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Post by Admin on Dec 31, 2023 14:20:20 GMT
Large-scale shelling by the Ukrainian military occurred in the Belgorod Oblast in western Russia, which borders Ukraine, from the night of the 29th to the 30th, leaving at least 24 people dead and over 100 injured, according to the Oblast's Governor Gladkov. This is believed to be the largest human casualty in Russian territory since the start of the special military operation in February 2022.
Until now, Ukraine has limited attacks on Russian territory to infrastructure, etc. out of consideration for Western concerns about escalation such as Russia's use of nuclear weapons. However, on the 29th, the Russian military launched the largest airstrike since the start of the military operation, and President Zelenskiy has indicated his intention to retaliate. As military support from the West dwindles, Ukraine's attack on Belgorod Oblast is ``crossing the line.''
In response to more than 20 casualties in its territory, the Russian military continued to carry out airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital Kiev (Kiev) and other areas on the 30th, making it look like a retaliatory war will take place.
Since the start of special military operations, Belgorod Oblast, which borders Ukraine, has been subject to sporadic shelling and drone attacks by the Ukrainian military. As of June 2023, thousands of residents were reportedly already evacuated to other parts of the country.
Concerning the recent shelling of Belgorod Oblast, Russian Ministry of Defense Spokesman Konashenkov posted a video on a communication app on the 30th, stating that cluster munitions and multiple rocket systems were used, but most of them were intercepted by Russian air defense systems. He explained that he did. "Ukraine is attacking indiscriminately and trying to distract attention from its defeat at the front," he said. According to TASS news agency, the series of attacks caused damage to apartment complexes and private homes, and caused fires in 10 locations.
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Post by Admin on Dec 31, 2023 22:03:48 GMT
German public broadcaster ZDF revealed on December 31 that a hotel in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, where journalists were staying was attacked on the 30th, and a female interpreter suffered injuries including broken ribs. did. Several members were staying overnight, but everyone except the interpreter escaped unharmed. The hotel has mainly been used as a base for reporting by foreign media.
Governor Prokudin of the southern province of Kherson announced on the 31st that a 14-year-old child was killed in Russian military shelling in the provincial capital, Kherson. Meanwhile, Kyiv city authorities announced on the 31st that 23 people were killed in the Russian attack on the 29th. The attacks on the 29th spread across Ukraine, killing more than 40 people in total.
ZDF issued a statement regarding the attack on the hotel, condemning it as ``Russia's new attack on press freedom.'' He said he will continue to report from Ukraine.
The Russian side claims that it attacked military facilities in Kharkiv Oblast in retaliation for the Ukrainian army's attack on Belgorod Oblast in western Russia.
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Post by Admin on Jan 2, 2024 18:50:55 GMT
Kiev and Kharkov were attacked by Russian missiles on the 2nd. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will retaliate for the Ukrainian attack on western Belgorod.
In Kivu, a morning missile attack caused an explosion that damaged gas pipes and caused power outages in some areas.
Earlier on the 2nd, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that it had shot down all 35 Russian attack drones in Kiiv and other cities.
At the end of the year, 24 civilians were killed in Belgorod, western Russia, in a Ukrainian attack. Russia said the attack was carried out from across the border in Kharkov. President Putin on Monday called the attack a "terrorist act" and vowed to launch further attacks on targets in Ukraine.
Russia rained a wave of missiles on the Ukrainian capital during the morning peak, knocking out power to parts of the city and causing debris from downed weapons to fall across the region.
"There is an explosion in the capital," Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app, urging people to stay safe.
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Post by Admin on Jan 4, 2024 5:37:08 GMT
This is the first prisoner exchange since August 2023, and the largest since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine in full.
According to reports, Ukraine released 248 Russian soldiers and Russia released 230 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians. It is said to be the 49th exchange of prisoners between the two countries since February 2022.
In a statement on the 3rd, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said, ``We have not forgotten about all Ukrainians detained by Russia. We are seizing every opportunity to explore mediation options.'' "As a result of a complex negotiation process, 248 military personnel returned home. This was possible thanks to the UAE's humanitarian mediation," the Russian Ministry of Defense said.
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Post by Admin on Jan 7, 2024 20:45:26 GMT
Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev on December 4 vetoed parliament’s decision to provide 100 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, claiming that lawmakers were not aware of all parameters of the donation, meaning they were unable to determine whether the vehicles are necessary for their country.
Radev won a second term with his loud criticisms of high-level corruption and was seen at the time as rather West-oriented. However, he has become openly pro-Russian since the start of the war in Ukraine. He fiercely opposes any military aid to Kyiv, claiming that the Bulgarian army has nothing spare to offer and that providing weapons would not contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
In July, Bulgarian MPs decided to provide 100 armoured vehicles from the reserve of the Ministry of Interior. The armoured personnel carriers, produced in the 1960s and 1970s, were acquired by Bulgaria’s communist-era Interior Military Forces – today’s Gendarmerie. They have never been used and are no longer needed by the interior ministry.
Radev’s veto seems doomed to fail as the parties that backed the decision in July said on December 4 they will vote against the veto.
“This veto shall be overcome so I do not see anything to comment on,” Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said as quoted by public broadcaster BNT minutes after Radev’s decision was published.
In November, parliament ratified the contract on provision of the armoured vehicles, which Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said were only used in 1984-89 when the then Communist regime forcefully deported Bulgarians of Turkish origin.
The ratification of the contract was supported by Change Continues-Democratic Bulgaria, Gerb, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and There Are Such People (ITN), while the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) voted against.
Radev claims that neither the wartime tasks assigned to the Ministry of Interior, nor the needs of the border police and fire bridgade were taken into account.
“The armoured offroad transport equipment provided to Ukraine could be used precisely for the protection of the Bulgarian border and for providing assistance to the population in disasters and accidents, including in hard-to-reach areas,” Radev said.
“I am led by the conviction that the security, health and life of the Bulgarian citizens should be a top priority,” he added.
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