Four dead in Ukraine as Russia evacuates hundreds from border city

KYIV, Ukraine: A wave of Russian strikes killed four people across Ukraine on Monday, officials said, as authorities in the Russian border city of Belgorod evacuated hundreds due to Ukrainian shelling.

As the war approaches its second anniversary, both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of causing dozens of civilian casualties in a sharp escalation of attacks. “Overnight on 8 January, 2024, the enemy launched a massive attack on Ukraine,” the country´s air force said on social media.

Russian missiles hit a shopping centre and high-rise buildings in President Volodymyr Zelensky´s hometown of Kryvyi Rig, killing one person, deputy head of the presidency Oleksiy Kuleba said. “In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work,” he said.