Putin promises to escalate assaults on Ukrainian military sites

President Vladimir Putin has declared that he will escalate attacks on Ukraine after days of aerial bombardment by both sides in the ongoing conflict. Speaking at a military hospital in Moscow, Putin stated that the military would continue to target Ukrainian military installations. He criticized Ukraine for carrying out an air raid on the city of Belgorod, accusing them of intentionally targeting civilians. This attack resulted in the death of 24 people and over 100 injuries. Putin claimed that the war was turning in Russia's favor and expressed a desire for a quick end to the conflict, but only on Russia's terms. He also blamed Ukraine's Western supporters for prolonging the conflict, although he noted some change in their rhetoric. In his New Year's message, Putin praised Russian soldiers as heroes, without directly referring to the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, promised to significantly increase the country's weapon production in 2024, specifically mentioning the construction of at least a million drones. Recent days have seen deadly exchanges of attacks between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine reportedly shelled the Russian-held Ukrainian cities of Donetsk, causing casualties, while Ukrainian forces launched strikes on targets in southwest Russia, including Belgorod, which Putin condemned as a terrorist attack. Last week, Russia carried out its most extensive missile bombardment of the war so far, resulting in the deaths of at least 45 people and described by Kyiv as a major escalation.