Journalists from the AFP news agency heard several violent explosions in Kyiv on Wednesday morning. According to Ukrainian information, the drone attack was aimed at the Pecherskyi district, which includes the presidential palace and the government district. Residential buildings and a Ukrainian Central Bank building were hit in the attack. Local officials said the damage was caused by falling debris, implying that the Russian drones were shot down.
The turn of the year brought renewed missile and drone attacks on both sides in Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainian Air Force said a total of 111 Russian drones were fired into Ukrainian territory on Wednesday night. 109 of them were shot down or rendered harmless. Previously, Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure at Christmas caused international outrage.
Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj wrote on the Telegram online service on Wednesday: “Even on New Year’s Eve, Russia only wants to harm Ukraine.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to attack central Kiev in recent weeks.
Both sides have intensified their air strikes in recent months to gain the upper hand in the conflict before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump had claimed he would reach a peace agreement within hours of taking office. Kiev and its European allies fear that Trump could force Ukraine to make far-reaching concessions.
In his New Year’s address, Zelensky announced that his country would do “everything” to end Russia’s war of aggression in 2025. “We know that peace is not given to us, but we will do everything to stop Russia and end the war,” said the Ukrainian president.
