UKRAINE'S defiant leader warned Putin he will lose the war in 2023, just hours before a Russian New Year drone attack.
As missiles rained down amid the Ukraine War, the hero president and his wife Olena Volodymyrivna Zelenska defiantly warned Vladimir Putin: “Wish for miracles? Ukraine create them themselves."
Their NYE statement on Twitter added: “Want faith, hope? Both have been in the army for a long time. Want light? It’s in each of us. Today it’s only one wish. It’ll come true not by a miracle, but our work. Fight. Mutual aid. Humanity. Happy New Year! Year of our victory.”
But Russia continued intense attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine early into New Year's Day with air raid sirens wailing for hours overnight.
Ukraine's Air Force command said it had destroyed 45 Iranian-made Shahed drones — 32 of them after midnight on Sunday and 13 late on New Year's Eve.
Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest news…
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a New Year message that his only wish for all Ukrainians for 2023 was victory and resolved to stay the course while the country fights for it.
"This year has struck our hearts. We've cried out all the tears. We've shouted all the prayers," Zelenskiy said.
"We fight and will continue to fight. For the sake of the key word: 'victory'."
Andriy Nebitov, the head of the Kyiv police, posted on Facebook a picture of wreckage of a downed drone that featured the words "Happy New Year" in Russian.
"That is everything you need to know about the terror state and its army," he wrote.
The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine enters its 11th month
Russia and Ukraine said on Saturday they had freed more than 200 captured soldiers, the latest prisoner exchange between the two sides in the 10-month-old conflict.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said 82 Russian soldiers had been released by Ukraine, while the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Russia had handed over 140 Ukrainian service personnel.
Some of the 132 Ukrainian men and eight women who were freed had been wounded or had fought to defend the Black Sea port city of Mariupol and on Snake Island, Yermak said in a message on his Telegram page.
The two sides have exchanged hundreds of captured soldiers in several rounds of prisoner exchanges in recent months, despite a complete breakdown in broader diplomatic talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Residents of Ukraine’s capital city remained defiant in the face of Russia’s latest attacks.
Speaking to CNN, Anna Kovalchuk, who lives in Kyiv, said she is sure Ukraine will be victorious in winning back its freedom.
She said: “I formulated my attitude to what is happening in the first days of a full-scale war, and since then it has not changed — Ukraine will win, and Russia will lose.”
Ms Kovalchuk added she is worried about the power cuts ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“I’m more worried that most likely the will be no electricity on New Year’s Eve and the holiday will have to be spent in the dark,” she added.
“But I began to prepare myself for such a scenario in advance, stocked up on garlands, power banks, so the blackout would upset us, but not stop us.”
Pope Francis appealed for peace today in his New Year's Day mass at St Peter's Basilica.
He alluded to war-torn countries including Ukraine, where Russia continued intense attacks on New Year's Day.
In part of his service, the Pontiff said: "Let us pray to our Mother in a special way for her sons and daughters who are suffering and no longer have the strength to pray, and for our many brothers and sisters throughout the world who are victims of war, passing these holidays in darkness and cold, in poverty and fear, immersed in violence and indifference."
Former PM Boris Johnson has tweeted out his predictions for the year ahead.
He addressed China, rising inflation and the on going conflict in Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said in a video posted to Twitter: "I'm more convinced than ever that Vladimir Putin is going to lose in Ukraine and the Ukrainians will achieve their destiny to be a free, sovereign and independent county."
Here are my New Year predictions! Inflation will continue to turn down. China will recover from omicron. Putin will lose in Ukraine. And, all in all, 2023 will be a considerable improvement on 2022. Dare to dream. Happy New Year! pic.twitter.com/qjpR4ropGA
The MoD yesterday tweeted how Ukraine's soldiers are being trained to become a "lethal force"- by the British Armed Forces.
The defence ministry tweeted: "Watch how Ukrainian recruits are being trained in the UK to become a survivable and lethal force, ready to return home and fight on the frontline."
Check out the video in the tweet below.
📸👇Watch how Ukrainian recruits are being trained in the UK to become a survivable and lethal force, ready to return home and fight on the frontline.@GeneralStaffUA
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/yRGtIOydMb
Ukrainians had a grim start to 2023 on Sunday, with yet more sirens and fresh missile attacks on their territory, as the death toll from Russia's massive New Year Eve assault across the country climbed to at least three.
Night-time shelling that battered parts of the southern city of Kherson killed one person, wounded another and blew out hundreds of windows in a children's hospital, according to deputy presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
Meanwhile, a 22-year-old woman injured in a rocket attack in eastern Khmelnytskyi later died of her wounds, the city's mayor Oleksandr Symchyshyn said.
Russia continued intense attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine early on New Year's Day, following a barrage of missiles fired on Saturday, with air raid sirens wailing for hours overnight.
Ukraine's Air Force command said that they had destroyed 45 Iranian-made Shahed drones — 32 of them after midnight on Sunday and 13 late on Saturday.
Ukraine shot down 45 Russian drones overnight as the pro-Western country rang in the New Year, the air force said on Sunday.
In a New Year's Eve assault, Moscow attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with missiles and Iranian-made drones.
Ukraine's air force said in a statement that air defences destroyed 45 "Shahed" drones.
Thirteen drones were shot down at the end of 2022 and another 32 in the new year, the statement said.
Ukrainian authorities did not say if some of the drones reached their targets.
Moscow said on Sunday its New Year attacks on Ukraine targeted the pro-Western country's drone production, claiming it had managed to scupper Kyiv's "terror attacks" against Russia.
Russia's defence ministry said a strike hit "the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine" which is involved in the production of drones, and that the "plans of the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks against Russia in the near future have been thwarted."
Russia and Ukraine said on Saturday they had freed more than 200 captured soldiers, the latest prisoner exchange between the two sides in the 10-month-old conflict.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said 82 Russian soldiers had been released by Ukraine, while the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Russia had handed over 140 Ukrainian service personnel.
Some of the 132 Ukrainian men and eight women who were freed had been wounded or had fought to defend the Black Sea port city of Mariupol and on Snake Island, Yermak said in a message on his Telegram page.
The two sides have exchanged hundreds of captured soldiers in several rounds of prisoner exchanges in recent months, despite a complete breakdown in broader diplomatic talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Russia could close its border to men within a week and issue a new mobilisation order, according to Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.
Reznikov released a video message in Russian on Friday, saying: “I know for a fact that you have about one week left before you still have any choice.
“In early January, the Russian authorities will close the borders to men, declare martial law, and begin another wave of mobilisation.
“Borders will also be closed in Belarus.”
Message of the Minister of Defence of Ukraine to the russians who are liable for military service: surrender or die.
Here is your dilemma for 2023.
🎥 @tv_military pic.twitter.com/Phjdql1zMj
The US is concerned by China’s alignment with Russia following a video link meeting between the presidents of the two countries – Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping – on Friday.
A US state department spokesperson said: “Beijing claims to be neutral, but its behaviour makes clear it is still investing in close ties to Russia.
“The United States and Europe have warned the PRC of the consequences of providing Russia military assistance for its war against Ukraine or systematic assistance with sanctions evasion.
“We are monitoring Beijing’s activity closely.
“Those that side with Moscow in this unjust war will inevitably find themselves on the wrong side of history.
“The world is watching to see which nations stand up for the basic principles of freedom, self-determination, and sovereignty, and which stand by or tacitly support Russia in its premeditated and unprovoked war of choice.”
As reported by Associated Press, over 600 Russian war crimes have been reported in Ukraine.
AP, together with Frontline, gathered a public database sharing each of the 600 crimes believed to have been committed.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Karim Khan, told the AP that “Ukraine is a crime scene.”
President Zelensky revealed in his nightly address that Ukrainian soldiers are making progress on the Donbas frontline.
He said: “On the whole, we are holding our positions. There are also some areas of the front where we are advancing a bit.”
This comes after Zelensky promised Ukraine would prevent Russia’s advance in Donestk following increased fighting and Russian troop presence.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky held talks with the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, yesterday.
Taking to Twitter, Mr Zelensky said: “I spoke with Prime Minister of Greece @kmitsotakis by phone.
“I thanked for the warm wishes for the Ukrainian people and for the defense support in the current year.
“I was assured of the same level of support in the next one. We’ve outlined joint activities.”
I spoke with Prime Minister of Greece @kmitsotakis by phone. I thanked for the warm wishes for the Ukrainian people and for the defense support in the current year. I was assured of the same level of support in the next one. We've outlined joint activities.
Following reports of a Ukrainian drone landed in Belarus on Thursday, the Kremlin-ally state has accused Ukraine of attempting to provoke a regional conflict.
“Kyiv is striving to provoke a regional conflict by any means,” Alexander Volfovich told the Russian state-owned outlet Sputnik Belarus. “An example of this is the recent incident with the destruction of the Ukrainian S-300 missile.
“There is little reason to believe that it entered our airspace by accident. By all appearances, it seems some plan was being realised here.”
Kyiv has experienced almost 700 hours of air raid sirens since Russia’s brutal invasion began in February, a new report from the Kyiv Independent has claimed.
This means the city has experienced just under a month of alerts.
Yesterday alone, the Ukrainian airforce shot down 16 Russian missiles aimed at the city.
Blasts were heard in and around Kyiv soon after midnight on New Year's Day, Reuters witnesses reported, while the emergency services said air raid sirens were wailing across all Ukraine.
With sirens wailing, some people in Kyiv shouted from their balconies, "Glory to Ukraine- Glory to heroes."
Kyiv city and region officials said on the Telegram messaging app that air defence systems were working. It was not immediately known whether any targets were hit.
Hero Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday predicted victory in the war against Russia next year, saying it would come through hard work rather than miracles, as well as aid from foreign partners.
"Today there is only one wish. And it will come true not by a miracle but through our work, our struggle, mutual aid and humanity," he said.
"Happy new year! The year of our victory."
Zelensky alluded to repeated Russian strikes that have smashed the power-generating system, saying light could be found in everyone, even when there was no electricity.
Hey made the forecast in a short written message to mark the New Year, a modest effort compared to the nine-minute Christmas video he released on December 24.
Europe was bidding farewell to a year that saw a major war erupt after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, with no end in sight to the conflict.
Curfews ranging from 7 p.m. to midnight remained in place across Ukraine, making the celebration of the beginning of 2023 impossible in public spaces.
"Several regional governors posted messages on social media warning residents not to break restrictions on New Year's Eve, with some even warning that the police presence on city streets would be increased at night.
"I would really like this year to be over", said Kyiv resident Oksana Mozorenko, 35, though she said her family had put up a Christmas tree and bought presents to make it "a real holiday".
Russia carried out its second major round of missile attacks on Ukraine in three days on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said, with explosions reported throughout the country.
"The terrorist country launched several waves of missiles. They are wishing us a happy New Year. But we will persevere," the governor of Kyiv region, Oleksiy Kuleba, wrote on Telegram.
Blasts were heard in and around Kyiv soon after midnight on New Year's Day, Reuters witnesses reported, while the emergency services said air raid sirens were wailing across all Ukraine.
With sirens wailing, some people in Kyiv shouted from their balconies, "Glory to Ukraine- Glory to heroes."
Kyiv city and region officials said on the Telegram messaging app that air defence systems were working.
It was not immediately known whether any targets were hit.
Putin had a closed meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
He read the opening lines from his notes.
What do you think they discussed? pic.twitter.com/680NJnRI2M
Boris Johnson has said he is confident "things will get better" in the year ahead after a "pretty tumultuous" 2022.
In a brief new year greeting posted on social media, the former prime minister made no mention of his unceremonious ejection from Downing Street – swiftly followed by his successor Liz Truss – or the cost-of-living crisis.
Instead he delivered a boosterish message on the the prospects for the economy and the opportunities opened up by Brexit following the end of the pandemic.
He said he was "more convinced than ever" that Russia's President Vladimir Putin will be defeated in Ukraine while there were signs that inflation around the world was coming down.
"2022 is tip-toeing towards the exit after a pretty tumultuous year in which we lost our beloved Queen and saw the start of the worst war in Europe for 80 years," he said.
"I want to tell you why I am looking forward to 2023 and why I am confident that things will get better
"Our post-Covid, post-pandemic UK will finally start to take advantage of all our new freedoms, lengthening our lead as the best place on earth to invest, to start a business, raise a family or to just hang out in the pub which is what I propose to do this New Year's Eve."
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