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31 minutes ago

Ukraine-Russia latest: Four dead in Kyiv as Putin’s forces launch barrage of drones and missiles

“This aggressive Russian action is not acceptable,” the French defense minister said

Alex Croft,Shweta Sharma
Saturday 18 January 2025 08:39 GMT
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North Korean troops targeted by Ukrainian drones

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At least four people have been killed in Kyiv following a deadly nighttime attack which saw Putin’s forces launch a barrage of drones and missiles in the early morning on Saturday.

The four were killed after a shot-down missile fell over the Shevchenkivskyi district, said Kyiv City Military Administration head Timur Tkachenko. There was also falling debris in the Desnyansky district, he said.

Overnight, Russia launched 39 Shahed drones, other simulator drones and four ballistic missiles, many of which were shot down by Ukraine’s Air Force.

It comes as France accused Russia of “intimidation” after its air defenses locked onto a French patrol plane over the Baltic Sea.

The French maritime patrol plane was part of a NATO operation and was locked onto by the control radar of an S400 ground-to-air defence system, French defense minister Sebastien Lecornu said on X.

“This aggressive Russian action is not acceptable. Our armies will continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces,” Mr Lecornu added.

19 hours ago

Ukraine Kursk offensive: What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counterattack on Russian soil

Ukraine has launched a fresh counterattack in the Russian border region of Kursk as it looks to gain the most territory it can ahead of possible peace negotiations – with US president-elect Donald Trump saying he wants to end the war as soon as possible.

The attack started over the weekend, with unverified footage circulated by Russian military bloggers showing a column of Ukrainian tanks and armoured personnel carriers heading towards the village of Berdin, a small area outside of what Ukraine currently controls in Kursk.

Kyiv’s military has not officially acknowledged a fresh offensive, months after an initial incursion that caught Russia off guard and allowed Ukraine to capture a swathe of Russian territory in the region. The head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said: “Kursk region, good news, Russia is getting what it deserves.”

Tom Watling reports:

What Kyiv stands to gain and lose in surprise counter-attack on Russian soil

Russian military commentators are ‘worried’ about the multipronged Ukrainian attack in the border region

Alex Croft17 January 2025 13:30

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