Putin unleashes ‘biggest attack’ on Ukraine with 158 missiles hitting baby hospital, mall & homes after revenge vow

VLADIMIR Putin has unleashed what is believed to be the biggest aerial attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the bloody war launching a total of 158 missiles.

The hellish overnight attack saw a barrage of missiles and drone strikes across the country hitting homes, a maternity hospital and a shopping mall.

The assault- retaliation for Ukraine's Boxing Day missile strike in Crimea, left at least 20 civilians dead and over 86 injured.

Furious Putin vowed "revenge" after Ukraine struck a key Russian warship in the occupied port of Feodosia.

Officials said Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones in what an air force official said was the biggest aerial barrage of the 22-month war.

The Ukrainian air force intercepted 87 of the missiles and 27 of the Shahed-type drones overnight, Ukraine's military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said.

Ukrainian Air Force records show the previous biggest attack was in November last year when Russia fired 96 missiles.

Meanwhile, a Russian missile passed through Polish airspace entering from and then back into Ukraine, the Polish army said.

"Everything indicates that a Russian missile entered Polish airspace... It also left our airspace," General Wieslaw Kukula, chief of the general staff of the Polish armed forces, said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he spoke with the Polish President about the incident and added: "NATO stands in solidarity with our valued Ally, is monitoring the situation & we will remain in contact as the facts are established. NATO remains vigilant."

Explosions were reported in Kyiv, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said adding that three people have been trapped under the rubble of a warehouse in the Shevchenkivskyi district.

Other Ukrainian cities including Kharkiv, Lviv and Odesa were also struck, officials said.

"Today, at five o'clock in the morning, the fascists' followers hit the peaceful city with S-300 missiles.

"Ten explosions rang out in Kharkiv. Specialised services quickly arrived at strike spots," Kharkiv region police said.

In Dnipro a maternity hospital was hit as well as the Apollo shopping mall while in Odesa terrifying footage shows a high-rise building on fire after being struck by debris from a downed drone.

Two civilians were killed in the Black Sea port city while 15 were injured including two children, the regional governor said.

In Dnipro, six people have died - including an 18-month-old baby.

Several people have been injured in the attacks while a building of a metro station in Kyiv used as a shelter was damaged.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky hit out at Russians saying they fired a total of 110 missiles.

“Today, Russia was attacking with almost everything it has in its arsenal: Kinzhals, S-300, cruise missiles, UAVs,” he said.  

“Strategic bombers launched Kh-101/Kh-505. 

“Approximately 110 missiles were fired, most of which were shot down.

“Unfortunately, as a result of the shelling, there are dead and wounded. 

“All services work in an emergency mode and provide the necessary assistance to people. 

“My condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims, and a speedy recovery to the wounded.

“We will certainly respond to the terrorists' blows. 

“And we will fight to guarantee the safety of our country, every city, and all our people. 

“Russian terror must lose - and that's what is going to happen.”

Twenty-two Russian strikes were recorded in Kharkiv, damaging a hospital, residential buildings and an industrial facility, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Ukraine was being attacked simultaneously by Russian Kinzhal, Iskander, S-300s, Kh-22 and Kh-32 missiles with 18 strategic bombers  deployed as well as Iranian-supplied Shahed drones, according to Ukrainian sources. 

Some reports said Kalibr missiles were also used.

Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said: "We have never seen so many targets on our monitor at the same time."

The head of Ukraine's Air Force said it was "the most massive attack from the air" since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Andriy Yermak, head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said: "There are dead people who were killed by Russian missiles today, which were launched at civilian objects and residential buildings. 

“The enemy's attack continues.”

The aviation production plant Artem - which produces air-to-air guided missiles - appeared to be on fire with black smoke emerging from its site. 

"There is a fire on the territory of warehouses in the Podilsk district,” said Kyiv City Military Administration.

“According to preliminary information there are wounded people. Information is being clarified.”

In Kharkiv, 22 missiles hit the city between 5am and 8am, said city mayor Ihor Terekhov.

“A hospital, a school, residential buildings, a post office and industrial enterprises of the city were damaged. 

“Seven people were injured and one person died. Rescuers are working on the spot.”

Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said eight were wounded in the territory. 

"As of now, as a result of the occupiers' strikes on Kharkiv, one person has died, a man of about 35 years old. 

“Eight people were injured, doctors are providing assistance on the spot.”

In Kharkiv - resident Olena Kurylo, called the “Face of the War” after her bloody image was flashed around the world at the start of the war in February 2022 - said today: “None of us has slept properly this December in Kharkiv and the region, but this was the worst night with more than 23 missiles and constant air raid alerts since 3am. 

“My daughter is in a shelter with her boyfriend, they just about had time to pick up their cats and run there. 

“I am hiding in the basement floor of my house, reading messages from friends from all over the country: Lviv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa… 

“None of them slept, again and again they grabbed their children and elderly, and ran.  

“I’ve been through so many emotions these past two years - from hope that our [Russian] ’brothers’ simply can’t do this to us, to shock and tears, to anger and now hatred. 

“This cannot go on. They can’t just go on killing us before the rest of the world, like this is something they have the right to do. 

“They don’t! They have no right! Please hear us from under the missiles, from under their endless death drones, from under their shelling.”

The attacks come after the Russian leader sent death squads into occupied Crimea to hunt down anyone working for the resistance and helped Kyiv blitz his warship.

Ukraine launched a British Storm Shadow missile strike that sunk the key Russian landing ship Novocherkassk in a major blow for Putin on Boxing Day.

A Ukrainian supersonic Su-24 jet is said to have launched the cruise missile which ripped apart the ship, said to be loaded with Iranian suicide drones.

At least 33 are suspected to have died and dozens wounded.

Ukraine has said its air force destroyed the Novocherkassk landing ship, with President Volodymyr Zelensky joking on social media that the vessel had now joined "the Russian underwater Black Sea fleet".

In response, the Russian tyrant is said to have vowed to drag his bloody war in Ukraine out for at least five more years.