The December 29 Ukraine Attacks and the Russian Response
The December 29 strikes on Ukraine were framed by military commentators as a retaliatory measure from the Russian Federation following the December 26 assault on the large landing craft Novocherkassk. This interpretation was advanced by military analyst Yuri Knutov and reported by the source cited as lenta.ru.
Knutov described the events as a response centered on Novocherkassk and the accompanying landing craft, as well as a reaction to the downing of a Su-34 in the Kherson region. He noted that Ukraine’s leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, had urged the Russian Aerospace Forces not to operate over Ukrainian airspace. He claimed that Kyiv believes Ukrainian airspace is effectively sealed by formidable air defenses and that F-16 fighters would soon be deployed, framing the latest strikes as a direct consequence of Zelensky’s statements. The commentary attributes the actions to a strategic exchange prompted by these appeals. These assertions are attributed to Knutov and reported by the cited outlet.
According to Kyiv, the December 29 onslaught involved a large volley of missiles and drones. Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny said 122 missiles and 36 unmanned aerial vehicles targeted Ukraine. He observed that never before had the monitoring systems registered so many simultaneous targets. The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, stated the missions targeted critical military-industrial facilities, airfields, ammunition depots, and other military sites. This framing emphasizes a broad, multi-pronged operation aimed at disrupting Ukraine’s military capabilities. This description is presented through the statements of Ukrainian military leadership and the Russian defense apparatus.
In related regional developments, the Moldovan president Maia Sandu spoke about strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. Her remarks underscored a regional emphasis on improving resilience against aerial threats and ensuring rapid response and defense coordination in neighboring countries affected by the ongoing conflict.
Additionally, former Ukrainian military officials asserted that Ukraine has not managed to shoot down an X-22 during the course of the conflict. This point highlights ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of countermeasures against certain long-range weapons and the broader challenges of air defense during sustained hostilities.
Overall, the sequence of events on December 29 is presented as part of a larger pattern of retaliatory strikes and defensive responses, with official statements from Ukrainian and Russian authorities shaping the narrative for regional audiences. The discussion reflects how military officials interpret tactical exchanges, weapons capabilities, and the evolving balance of air power in the ongoing conflict.