A Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, resulted in the deaths of eighteen people, including nine children, and injured 61 more. The attack, which targeted an area near residential buildings, damaged numerous structures including apartment buildings and a playground. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the attack, urging allies to increase pressure on Moscow and bolster Ukraine’s defenses. Russia’s defense ministry offered a conflicting account, claiming to have targeted a military meeting, a claim that was refuted by Ukraine.
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A Russian missile strike on a Kryvyi Rih hotel killed four and injured over 30, with U.S. citizens among the survivors. The attack occurred a day after the Trump administration temporarily halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine amid ongoing peace negotiations with Russia. President Zelensky condemned the strike, emphasizing the need for continued pressure on Russia. The incident highlights the continued Russian aggression despite peace talks and follows statements from Russian officials indicating their intent to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine.
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Following a December 25th crash in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan’s transport minister stated that the Azerbaijan Airlines plane suffered “external interference,” resulting in both internal and external damage. Survivors reported hearing three blasts while the aircraft was over Grozny, Chechnya, leading to speculation that Russian air defenses were involved. While the Kremlin remains silent, Russia cited a “closed-skies protocol” due to Ukrainian drone attacks, and US officials have expressed early indications supporting the theory of Russian air defense involvement. Azerbaijani officials, while avoiding direct accusations, suggest the plane was struck by shrapnel from a missile, impacting its GPS and hydraulic systems.
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An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190, flight 8432, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, resulting in 38 fatalities out of 67 passengers and crew. Initial reports suggested a bird strike forced an emergency landing, but survivor accounts and investigative sources indicate a possible missile strike near Grozny, the intended destination. The plane’s erratic flight path, as shown by FlightRadar24 data, and potential GPS jamming further complicate the investigation. The nationalities of the passengers included a significant number of Azerbaijanis, as well as Russians, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz citizens.
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Bild journalist Julian Röpcke posits that the November 21st Dnipro missile strike utilized a modified, non-explosive RS-26 Rubezh missile, citing video evidence of submunitions lacking explosions. Röpcke suggests the minimal damage supports the claim of a propaganda act rather than a military one. This contradicts some Western and Ukrainian assessments identifying the missile as a nuclear-capable ICBM, although the Kremlin confirmed the use of a different missile type. The conflicting reports highlight the difficulty in definitively identifying the weapon used.
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John Q. Hosedrinker