After nearly 676 days of war, the situation on Sunday, December 31, 2023, continues to be grim with ongoing fighting and political tensions.
In Belgorod, Russia, at least 21 people, including three children, were killed and dozens more injured in an attack that Moscow blamed on Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukraine reported that at least 21 people were injured after Russia fired two S-300 surface-to-surface missiles at the town of Kharkiv. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also reported that 10 Iranian-made drones had been shot down in various regions of the country. Additionally, the Polish Army ended a ground search for parts of a suspected Russian rocket that violated the country’s airspace.
In the political arena, Russia faced sharp criticism at the United Nations Security Council for its air assault on Ukraine that caused significant damage and casualties. However, Russia called for the UNSC to convene in response to an attack in Belgorod, which it labeled as a “terrorist attack” by the Kyiv regime. United States President Joe Biden condemned Russia’s missile attack and urged Congress to continue funding for Ukraine.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announced that the country had successfully exported about 13 million tonnes of cargo on some 400 ships since establishing a protected maritime corridor in August, after Moscow abandoned a previous grain deal brokered by the UN and Turkey.