Editorial
Kiev's attacks against Russian territory are also extending into the cyber dimension, directly hitting Moscow, also implementing missile and drone raids in the border regions. Ukrainian sources report that a group of hackers from Kiev, probably with intelligence support, hacked the internet provider 'M9com', resulting in the demolition of servers, causing an internet and TV outage in some areas of the Russian capital. During the attack, over 10 GB of data was downloaded from some corporate email accounts and customer databases, which was subsequently published online. The sources claim that this is a retaliation for the December 12 cyber attack against the Ukrainian telecommunications company Kyivstar.
At the same time, the campaign of Ukrainian attacks on Russian territories continues: two drones hit a fuel depot in Oryol, causing three injuries. A bombing on the village of Gornal caused the death of a woman and damage to two houses, reported by governor Roman Starovoyt, who shortly before had reported the shooting down of four drones in the region. Ukrainian raids on the Belgorod region, the most affected in recent weeks, continue with three serious injuries in 24 hours.
Faced with the intensity of the attacks, the Kremlin assures that the Russian army will do "everything possible" to stop the bombings, as stated by Putin's spokesman, Dmitri Peskov. However, in Ukraine, missiles continue to rain down. Winter is adding to the woes of the Ukrainian people, with temperatures dropping to -15 degrees in many parts of the country, leaving more than 1.000 cities and villages without electricity in nine regions, according to ANSA.
Meanwhile, Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat raised the alarm, declaring that Ukraine has exhausted a considerable amount of ammunition and that there is a shortage of anti-aircraft guided missiles. These comments follow reports in the New York Times that the supply of Patriot missiles may soon become unsustainable, with construction costs estimated at between $2 million and $4 million for a single rocket. The €50 billion in security aid for Kiev is still blocked in the US Congress, while Ukraine awaits a €50 billion package from the EU, blocked by Hungary's veto. However, there are signs that Hungary could lift its veto, provided funding is approved annually, according to three European diplomatic sources cited by Politico.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry has announced an increase in supplies, starting mass production of a large assortment of drones. The Kremlin did not comment on the accusations of North Korean weapons supplies, instead pointing the finger at Ukrainian forces for the bombing of "civilian sites" on Russian territory, including Belgorod, with bullets and missiles coming from Germany, France, Italy, the United United States and other countries.
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