Ukraine intercepted greater than two dozen assault drones and several other missiles fired by Russian forces in an enormous Christmas Day barrage, Ukrainian army officers stated Monday.

The huge onslaught comes as Ukraine tries to fend off creeping advances by Russian troops within the jap portion of the nation. Russia has seized momentum within the practically 2-year-old battle, as Ukraine pleads with the U.S. and European Union to offer extra monetary and army help as quickly as attainable.

Such international help has been essential in bolstering Ukraine‘s air protection system, which has helped foil aerial assaults from the a lot bigger, better-equipped Russian army. That was the case Monday, Ukrainian officers stated, because the nation’s air defenses shot down 28 Russian assault drones and at the least two missiles. The Russian assault focused Ukrainian positions within the Odesa, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, Kirovohrad and Khmelnytskyi areas, Ukrainian army officers stated in a social media publish. 

Ukrainian officers additionally stated they shot down two Russian fighter jets, one over the Donetsk area and one other flying over the Black Sea.

Hours earlier than the assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to rally his nation amid the grim actuality that Russia appears to be gaining the higher hand.

“Christmas Eve is the time of the longest nights of the yr. However tomorrow, the day begins getting longer, the sunshine begins prevailing. The sunshine is getting stronger. And step-by-step, day-to-day, the darkness retreats,” Mr. Zelenskyy stated in a Christmas Eve deal with. “And in the long run, darkness will lose. Evil can be defeated. As we speak, that is our widespread purpose, our widespread dream, and that is what our widespread prayer is for at present. For our freedom. For our victory. For our Ukraine.”

However Russia claimed its personal successes over the Christmas vacation.

Over the previous two days, Russian forces shot down a number of Ukrainian rockets, anti-ship missiles, at the least 4 Ukrainian plane and 49 assault drones, the Russian Protection Ministry stated Monday. 

The Kremlin is touting its successes within the battle thus far, with 2024 looming and questions mounting about how lengthy Ukraine can maintain on.

“A complete of 558 plane, 261 helicopters, 10,040 drones, 442 anti-aircraft missile programs, 14,299 tanks and different armored fight autos, 1,189 a number of rocket launchers, 7,479 discipline department artillery weapons and mortars, in addition to 16,660 items of particular tactical autos have been destroyed for the reason that starting of the particular army operation,” the Russian Protection Ministry stated in a press release, in line with the nation’s state-run Tass Information Company.

Russian features may speed up quickly with out quick U.S. and EU help, Ukrainian and Biden administration officers have warned in current weeks.

Lawmakers left Washington final week after failing to move President Biden’s $61.4 billion help package deal for Ukraine. Republicans in each chambers need to see more cash for border safety hooked up to any Ukraine help payments, whereas Home GOP leaders are also demanding that the White Home clarify Ukraine‘s roadmap to a decisive win over Russia.

Publicly, the administration is standing firmly behind Ukraine and insisting that Mr. Putin will fail.

“He thinks his technique of ready us out whereas sending wave after wave of younger Russians right into a meat grinder of his personal making will repay,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken instructed reporters final week. “On one and solely level I agree with Putin: America’s ongoing help is essential to enabling Ukraine‘s nice troopers and residents to maintain up their combat to make sure Russia‘s battle stays a strategic failure.”

“Putin is betting that our divisions will stop us from coming by way of for Ukraine. Now we have confirmed him incorrect earlier than. We are going to show him incorrect once more,” Mr. Blinken stated.

What’s completely different this time, nevertheless, is the mixture of Russian battlefield momentum and cracks in Western help. Because the U.S. and EU grapple over whether or not to offer extra help to Ukraine, there are rising questions on what precisely that help would obtain, wanting holding the road and stopping a transparent Russian victory.

Certainly, Mr. Putin now appears to be essentially the most assured he’s been for the reason that battle started in February 2022.

“Our troops are holding the initiative,” Mr. Putin stated throughout a year-end press convention final week. “We’re successfully doing what we expect is required, doing what we would like. The place our commanders contemplate it crucial to stay to energetic defenses they’re doing so, and we’re enhancing our positions the place it’s wanted.”