PREVIEW

Ukrainian cities were hit by some of the most intense airstrikes of the war against Russia overnight on Friday (29December2023) - with at least 12 dead in attacks that hit sites including a shopping mall and maternity ward. These images show the aftermath of strikes on Odesa.
Ukraine's military says that it estimates Russia used 158 means of air attack in its "massive military attack" on Ukraine.
These included Iranian-made Shahed drones, at least 55 cruise missiles, 14 ballistic missiles, five aeroballistic missiles, and a number of anti-radar missiles.
As a result of the attack in Odesa, at least three people have died. Another 24 people received medical assistance. There are 14 residents of Odesa in hospitals, two of them are children.
Officials from Ukraine's air force said they had "never seen so many locations targeted simultaneously" as this before. The intense attacks comes after Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian warship off Crimea.
In a statement, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “A maternity ward, educational facilities, a shopping mall, multi-story residential buildings and private homes, a commercial storage, and a parking lot. Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities.
“Today, Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal: “Kindzhals,” S-300s, cruise missiles, and drones. Strategic bombers launched X-101/X-505 missiles. A total of around 110 missiles were fired against Ukraine, with the majority of them being shot down.
“Unfortunately, there have been fatalities and injuries as a result of the strikes. All services are working around the clock and providing the necessary aid. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”
Vowing revenge, he added: “We will surely respond to terrorist strikes. And we will continue to fight for the security of our entire country, every city, and every citizen. Russian terror must and will lose.”