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The Unrelenting Storm: Ukraine Under Attack
8th March, 2024
In the shadow of an almost forgotten conflict, the daily life in Ukraine has been punctuated by the roar of missile and Shahed drone alerts, a stark reminder of a war that, despite slipping from the headlines, relentlessly ravages on. The reality of this conflict hit me again personally around December 2023, as I observed a disturbing dissonance: the frequent missile alerts on my phone versus the outside world’s dwindling awareness of the ongoing war. This prompted me to start documenting the missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, a task that soon proved overwhelming due to their sheer number. Despite the gaps as I lost momentum – this is still a short chronicle of the terror unleashed upon its civilians in the final month of 2023 and the opening days of 2024, (NB there are many others that I missed and as time of writing it was ongoing) and a reminder that our support of Ukrainians must not waver as they continue to be terrorised.
###December 2023: Ukraine under attack. A Month of Unyielding Assault and Records Broken
December 14th: Ukrainian air defences downed 14 Shahed-131/136 drones, an S-300 missile, and a Kh-59 missile. Amidst this, Russian forces launched three Kinzhal missiles at locations including Kyiv, with Ukrainian forces successfully neutralizing one over Kyiv Oblast.
December 16th: A barrage of nearly 100 air attacks rocked Ukraine within 24 hours. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the downing of 104 out of 112 Shahed “kamikaze” drones by Ukrainian forces over the week.
December 17th: A drone strike on a private residence claimed one life, marking a grim continuation of the assault.
December 18th: Russia dispatched 30 drones across 11 regions, leading to the damage of residential homes and one fatality.
December 23rd – 25th: The festive period offered no respite, with a large-scale attack on Kherson on December 23rd, followed by the launch of 31 Shahed drones and two Khinzal missiles on Christmas Day.
December 26th – 29th: The relentless attacks continued with the destruction of humanitarian aid bases and a railway station in Kherson. December 29th, my birthday, witnessed the largest missile attack on Ukraine so far, and the biggest hypersonic missile attack in history with widespread devastation and loss of life across multiple cities. The Dec 29 attack lasted five hours.
###January 2024: The Siege Intensifies
Early January: A massive hypersonic missile assault on Kyiv and Kharkiv marked the onset of 2024, resulting in numerous casualties and extensive damage.
Around January, I lost track and became disheartened at documenting – only picking it up again in February.
### February 2024: Tragedy and Resistance
First two weeks of February: Over 1,500 attacks targeted more than 570 towns and villages, causing significant civilian casualties, as reported by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Commission.
February 7th: Kyiv and Kharkiv faced the second largest combined drone and missile attack, with weaponry from North Korea.
February 23rd & 29th: A residential building in Dnipro was struck, killing three, followed by 250 attacks on settlements in the Zaporizhia region, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence. On the 29th Pastor Yurii Klimko was killed as he was praying in the Pentecostal church in Kupiansk.
#### March 2024: Continued Courage Amidst Carnage
March 2nd & 3rd: Odesa suffered devastating drone attacks on residential buildings, resulting in the deaths of 12 individuals, including five children aged from 4 months to 10 years, and the destruction of numerous homes.
March 6th: The town of Nikopol witnessed the obliteration of a shopping centre and significant damage to infrastructure due to shelling.
March 7th: another drone attack in Odesa that landed within metres of the convoy of Ukrainian president and Greek Prime Minister and killed 5 civilians.
March 8th: Ongoing attacks on Kharkiv and Kherson, multiple injured including children. Nine storey residential building, bus station, shops, cars destroyed.
In the face of this unyielding onslaught, the spirit of the Ukrainian people remains undiminished. As one example, schools in Kharkiv have been moved underground to bunkers, ensuring the continuation of education and a semblance of normalcy amidst chaos. A recent opinion poll reveals a resilient and hopeful population, with nearly 90% believing in Ukraine’s victory if Western support is forthcoming.
This is just a glimpse into the resilience of a nation under siege, a call to acknowledge and support their struggle for sovereignty and peace. As the world watches, the people of Ukraine withstand constant bombardment and terror. We should be doing all we can to help. #StandWithUkraine #SupportUkraine DONATE to our Ukrainian partners with a tax deduction in Australia.
Sources:
https://kyivindependent.com/rescue-operations-cease-in-odesa-with-12-dead-after-russian-drone-attack/
https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-15-2023#_edn975afe402095fa3a496d6e6e5c55077217
https://u24.gov.ua/
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