As the year 2023 was about to knock on the door, Russia launched over 20 missiles into Ukraine on Saturday, leaving one person dead and 20 injured, CNN reported.
In a statement, Ukraine's Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that the latest explosion killed one person, after which 30 per cent of the city has been left without power due to emergency shutdowns.
After the strike, the Ukrainian air defence system shut down 12 cruise missiles, according to Ukraine's military, according to CNN.
Moscow's forces attacked using Tu-95MS bomber planes over the Caspian Sea, and with Iskander-M missile systems from the ground, the Ukrainian Air Force Command wrote on Telegram.
"According to preliminary data, about 20 missiles were launched in total. Several of them did not reach Ukraine and fell on the territory of Russia (information is being clarified)," the statement said.
Air defences shot down missiles over several Ukrainian regions, according to Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's military.
Amid the attack, Ukraine and Russia reported an exchange of prisoners of war on Saturday.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said 140 prisoners of war had been released -- including those from Mariupol and Snake Island, reported CNN.
"On New Year's Eve, we not only repel enemy missile attacks but also return our people home. This is another big exchange that we managed to carry out -- 140 people are returning home. Among them are the wounded, as well as the defenders of Mariupol, Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, volunteers of territorial defence from Slavutych, fathers and sons who were in captivity together, as well as ours from Bakhmut direction," Yermak said in a post on Telegram.
This is the 35th such exchange of the war, according to the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Meanwhile, in a video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy switched from speaking Ukrainian to Russian in his nightly address Saturday.
Talking about the missile attacks, Zelenskyy said that Russia is "following the devil," and the country is waging a war to ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in power "until the end of his life."
"All this war that you are waging, you -- Russia -- it is not the war with NATO, as your propagandists lie," Zelensky said. "It is not for something historical. It's for one person to remain in power until the end of his life."
"And what will be with all of you, citizens of Russia, does not concern him," he added.
Zelensky said that Putin "is hiding behind the troops, behind missiles, behind the walls of his residences and palaces" and his citizens, CNN reported.
"He hides behind you and burns your country and your future. No one will ever forgive you for terror," Zelensky said.
Zelensky added that most Russian missiles fired at Ukraine have been intercepted by air defence forces.
( With inputs from ANI )
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