On the night of January 2, Russia launched 72 UAVs of the Shahed type and other drones against Ukraine. Air defense forces managed to shoot down 47 of them, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

The enemy launched drones from the directions of Russia’s Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions.

The following were involved in repelling the attack:

• aviation;
• anti-aircraft missile troops;
• electronic warfare units;
• mobile fire groups of Ukraine’s Air Force and Defense Forces.

As of 08:30 a.m., 47 drones were confirmed downed in the Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and several other regions. Another 24 drones were lost locally without causing any adverse effects.

One of the drones that were launched remains in Ukrainian airspace.

Russian attacks on Ukraine

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian terrorists have regularly struck Ukrainian territory, posing a severe threat to civilians. The enemy uses guided aerial bombs, missiles, drones, and artillery for these attacks. Over the past months, Russia has almost daily conducted nighttime shellings.

For instance, Russia launched 111 drones from four directions on New Year’s Eve. While repelling the air attack, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 63 drones, and another 46 were lost locally.

Russians massively attacked Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region, and killed a man, according to the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Ivan Fedorov.

According to Fedorov, Russia struck Stepnohirsk, Vasylivka district, with multiple rocket launchers 11 times.

As a result of a Russian attack, a five-story building was destroyed, and a man was killed. Rescuers removed his body from the rubble of the destroyed building.

The search and rescue operation at the site of the attack lasted more than five hours.

Photo: Russians massively attacked Stepnohirsk with multiple rocket launchers (t.me/ivan_fedorov_zp)

Russian shelling of Ukraine on January 2

On the night of January 2, Russians again attacked Ukraine with drones. Russia launched 72 drones. Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 47 Russian drones, and another 24 Russian imitator drones were lost in the area.

Ukrainian air defense system was operating in the Kyiv region, as well as in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions.

On New Year’s Eve, the Russians launched 111 drones at Ukraine. Debris fell in Kyiv, killing 2 people. Read more about the aftermath of the attack in RBC-Ukraine’s report.

During the first day of the new year, Russia lost 1,370 soldiers at the front. In addition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) deprived the occupiers of four tanks and 20 artillery systems, reports the General Staff of the AFU.

The total combat Russian losses from February 24, 2022, to January 2, 2024, are estimated to be:

• personnel – about 792,170 (+1,370) Russian troops were eliminated;
• tanks – 9,676 (+4);
• armored personnel vehicle – 20,056 (+13);
• artillery systems – 21,552 (+20);
• MLRS – 1,256;
• anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,032;
• airplanes – 369;
• helicopters – 330;
• UAV operational-tactical level – 21,200 (+69);
• cruise missiles – 3,003;
• warships/boats – 28;
• submarines – 1;
• vehicles and fuel tanks – 32,729 (+54);
• special equipment – 3,675 (+3).

Situation on frontline

As of the evening of January 1, 125 combat clashes took place on the front. The hottest situation remains in the Pokrovsk direction, where 35 enemy attacks were recorded. In particular, the Ukrainian military showed how they are destroying the enemy in Pokrovsk, the Donetsk region. Fighting is taking place in the city’s private sector.

In addition, Russian troops attacked the positions of Ukraine’s Defense Forces in Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, the Donetsk region. As a result of the fighting, some positions were destroyed.

Furthermore, almost 200 enemy attacks took place on the front on New Year’s Day, and in the Pokrovsk direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped 57 Russian assaults toward 16 settlements.