'Happy New Year' written on Iranian-made drone in Ukraine's Kyiv

Jan. 1 (UPI) -- 'Happy New Year' was written on Iranian-made drone was found in Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Sunday.

On Saturday, multiple blasts rocked Kyiv and other areas of Ukraine amid the 10-month-old war with Russia.

Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, posted an image of the drone on Twitter. Police said it was among 32 destroyed by Ukrainian forces on New Year's Eve.

"Remains of an Iranian drone taken down during New Year's night in Kyiv region," Gerashchenko wrote. "The writing says 'Happy New Year.' "

Andrii Nebytov, head of the Kyiv regional police, originally posted the images on Telegram.

On Telegram, he wrote there were 140 reports of enemy drones flying over Kyiv region on New Year's Eve. "The wreckage of the drones has already been found in three districts of the region. Police continue to search for the remains of drones and record war crimes of aggressors."

Nebytov said the fragments were found in an area frequented by children.

"These fragments are not at the front, where there are fierce battles, they are here, on the sports ground, where children play. This is all you need to know about the terrorist state and its army."

He added: "We thank the air defense units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the excellent result. Without your professional work, the morning would not be good."

On Saturday, Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russian President Vladimir Putin was celebratign the New Year by launching a new round of missile attacks targeting residential areas of Ukraine.

"This time, Russia's mass missile attack is deliberately targeting residential areas, not even our energy infrastructure," Kuleba wrote in a tweet. "War criminal Putin 'celebrates' New Year by killing people. Russia must be kicked out of its UN Security Council seat which it has always occupied illegally."

During his annual New Year's Eve address, Putin accused the West of lying about peace and leveraging the invasion of Ukraine to sow discord. He made the speech from a military headquarters with soldiers pictured in the background instead of traditional address in front of the Kremlin.

"It was a year of difficult, necessary decisions, the most important steps toward gaining full sovereignty of Russia and powerful consolidation of our society," he said, repeating his oft-stated contention that Moscow had no choice but to send troops into Ukraine because it threatened Russia's security.

"The West lied about peace, but was preparing for aggression, and today it admits it openly, no longer embarrassed. And they cynically use Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia," Putin said.

During his New Year's Eve speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is waging war on his country so Putin can remain in power for the rest of his life

"This war that you are waging, Russia, it is not the war with NATO, as your propagandists lie," he said in his speec. "It is not for something historical. It's for one person to remain in power until the end of his life.

"And what will be with all of you, citizens of Russia, does not concern him."

Zelensky switched to speaking Russian during his remarks Saturday night instead of Ukrainian.

At least one person was killed and 20 others were injured in Kyiv on Saturday, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.