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'Their bet may be on our exhaustion:' Zelenskyy claims Russia planning prolonged drone attack

He said Ukraine downed 80 Russian Shahed drones in the last two days

Vlodomyr Zelenskyy Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy | AP

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia was planning a protracted drone attack on Ukraine, in its bid to exhaust and demoralize the Ukrainians. 

According to the president, he received intelligence reports suggesting that Moscow would launch the attacks using Iranian-made Shahed drones. He added that Ukrainian Armed Forces have shot down 80 Russian drones in the first two days of 2023. 

"Only two days have passed since the beginning of the year, and the number of downed Iranian drones over Ukraine is now over 80. This number may increase in the near future. Because the nights can be quite restless these weeks," the president added.

"We have information that Russia is planning a prolonged attack with Shahed drones. Their bet may be on our exhaustion. The exhaustion of our people, our air defence, our electricity." 

In his nightly address from Kyiv, Zelensky said they will do everything to ensure that the "goal of terrorists fails like all the others." "Now is the time when everyone involved in the protection of the sky should be especially attentive," he added. 

This comes as Russia has been striking Ukraine with drones, launching attacks on its power infrastructure, leaving a large portion of the country in dark. 

Meanwhile, reports claim there is anger among Russian nationalists and lawmakers after a Ukrainian attack claimed 63 Russian soldiers in the Donetsk region of Makiivka. They have claimed that commanders who ignored dangers be punished. 

The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said that up to 10 units of Russian military equipment in Makiivka were damaged or destroyed in the attack, reported Al Jazeera. 

In a rare move, Russian officials did acknowledge the incident. According to Russia's defence ministry, Ukrainian forces fired six rockets using the US-made Himars rocket system at a building housing Russian troops. Two of them were shot down, it added.

But, Igor Girkin, a pro-Russian commentator, claimed in his Telegram channel that hundreds had been killed and wounded, although the exact number was unknown because of the large number still missing. He added that the building itself was "almost completely destroyed."

According to him, the deceased were mostly mobilised troops, recent conscripts. The ammunition was also stored in the same building as the soldiers, making the damage worse. "Almost all of the military equipment was also destroyed, which stood right next to the building without any disguise whatsoever," he was quoted by BBC.

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