Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a commitment to “intensify” attacks against Ukraine, marking a heightened phase in the ongoing conflict characterized by recent aerial assaults from both sides.
Speaking at a military hospital in Moscow, Putin affirmed the military’s dedication to targeting Ukrainian “military installations.” He condemned a Ukrainian air raid on the Russian city of Belgorod as a “deliberate strike against civilians,” resulting in the reported death of twenty-five people on Saturday.
Addressing Russian servicemen on Monday, Putin asserted that the war was shifting in Moscow’s favor, expressing a desire for a swift resolution on Russia’s terms. He identified Ukraine’s Western supporters as the primary hindrance to ending the conflict, noting a perceived shift in their rhetoric as they recognize the inability to “destroy” Russia.
In his traditional New Year’s message on Sunday, Putin praised Russian soldiers as “heroes” without explicitly referencing the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his New Year address, pledged a significant increase in weapons production for 2024, aiming to build at least a million drones.
Russia says a Ukrainian attack on the city of Belgorod damaged buildings including a shopping centre
In recent days, Russia and Ukraine have engaged in deadly exchanges. On New Year’s Eve, Ukraine shelled cities in eastern Ukraine held by Russia, according to officials appointed by Moscow, resulting in at least four deaths and 13 injuries.
On Saturday, Ukrainian forces launched a series of strikes in southwest Russia, including the attack on Belgorod, which President Vladimir Putin labeled a “terrorist attack.” Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on Monday that the death toll had increased to 25, including a young child who succumbed to serious injuries sustained in the attack.
The child’s death brought the number of child victims to five, with 109 people wounded in the air raid, and 45 currently hospitalized. Last week, Russia initiated a widespread attack across multiple Ukrainian cities, resulting in at least 45 fatalities. Kyiv described these strikes as Russia’s most extensive missile bombardment in the ongoing war.