Ukrainian capital under Russian attack, air defenses in operation

Members of the National Police Special Purpose Battalion of Zaporizhzhia region load a shell into a Bohdana self propelled howitzer as they fire towards Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine January 23, 2026. (REUTERS)
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Updated 24 January 2026
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Ukrainian capital under Russian attack, air defenses in operation

  • In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov ​said Russian drones had attacked several districts, injuring 11 people

KYIV: Russian drones struck ​several districts early on Saturday in a massive attack on the Ukrainian capital with air defense units in operation, officials said.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said there had been strikes ‌in two districts ‌on either side ‌of ⁠the ​Dnipro ‌River bisecting the capital.
“Kyiv is under a massive enemy attack,” Klitschko wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, also reported strikes ⁠in at least three districts, sparking fires ‌in at least ‍two locations.
He ‍said drones were attacking the ‍city and there was a threat Russian missiles could be deployed.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov ​said Russian drones had attacked several districts, injuring 11 people. ⁠Drones had struck at least three residential buildings, he said on Telegram.
The attacks occurred after negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States completed the first of two days of talks in the United Arab Emirates devoted to working toward a resolution ‌of the nearly four-year-old war. 

 


South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo

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South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo

  • South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the ​Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need ‌to “realign” the ‌resources of South ‌Africa’s ⁠armed ​forces, ‌the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly ⁠11,000 troops and police deployed when its ‌mandate was extended in ‍December.
The UN ‍mission’s mandate is to counter ‍the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has ​been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly ⁠with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting ‌peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.