play_arrow

keyboard_arrow_right

Listeners:

Top listeners:

skip_previous skip_next
00:00 00:00
playlist_play chevron_left
volume_up
  • cover play_arrow

Russian Missiles Rain Down On Ukraine; Numerous Killed and Injured

Background

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The second oldest church in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, was among sites hit by Russian ballistic missiles and other weapons, killing at least two personals and injuring over 20 people, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces were winning on the bloodstained frontlines.

The facade, rose window, and external and internal glazing of the St Nicholas Roman Catholic church were damaged. Witnesses said the stairwells leading to its gothic spires, built early in the 20th century, were wrecked.

The UNESCO-listed building is among at least 1,222 cultural heritage sites that have been broken or destroyed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian officials said.

Witnesses saw windows shattered in the National House of Music next to the church.

The attack caused minor damage to diplomatic buildings in Kyiv, including the Portuguese embassy. Diplomatic sources confirmed that the missions of Albania and Montenegro are in the same block.

The Portuguese foreign minister Paulo Rangel said: “This was a very intense attack by the Russian Federation. It is absolutely unacceptable for attacks to damage or target diplomatic facilities.”

Russia fired eight ballistic missiles on Kyiv Friday, with several explosions reverberating throughout the capital at around 7 a.m. local time, according to residents.

SHOOTING DOWN MISSILES

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down eight Khinzal and Iskander-M missiles, with debris falling in several districts of the city. One person was killed, and at least 12 were injured, military sources said.

One intercepted missile fell on the Toronto business center, smashing its top story and setting fire to cars parked in the street below. A mangled vehicle was tossed over a fence.

The complex was home to Superhumans, a prosthetics and rehabilitation center for wounded Ukrainian soldiers. Its founder, Andrey Stavnitser, said his office was devastated. “It’s scary to think what would have happened if our glass room had been blown a couple of hours later,” he posted.

The damaged St Nicholas Roman Catholic church is opposite the complex.

Touring the devastation on Friday, Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, accused Russia of “genocide” and said: “There is no justification for this.” He said the latest strike showed Putin’s complete indifference to the deaths of women and children. “We need air defenses.”

Remains from another missile crashed into the Holosiivskyi district, where one person was killed, according to authorities. Six people were reportedly admitted to hospital, and rescuers spent the morning putting out fires and clearing up rubble. The attack left 630 buildings without heating and power.

Yuliia Kuznets of the law firm VB Partners said: “The morning in Kyiv was truly devastating. The missiles were frighteningly close to our office. The offices of our clients sustained significant damage. Thank goodness it was early morning, and not many people were injured.”

CITIES HIT

Since its all-out attack began, Russia has regularly launched missiles at Ukrainian towns and cities, although Moscow denies deliberately targeting civilian sites.

In recent months, Moscow has systematically targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure to demoralize the population and leave it freezing during the winter months, authorities say.

Friday’s attack reportedly featured Khinzal missiles launched by Russian fighter jets, as well as Iskander-Ms fired from ground platforms. North Korean KN-23 missiles – sent by Pyongyang to Moscow earlier this year – may have been deployed as well, Ukraine’s air force said.

Russia also carried out a separate barrage on the southern city of Kherson on Friday, officials said.

One person was killed and nine others injured during bombardment by heavy artillery and rockets at 8 a.m. Ukraine’s armed forces said they had foiled an attempt by Russian troops to cross the Dnipro River near the city’s ruined Antonivskyi Bridge.

Although a staggering 1 million people are believed to have been killed and injured on both sides, Putin claimed the war had made Russia “much stronger.”

He said he was ready to meet the incoming U.S. president, Donald J. Trump, to discuss peace proposals. But he repeated his stance that Moscow would keep control of Crimea, plus four Ukrainian regions “annexed” in 2022.

Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

Indonesia Christians Remember Deadly Tsunami
Indonesia Christians Remember Deadly Tsunami
Thursday, December 26, 2024

Christians gathered in Indonesia on Thursday to pray for survivors and families of victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami 20 years ago that killed some 230,000 people and left deep scarves in the lives of those who were there.

More Ukrainians Are Requesting Bibles Amid War Against Russia
More Ukrainians Are Requesting Bibles Amid War Against Russia
Thursday, December 26, 2024

The US-based Eastern European Mission (EEM) Bible distribution ministry recently reported that, amid the continuing devastating war against Russia’s invasion, Ukrainians have requested an increasing number of Bibles to be sent to be delivered in their language, The Christian Post (CP) reports.

Norway: Bus Carrying Dozens of Lands In Lake; 3 Killed
Norway: Bus Carrying Dozens of Lands In Lake; 3 Killed
Thursday, December 26, 2024

A bus carrying dozens of people veered off the road, landing in a lake in Norway and killing several people, authorities say.

Syria: Christians Protest Burning of Christmas Tree
Syria: Christians Protest Burning of Christmas Tree
Thursday, December 26, 2024

Hundreds of Christians in Syria took to the streets of Damascus on Tuesday to protest the destruction of a Christmas tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama, Politico reports. The tree was burned down just over two weeks after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamic insurgent group on December 8.

‘Five Journalists Killed in Gaza Airstrike’
‘Five Journalists Killed in Gaza Airstrike’
Thursday, December 26, 2024

Five journalists of a television station linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a group designated as a “terrorist organization” by Israel, were killed Thursday in an Israeli air strike on their vehicle in Gaza, the network said.

Syria: Increasing Number of Mass Graves Coming to Light, Assad Operated “Machinery of Death”
Syria: Increasing Number of Mass Graves Coming to Light, Assad Operated “Machinery of Death”
Thursday, December 26, 2024

An increasing number of mass graves are being discovered in Syria since the brutal rule of dictator Bashar al-Assad came to an end at the hands of the Islamic insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on December 8, TRT reports. Last week, an international war crimes prosecutor said the mass grave sites in Syria show Assad had operated the “machinery of death” against anyone he considered an enemy.

Sudan: Civil War Has Now Triggered a Famine
Sudan: Civil War Has Now Triggered a Famine
Thursday, December 26, 2024

Sudanese civilians are dealing with famine in addition to the death, displacement, maiming, and trauma brought on them by the war for power between Sudan’s National Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that broke out in April 2023, Courthouse News reports.

WHO WE ARE

The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.

CONTACT
0%