In the first two days of the new year, the Russian occupation forces attacked Ukraine with Iranian-made drones, with more than 80 of them destroyed by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Russia is planning a new long-term attack with Shaheds, so now everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive.
According to Ukrinform, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a nightly video address.
“Only two days have passed since the beginning of the year, and the number of Iranian drones shot down over Ukraine is already more than eighty. This number may increase in the near future. Because these weeks the nights can be quite restless. We have information that Russia is planning a prolonged attack with Shaheds. Its bet may be on exhaustion. On exhaustion of our people, our air defense, our energy sector. But we must ensure – and we will do everything for this – that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others,” Zelensky said.
The head of state thanked the Air Commands Center, South and East for the successful protection of the sky these days. He also noted the work of the warriors of the 96th Kyiv, 208th Kherson and 138th Dnipro anti-aircraft missile brigades, the 301st Nikopol anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Air Forces, as well as the warriors of the 39th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Ground Forces.
Zelensky also added that currently everyone involved in the protection of the Ukrainian sky should be as attentive as possible.
“Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive. The Russian regime needs mobilizing emotions. Something that they want to demonstrate to their country in order to continue lying that everything is going ‘according to plan.’ And our task is to give Ukraine every day successes, achievements, even small, yet victories over terrorists and terror,” Zelensky said.
According to him, each shot down drone, each shot down missile, each day with electricity for the Ukrainian people and minimal schedules of blackouts are exactly such victories.
“And every step forward of our servicemen at the front, every saved position is such successes that are of strategic importance now,” Zelensky said.
