“While Ukrainian children are enjoying treats received yesterday, Russia is attacking residential buildings.” Ukrainians celebrated the Orthodox New Year – a popular holiday on the eve of which children are traditionally given sweets – on Saturday (January 14th) under strikes from the Russian army, commented Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska. In total, “the enemy carried out three airstrikes and about fifty missile launches during the day”specified the staff of the Ukrainian army, which adds that “the occupiers launched 50 attacks with multiple rocket launchers”. The Russian army struck key infrastructure in many cities across the country, but also hit a residential building in Dnipro, killing at least 5 people.
In Dnipro, a strike hits a building and leaves at least 9 dead and 64 injured
At least nine people were killed and 64 injured in a Russian strike on an apartment building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Among the injured are 14 children, details the Ukrainian presidency. The governor of the region, Valentin Reznitchenko posted on Telegram the photo of a building reduced to ruins. “Moscow proves that its cynicism knows no bounds”, said an adviser to the president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia “must be expelled from the UN Security Council now“, asked Mikhaïlo Podoliak.
Strikes cause power outages in most areas
Power cuts have been ordered in “most regions” of Ukraine after several Russian strikes, announced the Minister of Energy, German Galushchenko. “Today the enemy again attacked the country’s power generation facilities. There are attacks in the Kharkiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia and kyiv regions. Due to the shelling, emergency cuts have been decided in most regions”, he said in a post on Facebook.
In Lviv, the authorities have also warned the population against interruptions in the supply of water and electricity. Finally, in addition to strikes on key infrastructure in the capital, several explosions sounded there in the morning, AFP journalists noted.
UK announces delivery of tanks to Ukraine
The UK will be the first country to supply Western-built heavy tanks to kyiv. Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Downing Street announced that London would deliver “Challenger 2 tanks and additional artillery systems”, without specifying the number. These deliveries “not only will strengthen us on the battlefield, but will also send the right signal to other partners”, noted the Ukrainian head of state, on Twitter while, at the same time, other European countries declared that they would be ready to send Leopard tanks.
In reaction to this announcement by the United Kingdom, Russian diplomacy, through the Russian Embassy in London, considered that this was not going “in no way hasten the end of military hostilities, but will only intensify them, causing new victims”.
Heavy fighting in Soledar
kyiv has always ensured control of Soledar (east), which Moscow claims to have taken. This small town in eastern Ukraine, at the center of a fierce battle, is still “under the control of the Ukrainian authorities, our forces have control of it”assured the governor of the Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, adding that “the fighting continues in the city and outside”. This locality and the nearby town of Bakhmout currently remain the points “hottest” of the conflict, he said on television.
Lhe Russian Ministry of Defense said on Friday that the “release” of this town had taken place “January 12 in the evening”.
Moldova says it found missile debris
Moldova has announced that it has found missile debris on its territory after this latest wave of Russian strikes on Ukraine. “Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine has again affected Moldova”launched its president Maia Sandu on Twitter, illustrating her message with photos of the debris. “Border Police found missile fragments near the village of Larga in northern Moldova. We strongly condemn today’s violent attacks,” she continued.
Turkey wants to promote localized “ceasefires”
On the diplomatic level, Turkey wishes to promote “localized ceasefires” in Ukraine, failing to hope for a more comprehensive peace agreement at this stage, said Ibrahim Kalin, close adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Neither Russia nor Ukraine “is not in a position to win militarily”he also estimated, saying he was convinced “that in the end, they will have to negotiate to reach an acceptable outcome” for both parties.