Ukraine successfully thwarted the launch of a record number of Russian drones on New Year's Eve, marking a week of escalated tensions in the nearly two-year conflict between the two nations. Russian shelling unfortunately resulted in the death of one person in the southern Odesa region and another in Kherson. This onslaught followed Russia's deadly strikes at the end of 2023, resulting in the deaths of 39 people in one of the biggest attacks in the ongoing war. According to Ukraine's air force, Russia launched 90 Iranian-made Shahed drones on the last night of the year.

The defenders of the sky managed to destroy a record 87 out of the 90 enemy attack drones. Additionally, Moscow launched missiles in various regions of Ukraine, including the northeastern Kharkiv region, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia in the south. Odesa was shelled on New Year's Eve, resulting in one casualty, while a 73-year-old woman was also killed in the shelling in Kherson. The drone attacks were not limited to the south, as they also targeted the western city of Lviv near the Polish border.

The city's mayor, Andriy Sadovy, reported damage to a university associated with a Ukrainian nationalist figure and a museum. In a retaliatory response, Russia reported that Ukrainian drone attacks targeted its Belgorod region near the border. The recent escalation has led to increased attacks between the two countries, with an unprecedented Ukrainian attack on the city of Belgorod resulting in the deaths of 24 people on Saturday. The ongoing conflict continues to pose a significant threat to the region, with both sides engaging in aggressive actions.