Russia attacks Ukraine wilth cruise missiles,rejects peace formula

Russia has rejected Volodymyr Zelenskyy's peace formula as a basis for negotiations. Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Zelenskiy's idea of driving Russia out of eastern Ukraine and Crimea with Western help and getting Moscow to pay damages to Kyiv is an illusion. Zelensky is pushing a 10-point peace plan that envisages Russia respecting Ukraine's territorial integrity and pulling out all its troops, but Moscow dismissed it on Wednesday, reiterating Kyiv must accept Russia's annexation of the four regions - Luhansk and Donetsk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. On Thursday, Lavrov said Russia would continue to build up its fighting strength and technological capabilities in Ukraine. He also emphasised that mobilised troops had undergone “serious training” and while many were now on the ground, the majority were not yet at the front. Moscow has insisted Kyiv must first accept Russia’s annexation of Luhansk and Donetsk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhia in the south. There can be no peace plan “that does not take into account today’s realities regarding Russian territory, with the entry of four regions into Russia”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. UK Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said that “Russia does not want peace with Ukraine” as it launched yet another mass strike against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Thursday. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia attacks Ukraine with “air and sea-based cruise missiles launched from strategic aircraft and ships” following the overnight kamikaze drone attack. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy reported that explosions were heard in the city amid Russia's mass missile attack against Ukraine. He did not provide any details.

Russia launched a new mass attack using air and sea-based cruise missiles from various directions early on Dec. 29, the Air Force reported.

Governors of at least eight Ukrainian regions said that Russian missiles were attacking their oblasts.https://t.co/lgVRVy3OJQ

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) December 29, 2022

On Wednesday Ukraine's recently liberated southern city of Kherson suffered intense mortar and artillery attacks from Russian forces across the Dnipro river. Kherson has remained under bombardment from Russian forces which had retreated to the east bank of the river when the city was retaken in a major victory for Ukraine last month.