• Russia Putin: Words of Peace, Fire of War
  • War 'There were explosions', this is how the Kremlin's propaganda recounts the attacks on Ukraine without mentioning Russia

Russia fired more than 150 missiles and drones at several Ukrainian cities on Friday, killing at least 30 people and injuring more than 160, in one of the most significant airstrikes in "a long time". Poland, a country that is part of NATO, denounced that a Russian missile entered and left its airspace in the direction of Ukrainian territory, and summoned Moscow's chargé d'affaires, the top diplomatic representative in Warsaw, to ask for explanations.

Kiev has launched its retaliation tonight. Russian air defenses shot down 32 Ukrainian drones today in the Moscow, Bryansk, Kursk and Orlov regions, the Defense Ministry reported. Ukraine used fixed-wing drones to hit Russian territory, in what the military statement called a "terrorist attack."

Update Narration

9:44

Russia forecasts 3.5% growth after contraction in the first year of war

The Russian government today forecast economic growth for this year of 3.5%, well above the forecasts of local authorities and international institutes for the second year of the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov based his prediction on the results recorded already in the first eleven months of 2023 and especially in the second half of this year, according to a commentary published by his ministry.

Reshetnikov, who highlighted the economy's adaptation to international sanctions and the crisis situation created by the coronavirus epidemic, had forecast gross domestic product growth of 2.8% for this year.

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9:21

Russian air defenses shoot down 32 Ukrainian drones in four regions of the country

Russian air defenses shot down 32 Ukrainian drones today in the Moscow, Bryansk, Kursk and Orlov regions, the Defense Ministry reported.

Ukraine used fixed-wing drones to hit Russian territory, in what the military statement called a "terrorist attack."

Kiev thus responded to the wave of massive shelling perpetrated on Friday by the Russian army against the Ukrainian capital and the country's main cities, the largest of the entire war, as Moscow used some 160 missiles and drones.

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8:46

Ukrainian attack on Russia leaves one dead in Belgorod

A Ukrainian attack on a residential building left one dead in Belgorod, Russia, the governor of this province bordering Ukraine announced Friday night.

The attack killed one man and wounded four people, the governor said, adding that the city's water supply system was damaged. Belgorod is located 80 km north of Kharkiv, Ukraine, which was heavily shelled on Friday morning, according to Ukrainian authorities.

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8:11

Top U.N. official calls Russia's latest attacks "terrible"

A senior U.N. official condemned Russia's "horrific attacks" on Ukraine on Friday, launching 158 missiles and saying Kyiv killed at least 30 people.

"Sadly, today's horrific attacks were only the latest in a series of increasingly intense attacks by the Russian Federation," said UN Under-Secretary-General Mohamed Khiari.

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7:26

UN Security Council closes year with emergency meeting on Ukraine

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss Russia's recent overnight bombardment of Ukraine, which has left at least 30 civilians dead and 160 wounded across the country.

The meeting, convened by Ukraine and sponsored by a group of 30 countries, is expected to be the last meeting of the body before the end of the year.

Its celebration served to highlight once again the differences within the UN, with cross-accusations between Russia and the United States and China's apparent neutrality.

"Instead of peace, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has chosen to celebrate these holidays and welcome the new year with an unprecedented number of drone and missile attacks on another U.N. member country," U.S. Rep. John Kelley said during the session.

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7:00

Poland says "all indications" that Russian missile entered its airspace and then exited

Poland's armed forces said an unknown object entered Polish airspace on Friday morning from Ukraine and then disappeared from radars, with all pointing to it being a Russian missile.

"All indications are that a Russian missile entered Poland's airspace. It was monitored by us on radar and left the airspace. We have confirmation of this on the radars and from NATO allies," said the head of Poland's armed forces, Gen. Wiesaw Kukua.

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  • Ukraine-Russia War