Russia-Ukraine war: Drone attacks continue on Kyiv and eastern Ukraineon January 2, 2023 at 2:14 am

Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv on Sunday night as the latest wave of drone and missile strikes from Russia continued.

An attack which began shortly before midnight targeted critical infrastructure, Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said.

One man in Kyiv was injured by debris from a destroyed Russian drone, the capital’s mayor said.

The attacks have continued for several days over the New Year period.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces said 400 Russian soldiers had been killed in on New Year’s Eve in Makiivka, in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region.

In a rare move, pro-Russian authorities admitted to casualties. But Russia refused to confirm the number of deaths, and the BBC is unable to verify this.

It comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wished for victory and a “return to normal” for Ukraine in 2023.

In a new year address on Russian TV, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would fight to protest its sovereignty and independence.

Kyiv’s military issued a warning of the latest attacks just after 01:00 (23:00 GMT) on Monday.

“Air attack on Kyiv… Air alert is on in the capital,” it announced on the Telegram social media site.

Serhiy Popko, the city’s military administration head, told people to stay in shelters.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported an explosion in Kyiv’s northeastern Desnyanskyi district and said emergency services were attending.

“An injured 19-year-old man was hospitalised in the Desnyanskyi district of the capital,” he said.

Mr Kuleba said the weapons were Iranian-made Shahed drones, adding that they were “targeting critical infrastructure facilities”.

“The main thing now is to stay calm and stay in shelters until the alarm is off,” he said.

It comes after a barrage of attacks on New Year’s Eve, which killed at least one person in Kyiv.

Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for several months, destroying power stations and plunging millions into darkness during the country’s freezing winter.