MOSCOW: Russia said on Saturday it had shot down eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles, whose use Moscow has warned could spark a hypersonic ballistic missile attack on central Kyiv.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use the 300-kilometer- (190-mile-) range arms against Russia last year, in a move the Kremlin denounced as a grave escalation.
“Air defense systems downed eight ATACMS US-made missiles and 72 drones,” the Russian defense ministry said.
The ministry also said it had captured the Ukrainian village of Nadiia, one of the few settlements in the eastern Lugansk region still under Kyiv’s control.
Moscow advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometers (1,540 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, according to an AFP analysis, as Kyiv’s army struggled with chronic manpower shortages and exhaustion.
Both sides have accused each other of fatal attacks on civilians since the year began.
A Russian strike on a village in Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region earlier on Saturday killed a 74-year-old man, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.
Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles
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Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles
- Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use the 300-kilometer-range arms against Russia last year
Australia police detain 7 men suspected to have ideological links to Bondi Beach gunmen
- Government to launch gun buyback scheme in bid to prevent further violence
- Prime minister announces ‘day of reflection’ one week after attack
SYDNEY: Australian police said that seven men detained in Sydney’s southwest on Thursday had ideological connections to the two gunmen who allegedly fired at hundreds celebrating Hanukkah in Bondi Beach, killing 15 people.
“We don’t have definitive links between the individuals who committed these atrocities on Sunday and this yesterday apart from potential commonality in some thinking, but no associations at this stage,” New South Wales state Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told ABC Radio on Friday.
Investigations were at an initial stage, Hudson said, adding one of the locations the group was planning to visit was Bondi.
Amid an outcry over the latest gun violence, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the government will launch a national gun buyback scheme to “purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms.”
“We expect hundreds of thousands of firearms will be collected and destroyed through this scheme,” Albanese told a news conference.
Albanese also announced a nationwide gun buyback scheme to “purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms.”
He said it would be the largest gun buyback effort since 1996, when Australia cracked down on firearms in the wake of a shooting that killed 35 people at Port Arthur.
“Australia’s gun laws were substantially reformed after the Port Arthur tragedy,” Albanese said.
“The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets.”
Sajid Akram and his son Naveed are accused of killing 15 people in an antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since Port Arthur.
Albanese also said Australia will hold a national “day of reflection” one week after the mass shooting.
“This day is about standing with the Jewish community, wrapping our arms around them, and all Australians sharing their grief,” Albanese said as he declared Australia would honor the attack’s 15 victims. He urged Australians to light candles at 6:47 p.m. on Sunday, December 21 — “exactly one week since the attack unfolded.”
It is a moment to pause, reflect, and affirm that hatred and violence will never define who we are as Australians.”
Australia was also planning a separate “national day of mourning” to be held at some point in the new year, Albanese said.
“This will allow families the time and space to lay their loved ones to rest and to support those still recovering.”
