Day: December 28, 2024

Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 16 drones on the night of December 28. Air defense shot down nearly all the unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On the night of December 28, the enemy launched 16 Shahed-type strike drones and other types of unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to the military, the invaders launched the drones toward Ukraine from Primorsko-Akhtarsk.

How air defense responded

As of 08:30, units of electronic warfare and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine had downed 15 enemy drones in Mykolaiv region.

“One location-simulating drone was lost,” the Air Force added.

Russian strike on Ukraine

Late on December 27, Russian invaders launched strike drones towards Ukraine for another air attack.

The enemy drones were detected in the southern direction, with explosions reported in Mykolaiv.

Later, it became known that a fire broke out in a multi-story building in Mykolaiv due to the Shahed attack. Additionally, the debris from downed drones damaged the property of a local enterprise. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.

The statement by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico regarding the termination of electricity supplies to Ukraine if gas transit is not extended beyond January 1, 2025, does not pose a threat to Ukraine’s energy security, state the director of the Energy Research Center, Oleksandr Kharchenko, and industry sources.

“In my view, Fico’s promise to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine doesn’t pose a serious threat. The volumes Ukraine currently receives from the European Union can be easily compensated through alternative connections. At most, Slovakia would lose additional revenue on top of what it will already lose from the cessation of gas transit,” the expert stated.

Industry sources confirmed to the outlet that there will be no negative consequences for Ukraine from the potential halt of electricity supplies from Slovakia.

“At present, Ukraine can receive up to 2.1 GW of electricity from the EU through four countries: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. If one of these countries halts supplies, the required volumes, within permissible limits, can be provided by the other three,” a source explained.

Fico’s threats

It is worth noting that Ukraine has refused to extend the transit of Russian gas to Europe beyond January 1, 2025. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is open to transporting gas to EU countries, but only if the gas does not originate from Russia.

Meanwhile, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been attempting to extend the gas transit agreement. In December, he traveled to Moscow for a meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Fico also threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine in retaliation for Ukraine’s refusal to continue gas transit.

For more details on the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine and whether Europe is prepared for it, see the full report by RBC-Ukraine.

Over the past day, from December 27 to 28, Russia’s army lost 1,690 soldiers, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, and 66 units of automotive equipment in the war in Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The total combat Russian losses from February 24, 2022, to December 28, 2024, are estimated to be:

• personnel – about 784,200 (+1,690) Russian troops were eliminated;
• tanks – 9,651 (+7);
• armored personnel vehicle – 19,970 (+19);
• artillery systems – 21,408 (+29);
• MLRS – 1,256;
• anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,032;
• airplanes – 369;
• helicopters – 329;
• UAV operational-tactical level – 21,013 (+14);
• cruise missiles – 3,003;
• warships/boats – 28;
• submarines – 1;
• vehicles and fuel tanks – 32,328 (+66);
• special equipment – 3,668.

Frontline updates and Russian attacks

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces are advancing near Toretsk, Velyka Novosilka, as well as in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions in the Donetsk region.

Meanwhile, in the occupied areas of the Kherson region, mass desertions among Russian troops have been reported. Blocking units are being deployed to prevent further desertions.

Last night, Russian forces launched another attack on Ukraine using Shahed kamikaze drones.

In Mykolaiv, debris from one of the drones caused a fire on the roof of a multi-story residential building.

In Mykolaiv, on the night of December 28, two fires were reported following a Russian drone strike. Firefighters have since extinguished the blazes. There were no casualties resulting from the attack, according to the Facebook page of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Mykolaiv region.

Emergency services clarified that the fires occurred overnight in the Inhulskyi district of Mykolaiv.

Firefighters extinguished a fire covering an area of 5 square meters on the roof of a five-story residential building. Additionally, a reed fire spanning 1,000 square meters was brought under control.

“No reports of injuries have been received,” the State Emergency Service (SES) reported.

They also noted that the roof of the residential building was partially destroyed, and windows were shattered.

“To address the aftermath of the attack, 23 firefighters and 8 units of equipment were involved. Assistance to residents was provided by the Rapid Response Unit of the Ukrainian Red Cross,” the SES statement added.

Rescuers also shared photos of the aftermath of the Russian drone strike on Mykolaiv from this night.

Fires in Mykolaiv caused by debris from downed Shahed drones

This morning, the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, shared on Telegram that at around 1:20 a.m. last night, the occupiers attacked Mykolaiv with Shahed 131/136 attack drones.

“As a result of combat operations and falling debris, a fire broke out on the roof of a five-story residential building and in dry grass on the premises of an industrial facility. Both fires were swiftly extinguished by firefighters,” the official stated.

Shahed drone strike on Mykolaiv

It should be noted that on the evening of December 27, Russian occupiers launched kamikaze drones toward Ukraine. The attack drones entered from the southern direction.

Later that night, on December 28, explosions were reported in Mykolaiv amidst the drone assault.

Local authorities subsequently confirmed that the roof of a residential building in Mykolaiv caught fire as a result of the enemy airstrike during the night.