Sanjha Morcha

Russian missile, drone attack on Ukraine hits multiple targets, including Kyiv   

Ukraine has lost, approximately, half of its energy infrastructure to the war as relentless attacks from Russia continue    

Russia launched an aerial attack on Ukraine on Tuesday, striking the capital and other regions with multiple missiles and drones.

Ukraine’s air force reported a ballistic missile threat at 3 am (0100 GMT), with at least two explosions heard in Kyiv minutes later. Another missile alert was issued at 8 am followed by at least one explosion in the city. Missile debris fell in the Darnytskyi district of the capital with no reports of casualties or damage, the local administration said.

Authorities in the northeastern Sumy region reported strikes near the city of Shostka, where the mayor, Mykola Noha, said 12 residential buildings had been damaged as well as two educational facilities. He said some “social infrastructure objects” were destroyed, without providing detail.

The air force also reported missiles and drones targeting several other regions of Ukraine.

Around half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed during the war, and rolling electricity blackouts are common and widespread.

Kyiv’s Western allies have provided air defence systems to help Ukraine protect critical infrastructure, but Russia has sought to overwhelm its air defences with combined strikes involving large numbers of missiles and drones.

Russian attacks come as uncertainty looms over the course of the nearly three-year conflict. US President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital US military support for Kyiv will continue.

On Monday, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will send an additional USD 2.5 billion in weapons to Ukraine as his administration works quickly to spend all the money it has available to help Kyiv fight off Russia before Trump takes office.

Russia has held the initiative this year as its military has steadily rammed through Ukrainian defences in the east in a series of slow but steady offensives.


Forget, forgive past mistakes: CM Biren Singh apologises to people of Manipur for ethnic conflict

Says the number of firing incidents dipped in Manipur over the last 20 months since beginning of ethnic conflict in May 2023 

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh addresses a press conference, in Imphal on December 31, 2024. PTI

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state which claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless, and appealed to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and live together in a peaceful and prosperous state.

Addressing reporters here, Singh said that there has been relative peace in the state in the last three-four months, which gives him hope that normalcy will be restored in the New Year.

“I want to say sorry for what happened in the state. Many people lost their loved ones and many had to leave their homes. I regret and want to apologise. But after seeing relative peace in the last three-four months, I hope that normalcy will be restored in the coming year.

“Whatever happened has happened… I want to appeal to all communities to forgive and forget our past mistakes and start life afresh by living together in a peaceful and prosperous Manipur,” he said.

Singh said firing incidents have declined in the state over the last 20 months since the ethnic conflict began in May 2023.

“From May to October, 2023, 408 firing incidents were reported. From November 2023 to April 2024, there were 345 firing incidents, whereas from May this year till now, 112 firing incidents were reported,” he said.

He said that of all the looted weapons, 3,112 have been recovered and 2,511 explosives have been seized during the period.

The chief minister further said that 625 people have been arrested and 12,047 FIRs registered so far.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.