The new year has already arrived in Australia. Thousands of people in Sydney flocked to television screens and in person to watch the spectacular fireworks display on and off the Harbor Bridge, which lasted for ten minutes. More than 100,000 fireworks were shot into the air. Sydney officials said the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is still being felt, but they hope the holiday will at least provide some relief from the challenges people have faced in recent years. Even in the capital of New Zealand, Auckland, which was one of the first major cities to welcome 2023, people were able to watch the fireworks. Before New Zealand, the Pacific island nation of Kiribati also welcomed the new year.
Photo: AFP, MUHAMMAD FAROOQ Photo: AFP, MUHAMMAD FAROOQ New Year’s Eve fireworks light up the sky over the Harbor Bridge during the fireworks display in Sydney on Jan. 1, 2023. (Photo by Muhammad FAROOQ/AFP) Photo: EPA, BIANCA DE MARCHI epaselect epa10383780 Midnight fireworks lit up the sky above the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge during New Year’s celebrations in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, January 1, 2023. EPA/BIANCA DE MARCHI AUSTRALIA OUT AND NEW ZEALAND
Meanwhile, in North America, in the United States, for the first time in two years, Times Square in New York will welcome as many people as before the pandemic. Up to 15,000 people could gather in Times Square during the restrictions, but this year’s celebrations will be held without restrictions. Moscow, on the other hand, canceled its traditional fireworks display after Mayor Sergei Sobyanin asked residents to vote on how to celebrate the event.
While in other parts of the world the air is filled with joyful applause and the roar of fireworks, explosions and warning sirens are heard in Ukraine. As previously admitted, Russia also carried out another missile attack on the territory of Ukraine on the day of the holiday and an air alert was announced in all regions of Ukraine. The military administration in Kiev reports that one of the Russian rockets hit a hotel in the Pechersk district, while a private house was hit by rocket debris in the Solomyansk district. The concert hall “Ukraina” was also affected, where children’s events are usually held at the end of the year. Reports of damage also came from other areas of the city. In Kiev, at least one person died and more than fifteen were injured. A Japanese journalist was also among the victims. About 30% of the capital’s population is currently without electricity. Reports of explosions also came from Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhya and Khmelnytskyi regions. Several images and videos on the Telegram app show a large amount of white streaks in the air that have appeared behind missiles launched from the Caspian Sea.
Photo: AP, Roman Hrytsyna Photo: AP, Roman Hrytsyna Photo: AFP, SAMEER AL-DOUMY Photo: AFP, SERGEI SUPINSKY Photo: AP, Roman Hrytsyna
The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Valery Zaluzhnyi, announced that the Russians fired at least 20 missiles at Ukraine on Saturday, 12 of which were shot down by Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners. Six of the missiles were shot down over Kiev.
Another prisoner of war exchange took place today. Ukraine has recovered 140 people, among whom are both the wounded, defenders of Mariupol and Snake Island and soldiers who were captured while fighting near Bakhmut.
Exchange of prisoners of war in Ukraine (31.12.2022) Photo: via REUTERS, UKRAINE PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER
The New Year’s speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected tonight. Before that, he posted several photos from the front on the Telegram website and expressed confidence that Ukraine will liberate its land, win this war and restore freedom and security to all Ukrainians.
CONTEXT:
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to start invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine. Putin claimed that NATO would use Ukraine as a springboard for aggression against Russia, although there was no evidence of such claims. Ukraine believes Putin’s real goal is to destroy Ukraine’s statehood and bring the territory under Moscow’s control.
In early autumn, Ukraine managed to free its occupiers in a counterattack more territory than Russia had managed to occupy since early April. On November 11, units of the Russian army left the city of Chersonwhere soon Ukrainian soldiers have entered.
Russia with missiles regularly bomb Ukrainian cities, to leave Ukrainians without electricity and heating in winter. The European Parliament is Russia said for being a state sponsor of terrorism.
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