Russia unleashed waves of drones and missiles on two Ukrainian cities early Tuesday, killing two and injuring no less than 13, Ukrainian officers reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the assault as “one of the biggest” because the struggle started greater than three years in the past. He mentioned Moscow’s forces launched greater than 315 drones, principally Shaheds, and 7 missiles in a single day.
“Russian missile and Shahed strikes drown out the efforts of the U.S. and allies to push Russia toward peace,” Zelenskyy wrote, calling for “concrete action” from the U.S. and Europe in response.
In the southern port metropolis of Odesa, a maternity hospital and residential buildings within the metropolis heart have been hit, regional head Oleh Kiper mentioned. The regional prosecutor’s workplace confirmed two deaths and 9 accidents within the assault.
Four individuals have been injured within the assault on the capital, Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned. Associated Press journalists heard explosions and the buzzing of drones across the metropolis for hours.
The recent assaults got here hours after Moscow launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine within the greatest in a single day drone bombardment within the three-year struggle. Ukrainian and Western officers have been anticipating a Russian response to Ukraine’s audacious June 1 drone assault on distant Russian air bases.
Plumes of smoke have been seen in Kyiv as air protection forces labored to shoot down drones and missiles Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian residents took shelter and slept in metro stations throughout the hours-long assault. Nina Nosivets, 32, and her 8-month-old son, Levko, have been amongst them.
“I just try not to think about all this, silently curled up like a mouse, waiting until it all passes, the attacks. Distract the child somehow because it’s probably the hardest thing for him to bear,” she mentioned.
Krystyna Semak, a 37-year-old Kyiv resident, mentioned the explosions frightened her and she or he ran to the metro at 2 a.m. along with her rug.
Russia has been launching a record-breaking variety of drones and missiles focusing on Ukraine whereas the 2 international locations proceed to swap prisoners of struggle, the one tangible final result of latest direct peace talks held in Istanbul. A cease-fire, lengthy sought by Kyiv, stays elusive.
In Kyiv, fires broke out in no less than 4 districts after particles from shot-down drones fell on the roofs of residential buildings and warehouses, in keeping with the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Vasyl Pesenko, 25, stood in his kitchen, broken within the assault.
“I was lying in bed, as always hoping that these Shaheds (drones) would fly past me, and I heard that Shahed (that hit the house),” he mentioned. “I thought that it would fly away, but it flew closer and closer and everything blew away.”
The Russian assault sparked 19 fires throughout Ukraine, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote on Telegram. “Russia must answer for every crime it commits. Until there is justice, there will be no security. For Ukraine. And for the world,” he mentioned.
The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday morning reported downing 102 Ukrainian drones over Russian areas and Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
The drones have been downed each over areas on the border with Ukraine and deeper inside Russia, together with central Moscow and Leningrad areas, in keeping with the Defense Ministry’s assertion.
Because of the drone assault, flights have been quickly restricted out and in of a number of airports throughout Russia, together with all 4 airports in Moscow and Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, the nation’s second-largest metropolis.
Source: www.dailysabah.com