raid sirens across the country, and Ukrainian officials said air defense systems were able to knock down incoming missiles.
Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported explosions in his city and said authorities were determining what had been hit and whether there were any casualties.
Russia has repeatedly used missiles to target Ukrainian cities, including strikes that have destroyed critical infrastructure sites.
“At some point terrorist Russians will run out of missiles, but Ukrainians will never run out of courage, devotion to freedom and democracy and love to our country,” Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, tweeted Thursday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is advocating a 10-point peace plan that calls for Russia to recognize Ukraine’s territory and withdraw its troops.
(VOA)
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