Russia raids Ukrainian military targets with helicopters
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Ukrainian officials report widespread damage after overnight drone and missile attacks, while both sides exchange strikes on infrastructure.
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Fire and smoke rise in a residential area after a Russian attack in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 (AP)
Russian forces launched a large-scale drone and missile strike on Kiev overnight, Reuters reported
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed that it intercepted 563 of 598 drones and 26 of 31 missiles launched by Russia in the nationwide strike. Hits were recorded at 13 locations, with debris falling on 26 others.
It is worth noting that Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian air defenses destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones overnight, targeting at least seven regions. The Ministry added that an Mi-35M helicopter targeted Ukrainian personnel, a command center, and a drone launch site as part of its ongoing operations.
The attack prompted the head of Kiev's military administration, Timur Tkachenko, to say on his Telegram channel: "Unfortunately, the Russians' approach to their attacks is familiar... simultaneous strikes coming from different directions."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces reported striking Russia’s Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar and the Kuibyshevsky refinery in Samara, escalating attacks on key energy infrastructure.
Russia, US maintain Ukraine talks as Putin, Trump engage: Kremlin
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday said Moscow continues to maintain dialogue with Washington through established channels, while stressing that discussions on Ukraine must remain confidential to achieve results.
"As for our contacts with the Americans, they continue through channels that are also well known," Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia considers it unhelpful to isolate the talks from the broader political context. "We believe that the work should continue to be conducted in a non-public format. This is the only way to achieve results," he noted.
Peskov also underscored the significance of US President Donald Trump's involvement in efforts to end the war. "We highly appreciate and also hope that the peacekeeping and mediation efforts on the part of the President of the United States will continue. We believe that these efforts are very important and can really help in the settlement," he said.
His comments come as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to meet with Ukrainian representatives in New York, amid reports that Washington is pushing to maintain momentum in talks with Moscow. Trump has warned of an "economic war" if Russia fails to commit to negotiations, even as analysts note that Moscow has been sending mixed signals about its readiness for compromise.
Talks require preparation
The Kremlin spokesperson confirmed there are still no fixed dates for the next session of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations. "We cannot yet name the exact dates," he said, noting that both sides remain in touch. "The Russian side maintains its determination to resolve the Ukrainian conflict, preferably by peaceful political and diplomatic means. For this, reciprocity from Ukraine is certainly necessary," he added.
According to Peskov, discussions between the delegations continue to focus on security guarantees, which remain a key element in any settlement framework. He stressed that any potential summit between Russian and Ukrainian leaders would require careful groundwork to be meaningful. "Any other contacts [between Russia and Ukraine] at a high or top level, as we have repeatedly said, should be well prepared so that these contacts become effective," he explained.
The spokesperson further confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump recently held talks in Alaska. "Once again, it probably would not be superfluous to repeat that a very meaningful, constructive, useful and necessary conversation took place in Alaska between our two presidents," he said. Issues related to Ukraine were discussed "in continuation of the work being done by the Russian side and in continuation of the peacekeeping efforts being undertaken by Trump and members of his administration," Peskov explained.
Diplomacy amid offensives
Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry announced that the Vostok group of forces has taken control of the settlement of Zaporizke in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The Ministry described the advance as a tactical gain that removed another Ukrainian defensive position.
On the battlefield developments, Western officials warn that progress in diplomacy remains fragile. European capitals continue to push their "coalition of the willing" initiative launched earlier this year to secure Ukraine's sovereignty and back any eventual peace framework. Ukraine, however, has voiced concern that its role is being sidelined in direct US-Russia contacts, while President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of "sending negative signals" about the future of the process.
Peskov reiterated Moscow's stance that its military operation is targeting only combat-related infrastructure. He pointed to Putin's refusal to strike Ukraine's presidential offices in Kiev as proof of restraint. "In this light, I would like to recall that our armed forces, they are attacking military, near-military targets. This position of the president, it remains consistent and will certainly continue to be maintained," he said.
Finally, Peskov rejected Western claims that Russia provoked the conflict, instead blaming NATO expansion. "We believe that these efforts [of US President Donald Trump] ... are truly capable of helping to resolve this complex, long-standing conflict that was not provoked by us," he said, adding that Moscow views the prospect of European troops in Ukraine negatively.
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