KYIV - Ukraine shot down 45 Russian drones overnight as the pro-Western country rang in the New Year, the air force said on Sunday.

In a New Year's Eve assault, Moscow attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with missiles and Iranian-made drones.

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Ukraine's air force said in a statement that air defenses destroyed 45 "Shahed" drones.

Thirteen drones were shot down at the end of 2022 and another 32 in the new year, the statement said.

On December 29, Russia once again bombarded Ukraine with cruise missiles.
Video of one of these missiles being shot down.
Glory to Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/I1JIwXLfeW

— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) December 29, 2022

Ukrainian authorities did not say if some of the drones reached their targets.

Andriy Nebitov, the head of the Kyiv police, posted on Facebook a picture of wreckage of a downed drone that featured the words "Happy New Year" in Russian.

"That is everything you need to know about the terror state and its army," he wrote.

The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine enters its 11th month.

After a series of humiliating military defeats, Russia in October began targeting Ukraine's infrastructure, leaving millions in the cold and dark.

bur-as/bp

© Agence France-Presse

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