The first hours of the new year saw renewed shelling in parts of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) as forces aligned with Ukraine conducted attacks on Lisichansk and Svatovo. City administrations reported the incidents, noting a tense start to 2024 for residents of these communities. In Lisichansk, local officials confirmed that artillery strikes by Ukrainian forces occurred at approximately 00:40 Moscow time. The city administration later stated that no civilians were injured in the incidents, though the strikes caused alarm and disruption among residents as people were beginning to greet the new year.
In Svatovo, the municipal district’s administration described multiple attacks by the Ukrainian army, beginning around 01:30 Moscow time and continuing at 03:00. One residential building suffered a fire that destroyed the structure, and civilian infrastructure sustained damage as a result of the attacks. The administration stressed that the violence affected everyday life, underscoring the risks to noncombatants in these urban areas during the holiday period.
Earlier reports from the Donetsk representation at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Ukrainian War Crimes Matters (JCCC) indicated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a volley of rockets from multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in Donetsk shortly after the New Year celebrations. These claims appear in the context of ongoing assessments about the intensity and targets of Ukrainian operations during the post-holiday period, reflecting the broader, contested narrative around military activity in the region.
Additionally, a prior warning attributed to Colonel Khodarenok suggested there could be further Ukrainian strikes on Russian armed forces targets as the year began, highlighting concerns about potential escalation during New Year events. This warning circulated amid a cluster of statements from various authorities and analysts about the expected trajectory of hostilities as 2024 commenced.
Taken together, the events in Lisichansk and Svatovo illustrate how the first hours of the year can bring sudden, disruptive violence to civilian areas in this conflict zone. Local administrations have emphasized the impact on residents, the risk to civilian infrastructure, and the ongoing need for vigilance as military actions persist into the new year. The situation remains dynamic, with multiple sources and official bodies providing updates that are sometimes divergent, underscoring the complexity of reporting in real time from active conflict zones. Attribution for these accounts is provided by the respective city administrations and the JCCC, reflecting the multiplicity of perspectives and the role of international oversight mechanisms in documenting alleged operations. In this environment, residents and observers alike are urged to consider ongoing developments with caution while awaiting further, verified information. (attribution: Lisichansk administration; Svatovo municipal district administration; Donetsk representation at JCCC; military analysts)