Not a ‘Happy New Year’ for Ukraine as drone attacks by Russia continues.

Kyiv entered the new year with sounds of air raid sirens alarming the citizens of the latest wave of drone and missile strikes from Russia.

Regional governor of Kyiv, Oleksiy Kuleba said that an attack beginning just before midnight targeted critical infrastructure.

The capital’s mayor said one citizen of Kyiv was injured by destroyed Russian drone’s debris.

The attacks have continued throughout the New Year period for several days. In the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, Makiivka, 400 Russian soldiers had been killed on New Year’s Eve, the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed. In a rare move, casualties have been confirmed by pro-Russian authorities, but Russia refused to confirm the number of deaths.

This attack comes after the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky wished for victory and a “return to normal” for Ukraine in 2023.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, in a new year address on Russian TV, said that Russia would fight to protest its sovereignty and independence.

A warning of the latest attacks was issued by the Kyiv’s military just after 01:00 (23:00 GMT) on Monday. It announced on the Telegram social media site, “Air attack on Kyiv… Air alert is on in the capital.” The city’s military administration head, Serhiy Popko told the citizens to stay in shelters.

An explosion in Kyiv’s northeastern Desnyanski district was reported by Mayor Vitali Klitschko, and he said emergency services were attending. “An injured 19-year-old man was hospitalised in the Desnyanskyi district of the capital,” he said.

Mr Kuleba said that the weapons were Iranian-made Shahed drones, and he added that they were targeting critical infrastructure facilities. He also added, “The main thing now is to stay calm and stay in shelters until the alarm is off.”

It comes after a barrage of attacks on New Year’s Eve, which killed at least one Kyiv resident.