RUSSIA pounded Ukraine with at least 120 missiles today in one of the biggest bombardments of the war so far.
Waves of rockets fired from the sea and the air targeted major cities including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east and Lviv and Odesa in the west.
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Explosions were heard across the country, and at least three people were reported wounded in Kyiv including a girl of 14.
Photos showed the burning wrecks of private houses in the Darnitsa district of the capital today.
“This is what Russia‘s New Year terror looks like,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the President’s Office.
Victims were rushed to hospital after homes were hit by debris from one of 16 missiles downed over Kyiv, said mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
He added: “So far, two people have been rescued from a damaged private house.
“Rescuers continue search and rescue operations. Rocket debris also damaged a car on one of the central streets.”
The strikes knocked out electricity supplies to 40 per cent of the city, the mayor said.
Meanwhile around 90 per cent of Lviv was without power, suggesting Russia was once again deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
Another “series of explosions” hit civilian neighbourhoods in Ukraine‘s second city Kharkiv, mayor Igor Terekhov said.
Blasts were also heard in Zhytomyr, Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk, according to local media.
And a family had a miracle escape when a cruise missile crashed through their home but failed to detonate in Ranok, a village in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
Ukraine’s Air Force Command said on social media: “Massive missiles attack… The enemy is attacking Ukraine from various directions with air and sea-based cruise missiles from strategic aircraft and ships.”
More than 120 missiles were fired, according to presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak.
He accused Moscow of seeking “to destroy critical infrastructure and kill civilians en masse”.
And he added ironically: “We’re waiting for further proposals from ”peacekeepers’.”
Ukraine claimed it shot down dozens of incoming missiles.
Video footage shared online appeared to show one cruise missile dodging a rocket before being hit by another and going down in flames.
The bombardment followed an overnight “kamikaze” drone attack on several Ukrainian regions.
Yesterday, Ukraine claimed five drones were downed over the city of Dnipro – thought to be Iran-made Shahed-136 craft.
Vladimir Putin has turned to terrorising civilians with missile strikes after humiliating setbacks on the battlefield.
Many have targeted energy and water networks, hoping to freeze Ukrainians during the harsh winter.
Yesterday desperate families were forced to flee newly liberated Kherson after ruthless shelling by Russian troops.
Huge queues formed at checkpoints as hundreds of Ukrainians desperately tried to make it to safety.
Putin’s soldiers fired at least 33 shells into the southern port city in 24 hours up to yesterday morning, officials said.
Five new mums and their babies narrowly dodged death when a maternity hospital was hit on Tuesday.
Kherson was the only regional capital seized following the invasion.
It was freed from Russia’s clutches only weeks ago as the invaders retreated to the opposite bank of the Dnipro river.
But Russian units began a concerted bombardment of civilian targets over Christmas.
A mortar attack killed 11 people and injured nearly 60 at a main market in the city on Christmas Eve.
Ukraine has said it wants new peace talks, but Russia insists any deal must allow it to keep four annexed regions.
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Felix Allen
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