Ukraine

KIEV/MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine on Thursday came under major missile attacks carried out by Russian forces from strategic aircraft and ships, the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has said.

The strikes followed overnight attacks with kamikaze drones across Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force Command said in a statement on Facebook.

Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said that more than 120 missiles were launched against Ukraine on Thursday morning.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles hit Ukraine Thursday in the biggest wave of strikes in weeks, damaging power stations and other critical infrastructure during freezing winter weather.

Russia fired 69 missiles at energy facilities and Ukrainian forces shot down 54, Ukrainian military chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi said. Local officials said attacks killed at least two people around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. The strikes also wounded at least six people across the country, although the toll of the attacks was growing as officials assessed the day’s events.

KIEV, Dec 28 (NNN-UNIAN) – Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba said, Kiev is counting on holding a summit, to discuss the peace plan for Ukraine by the end of Feb, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

“The UN could be the best platform for holding this summit,” Kuleba said, suggesting that, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, could be a possible mediator for the peace negotiations.

KIEV, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the next year will be decisive for Ukraine, the presidential press service reported late Tuesday.

"It must be a crucial year. We understand the risks in the winter, we understand what we have to do in the spring, and therefore we understand what results the entire defense and security sector must demonstrate," Zelensky said in a video address.

The Ukrainian authorities continue to prepare the country's defense and security forces for 2023, Zelensky said.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has bought some 1,400 drones, mostly for reconnaissance, and plans to develop combat models that can attack the exploding drones Russia has used during its invasion of the country, according to the Ukrainian government minister in charge of technology.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov described Russia’s war in Ukraine as the first major war of the internet age. He credited drones and satellite internet systems like Elon Musk’s Starlink with having transformed the conflict.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — France’s defense minister arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday to discuss further military support for Ukraine, insisting the French government’s backing is unflagging while efforts are made to reach an eventual negotiated end to Russia’s invasion.

French Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu traveled to Ukraine’s capital after a trip to Poland, where he announced a deal Tuesday to sell Poland two French-made military satellites.

KYIV/BAKHMUT, Ukraine, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Russian forces shelled and bombed towns and cities in eastern and southern Ukraine on Tuesday, a day after Russia's foreign minister said Kyiv must accept Moscow's demands for ending the war or else suffer defeat on the battlefield.

Those demands include Ukraine recognising Russia's conquest of a fifth of its territory. Kyiv, armed and supported by the United States and its NATO allies, has vowed to recover all occupied territory and to drive out all Russian soldiers.

KIEV, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kiev is counting on holding a summit to discuss the peace plan for Ukraine by the end of February, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Monday.

"The UN could be the best platform for holding this summit," Kuleba said, suggesting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres could be a possible mediator for the peace negotiations.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister on Tuesday warned anew Ukraine that it must demilitarize, threatening further military action and falsely accusing Kyiv and the West of fueling the war that started with Moscow’s invasion.

Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine must remove any military threat to Russia — otherwise “the Russian army (will) solve the issue.” His comments also reflected persistent unfounded claims by the Kremlin that Ukraine and its Western allies were responsible for the 10-month war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.

KYIV, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Moscow said on Monday its forces had shot down a Ukrainian drone close to a long-range bomber base deep inside Russia, while Ukraine said the Russians had unleashed heavy artillery barrages on its cities in the past 24 hours.

The drone was allegedly flying near Russia's Engels air base, where long-range strategic bombers that may have been used to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure are based.

The Russian defence ministry said in a statement three air force personnel had been killed in the incident but no planes were damaged.