Russia announced on Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles and 72 drones.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported capturing the village of Nadiia in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region, one of the few remaining areas under Kyiv’s control.
These missiles have a 300-kilometre range and were authorised for Ukrainian use by outgoing US President Joe Biden last year, which the Kremlin viewed as a significant escalation.
“Air defence systems downed eight ATACMS US-made missiles and 72 drones,” the Russian Defence Ministry said, according to Moscow Times.
According to one analysis, Moscow gained around 4,000 square kilometres of territory in Ukraine over the last year, while Ukraine’s military struggled with manpower shortages and tiredness.
The violence continues to have an impact on civilians, with both sides blaming one another for carrying out lethal strikes.
The Russian Army in November launched massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector, forcing an emergency power failure as temperatures dropped across the country.
Ukraine’s energy grid has been heavily targeted since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, with Kyiv accusing Moscow of “terror” tactics by attempting to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and cut off heating to civilians throughout the winter.
The overnight strikes come after two weeks of dramatic escalation, during which both sides launched new weapons to gain the upper hand ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January 2025.
The Air Force reported a slew of Russian cruise missiles and attack drones heading for Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the northeast, and the Black Sea port city of Odesa.
