Russia promised this Saturday “retaliation” against Ukraine after, according to Moscowkyiv forces will fire the day before American ATACMS missilesa type of attack presented by the Kremlin as a red line in the conflict.
“These actions of the kyiv regime, which has the support of its Western guardians, will be subject to retaliation“, indicated the Russian army in a statement.
In recent weeks, the Russian president, Vladimir Putindeclared that I would order to hit the center of kyiv in response to Ukrainian attacks with American ATACMS or British Storm Shadow missiles, a threat that has not yet been realized.
Previously on Saturday, The Russian army claimed to have shot down “eight” ATACMS missiles launched against the Russian region of Belgorod the day beforebordering Ukraine, and “72 drones.”
Moscow forces did not specify whether this Ukrainian attack left victims or material damage.
The administration of the outgoing US president Joe Biden authorized the use of these missiles by kyiv in November after the deployment, according to Western powers and Ukraine, of thousands of North Korean soldiers in support of Russian forces.
Since then, Ukraine has carried out several attacks with these missiles ATACMS long range, as well as with Storm Shadows British.
Russia responded by firing for the first time an experimental hypersonic weapon called “Oreshnik”, promising “a response” to each Ukrainian attack of this type against its territory.
The elected president of the United States, Donald Trumpwho will return to the White House on January 20, had “firmly” opposed the use of American ATACMS missiles by the Ukrainian military in mid-December, alleging an “aggravation” of the conflict.
Since the beginning of the year, kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of deadly attacks against civilians.
A Russian attack on a village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region killed a 74-year-old man on Saturday, according to the regional governor. Oleg Sinegubov.
For its part, the Russian army claimed responsibility for the capture of the small town of Nadiia, in the eastern Ukrainian region of Lugansk.
Russian anti-aircraft forces have shot down eight American ATACMS missiles in Ukraine in one day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported this Saturday in the military report.
According to the note, throughout yesterday, 72 unmanned devices launched by Ukrainian forces against Russian positions were also destroyed.
The Russian military also reported taking control of the town of Nadiya in the Lugansk region, the first conquest in that area in a long time, as neighboring Donetsk is the main scene of fighting between troops from both sides.
Nadiya is a small village conquered at the beginning of the war by Russian forces and reconquered by Ukraine in October 2022.
At the same time, the main fighting is now taking place in Donetsk, where Russian forces seek to complete the encirclement around the bastion of Pokrovsk.
The Russian General Staff estimated the territory conquered by its troops in 2024 at 4,500 square kilometers, although the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) considers that this calculation is exaggerated.
Russia, according to the ISW, would still have to conquer approximately 8,000 square kilometers to take control of the entire Donetsk region.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
