Russia has launched airstrikes on Kiev for the first time in five weeks, destroying Western supply tanks. Vladimir PutinHe warned that more targets would be attacked if the arms supply continued.
Several explosions were heard early Sunday morning around the eastern Kiev suburbs of Tornitsky and Dniprovsky, injuring one person. The strikes represented a change in the side of the invading forces.
Russia’s Defense Ministry says T-72 tanks supplied by the attackers have been destroyed Ukraine With European countries storing in the buildings of the car repair business, the demand could not be verified immediately.
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said “one victim has been admitted to hospital” in connection with the incident. Sergei Leshchenko, a member of the Ukrainian Railways’ oversight committee, said its facilities had been attacked.
The first bombings in any part of the capital since the end of April appear to represent an attempt to strike the supply lines east of Kiev, where both sides are engaged in a fierce battle for control of the Donbass.
Perhaps signifying a new approach, Putin told Rossiya state television Russia The United States will hit new targets in Ukraine if it delivers the long-range rockets it promised to Kiev last week.
Given such missiles, Putin, who is believed to be closely involved in military decision-making, said, “We will hit targets that we have not yet hit.” The Russian leader did not specify what would be attacked, although logistics points would be one of the most logical goals.
Russia is annoyed by the U.S. decision to supply Ukraine with multi-missile rocket systems fitted with a Himars truck, with missiles that can travel up to 20 to 40 miles, more than anything in Kiev’s arsenal.
“In my opinion, these fuss has only one goal: to pull off as much of the armed conflict as possible,” Putin said in a televised interview.
Ukraine and the West hope that the rockets will prevent Russian forces from concentrating on the front for future attacks, but Putin has argued that it will not significantly change the military balance.
“We understand this presentation [of advance rocket systems] The United States and some other countries are trying to make up for the loss of military equipment, “said Putin. “It simply came to our notice then. It does not change anything in essence. ”
Ukraine’s nuclear company Energoatom was reportedly heading for the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant in the south of the country, around 5.30am, towards Kyiv.
It said the missile “flew too low” over the base and that Russian forces “did not yet understand that even the smallest piece of a missile that could strike a working force unit could cause a nuclear disaster and a radiation leak.”
The last attack on Kiev was on April 28, when a Russian missile killed a US-funded Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty producer. Since then, Moscow has boycotted the capital, trying to oust Ukraine from the Donbass.
Of Britain The Ministry of Defense said Ukrainian forces counterattacked in Siverodonetsk in eastern Ukraine, saying “Russian forces could blunt the pace of operations they had previously gained” – but did not assess whether the move would push back the invaders.
Sign up for the first edition of our free daily newsletter – BST every week at 7am
On Saturday, Sergei Haidai, the Ukrainian governor of Luhansk province, said his troops had recaptured about 20% of the city of Donbass, which had been under several days of Russian shelling and airstrikes.
Haidoi reiterated that claim on Sunday that eight Russians had been taken prisoner and that the occupiers had “lost a large number of their personnel.” The governor said a humanitarian headquarters in neighboring Licensing was hit by 30 bombs overnight.
Ukrainian forces have been “successfully slowing down Russian operations” in the Donbass and carrying out “effective local counterattacks in Siverodonetsk”. The War Research Institute saidAn American thinker, overnight.
The research team, which closely monitors the fighting, said Russia “could still capture Sivirodonetsk and Lyczynsk” and that “Ukrainian security is strong at this important theater.”
Britain’s Ministry of Defense has said Russia is relying on “poorly armed and trained” separatist forces from Luhansk, a tactic previously used by Moscow’s forces in Syria. “This approach underscores the desire to control casualties caused by regular Russian forces,” it added.
An adviser to the Ukrainian president urged European countries to respond to the missile strikes with “greater sanctions and more weapons” – and appeared to be critical of French President Emmanuel Macron. Said in an interview Russia should not be insulted in Ukraine on Friday so a diplomatic solution can finally be found.
Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the presidential office, tweeted: “When someone asks you not to insult Russia, the Kremlin seeks new insidious attacks. Today’s missile attack has only one goal – to kill as many Ukrainians as possible.
