Briefly

VENEZUELA

Maduro orders military action against 'threat'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday ordered a "joint military action" by the Bolivarian National Armed Forces in eastern Venezuela amid what he described as a "threat" from Britain. The stationing of a British military ship in the waters of neighboring Guyana represents a breaking of the recent agreement Venezuela reached with the Guyanese government during the dialogue on Dec 14, said Maduro during a New Year's greeting speech to military personnel. After diplomatic measures fell short, Venezuela would respond in a "proportional" manner and reserve all corresponding actions within the framework of international law, he said.

UKRAINE

Kyiv says Moscow launches 122 missiles

Russia launched 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets, officials said on Friday, in what an air force official said was the "biggest aerial barrage" in the 22-month conflict. The Ukrainian air force intercepted 87 missiles and 27 drones overnight, Ukraine's military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said. The aerial attack that began on Thursday and continued through the night hit six cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and other areas from east to west and north to south Ukraine, according to authorities. Russia's army later on Friday said it had struck all its targets in dozens of attacks on Ukraine over the week.

Agencies - Xinhua