(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Russia launched its largest barrage and bombardment against Ukrainian civilian targets early this morning. It began before dawn in Ukraine.
This morning, russia carried out the most massive air attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The occupiers used a variety of types of ballistic missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and Shahed UAVs to target civilian targets. A total of 158 missiles and UAVs… pic.twitter.com/oFtnhacj9r
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) December 29, 2023
This morning, russia carried out the most massive air attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The occupiers used a variety of types of ballistic missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and Shahed UAVs to target civilian targets. A total of 158 missiles and UAVs were fired against Ukraine; 87 missiles and 27 Shaheds were shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
russia hit residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and shopping malls around the country.
#RussiaIsATerroristState
The terrorists must be punished.
36 Shahed drones, at least 90 Kh-101 / Kh-555/ Kh-55 missiles from 18 Tu-95MS bombers, 8 Kh-22 / Kh-32 missiles from Tu-22M3 bombers, at least 14 S-300 / S-400 / Iskander-M missiles, 5 Kinzhal missiles from 5 MiG-31K, and 4 Kh-31P and 1 Kh-59 missiles launched from Su-35S. 2/ pic.twitter.com/K2adiXEawp
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) December 29, 2023
Ukraine’s air force spokesman Yury Ihnat confirms the unprecedented scale of Russian attack this morning. “We have never seen so many targets on our monitors at once.”
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) December 29, 2023
I’ll have more of this after the jump, but, again, we need to recognize what is going on here. During the first day of the re-invasion, Russia launched between 100 and 150 missiles, rockets, and bombs at Ukraine – most at targets in Kyiv Oblast – in an attempt to take Kyiv within 72 hours of the re-invasion. This morning Russia bombarded Ukrainian civilian targets with 158 missiles and drones. Putin’s strategy here is two fold. The first is to terrorize the Ukrainians. The second is to force the Ukrainians to use their air defense up before it can be resupplied. As I wrote last night, and have written on many other occasions, Putin, his national security advisor Patrushev, Gerasimov, Shoigyu, etc all read, watch, and listen to American and European news and analysis. They know that aid is currently stalled because of dysfunctional politics (GOP House and Senate caucuses) in DC and Brussels (Orban) and they want to take advantage of that. They also want to terrorize and demoralize the Ukrainians as much as possible because they also read, watch, and listen to Ukrainian news and analysis and know there is a lot of discussion about the need for a general draft, potential disagreements between President Zelenskyy and General Zaluznhyi, etc. The Russians also work very hard to manipulate the Information Domain in order to leverage all of this to their advantage.
It is important to remember that part of the reason that today was possible is because the US’s strategy, as well as NATO’s, has been to slow walk and limit what weapons systems and munitions are provided to Ukraine so as not to antagonize Putin for fear that if Ukraine was more aggressive and struck farther behind Russia’s lines of occupation and into Russia itself then he would escalate. Today’s bombardment was, once again, further evidence that Putin will escalate when he perceives weakness, not when he encounters strength. His strategy is framed within Lenin’s maxim:
Probe with bayonets. If you encounter mush, proceed; if you encounter steel, withdraw.
Which is why this, from the Brits, is the right response:
🇺🇦🇬🇧 The UK is sending hundreds of air defence missiles to Ukraine to restock British gifted air defence systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles.
We are grateful to our British friend at @DefenceHQ for your unwavering support.
Together, we can repel… https://t.co/BoQqUP5bbq
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) December 29, 2023
🇺🇦🇬🇧 The UK is sending hundreds of air defence missiles to Ukraine to restock British gifted air defence systems capable of striking down Russian drones and missiles.
We are grateful to our British friend at @DefenceHQ for your unwavering support.
Together, we can repel russian aggression and protect the free world from terror.
Unfortunately these 200 or so missiles are not going to last long.
Which is why the US and the rest of our EU and NATO allies should be doing the same. Especially because the Ukrainians have noticed who gets priority in DC:
The White House just bypassed Congress to greenlight a $147.5 million emergency sale of fuses, chargers, and primers for 155mm shells to Israel. Despite Israel's complete air supremacy, what happened to talks about the irrelevancy of artillery due to Western military air power?
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) December 29, 2023
The White House just bypassed Congress to greenlight a $147.5 million emergency sale of fuses, chargers, and primers for 155mm shells to Israel. Despite Israel’s complete air supremacy, what happened to talks about the irrelevancy of artillery due to Western military air power?
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
War for Ukraine Day 674: Russian Opened Up on Ukraine Shortly Before DawnPost + Comments (56)