Key developments on Jan. 1:
- Russian drone assault kills 2, injures 6, damages central financial institution constructing in Kyiv
- Russia has misplaced over 38,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
- Ukraine has introduced again 1,358 individuals from Russian captivity in 2024
- Zelensky says Trump 'keen, able to attaining peace and ending Putin's aggression'
Russia launched a drone assault on Kyiv on the morning of Jan. 1, killing two individuals, the Kyiv metropolis navy administration stated on Telegram, citing its head Tymur Tkachenko.
No less than six individuals had been injured within the assault, Ukraine's State Emergency Service stated. The Prosecutor Common's Workplace stated on Telegram that the injured included two pregnant girls.
The Nationwide Financial institution of Ukraine stated that one among its buildings in Kyiv's Pechersk District had been broken by falling particles. The central financial institution's important constructing is positioned close to the President's Workplace on Bankova Avenue.
"All of the NBU's (Nationwide Financial institution of Ukraine) working methods and companies are totally operational and unaffected," the Central Financial institution stated in an announcement posted on Fb, including that home windows on the higher flooring had been broken.
Russia launched 111 drones, together with Iranian-designed Shahed ones, in opposition to Ukraine in a single day on Jan. 1, Ukraine's Air Power reported on its Telegram channel.
Ukraine's air protection shot down 63 drones over 10 oblasts, whereas one other 46 drones didn’t attain their targets, the Air Power stated.
"Even on New 12 months's Eve, Russia was solely involved with hurting Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an announcement posted on his Telegram channel on Jan. 1. "My condolences to the households and pals (of the victims)."
He additionally thanked the military, docs, and emergency companies for his or her work.
Russia has not slowed down its assaults on Ukraine over the vacation interval.
On Dec. 25, Russia performed a large-scale Christmas assault, firing 78 missiles and 106 drones in opposition to a number of cities.
The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
Russia has misplaced over 38,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says
The Russian military has misplaced over 38,000 troops and greater than 1,000 items of kit because the starting of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on Jan. 1.
Syrskyi's assertion comes after his go to to Russia's Kursk Oblast to reward the Ukrainian navy serving within the space.
Over 700 servicemen from the Russian navy had been captured in the course of the Ukrainian incursion, the final added.
"We’ll proceed to destroy the invaders. It doesn't matter whether or not they have Russian or North Korean passports. The battle continues," Syrskyi stated.
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Ukraine started its shock incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, capturing about 1,300 sq. kilometers of territory, in keeping with Kyiv. Ukrainian forces have misplaced management of about half of the initially captured territory as intense preventing continues within the area. Kyiv hopes to make use of the occupied Russian territory as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia.
Russia has additionally stationed roughly 12,000 North Korean troopers within the area since August to help in ousting Ukrainian forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Dec. 23 that greater than 3,000 North Korean troopers have been killed or injured since their deployment in Kursk Oblast.
Their casualties have been linked to their lack of expertise of the terrain and fashionable drone warfare, in keeping with South Korean MP Lee Sung-kwon.
The Kyiv IndependentBen Fletcher
Ukraine has introduced again 1,358 individuals from Russian captivity in 2024
In 2024, extra Ukrainians had been free of Russian captivity than within the earlier yr, in keeping with knowledge printed by the Coordination Headquarters for the Remedy of Prisoners of Warfare (POWs).
Over the previous yr, Ukraine performed 11 prisoner exchanges and secured the return of 1,358 individuals, 356 greater than in 2023. For the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion, 3,956 prisoners have been launched from Russian captivity.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the numbers in his New 12 months video handle printed late on Dec. 31.
"I'm giving not estimates however exact numbers as a result of every one represents an individual, our particular person, a vital particular person," he stated. "And with every return – we convey life again to Ukraine."
On Dec. 30, Ukraine efficiently secured the discharge of 189 captives from Russian detention, together with navy personnel and two civilians.
The coordination headquarters stated it was one of many largest exchanges because the begin of the full-scale conflict. Amongst these freed had been defenders of Azovstal, Mariupol, the Chornobyl Nuclear Energy Plant, Snake Island, and different key Ukrainian strongholds.
Among the many launched had been 87 Armed Forces members, 43 Nationwide Guard members, 33 border guards, 24 sailors, and fighters from the Azov Regiment.
The Kyiv IndependentStanislav Aseyev
Zelensky says Trump 'keen, able to attaining peace and ending Putin's aggression'
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in his New 12 months video handle late on Dec. 31 that nobody would give peace to his nation as a present, however he believed the U.S. would stand along with Ukraine because it fights to cease Russia's full-scale invasion.
In a 20-minute handle, Zelensky thanked the U.S. for offering a wide selection of essential navy tools, together with 39 multiple-launch rocket methods, 301 Howitzer artillery weapons, and over 300 million models of ammunition.
Zelensky added that he has "little doubt that the brand new American president is keen and able to attaining peace and ending Putin's aggression."
"(President-elect Donald Trump) understands that the primary is unimaginable with out the second. As a result of this isn’t a avenue struggle the place it’s a must to relax each side. That is the full-scale aggression of a mad state in opposition to a civilized one," Zelensky stated. "And I consider that we, along with the U.S., are able to exerting that pressure."
Zelensky additionally recalled conversations with outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden, and "everybody who helps us within the U.S."
The Biden administration has supplied probably the most substantial navy assist to Ukraine amongst Western nations since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
As of December 2024, the U.S. had dedicated over $60 billion in navy assist and $26 billion in monetary help to Ukraine, dwarfing the contributions of different main donors comparable to Germany ($11.4 billion) and the U.Okay. ($10.1 billion).
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